The Haul: Part I

Some recent purchases. Sure, let's get more personal. Traded in twelve shitty CDs today at the local metal store. Converted them to this. They are, Toxic Holocaust, Saint Vitus, Mortuary Drape, Beherit/Archgoat and Sarcofago. After the store credit I received, which was $25 for them shitty CDs. I owed only a little over $40 for all of this. From there it was straight to the liquor store to pick up a six-packer of Southern Tier Double Milk Stout, which has been going down fast and going quite well with these here records. I should point out that the Mortuary Drape comes as a gatefold double set on 180 gram, plus four bonus tracks. If you can find it, definitely get it! I already reviewed the new Toxic Holocaust and you know that fucking kills, plus the Saint Vitus is just more great classic dooooom! The Beherit/Archgoat split is sick as fuck and that Sarcofago comp is a great career retrospective of one of the genres' finest. Let's drink!

Saint Vitus - Born Too Late (1986)

Its sort of interesting the way music has always had that tendency to be retro, even albums from the 80's like, 'Born Too Late.' Saint Vitus was utterly different for their time. I mean when you look back to '86 images and sounds of thrash and classic heavy metal come to mind, as well death and black metal were making their first tiny baby steps, but these guys were turning the clock back years, to the early 70's to be precise and were drawing influence from vintage Black Sabbath recordings. In a way its a total middle finger in the face of everything else that was going on at the time, because it had no commercial appeal whatsoever, especially in their home town of Los Angeles where cock rock was running amuck. Even the simple cover of this record was the opposite of all other bands out there.

Kicking off with, 'Born Too Late,' this ultra slow heavy doom anthem moves at a painfully slow pace for its entire duration, but has a clever solo, which honestly sounds odd amongst the crawling bass guitar and drums, whilst 'Clear Windowpane' turns up the tempo a bit to a sound somewhat reminiscent of Black Sabbath's, 'Master of Reality' or 'Volume 4,' while 'Dying Inside' is another sluggish number, a bit longer though quite similar to the opener that has lyrics about alcoholism and trying to quit the habit.

Flipping the LP over (I've been on a vinyl kick lately... if you haven't noticed) we come to, 'H.A.A.G.,' which is another faster one again similar to classic Sabbath with superb lyrics, good energy and flow and a infectious main riff that's sure to stay in your mind after listening. 'The Lost Feeling' and the last song, 'The War Starter' again return to the gloomier slow territory.

Sluggishness and pain drive this record, retro for its time, a rebellion of sorts and a brilliant record to boot. Saint Vitus could have certainly completely ripped off those early Sabbath records, but they just took the basics and slowed them down even more. The solos, although impressive, sound bizarre and out of place amongst the already mentioned lethargic music, but it works in a way that makes it sound atmospheric and different. Wino's voice is full of ache and gruffness, but it matches up perfectly with the music and lyrics about being an outcast, drugs, alcoholism, sorrow and war are also brilliantly wrote.

'Born Too Late' is traditional doom in its purest form, not much speed and not a whole lot of groove, but waves of slowness and words of wisdom. Definitely one of Saint Vitus' finest statements and surely a classic of the genre too.

Saint Vitus - V (1990)

Saint Vitus is by most peoples accounts one of the first bands to pick up the torch of heavy doomy metal that Black Sabbath was famously known for in the first half of the 70's. Beginning life as early as 1978 under the Tyrant monicker, they became Saint Vitus two years later and by 1984 they were releasing their self-titled debut. However by 1986 when they were releasing their third album, 'Born Too Late,' a guy by the name of Scott "Wino" Weinrich (whose band The Obsessed were on hiatus) had stepped in to replace vocalist Scott Reagers, and although I can't say for sure I think these three albums are generally considered Saint Vitus' finest moments. 'V' was released in 1990; a point in time when thrash metal was dying, death metal was thriving, black metal didn't exist yet and more than likely a time when no one gave a fuck about a Sabbath influenced band.

'V' was the fifth Saint Vitus album as well as the last to feature Wino at the vocal helm and the results are quite good. Dave Chandler's hazily fuzzy toned heavy riffs, booming solos and bleak lyrics characterize the album while Wino howls out Chandler's words on anger, self-loathing, alcohol, society, drug abuse (etc.) in a mostly depressing manner, which works perfectly with the given music. Although some songs move at speedier bluesy rock n' roll pace and are over in three minutes or less a good portion of the album revolves around ultra slow plodding guitars, drums and bass and are between five to seven minutes each, yet the whole eight song album is said and done in thirty six minutes.

While I do like the speedier numbers like, 'Angry Man' or 'Mind-Food' quite a bit I do have a bit more love for the ultra heavy and slow ones, such as, 'Patra (Petra)' & 'I Bleed Black.' Just as many doom/death bands would do a few years down the road, these slower jams show a great deal of emotion both through Dave's riff work and Wino's dismal vocal delivery. To me that's what doom is all about.

Although I've known about Saint Vitus for years I've only previously also heard the bands final effort from 1995, 'Die Healing,' which I remember selling a few years back, yet coming across this one in a used bin a few months ago has renewed my interest in the band.

Saint Vitus hasn't released any new studio album since '95, but this classic line-up got back together in 2008 and although the bands one and only drummer, Armando Acosta pasted away last year they've already found a replacement in Henry Vasquez. So, it should be interesting to see if these aging doomsters come up with something new soon or they'll just be sticking to their classics.