Lost Tribes Of The Moon

I often wonder whether self-imposed genres, adopted by a band or in fact retained by a band, can sometimes be misleading. I say this because descriptions such as Doom Metal, Black Metal and Heavy Metal etc. can often dissuade certain progressive rock fans from listening and as a consequence re-direct them away from what is, in fact, wonderfully considered music. OK, I know from my own experience in the early days of a band’s existence that such loyal fans cherish such classifications and this might be ‘fine and dandy for those bands who might be limited in their ability to expand or who are unable to push their boundaries to higher limits. But here with ‘Lots Tribes of the Moon’ they have talent in abundance. They, in fact, possess a wonderful sense of musicality with oodles of originality. For sure there is a sultry, doom ridden edge to both their output and their quite gloomy lyrical content, however, and as expressed in their press release: there are elements of Prog Rock, Folk, and Experimental forays that all combine to create their own unique sound. So the point I am making is, that in my opinion, ‘Lost Tribes of the Moon’ are positively well and deeply entrenched within the ‘Progressive Rock’ sphere of rock music. In fact, I would rearrange their descriptive prose to say ‘Progressive Rock’ with distinctive elements of Doom, Black Metal, Heavy Metal, Folk, and Experimental. Actually, thinking about it, not too far removed from the UK seventies band ‘Black Widow’ and certainly influenced by the past output from Canadian supergroup ‘Rush’.

All in all, there is a wonderful dynamism about the band’s output, music which is immensely creative, strangely hypnotic and with sounds that are peppered with a whole host of ever-changing atmospheres that are also full of artistic textures. Also comprises fascinating yet subtle time changes that are integrated within the various tracks being created by the wonderfully imaginative guitar, exceptionally powerfully creative drumming, and tuneful bass throughout together with additional keyboard contributions. And then atop of the perfectly organised instrumental aspects the flawlessly conveyed vocal contributions from their newly recruited female vocalist. Certainly the final piece of the musical jigsaw, her outstanding vocal control and tuneful intonation delivered with much style and panache. Lost Tribes of the Moon are indeed a very talented quartet working perfectly together in true harmonic alignment and, in the process of doing so, creating an album full of interest, excitement and cinematic delight. - houseofprog.com

A sprawling, ambitious work from a band with ambition to spare, the second album from Milwaukee's Lost Tribes brings together elements of classic progressive rock and doom metal, with theremin and exotic percussion helping to tie together the lengthy songs. Lyrical inspiration from Clive Barker and Stephen King's Dark Tower series becomes a vehicle for personal experience, as on the standout 21-minute-plus “A Chapter from the Book of Blood,” where vocalist Julie Brandenburg seethes with chilling rage atop Jon Liedtke's fluid, dramatic guitar work, as Barker's tale becomes a metaphor for scorned love. In many ways, it is the exact opposite of Bubblegum Necropolis, a fine counterpoint that is well worth the time it takes to drink it all in. - Loren Thatcher

From Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lost Tribes of the Moon were formed in 2015 by guitarist Jon Liedtke. The band released their self-titled debut in 2018 and after a few line-up changes (LTOTM introduces a new vocalist and bass player) the band returns with their sophomore effort, “Chapter II: Tales of Strife, Destiny and Despair”.

Musically, it’s hard to find any one category Lost Tribes of the Moon fits into; I would describe their sound as Doom Metal meets Prog Metal with elements of classic metal and NWOBHM present in their sound as well.

Among the 8-songs and over 70-minutes’ worth of material available on “Chapter II…”, the band includes several long, intricate numbers (2-songs are over 20-minutes(!)), with many complex tempo changes, with each song being a lyrical and musical journey for the listener.

Lyrically, the band draws inspiration from the works of Stephen King and Clive Barker as well as themes like demonology and mythology. “Chapter II…” itself is 8-songs divided into chapters like a book – there is a lot going on here.

After the minute-and-a-half intro, “Midian Rising”, LTOTM leaps into the 8-minute “Unleash the Berserkers”. This song is quite the musical expedition. The Iron Maiden-like opening riff and solos make this track a metal juggernaut. Next is the 21-minute “A Chapter From the Book of Blood”. The opening music and vocals are dream-like before the song settles in a doomy groove throughout most of the song as the track gets heavier and heavier as it moves along. The guitar solos are cool and the overall vide is just hypnotic and doomy.

“Maerlyn’s Grapefruit” is a 5-minute instrumental piece that segues into “The Man in Black Fled Across the Desert – Part 1”. Then, the 9-minute “The Man in Black Fled Across the Desert – Part 2” is another highlight which is then followed by the instrumental “The Way Station”.

The 23-minute epic “The Drawing of the Three – The Tale of Enepsigos” is the final song and is divided into three parts and retains the listeners interest throughout the track. This is a cool way to bring the album and journey to a close.

Even though “Chapter II…” (album link) is only their second album, Lost Tribes of the Moon delivers an epic and ambitious piece of work that touts the musicianship and spirit of the band. - Femme Metal Webzine

Occult metal band Lost Tribes of the Moon are out with their long-awaited sophomore album. Brace yourself for a dense odyssey of moons, monsters, Hell, and deceit. It’s like a chapter book of dark, epic fantasy that implements instruments such as vibraphone, theremin, synthesizer, several types of guitar, and gongs to make the storytelling as vivid as possible. Lost Tribes of the Moon deliver a masterful saga with their new record that will have you polishing pictures in your mind. - Breaking and Entering

We’ll probably never stop apologizing for missing music from 2018; this is just a reality of a year in which not only so many bands released great albums but so many genres. Even with nets cast as wide as ours, and believe you me, they are cast wide, some things will slip through. For example, no matter how many lists, sub-Reddits, and mailing lists for traditional heavy metal I’ll scour, there were probably many albums in the genre that I missed in 2018. Case in point, Lost Tribes of the Moon, who released a fantastic debut in the form of their self-titled release from this year. This Milwaukee based band deal in a kind of porto-doom heavy metal, backed by seriously long tracks, excellent tone, and a muddy production style which works incredibly well with their sound. Let’s dig in!


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Hey! Listen to Lost Tribes of the Moon!
WRITTEN BY EDEN KUPERMINTZ ON DECEMBER 26, 2018

LISTEN TO THIS!
We’ll probably never stop apologizing for missing music from 2018; this is just a reality of a year in which not only so many bands released great albums but so many genres. Even with nets cast as wide as ours, and believe you me, they are cast wide, some things will slip through. For example, no matter how many lists, sub-Reddits, and mailing lists for traditional heavy metal I’ll scour, there were probably many albums in the genre that I missed in 2018. Case in point, Lost Tribes of the Moon, who released a fantastic debut in the form of their self-titled release from this year. This Milwaukee based band deal in a kind of porto-doom heavy metal, backed by seriously long tracks, excellent tone, and a muddy production style which works incredibly well with their sound. Let’s dig in!


“Wych Elm” is probably the only place to get started; the slightly-above ten minute track dominates the early passages of the album, showcasing much of what’s great about this release. First of all, that guitar tone; all the riffs on this release enjoy this kind of redolent, old school approach to guitars. The feedback is present but not as shrill as “pure” heavy metal, muddied by plenty of overtones and corrosion. The bass responds in kind, thick sounds providing the foundation on which the guitar chords rest. The last part of the equation are the amazing vocals, channeling those early days when the boundaries between stoner, doom, and heavy metal were still being explored. They vocals are flashy without being vain, flamboyant but possessing of plenty of restraint when needed so as not to fall into pointless showmanship.

The production wraps up all of these elements into an overbearing and scintillating whole, adding just the write levels of volume and girth to make the whole dynamic really pop. Add to that some truly excellent guitar solos (check out the one around the 7:50 mark, it’s brilliant) and you have yourself everything you need from a traditional heavy metal release. Somehow, all of these elements conspire to make the album breeze by despite of the long track lengths, allowing the band to really explore their intent and ideas without overstaying welcome. In short, it fucking rips; play it loud! - Eden Kupermintz

21. Lost Tribes Of The Moon – s/t
As the dinosaurs of thrash soldier on into oblivion and countless underground revivalists recycle the retro sounds, it’s hard to believe anything new could come out of the genre. Enter Lost Tribes Of The Moon, who draw from doom and stoner traditions as well, but their self-titled debut frequently brings to mind the heyday of Sepultura and even Metallica, both with its icy acoustic interludes and the crush of its most brutal riffage. Vocalist Janine Rohde is a key component to the group’s individuality; her ghostly, almost operatic side casts a gothic shadow at times, but she’s got a more straightforward rocking side as well, perfectly augmenting the band’s throwback ’70s and prog elements. This is one of the freshest local metal releases of the past several years. - MILWAUKEERECORD.COM

Lost Tribes Of The Moon – Self-Titled (2018)
By The Grim Lord on October 19, 2018 in Music Reviews 1

Lost Tribes Of The Moon

Self-Titled

Self Released/Independent

This self-titled dose of psychedelic female fronted doom is actually quite grand. After a trippy little intro called “The Rise and Fall Of Midian” that intertwines with acoustics and light drumming, we have “Wych Elm” which begins the record on an incredibly meaty note, although prog touches can almost certainly be found. After that, the frontwoman’s vocal harmonies seem to ebb and flow in a way that I’d consider very close to that of SubRosa. Instead of this being a female fronted Sabbath or Candlemass, Lost Tribes Of The Moon are going in a slightly different direction. I mean, there’s the obvious influence to be had, for sure – but this isn’t merely another Sabbath knockoff. The calculated progressive sections seem to appear just at the right moments too, not disrupting the flow of the vocal harmonies, and at the same time keeping me entertained and not bored. The song kicks up heaviness towards the latter half, rolling into a tremendous solo moment. The piece becomes truly beefy at this point, which we never saw coming from the beginning. If you were looking to bang your head, you’ll be pleased with this one. “Revenant” switches gear entirely, throwing all caution to the wind as it considers a thunderous rapport, yet also carries a tad bit of progressive rock in its sachel. There might be a bit of a fight going on between the frontwoman and the rest of the band however, and it seems like she has to really belt it out on the microphone to be heard over the chunkiness of these guys. They could have raised the vocals just a little bit more, but it seems like they wanted to capture as organic a performance as possible and I won’t fault that with all of my technical mutterings. A brilliant solo follows shortly after, leading us into the “blink and you’ll miss it” nature of “Ka-Tet” wherein flashes of Roland, his dog Oy, Detta/Susannah, Jake and the others all sit around a camp fire with the tower clearly in view. Though isn’t it always clearly in view when you’re in Mid-World? Some people actually believe that there’s a world where all of this exists, as well as the fact that Stephen King himself was a part of the Loser’s Club and battled Pennywise in real life. They purport that the creature will return in 2038 to devour the world. If you’re interested in this bizarre, but intriguing conspiracy; you can research it for yourself. As for me personally, I do feel that it is a neat thought. Though there is certainly a time where you can get so out of touch with reality that Grant Morrison needs to bop you on the head and bring you back to the world of the living. Don’t magick too hard, bros and bro-ettes. Did I just make up that word? Anyway, back to the album.

The next cut here is actually the last full-length piece offered before the outro and it is the band’s namesake song. Following much the same formula, it features a swirl of meditative musical waves that eventually erupt into a fiery volcano of doom. That doesn’t even explain the massive amount of tempo changes used throughout, as well as the breath-taking solo moment that simply cannot be denied and fully cements the band’s namesake. I think after this one, we’re definitely going to know who Lost Tribes Of The Moon are. The final cut is called “In Search Of New Midian” and those theremins definitely seem to add an eerie vibe to the desert acoustics featured in the beginning of the piece. A decidedly middle-eastern feel definitely lends weight to this soundscape. Though I find myself a bit puzzled after the listen and wonder why the band isn’t able to mix these soundscapes in with their doom. The record contains two fantastic introduction pieces that are far removed from doom metal, but as the doom metal comes into play, the folk-inspired and almost soundtrack-esque acoustic soundscapes are then removed as if they never existed and I’m hearing the sound of two different bands. I definitely feel that these sections should be more cohesive and perhaps they will be in the band’s next outing. Because if you’re so good at these soundscapes, why throw them into the background? In any case, Lost Tribes Of The Moon are definitely worth keeping an eye on and have a firm handle on not only doom metal, but the artistic tapestries required in creating a great soundscape. Check it out at the link below.

(6 Tracks, 38:00)

8/10 - The Grim Lord

LOST TRIBES OF THE MOON is a band established in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is their debut album, containing three expanded tracks, and three supplemental tracks that help establish the main sound. From the “about” section of their Facebook page, “We, the tribes serve Baphomet and deliver music to help us in our search of a new Middian.” Baphomet, a Sabbatic Goat in Medieval Latin, was a deity that Knights Templar were falsely accused of worshipping, and was subsequently used in various occult and mystical traditions. The album contains six tracks.

“Intro/The Rise and Fall of Midian” opens with soft acoustical guitar; a simple melody that expands from there to a secret place in a hidden door under the mountain, filled with beauty and things to eat that will bolster your consciousness. It crescendos until the end, abruptly ended by the dominating opening notes of “Wych Elm.” Janine’s vocals are a trippy combination of Old School and contemporary sounds, amidst a changing landscape of music that sees the colors of the world begin to meld together in a way that twists your mind towards it. As it carries forward, the riffs turn darker and more crushing, and ends in vocal wails and a flurry of lead guitar breaks.

“Revenant” has a more cautious opening, leading to a more traditional sounding riff, like something early JUDAS PRIEST. The vocals are all over the place, controlled singing at times and depraved wails at other times, suggesting a changing emotional stance throughout the song. It carries forward until a bridge section that culminates the song with some lead guitar work and a weighted and heavy riff that follows. The song almost stops and starts during the final minute, hanging on until the finish. “Ka-tet” is a short instrumental with unconventional and surprising guitar notes that make you feel refreshed in one minute, and a bit frightened in the next.

It leads to the title track, “Lost Tribes of the Moon,” which opens with a lumbering and punishing Doom riff that would eventually strip the lands of everything around them. It nearly dies as it continues on, revitalized by screaming vocals and a hearty rhythm that picks up about half way through, with a dissonant guitar and bass line that begin to echo the vocals. It begins a slow grind at about the eight minute mark, followed by a tempestuous march towards the end of the track, with vocals flailing and an emphatic ending of guitars, waning down to nothing. “Outro/In Search of a New Midian” closes the album. It’s a trippy guitar focused song with background noises to enhance the feeling of moving out of yourself and into new skin. It settles into a pretty piece at one point with a long fade-out.

Overall, this was a very unique album that I would say has to be rooted with the genre of Doom Metal, but with plenty of other influences. There is an Old School feeling tied with a contemporary feeling that you don’t often find out there these days. When you listen to it, you definitely have the feeling that it was composed under the effect of some mind-altering substances. At least, that is the feeling that I have. Outside of this, it’s fascinating collection of secrets that are waiting for you to discover.

Songwriting: 8
Originality: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 7 - Metal Temple by Dave "that metal guy" Campbell