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So many retro-style bands ape Black Sabbath's riffs, but few actually capture the feeling. Teeth of the Hydra do, but update the sound with gruff vocals, a few more notes in scales, and modern production. Riffs are fuzzy and huge, while drums piledrive underneath. The production is brawny but edgy, capturing definition and heaviness in the drums. Vocals occasionally have over-the-top delay for an old-school, psychedelic vibe. Songs vary from bluesy stomps to thundering waltzes to the requisite plodding dirges. Anthony Yankovic and Orion Landau contribute gorgeous sea green artwork that matches the aquatic/mythological lyrics. This year's Leviathan?
~ Stylus
"PITRIFF RATING 9/10 - All there is to say is wow! A crushing release from a band that had better make their way to my corner of the world. Real stoner rock the way the underground fans of the genre expect it to be. Well worth seeking out."
~PitRiff
Braving the frozen tundra, fighting to survive treacherous arctic conditions, the Viking settlement of Greenland was no picnic, and new arrivals' unwillingness to seek assistance from the Inuit on the ice fishing techniques didn't help the food situation. What in the hell am I talking about? Ask guitarist and doom master Matt Miner of Columbus, Ohio's TEETH OF THE HYDRA; he can better explain the loose concept of "Greenland" and the earth moving stoner/doom metal (or "1970s black metal," as he describes it) heaviness that he creates with bassist Matt Bailey and drummer Jamie Stillman. Those who don't give a rat's ass about lyrics, concepts, and other brainy stuff just need to know that "Greenland" is one big burly rock beast. It is eight songs and 51 minutes of down-tuned skull-crush that recalls bands like HIGH ON FIRE and the MELVINS with roots that reach back to BLACK SABBATH and CELTIC FROST. You might as well toss in a little VENOM for those moments when the edge to Miner's voice reminds of Cronos.
Musically, TEETH OF THE HYDRA define "power trio." The members move in unison, supporting one another so that the engine continues to run hot no matter what is happening at any given moment. The most important part is the riff heft created by Miner; it is nothing fancy, just massive in its delivery. Bailey and Stillman keep the rhythm churn fat and rumbling, easily forceful enough to level a small, residential neighborhood.
The album kicks off in fine form with "Sawing Through the Ice". A doomy stomp opens the song and eventually turns into a quick gallop. "Our Strange Man" follows suit, and the smoke continues to billow during the blues-based and smoldering 11-minute bulldozer that is "The Garden of Rotten Teeth". More doom scrape is heard on the eight-minute "Nine Heads", while "Voices Over Conus" teases with some acoustic guitar that is soon overtaken by a HIGH ON FIRE riff avalanche. A creepy guitar line drives "Eruptin'" before it switches gears with locomotive propulsion. A break of sorts arrives with six minutes of psychedelic, fuzzed out drone on "Narsaq". The album wrap-up "Purgatorium" fuses both ends — rip-snortin' slams and dirty plods — of the album spectrum. Are you surprised that Sanford Parker (PELICAN, UNEARTHLY TRANCE, LAIR OF THE MINOTAUR, etc.) gets production credit?
Those fortunate enough to have picked up debut album "We are the Fantasy" will not be surprised to find out that TEETH OF THE HYDRA has created another weighty slab of metal goodness in "Greenland". I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking that "Greenland" raises the bar for stoner/doom metal, but I'll be goddamned if the disc isn't one heavy son of a bitch.
- Scott Alisoglu/BLABBERMOUTH.NET
From the ruins of Columbus Ohio come TEETH OF THE HYDRA, one of the burliest power trios to gallop out of the rust belt in recent times. TEETH OF THE HYDRA distill backwoods molten battery into crusty black metal riff electricity. Nautical death trip vocals and desert plague guitars transform 1970s' heavy rock hooks. Mean and raw is just how TEETH do business. Critics and fans have likened them to Celtic Frost, Melvins, Amebix and Entombed. Matt Miner is the throatman and defender of the mockingbird guitar. His voice moves from undead appalachian slang to Lemmy on fire howl. Godfather and earthquaker, Matt Bailey battles behind a wall of bass and tar. Hellish drum crossfire by Jamie Stillman(former master guitarist of The Party of Helicopters). His drumming matches Brian Downey finesse with the crushing retardation of Dale Crover. The TEETH live show is drenched in gross feedback and primitive hardcore energy. Death's deal is rolled. Cute girls break glass. Amplifiers catch fire. The volumehammer drops. Grown ass men "HESH THE FUKK OUT!"
Fall 2006 sees the release of GREENLAND, the first TEETH OF THE HYDRA record with Stillman in the fold and their debut for TEE PEE RECORDS out of NYC. GREENLAND was produced and engineered by Sanford Parker (Buried at Sea, Pelican, Unearthly Trance) at his Chicago lair, Volume Studios. GREENLAND is a bleak story of living, fishing, freezing and drowning screamed from the edge of the arctic.
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I am now recording for a new set of releases called the "Persona
Series". These cassettes will be commissioned works (not by content,
but by payment) for individuals. If John Smith in London, England
wants his own Zebulon Kosted album, I will make a 45 minute album (one
side of a 90 minute tape), 2 hand drawn mini posters, I will name the
album after him (Zebulon Kosted - John Smith), and the fan will retain
all rights to the recording (for use of any future release, sampling,
or broadcasting rights). One copy of the album will remain in my
personal collection, and one will be sent to the customer, so that the
only copy that will be in circulation will be John Smiths copy! Each
album is available for the ridiculously low price of $10 (not including
shipping), and will be shipped in its completed form no later than 6
weeks from the date of purchase!!!
COLUMBUS'S ONLY UNDERGROUND ART SCHOOL BEGINS CLASSES IN JULY- BOOK YOUR SPACE NOW! CASTING-SKETCHING-PAINTING-PHOTOGRAPHY AND MORE. WANNA BE AN ARTIST? THEN LEARN FROM THE BEST! STOP BY THE STUDIO THIS FRIDAY 4 OUR OPEN HOUSE AND GET THE REAL DEAL. OR CALL KC 614.424.1010
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