SubRosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones
Tracklist
01. Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes02. Beneath The Crown
03. Stonecarver
04. The Inheritance
05. Attack On Golden Mountain
06. Whippoorwill
07. House Carpenter
08. Dark Country
Line-up
Sarah Pendleton - violin, vocals
Kim Pack - violin, vocals
Rebecca Vernon - guitars, vocals, chime, thumb piano
Zach Hatsis - drums, hammered dulcimer, samples
Dave Jones - bass
Additional musicians
Bill Frost - guitar
Phil White - vocals
Andy Patterson - harmonica
Sarah Pendleton - violin, vocals
Kim Pack - violin, vocals
Rebecca Vernon - guitars, vocals, chime, thumb piano
Zach Hatsis - drums, hammered dulcimer, samples
Dave Jones - bass
Additional musicians
Bill Frost - guitar
Phil White - vocals
Andy Patterson - harmonica
Staff review by
!J.O.O.E.!
!J.O.O.E.!
Rating:
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Rating:
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Gaze in wonder at one of Profound Lore's recent marvels. Salt Lake City's SubRosa, skillfully avoiding the pitfalls of machismo sludge music, conjure a sound that would likely suit the female vocal aficionado as much as it would the hardened metaller. In fact one could easily recommend listening to it that way as this isn't like most ardent heavy sludge releases, the heaviness being largely replaced with an often psychedelic, dirging quality. The fuzzy guitars take a backseat (unusual for a sludge band) and are the first constituent in a sublime three-way as the grounding foundation between the off-kilter singing (and sparely used growling) and (dis)harmonies in a tug of war with the discordant violin. The real brilliance of every song, though, is the reward that awaits at the end of each. A build up, sometimes intentional repetition, before the component elements meet in crescendo that brings the violin to the foreground in a euphoric and transcendental manner. For this reason approaching SubRosa on a riff basis, which one might often do in the genre, isn't recommended. Read more ›› |
Staff pick by
!J.O.O.E.!
Found in 27 lists
!J.O.O.E.!
Female Vocal + Violin Driven Sludge Metal
Nov 01, 2011
In a sadly frequent number of cases the inclusion of the female vocal in the more extreme end of metal is typically employed for mere novelty effect (if not for the "crumpet" effect), occasionally adding another shade to the proceedings where it might. Not only do the three-fifths female outfit SubRosa manage, without effort, to waylay this unfortunate paradigm, they succeed in turning the sludge genre on its head and make the unconventional female vocal (think Bloody Panda rather than Nightwish) and the jarring violin (think A Forest Of Stars rather than Apocalyptica) its prime catalyst, creating a distinct and unusual approach to the sound. Both offbeat and dissonant whilst heavy and crushing (but not without a woman's touch) this is quite possibly the album of the year because of it.
Staff pick by:
Endorsed by: BloodTears, X-Ray Rod, Ag Fox, Susan, White Winter Sun, KwonVerge
!J.O.O.E.! (!J.O.O.E.!'s picks)
Endorsed by: BloodTears, X-Ray Rod, Ag Fox, Susan, White Winter Sun, KwonVerge
Top lists
Comments page 2 / 3
 Posts: 6213 |
Posts: 6213
Me like, but not too much. Female chirping does not a great album make. No matter what fantasies the chirping invokes!
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Posts: 3099 Written by Daniell on 01.11.2011 at 00:09 Seriously though this looks like something I should check out.
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Posts: 6213
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Posts: 40071 Written by R'Vannith on 01.11.2011 at 02:46 Daniell's sentence is perfectly correct english both semantically and gramatically.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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Posts: 21306 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 01.11.2011 at 10:11 Despite its legitimacy the voice in my head sounded like Yoda as I read it.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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Posts: 3099 Written by Daniell on 01.11.2011 at 09:54 Your comment sounded like a Yodaism to me. I didn't mean your comment was incorrect in any way. Pardon my antiquated sense of humour 
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Posts: 6213 Written by Troy Killjoy on 01.11.2011 at 10:26 My favourite Yoda sentence is this: Not directed at anyone, in case you wondered.
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Posts: 1918
Definitely one of my favourites for this year as well. The best thing about music is that not everyone needs to like it. If everyone liked it, it would probably be shite I'm sure. Not sure if I agree with you about house carpenter being out of place. I actually liked the sudden change, but for some reason the album still keeps the dark atmosphere. The best part of the album is the dark atmosphere throughout the whole thing, probably why I like violins so much. And about the vocals being off, I think they are meant to be slightly off. Its something like torche and made out of babies, where the vocals are sung purposefully slightly off, which I think is a lot tougher than normal vocals.
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Posts: 4936  |
Posts: 4936
I didn't have an issue with House Carpenter either, though it's not the high point of the album. I dig The Inheritance and Attack On Golden Mountain. Good to see this finally recommended and reviewed. I haven't listened to it much in a few months - too much music, too little time - but I played it like once a day for a few weeks when it came out. It will definetely be in my top 3-5 metal albums by the end of the year. It's just very good. Some of the songs are maybe a little longer than necessary, and once you've heard it enough times it seems a little meandering instead of tension-building. But that's a minor gripe about an album with a wonderful sound and very catchy melodies, not to mention vocals that remind me of early PJ Harvey.
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Posts: 405
Did not expect the "House Carpenter". Did. Not. Album grew in my eyes after it.
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Posts: 4603 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.10.2011 at 20:33 A girl agrees. But MS opened my mind to some nice femme metal bands, though I hate that term. Maybe this will be one of them.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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Posts: 1918
Just coz its got women in it doesn't mean these chicks don't know how to rock.
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 Posts: 3473 |
Posts: 3473
I think House Carpenter would be better suited for a Primordial album. The rest is good though. The lead vocals are like Kim McAuliff doing 90s alt. rock.
---- "I'm here to nunchuck and not wear helmets. And I'm all out of helmets." "I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples." " 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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Posts: 4774
In terms of female vocals, I realise I prefer Acid King and recent Kylesa. nevertheless, this is still an enjoyable release
---- loves 小巫
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Posts: 6941 Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.10.2011 at 20:33 A ha! Caught you! You say this but you actually DO like a few female fronted bands in metal, quite a bit actually  (Rituals of the Oak and Murkrat to name a few) Mwahahaha!!!  /on topic This album is wonderful. A perfect complement to my growing love for this genre.
---- "A life all mine Is what I choose At the end of my days" --The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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Posts: 187  |
Posts: 187
Stonecarver is definitely the best longtrack I've heard this year. Thumbs up.
---- "We are blind to the world within us, waiting to be born"
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Posts: 18620 Written by Susan on 10.12.2011 at 17:02 Not to mention that one of his five 10s in all his votes is a (wait for it.........) a female fronted thrash metal band.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 18620 Written by [user id=4365] on 29.12.2011 at 16:48 I think the album is pretty good, well... I'm programmed to think that anyways. But definitely not 10-worthy. Would give it a low 8.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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Posts: 40071 Written by [user id=4365] on 29.12.2011 at 16:48 far better than SubRosa Now those are weak vocals  And as we all know you and thrash don't go together at all.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| !J.O.O.E.!
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!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.12.2011 at 09:44 Her vocals on that album sound like she belongs on some teenager angst ridden nu/hard rock album like Slunt or something. Totally inappropriate for the style. I'm amazed you like it but it shows how easily influenced you were when you were younger
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Posts: 40071 Written by [user id=4365] on 30.12.2011 at 12:51 Influenced? When almost no-one liked it at the time except for me and Walter (now main organizer of Roadburn)? We were the only two over at Meltdown Metal Magazine that liked it and I think there was only Robert Heeg over at Aardschok Magazine at the tim likign it  The timeless classic that is Within The veil only got recognition later on, epsecialy due to the vocals which combined weirdly yet great with that style of thrash.But now we're drifting off topic again. SubRosa and it's mediocrity to okayish that this new album of theirs is.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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Posts: 40071 Written by [user id=4365] on 30.12.2011 at 12:58 K7ism kicking in after having the have got up at 4 a.m. today
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 30.12.2011 at 13:12 He seems to be having an affect on us all recently ¬_¬
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Posts: 508  |
Posts: 508
I finally managed to get my hands on this! It was without question worth the wait and the album not only lived up to my high expectations, that had built up over time, but more than surpassed them. Every now and again you come across an album that goes beyond most of the stuff you are used to and just feels right, for a lack of a better word. It feels extra special and touches something deep within, and that is what Subrosa's masterpiece did to me. Alright, enough with the wannabe poetic nonsese. Simply put: It's a fucking good piece of music. It got eerie violins, soulful female vocals and a great mix of catchy yet mournful songs with a truly haunting atmosphere wrapped around it all. One of last year's best releases.
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 Posts: 2806 |
Posts: 2806
I just finished my first thorough listen of this and I feel almost disoriented in a good way. The vocals are just perfect, in a certain point the vocals reminded me of Dolores O'Riordan from The Cranberries if that makes any sense Will probably be stuck on this for a little while
---- He who is not bold enough to be stared at from across the abyss is not bold enough to stare into it himself.
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Posts: 5289 Written by InnerSelf on 06.03.2012 at 22:09 Me too. Well actually I've spun it a couple times now and from what I gather it is definetly sludge! Reminds me a bit of Ufomammut - without the epic, long tracks. I do like the vocals and violins. It brings something fresh to the post/sludge genre. I think this sound is an acquired taste and may be not for everyone...
---- rekt
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Posts: 2806 Written by tea[m]ster on 11.03.2012 at 20:55 I actually got A Forest of Stars vibe. same majestic atmosphere, similar violin work but the basic sound there is Black Metal.
---- He who is not bold enough to be stared at from across the abyss is not bold enough to stare into it himself.
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Posts: 7 |
Posts: 7
I discovered this band two days ago and i'm listening to No Help... without stopping. i mean, it's already one of my all time favs i think. there are some moments here and there that every time i think i'm goona cry for thei beauty! too drunk now to explain in full details anyway today morning i purchased the cd from their bigcartel page. SO HIGHLY suggested to every eclectic fan of doom metal.
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