Seems there's no thread dedicated to the pioneers and, in my opinion, most creative and relevant active funeral doom band, so with their new album 'Companion' recently released I think it's high time we rectified that.
I have been spinning 'Companion' on repeat in the car over the past couple of days and I'm slowly familiarising myself with it. It sounds really good to me. They have such a unique and instantly recognisable sound but they don't shy away from innovation within their own little world. The new one really takes the listener on a journey, the most obviously surprising song is perhaps 'Passage' which kicks things up a gear or two- maybe a nod back towards their debut 7"?- but what really strikes me is Lasse Pelkonen's incredible, inventive drumming. He has made minimalism an artform, but he always knows just how to add the right amount of embellishment to surprise the attentive ear.
This is how funeral doom should be.
I'd prefer the whole thing to be more in the vein of Passage to be honest, maybe get back into the woods a bit. The album definitely takes a darker turn here which continues by and large, to the end.
'Passage' is the most unusual track on it, no doubt. I think there's a nice mix throughout of familiarity and innovation. I can't pick a highlight yet as I'm still absorbing it.
Stormcrowfleet turned 30 the other day and it looks like they are doing a special edition vinyl release to mark the occasion. I wonder how it might differ from the remastered Svart version from a couple of years back. There was a 4 song demo made before the proper recording of the album so I wonder will they release that as part of it. If ever there was a good time for them to release a couple of nice tshirts, then this is it. Whatever way it goes I'm sure I'll cave and buy it 8)
The DLP edition is the same mix as the one released a few years ago but has two of the four songs from the demo included. There's a tape reissue of the full demo so if there are any left tomorrow evening when pay comes in, I'll grab one. They will FINALLY reissue a Stormcrowfleet tshirt BUT the cunting thing is black and white and has a gimpy back print saying "Stormcrowfleet 30th Anniversary 2025". Fucking why! I'll probably still get one, but fuck me if ever an album cover should be put on a tshirt, and done well it's that one. I've wanted one for years... I'm peeved!
If they had decided to do a vinyl release with the original mix there's no way I could have resisted. Maybe I'll grab the CD at some stage to have a gander at the booklet which documents the recording process, and no harm having the new mix on CD too. It's just one of those albums for me.
They really need to get a vinyl issue of Lead and Aether and Farmakon out there too, along with issues of the Ethere & The Process of Farmakon EP's.
Yup. I'm hoping Svart are on the case.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on August 26, 2025, 11:02:42 AMThe DLP edition is the same mix as the one released a few years ago but has two of the four songs from the demo included. There's a tape reissue of the full demo so if there are any left tomorrow evening when pay comes in, I'll grab one. They will FINALLY reissue a Stormcrowfleet tshirt BUT the cunting thing is black and white and has a gimpy back print saying "Stormcrowfleet 30th Anniversary 2025". Fucking why! I'll probably still get one, but fuck me if ever an album cover should be put on a tshirt, and done well it's that one. I've wanted one for years... I'm peeved!
If they had decided to do a vinyl release with the original mix there's no way I could have resisted. Maybe I'll grab the CD at some stage to have a gander at the booklet which documents the recording process, and no harm having the new mix on CD too. It's just one of those albums for me.
100 of those tapes ; such a small number, wonder why? I'd prefer it on CD or vinyl.
I've seen various talk here over the years about Stormcrowfkeet but never got around to spending time with it. I caught them in May at Maryland Death Fest and they were immense.
They were meant to play indoors but the power went, and so they moved outdoors. I really enjoyed it but was starved so thinking we were getting the same long set I foolishly skipped out for a few minutes, and when I came back I discovered they finished early (having started late). Gutted, but this reminds me I need to immerse myself in their stuff now and believe the hype after seeing them live.
Quote from: Snare on August 26, 2025, 01:38:26 PMI caught them in May at Maryland Death Fest and they were immense.
Still getting that one into conversations, Brian! :laugh:
Never gave them time, until now
Great stuff
Organ is brilliant in it
€34 isn't the worst, from Svart:
https://www.svartrecords.com/en/product/skepticism-stormcrowfleet/13663
Check out Kali Malone – The Sacrificial Code for droney organ (not metal, more minimal contemporary classical)
Quote from: jobrok1 on August 26, 2025, 04:01:35 PMQuote from: Snare on August 26, 2025, 01:38:26 PMI caught them in May at Maryland Death Fest and they were immense.
Still getting that one into conversations, Brian! :laugh:
:laugh:
OK, I caught them in some place that wasn't Cork! Moral of the story is I slept on them far too long, and it was nice to just catch them totally new to me as I happened across them. Ward's getting what others and I mean now :abbath:
A sound like theirs would be immense live ... Cork or not Cork ;)
This has stopped me in my tracks
A great release
What's next?
diSEMBOWELMENT – Transcendence Into The Peripheral :)
Quote from: Jward on August 27, 2025, 09:33:11 AMThis has stopped me in my tracks
A great release
What's next?
Thergothon - Stream from the Heavens?
Quote from: Thanatos on August 27, 2025, 09:38:15 AMQuote from: Jward on August 27, 2025, 09:33:11 AMThis has stopped me in my tracks
A great release
What's next?
Thergothon - Stream from the Heavens?
I'll give that a spin
Just finishing Stormcrowfleet
I'll just need to stand outside, in the rain, for a bit first
;)
I think there are very few funeral doom bands that capture the essence of Skepticism and Thergothon. An album I really like that isn't quite up there with those two but is really good in its own right is 'O Solitude' by Pantheist. I like my funeral doom to be in some way warped sounding, not cleanly produced. But that's just me.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on August 27, 2025, 10:38:17 AMI think there are very few funeral doom bands that capture the essence of Skepticism and Thergothon. An album I really like that isn't quite up there with those two but is really good in its own right is 'O Solitude' by Pantheist. I like my funeral doom to be in some way warped sounding, not cleanly produced. But that's just me.
You might like Bleak Vistae, an EP by Tyranny who are also Finnish
BTW, big SVART RECORDS sale on today, had a look but not too clued up on most of their bands.
A small bit too far along the Shape of Despair spectrum for my tastes but after a bottle of red it could be more comfortable.
Quote from: 91/30 on August 27, 2025, 01:30:48 PMQuote from: Eoin McLove on August 27, 2025, 10:38:17 AMI think there are very few funeral doom bands that capture the essence of Skepticism and Thergothon. An album I really like that isn't quite up there with those two but is really good in its own right is 'O Solitude' by Pantheist. I like my funeral doom to be in some way warped sounding, not cleanly produced. But that's just me.
You might like Bleak Vistae, an EP by Tyranny who are also Finnish
BTW, big SVART RECORDS sale on today, had a look but not too clued up on most of their bands.
I saw Tyranny live in 2005 and didn't think much of them but I give that one a go. Might be that for me this stuff is better on CD.
Looks like I'm going to let this demo go. I remembered why I stopped buying stuff from Svart. Their fucking postage is insane. The cheapest option was $27! I thought I was on to a winner getting a Jaaw CD for €2 and a 40 Watt Sun CD for €3 but all three together with postage and converted into AUD, it came to $80! Ehhh.... nah.
Svart have been crazy cheap for postage anytime I've used them. Obviously different kettle o' fish going to Oz.
Think I got the JAAW LP for like €6 off them last year.
Got a rake of stuff and postage was quite reasonable.
Given my life long love of all things Finnish and slow I don't know why i've kind of overlooked Skepticism over the years, Storm is the only one I really know. Working my way through the discography currently and I'm kind of embarassed I've not paid attention. Order in for the LP
€7.50 postage is very good.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on August 28, 2025, 11:04:30 AMLooks like I'm going to let this demo go. I remembered why I stopped buying stuff from Svart. Their fucking postage is insane. The cheapest option was $27! I thought I was on to a winner getting a Jaaw CD for €2 and a 40 Watt Sun CD for €3 but all three together with postage and converted into AUD, it came to $80! Ehhh.... nah.
Thinking outside the box, which you may have done already, but maybe you could send to some family back on the oul sod for the €7.50 option and collect the tapes next time you're home if you really want it?
Ah yeah, I could, but it sounds like a pain in the hole :laugh: fuck it, I've survived 43 years without it, I'm sure I'll live!
That positive attitude doesn't suit the band at all! :laugh:
And they too, despite their deepest wishes, will live.