Review by Greg on July 10, 2023.

At the time of writing, New World Murder is Rezet's latest release, and their last EP of a good streak, following the excellent and extremely pissed off You Asked for It. I must say, they seem to really know what's the true sense (at least according to yours truly) of these minor releases, which isn't to merely tease some songs that will later appear on the subsequent LP, thus rendering the EP itself useless and redundant, but to provide the fans with something exclusive. Of course, this approach can be somewhat of a double-edged sword since, according to the quality of these four tracks, it could be either a quality or a lazy way to recycle the recording sessions' leftovers.

New World Murder lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Of course I'm not implying that some of these songs were left out from latest LP Truth in Between, but Rezet don't sound as inspired (or belligerent, for that matter) as on You Asked for It. The formula is the same though, with three originals and a cover. Starting from the latter, it's simply my all-time favourite Deep Purple song ('Fireball'), and it's decently faithful, if heavier, but I struggle to get over the fact that the refrain sounds off-key. First two songs don't immediately impress, either, 'The Devil's Bride' being an incredibly old school gallop, and 'Alien Noises' a more direct, muscular midtempo number. I guess what really saves the EP is the third track, 'Dead End Walking', which returns to the band's rather eclectic style made of sudden tempo changes and numerous leads, with a perfect melodic chorus to boot. Not quite at the level of 'Dying by the States', arguably their best song ever, but alarmingly close.

To sum up, what we have here is one song I really hope to find again on the next Rezet LP's tracklist, even if that might go against the band's modus operandi. The rest is a decent addition to their now vast repertoire, but won't raise many eyebrows. For fans only.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review by Rosh on December 25, 2021.

Spiral Grave is a project made up of the three surviving members of seminal Maryland doom metal band Iron Man's final lineup, as well as the guitarist of sludge/stoner metal band Lord. In the passing of a staple doom guitarist like Alfred Morris III, it's quite cool to see a new venture out there carrying on his gargantuan sounding legacy, composed by some of his last bandmates. It may only be two songs long, but damn it all, this single/EP is an absolute sledgehammer of a release, and is in many ways the true, gritty doom release I'd been waiting for from the veterans of the style. This brief CD feels so confidently executed and continues the sound developed on "South Of The Earth", which was already one of my favorite Iron Man records.

So, speaking of the Iron Man discography, I had ordered a remastered Shadow Kingdom Records copy of "The Passage", to go along with my original Hellhound Records copy (I often like to collect different versions of my favorite releases by my favorite bands). Turned out that "Iron" Lou Strachan, bassist of this band and the final lineup of Iron Man, was the eBay seller who'd listed the CD. He included this promo CD in a red digisleeve in the package, and I immediately checked it out after seeing the lineup on Metal Archives. I got back to him, told him I absolutely loved it, and that I was also happy to own the remaster of the Iron Man album, and we talked doom for a while. That was back in February 2021, but I have not been able to forget Spiral Grave and this badass single/EP in the months since then.

This is the kind of doom metal that really inspires me due to how much I connect with it. It's down to earth, working man's kind of shit. Both tracks here feel along the lines of classic Saint Vitus while being compositionally different - it has more to do with the burned out, rough-around-the-edges energy (or lack thereof). The bass is loud and clangs along right beneath the grooving but punishing guitar, and "Screaming" Mad Dee became my one of my favorite doom metal singers due to the title track of this release and the one from "South Of The Earth".

The title track of Nothing is thematically nihilistic, true to its title, but musically it breathes pissed-off-ness and the music really drives, yet the guitars do exhibit some milder moments, making this song a brilliantly engineered doom metal trek. Lyrically, I especially like the line "Nothing, is what it seems! Nothing, is too extreme!" Really suits the way you feel when life gets to be a living hell, or you're just stuck in a frustrating rut and you'll try anything to break out. 'Walking Talking Dead Man' isn't as varied as the first tune, but it's very catchy and is just as much of a sledgehammer of a track. Really thoroughly digging both songs - few projects can do this much with just two songs, especially with a style as (relatively) bare-bones as traditional doom metal.

I can't wait for a full-length from this doom metal outfit, Spiral Grave. It's gonna be at least as good as "South Of The Earth" from 2013 was, I'm calling it now. This release is simply a perfect snippet of music for the style it offers, despite being so short. It's a heavy hitter, for me at least.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Rosh on December 25, 2021.

Spiral Grave is a project made up of the three surviving members of seminal Maryland doom metal band Iron Man's final lineup, as well as the guitarist of sludge/stoner metal band Lord. In the passing of a staple doom guitarist like Alfred Morris III, it's quite cool to see a new venture out there carrying on his gargantuan sounding legacy, composed by some of his last bandmates. It may only be two songs long, but damn it all, this single/EP is an absolute sledgehammer of a release, and is in many ways the true, gritty doom release I'd been waiting for from the veterans of the style. This brief CD feels so confidently executed and continues the sound developed on "South Of The Earth", which was already one of my favorite Iron Man records.

So, speaking of the Iron Man discography, I had ordered a remastered Shadow Kingdom Records copy of "The Passage", to go along with my original Hellhound Records copy (I often like to collect different versions of my favorite releases by my favorite bands). Turned out that "Iron" Lou Strachan, bassist of this band and the final lineup of Iron Man, was the eBay seller who'd listed the CD. He included this promo CD in a red digisleeve in the package, and I immediately checked it out after seeing the lineup on Metal Archives. I got back to him, told him I absolutely loved it, and that I was also happy to own the remaster of the Iron Man album, and we talked doom for a while. That was back in February 2021, but I have not been able to forget Spiral Grave and this badass single/EP in the months since then.

This is the kind of doom metal that really inspires me due to how much I connect with it. It's down to earth, working man's kind of shit. Both tracks here feel along the lines of classic Saint Vitus while being compositionally different - it has more to do with the burned out, rough-around-the-edges energy (or lack thereof). The bass is loud and clangs along right beneath the grooving but punishing guitar, and "Screaming" Mad Dee became my one of my favorite doom metal singers due to the title track of this release and the one from "South Of The Earth".

The title track of Nothing is thematically nihilistic, true to its title, but musically it breathes pissed-off-ness and the music really drives, yet the guitars do exhibit some milder moments, making this song a brilliantly engineered doom metal trek. Lyrically, I especially like the line "Nothing, is what it seems! Nothing, is too extreme!" Really suits the way you feel when life gets to be a living hell, or you're just stuck in a frustrating rut and you'll try anything to break out. 'Walking Talking Dead Man' isn't as varied as the first tune, but it's very catchy and is just as much of a sledgehammer of a track. Really thoroughly digging both songs - few projects can do this much with just two songs, especially with a style as (relatively) bare-bones as traditional doom metal.

I can't wait for a full-length from this doom metal outfit, Spiral Grave. It's gonna be at least as good as "South Of The Earth" from 2013 was, I'm calling it now. This release is simply a perfect snippet of music for the style it offers, despite being so short. It's a heavy hitter, for me at least.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Rosh on December 25, 2021.

Spiral Grave is a project made up of the three surviving members of seminal Maryland doom metal band Iron Man's final lineup, as well as the guitarist of sludge/stoner metal band Lord. In the passing of a staple doom guitarist like Alfred Morris III, it's quite cool to see a new venture out there carrying on his gargantuan sounding legacy, composed by some of his last bandmates. It may only be two songs long, but damn it all, this single/EP is an absolute sledgehammer of a release, and is in many ways the true, gritty doom release I'd been waiting for from the veterans of the style. This brief CD feels so confidently executed and continues the sound developed on "South Of The Earth", which was already one of my favorite Iron Man records.

So, speaking of the Iron Man discography, I had ordered a remastered Shadow Kingdom Records copy of "The Passage", to go along with my original Hellhound Records copy (I often like to collect different versions of my favorite releases by my favorite bands). Turned out that "Iron" Lou Strachan, bassist of this band and the final lineup of Iron Man, was the eBay seller who'd listed the CD. He included this promo CD in a red digisleeve in the package, and I immediately checked it out after seeing the lineup on Metal Archives. I got back to him, told him I absolutely loved it, and that I was also happy to own the remaster of the Iron Man album, and we talked doom for a while. That was back in February 2021, but I have not been able to forget Spiral Grave and this badass single/EP in the months since then.

This is the kind of doom metal that really inspires me due to how much I connect with it. It's down to earth, working man's kind of shit. Both tracks here feel along the lines of classic Saint Vitus while being compositionally different - it has more to do with the burned out, rough-around-the-edges energy (or lack thereof). The bass is loud and clangs along right beneath the grooving but punishing guitar, and "Screaming" Mad Dee became my one of my favorite doom metal singers due to the title track of this release and the one from "South Of The Earth".

The title track of Nothing is thematically nihilistic, true to its title, but musically it breathes pissed-off-ness and the music really drives, yet the guitars do exhibit some milder moments, making this song a brilliantly engineered doom metal trek. Lyrically, I especially like the line "Nothing, is what it seems! Nothing, is too extreme!" Really suits the way you feel when life gets to be a living hell, or you're just stuck in a frustrating rut and you'll try anything to break out. 'Walking Talking Dead Man' isn't as varied as the first tune, but it's very catchy and is just as much of a sledgehammer of a track. Really thoroughly digging both songs - few projects can do this much with just two songs, especially with a style as (relatively) bare-bones as traditional doom metal.

I can't wait for a full-length from this doom metal outfit, Spiral Grave. It's gonna be at least as good as "South Of The Earth" from 2013 was, I'm calling it now. This release is simply a perfect snippet of music for the style it offers, despite being so short. It's a heavy hitter, for me at least.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by JD on January 31, 2013.

Anyone who knows me or at least reads my little headbanging rants about bands and their music, could tell that I am a huge Doom Metal fan. From my own music career, down to what I listen to, I go for heavy, slow and well played Doom Metal. One act that I am so into at the moment epitomizes what Doom Metal is. From Michigan City, Indiana... comes Stone Magnum.

With a Epic Traditional Doom Metal sound, that is bolstered by some 70's flavoured Groove that still keeps a full wall of heaviness right in your face Stone Magnum breaths Doomy Classiness. Think of Candlemass with mid career Sabbath and add in a old school Metal Singer that is this odd spawn of a cross between a stoned Ozzy, Trouble frontman and a pissed off Danzig- you get this band.

I absolutely love two tacks here... the ponderously massive and de-tuned majesty of 'Locksmith of Misery' and the 70's dark homage to Sabbath, 'Pictures Of Your Life'. Great lyrics, a heavy wall of Doom and powerful delivery shows the capability that this band has to write almost classic material right from the very start.

This is a no brainer event here my metallic friends - you need to buy this album as soon as possible. Doom fan or not, all of you metalheads will love every second that this amazing debut album would be playing. Go right fuckin’ now and buy it, I will crack a cold beer open and listen to this CD while I wait.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Production: 10
Originality: 9.5
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 9.8 out of 10