Welcome To Heavy Planet!

If you are looking for new Stoner Rock, Doom, Heavy Psych or Sludge Metal bands, then you have come to the right place. Heavy Planet has been providing free promotion to independent and unsigned bands since 2008. Find your next favorite band at Heavy Planet. Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Bonus:Sunday Edition "New Band To Burn One To"-Propane Propane

Today's "New Band To Burn One To" comes from Sweden. Propane Propane serve up a blistering blend of good ole' fashioned Stoner Rock. Go check them out!




The band cites influences such as Kyuss, Slo Burn, Mustasch (early), Truck Fighters, Hendrix, Doors, The Who, Electric Wizard, Brant Bjork, etc.  Unfortunately, the only way that you can get their tunes is at one of their shows. Such a shame because their are some pretty badass tunes posted on their MySpace  page. Right now the band is currently searching for a new guitarist.



More videos

Thursday, January 28, 2010

New Stoner Rock/Doom/Psychedelic Releases 1/26/2010

Sorry people, I forgot to post the new releases for the week on Tuesday. Here is what I could find.

Harvey Milk- "Harvey Milk"  (Hydra Head)
"Reissue of these early recordings by the Athens, GA-based band. You may know this Harvey Milk release as the Bob Weston Sessions, an unreleased full-length that has been floating around the .blogspot world for some time. This limited Tour Edition is the first time this record has been made available on a physical format and the audio has been re-mastered for a more enjoyable listening experience."

Mondo Drag- "New Rituals" (Alive Records)
"From deep in the cosmos of Iowa comes a force known as Mondo Drag! With a wall of sound all their own, an arsenal of guitars, and a head full of clouds, they are on a rock n roll mission all their own. Members Johnnie Cluney, Nolan Girard, John Gamino, Dennis Hockaday, and Jake Sheley find themselves somewhere between garage, psych, space, sludge and stoner rock. With songs of life, death, love, revenge, and the unknown, they are flying head first into the future with an anchor of reference for the past. Channeling artists like Pink Floyd, Pentagram, Blue Cheer, even Hendrix just to skip decades for hints of Sonic Youth, Dead Meadow, and Comets on Fire. The band spent the months of September and October of 2009 recording "New Rituals" which will be released on Alive records. The album was recorded at Future Apple Tree Studios Too with Pat Stolley. Since their start Mondo Drag has had the privilege of playing with such artists as: Sleepy Sun, Dead Meadow, Witchcraft, Black Diamond Heavies, Radio Moscow, Jennifer Gentle, The Dodos, La Otracina, Cass McCombs, Cave, Awesome Color, Monotonix, just to name a few."

Divide the Sea- "Man" (Blood & Ink)
"Groove-laden, southern fried metalcore"

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

New Band To Burn One To-Carbellion

The "New Band To Burn One To" today is Carbellion from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.



Carbellion was founded in late 2004 based on the idea that a band with soulful eclectic vocals, guitars that are equally comfortable being aggressive and subdued, drums shifting from tranquil to thundering, and a bass that conjoins them into complete balance can do more with the sum of these parts than by the strength of any one. Lyrics that convey an idea or tell a story along to music that sets scenery and mood has in a very short time gotten Carbellion the notice of people across the country and stretching into Europe. Carbellion has toured with the likes of Motorhead, COC, YOB, Valient Thorr, Fu Manchu, Zeke, Lamont, Trephine, Clutch, Earthride, Dixie Witch,etc.

Carbellion's sound can be described as a good sized spoonful of heavy rock with a twist of classic rock throwback and dash of grunge.

Carbellion is excited to release their sophomore full length album titled “the Horse” via a joint effort between Union 414 Records and Indie 500 Records in the US and Dead Tree Music in Europe on November 17th, 2009. This album feature 10 new tracks as well as two covers (Bob Seger’s “Fire Down Below” and Richard Saslow’s “Ragpickin”) that showcase the band’s growth musically. Chris Wisco ( Soil, November’s Doom, etc) once again engineered via Belle City Sound in ....Racine.. ..Wisconsin.... having previously worked the mixes for Carbellion’s “Villains” album. “The Horse” features an added sonic bonus courtesy of mastering by Goran Finnburg (At the Gates, the Haunted, In Flames) in ....Sweden.....



The tracks vary in scope from the album’s opener Top Alcohol, a bar room rock n’ roll scorcher about drag racing, to the album’s live acoustic track Tired Wicked World which features Steve Richgruber (Carbellion-bass) and Jamie Damrow (Carbellion-drums) on rhythm/lead guitar. Other highlights include the label’s first single release The Might of I Might, a hook laden rock number about having the strength or lack there of to take a stand in a relationship, and Locking Horns, a blues based story about a bar fight with the devil. Carbellion’s version of Bob Seger’s Fire Down Below as well as the other songs on “the Horse” leave the listener with a satisfaction in knowing that guitar driven hard rock is alive and well in today’s music landscape."


MySpace
Indie500 Records
Dead Tree Music
CDBaby

Album Review - La Fin du Monde: Monolith




Chico, California based instrumental act La Fin du Monde, which translates to “The End of the World” for those who don’t speak the language of love, has released an impressive slab of experimental, jazz metal with their latest album, Monolith. I hesitate to call this “post-metal” due to the severe overuse of that term, but comparisons to bands like Pelican, Isis and others of that ilk will give you a fine idea of the style that La Fin du Monde practices.

Listening to Monolith is the aural equivalent of sitting on a beach watching the tide ebb and flow. At once subtle, peaceful and altogether soothing, the music washes over you, lulls you into a trance and then crushes you like a tidal wave. You don’t just listen to Monolith, you experience it.

Guitarists Adam Scarborough and Chris Roberts weave a complex web of interesting melodies, harmonies and sounds throughout the album, while bassists Josh Kinsey and Mike Crew simultaneously alternate between solid rhythm foundations and leads of their own. As a matter of fact, at times it is difficult to differentiate whether or not what you are hearing is coming from one of the guitarists, or if it is actually being played by one of the bassists. By creating a sturdy backbone to the complex tunes, drummer Dan Elsen does a fantastic job of keeping the whole ensemble from coming off the rails. The absence of vocals is essential to the overall experience, as they would only serve to detract from the cohesive flow of the album.

A track by track breakdown of Monolith would be a pointless exercise and song titles are irrelevant, as this album must be listened to in its entirety for the effect to take hold. As with any album of this sort, it takes multiple listens to “sink in”, but once it does, you’ll come to look forward to the nuances that appear throughout. A jarring guitar chord here, a soothing bass line there…La Fin du Monde has created a beautiful portrait of sound with Monolith that is ultimately greater than the sum of its parts. The whole thing meshes together so well in fact, it’s like listening to the soundtrack from a good dream…looking back you know you liked it, but you can’t quite remember any of the details.

Track Listing:

01. These Babies Are Edible
02. Dismal Tide
03. They Will Never See Us
04. Beast IV
05. We Will Fall

Band Members:

Adam Scarborough – Guitar
Chris Roberts – Guitar
Josh Kinsey – Bass
Mike Crew – Bass
Dan Elsen – Drums

My Space
Buy Here!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Album Of The Week-"Of Sound Mind"-Ancestors (2009)

I noticed that a few of you had this album in your top 10 for 2009, and quite frankly do not know for the life of me how I let this one slip past my ears. If you are into the psychedelic side of Stoner Rock, then this album is one you should definitely check out. I may just have to update my Top 10 of 2009. Therefore, I am making "Of Sound Mind" by Ancestors my Album Of The Week.




Review:

"Ancestors' masterful debut, "Neptune with Fire", was apparently nothing more than a demo. The band wanted to re-record it, but Tee Pee Records insisted it was fine as it was. The label was right - Neptune with Fire was lightning in a bottle and I'm of the opinion that trying to recreate it could've been a fool's errand. All the same, that revelation further piqued my interest in their sophomore album, Of Sound Mind. What would this California-based five piece do with the luxury of studio time?

Production-wise, there actually isn't that much of a difference - a touch more clarity overall, and the vocals are occasionally pushed further up in the mix (too far at times, but since the band's usually skyrocketing off on some inspired instrumental trip, it's a minor quibble). Music-wise, it's also more of the same, but seeing how “the same” in this case is a mish-mash of Kyuss by way of King Crimson by way of Sleep by way of Pink Floyd by way of Neurosis by way of Hawkwind, you can't say they're not pushing themselves.

And with the eight song Of Sound Mind (of which four stretch past the ten minute mark), Ancestors continues to defy any attempt at pigeonholing. They effortlessly move from one genre to the next with such grace that it's a seamless transition. Obviously, the longer cuts - “Mother Animal, “The Bounty of Age,” “The Trial,” and “The Ambrose Law” - in particular offer ample evidence of the band's musical dexterity (the shorter numbers serve mostly as vignettes between songs, although “Challenging” seems to be a longer, more fleshed out version of “Not the Last Return”). There's an instinctive sense of knowing when and how to turn a doom riff into a rock one and let it stretch out before bringing it back to its original form.

I'm not sure I could pick any one song as the highlight, as each has something unique to offer (okay, maybe not so much with “From Nothing”). I will say that “Bounty of Age” is a testament to the band's guitar playing, that Black Math Horsemen's Sera Timms adds some captivating vocals to “The Trial,” and that while “The Ambrose Law” is the most conventional of the four epics, it's straightforward approach serves as the perfect end to an album that's as emotionally complex as it is musically. Ancestors was off to a fine start with Neptune with Fire and on Of Sound Mind, they've taught the old dog of progressive stoner rock enough tricks to grant it a permanent spot in Cirque du Soleil. Recommended." (John Pegoraro, StonerRock.com)

Track Listing:

01.From Nothing
02.Mother Animal
03.Not the Last Return
04.Bounty of Age
05.A Friend
06.The Trial
07.Challenging
08.The Ambrose Law

Listen

MySpace
Official Website

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

New Band To Burn One To-Disciples Of Sound

The "New Band To Burn One To" today is Disciples Of Sound.



Imagine what it would sound like if Soundgarden, Black Sabbath, and Robert Johnson got together for a jam? Disciples Of Sound is turning heads in today's music world. It is clear that they have taken away from several generations of music from traditional blues to grunge, and others in between. Disciples Of Sound incorporates ex-members of Indigenous, Chris Duarte Group, and Blue Tantrum.




MySpace
SonicBids
CDBaby

Monday, January 18, 2010

Album Of The Week-"Sonoluminescence"-Luder (2009)

The Album Of The Week this week is "Sonoluminescence" by Small Stone recording artists Luder.



Bio:

The formation of Luder harkens back to 2006, when Small Stone Records undertook the task of issuing the lost recordings of a band called Slot after the untimely passing of its founding member and guitarist, Billy Rivkin. After the successful completion of this project, it was decided by the powers that be that some semblance of the band should play at SXSW the following spring. So it was that Sue Lott (Slot's bassist) and Eddie Alterman (Slot's drummer) were joined on guitars by Phil Dürr (Big Chief, Giant Brain, Five Horse Johnson) and Small Stone head-honcho Scott Hamilton to pull off such a thing. The thinking was that it would take two guitar players to competently do what Billy did on his own. (read more...)

Reviews:

"90's indie rock casualty Slot had a brief career resurgence when Small Stone released their The Sweet Black Bear a couple of years ago. Problem is, it's hard to capitalize on an album when there's no band to back it up, so surviving members Sue Lott (bass, vocals) and Eddie Alterman (drums) – guitarist Billy Rivkin's death was the unfortunate impetus for The Sweet Black Bear's release – teamed up with Big Chief/Five Horse Johnson guitarist Phil Durr and Small Stone's Scott Hamilton (guitar, presumably check writing) for a South by Southwest gig.


Apparently things went well enough to breathe new life into the band. But rather than carrying on under the same name, they opted to rechristen themselves Luder, in deference to the departed (take that, Alice in Chains!). It's a smart move, and not just because Alterman left shortly thereafter (drums are now courtesy of Novadriver's Eric Miller). Even though the two share the same sonic head space, Luder is still distinct enough to be its own entity.

Basically, Sonoluminescence's ten tracks take Slot's ethereal drug-rock and dirties it up. If Slot leaned more towards dreamy, pop-like melodies, Luder nudges them closer to the hesher crowd. We're not talking High on Fire territory, but nevertheless Sonoluminescence has more drive, more immediacy to it. That's most apparent in the likes of opener “Sing to Me,” “S-Words,” “Selfish and Dumb,” and “Sewn Together,” but even the more lower key numbers - “Hot, Girl-on-Girl, Vampire Action,” “The Pox,” and “Soledad y Onanismo” - chug along with consistency. In spite of that, the songs are smartly put together. Given the various ways the members approach rock music (alt, blues, stoner, fussy label head, etc), it's not surprising that Luder never really takes the easy or obvious route.

A couple of songs get a little too precocious - “In Love with Love” in particular – but overall I liked Sonoluminescence more than The Sweet Black Bear. If Slot was geared more towards the indie scene of the mid to late 90s, Luder strikes me as being as agreeable to fans of Acid King as it would be to fans of Concrete Blonde. " (John Pegoraro, StonerRock.com)

More reviews

Track Listing:

01. Sing to Me
02. S-Words
03. Selfish and Dumb
04. Cold Hands, Warm Pants
05. Hot, Girl-on-Girl, Vampire Action
06. In Love with Love
07. The Pox
08. Points West
09. Sewn Together
10. Soledad y Onanismo

MySpace
Listen

Saturday, January 16, 2010

News Links Not Working Properly

Some of you may or may not have noticed that the news links are directing you to Amazon.com. Although, I would love if you guys would occasionally purchase some of these items, it is not my intention to direct you to Amazon.com. I want to provide the most relevant news stories to you in a timely manner and that would be every Saturday morning as long as I don't have anything going on. I will try to have this problem worked out in the new few days and once again I truly do appologize.

\mm/ ~Reg~

**UPDATE**

NEWS LINKS ARE NOW UPDATED!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

New Band To Burn One To-Help! I'm An Onion

Don't let the funny name fool you, these guys come to raaawwwk! Help! I'm An Onion come from Sweden and throw at you a very cool Psychedelic-Stoner Rock vibe. The band has a few tracks posted on their MySpace page and is currently working on their first full-length. Pretty cool stuff, check'em out!


Tuesday, January 12, 2010

New Stoner Rock/Doom/Etc. Releases For 1/12/2010

Here are the new Stoner Rock/Doom/Etc. releases for 1/12/2010.

Skanska Mord- "Last Supper" (Small Stone)

Still early in the year. Not many new releases yet.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Album Of The Week-"The Indian Tower"-Pearls and Brass (2006)

I decided to go back a few years for this one. If you have never heard Pearls and Brass before then you have really been missing out. Pearls and Brass concoct a brilliant blend of soulful, blues-inspired classic rock, along with math-rock complexity and crushing riffs. That is why I am making their sophomore album "Indian Tower" the "Album Of The Week". You got to check this one out!




Review:

"Following up their stoner rock self-titled debut on the Doppelganger label, Nazareth, PA-based Pearls and Brass are true sons of heavy, zoned-out sludge rock. Their Drag City debut, Indian Tower, is all fire, crunch, and burn. Their arrangements are a little busy, full of semi-intricate twists and turns on the title track, but the groove is solid, hard, and fluid. The band's willingness to engage more spaced-out fare, such as chanted backing vocals and minor-to-major key shifts, is appealing. "Face of God" and "Black Rock Man" are perhaps what Cream might have sounded like had they followed Jack Bruce down into the heavy rock rabbit hole. Randy Huth's guitar playing is spectacular without being overly flashy. His and Joel Winter's vocals carry a kind of ghostly weight against the thudding crunch of the music. Josh Martin's drum kit is sheer hammer power — slow, deliberate, and yet utterly inventive. These cats also actually write songs, not riffs. Check "Beneath the Earth," with its knotty winding structure. Indian Tower is a deeply satisfying hard rock record and stands apart form the longhaired greasy masses who sacrifice songwriting for power chords. Highly recommended." (Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Track Listing:

01. The Tower
02. No Stone
03. The Face of God
04. Black Rock Man
05. The Mirror
06. I Learn the Hard Way
07. Pray for Sound
08. The Boy of the Willow Tree
09. Wake in the Morning
10. Beneath the Earth
11. Away the Mirrors



Unfortunately, the band is on hiatus and do not currently have a MySpace page. Just sit back and enjoy the music they left us. Here is actually a link that you can listen to their self-titled debut album.

Rhapsody

New Contributor to Heavy Planet

I am not sure if you noticed or not, but a new contributor has joined Heavy Planet. He goes by the moniker Inspired and will occasionally write a few new CD reviews for you to check out. If you did not get a chance to read his first review, here it is in all it's glory.

Blood Of The Tyrant

I hope you like what he has to offer.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Album Review - Blood of the Tyrant: Self-Titled EP

 Chicago's Blood of the Tyrant have created an impressive 4 song EP that feels almost like a full length album, due in no small part, to the fact that 3 of the 4 tracks clock in at over 7 minutes long. Listening to the proggy sludge of BotT, it's hard to believe that vocalist/guitarist Josh Primack, drummer Chris Avgerin, bassist Kevin Emmons and guitarist Michael Galaboff, aren't from the sweaty, Southern confines of Atlanta, Georgia. Their sound bares a striking resemblance to the early work of Atlanta's favorite metal sons, Mastodon, and vocalist Primack is at times a dead ringer for the vocal stylings of Daath, another metal act that calls Atlanta home.


With that said, this is no ripoff, and for a debut EP I have to tell you, I can't wait to see where these guys go from here. "Flaw of the Sentient Being" opens things up with a catchy interplay between guitar and rhythm section before a second guitar joins in to create a maelstrom of heavy goodness. But just when you think you know where this band is headed, they throw you a curveball with Primack's vocals as he enters the fold with strikingly evil audacity...this son of a bitch sounds downright demonic! And that's what sets BotT apart from other prog/stoner/doom bands, even the aforementioned Mastodon. Those vocals will keep the casual fans at bay, ensuring only those with an ear for true metal stick around for the entirety of this EP. Towards the end of the first track, when the band picks up the pace and Primack growls "we are the right, we are the chosen...and nothing will save you now"...I have no idea what he's talking about, but I'm ready to join in whatever fight he's leading. Holy shit this is good stuff!

"The Gunslinger" slows things back down briefly with its classic Clutch-like stoner riff until, you guessed it, Primack's demonic wail reenters the fold to remind you this is something altogether different. By that point you're locked in though and the band takes off behind him, carrying the track to another level. The riffs from the dual guitar attack of Primack and Galaboff sound absolutely majestic on this EP. But something I haven't mentioned yet, which is also prevalent throughout these 4 tracks is Avgerin's drumming. The crisp pop on the snare reminds me of John Stanier's work on "Meantime" era Helmet. As metal as this stuff sounds, there's no double bass to be found, just that nice pop and lots and lots of crash cymbals.

Speaking of Helmet, when track 3, the 10-plus minute "Helena" opens, the vocals even evoke Page Hamilton, albeit briefly, before they quickly shift back to the guttural variety. BotT do an amazing job of using the vocals to compliment the songs, but Primack knows when to step aside and allow the music to take center stage. The band finds that perfect balance of showcasing their instrumental prowess, incorporating the vocals at just the right moments. Expansive stretches of music, sans-vocals are not uncommon throughout these 4 tracks. As a matter of fact, the coda to this collection of songs is an instrumental piece titled "Meteors (Extinction)". The song flows well enough with the rest of the EP, but why the band decided not to add vocals to this particular track isn't obvious as it doesn't appear to be anymore complicated or complex than the others.

With that said, this is a promising start for this Windy City band. It isn't often that a debut EP offers such a fresh perspective on an old style, but BotT have done just that. Call it Stoner Death or Doom Grind, but the mish mash of intricate prog-metal and sludgy doom combined with the roar of the vocals sounds fresh and on time. Check these guys out and you'll see for yourself...nothing will save you now.

Track Listing:

01. Flaw Of The Sentient Being (7:08)
02. The Gunslinger (4:51)
03. Helena (10:44)
04. Meteors (Extinction) (8:45)

Band:

Chris Avgerin - Drums/Vocals
Kevin Emmons - Bass/Vocals
Michael Galaboff - Guitar/Vocals
Josh Primack - Guitar/Vocals

MySpace
Buy Here!

For fans of Mastodon, Baroness, Isis, High on Fire, Zombi and Black Sabbath.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

New Band To Burn One To-Burden

Hey Guys! I got a great new band for you to hear. They are called Burden and hail from Germany. The bands sound can be described as Southern/Sludge/Metal. The band has just released a 3-song demo available here for free download. They are currently working on a full-length slated for a March 2010 release. Enjoy!




Photo by Johannes Schiebe

"The dilemma of 21st century hard rock and metal: Bands bug with synthetic soundscapes to dub their deficient riffs. Juvenile hypermetalbands piss off their audience with their plagiarism. Bands lose touch to the veritable expression and true feeling of Rock'n'Roll and dilute this once so wild and aggressive music with trivial and weepy material. When BURDEN was founded by Saint D. (g) and Dave (dr.) there was no doubt that they did not want to be part of this so called rock scene. Instead of trying to work with too many alien influences, their focus was clearly set from the beginning: to lead good old Rock-Music back to its roots without loosing touch to the presence and future. There can only be one goal! To bring back the honest and pure feeling that once was associated with rock music and rank it first!

The founding year has been exclusively spent rehearsing and creating songs since BURDEN has never been about snapshots at all. In the course of time and after lots and lots of self-critical songwriting some very intense and authentic tunes emerged. But how to create real smashers when there is no pressure on your guts? It took some time to find a suitable and tight bassist. Fortunately they met Johnny Clash after some months and his impressive skills were overwhelming. Save the best for last as the saying goes - in summer 2008 Canadian vocalist Thorsten was recruited to join and complete the BURDEN army. His vocals have shot the musical standard on another level. Thorstens powerful and variable way of singing shows the real face of burden – a face other bands would kill for!

BURDEN let their music do the talking. Their unique mixture of (Southern) Rock, Sludge and Metal is no acoustic binge drinking, it's an uncompromising sound for people who appreciate straightforward music."


MySpace

Free Album Download From Droning Earth

This dude from droningearth.blogspot.com features anything varying from drone/ambient to doom/sludge and much more has gotten permission from all bands listed to create a Stoner Rock compilation and asked if I could post it for my readers.

Here it is Vol.7 The Stoner Rock edition




















Bandlist:
STONEBRIDE
DEVILLAC
COJONES
HDR
EL-THULE
MATSUDO
FUNGUS
SMOUK
IRON GIANT
EL TOPO
SEAWITCH
CHINGALERA
RIDE THE SUN
LONELY KAMEL

Download link 1, Download link 2

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

New Stoner Rock/ Doom, Etc. Releases For January 5, 2010

Here are some new Stoner Rock/ Doom, Etc. releases for January 5, 2010.

Buzzov-en- "Violence From the Vault"


Yup, that's it.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Heavy Planet's Top 10 Stoner Rock/Doom, Etc. Albums Of 2009

Well, here it is, my Top 10 favorite albums of 2009.

01. Clutch- "Strange Cousins From The West" (Weathermaker)

Clutch has always been one of my favorite bands, and when I heard this album the entire way through for the first time, I knew it was going to be my number one album of the year.  The band continues to redefine themselves even on this being their ninth studio album. I was in the front row for their most recent concert in Pittsburgh and their live performances never fail to impress. If they ever come to your town mark your calendar!

Review:

"I love Aerosmith. I think Toys in the Attic and Rocks are among the most balls-rockin’ long players to ever be laid to tape. But there is a certain title given to the Bad Boys from Boston that they have failed to earn for over 30 years now. This title lay unclaimed for many years thereafter, but at some point in the mid-90's the throne was claimed. Ladies and gents, Clutch is America’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band..."(Read more)

----------------------------------------------------

02. Alice In Chains- "Black Gives Way To Blue" (Virgin/EMI)


When I first heard that Alice In Chains was releasing an album with a new singer, I must say that I was very hesitant. Nobody, I mean nobody could replace Layne Staley's unique vocal. His harmonies with Cantrell were unmatched. Well, I guess I was wrong, what happened was Cantrell went out and found himself a very comparable singer and wrote some amazing songs that were undeniable. The riffs, the harmonies, the gloom and doom along with some great melodies are still all there. Kudos!

Review:

"Fourteen years after their last studio album, seven-and-a-half years after the drug-fueled death of singer Layne Staley, Alice in Chains—easily one of the best and most influential hard rock acts of the ‘90s—is back. And though there are some who will never even give themselves a chance to admit it, Black Gives Way to Blue is a stirring return.

In the words of guitarist/vocalist/band leader Jerry Cantrell, the disc has a “bunch of dark, slow, creepy tunes,” and the mood is set appropriately on the crawling opener “All Secrets Known.” As he does on most of the album, Cantrell handles lead vocal duties; in fact, William DuVall, who stepped in for Staley when the band reformed in 2006, is barely audible. Song two, “Check My Brain,” a more up-tempo number powered by Cantrell’s deep, bending riff, features Cantrell and DuVall harmonizing in a way that recalls vintage Alice . It’s not until track three, “Last of My Kind,” that DuVall takes center stage and shows he is doing a lot more than playing the role of Layne Staley. His vocals are full of fire and personality, virtually leaping out of the speakers—backed by a powerful sonic assault that makes one wonder why Alice got stuck with the grunge label early in its career..."(Read more)

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03. Devil To Pay -"Heavily Ever After" (Lax Wax)

Believe it or not, I just listened to this album on my drive to work a few weeks ago. It has great vocals, crushing guitars and memorable songs. This is the band's third full-length and they just keep getting better.

Review:

"It'd be cool to say that with their third album, Indianapolis' Devil to Pay will finally hit the big time, but I have the sinking feeling that this four-piece will still be relegated to “local legend”/”should be bigger” status. Such is life in the trenches of underground riff rock. I'm sure the band's well aware of its destiny.

Still, it's not for a lack of trying. Sure, the band doesn't help maintain momentum by taking its time between recordings – three years have passed since Cash Is King and six since debut Thirty Pieces of Silver – and chewing through guitarists (new guy Rob Hough is their fourth) can't be good either, but as far as songs go, Devil to Pay has always not only consistently delivered, but they've also gotten better with each release. They may have started off as a more traditional stoner rock band, but they've grown into their own sound, finding the common ground between classic rock, classic doom, and classic metal..."(Read more)

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04. House Of Broken Promises- "Using The Useless" (Small Stone)

This album song for song is your classic in-your-face classic stoner rock album. Features former members of Unida. Great stuff!

Review:

"A band housing three out of four musicians who briefly made Unida such a promising threat to take over the stoner rock universe, before being broken by the most heinous major-label machinations, Palm Desert's aptly named House of Broken Promises attempt to go Garcia-less (as in without missing former colleague, singer John Garcia) on their 2009 debut, Using the Useless..."(Read more)

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05. Kylesa- "Static Tensions" (Prosthetic)

When their last album "Time Will Fuse It's Worth" came out, I listened to that album just about every day for a month. Ditto this one! It was well worth the three year wait.

Review:

"Kylesa must be really, really tired of the Mastodon comparisons at this point. Though the two bands share some superficial similarities—both hail from Georgia and play sludgy-yet-modern metal—Kylesa approach their compositions from a completely different direction. Where Mastodon gird their riffage with prog-rock tinkering and epic pretenses, Kylesa have always gone directly for the throat, technical noodlings be damned. Considering that vocalist/guitarist Philip Cope (who along with fellow singer/guitarist Laura Pleasants is one of Kylesa’s surviving founders) did time in crust act Damad, his current band’s rawer aesthetic makes plenty of sense..."(Read more)

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06. Iron Age- "The Sleeping Eye" (Tee Pee)

I love me some old hardcore/thrash metal, but when you throw in some killer stoner metal riffs in the vein of High on Fire/The Sword. what more can you ask for.

Review:

"Finally Austin, Texas hardcore/thrash warriors Iron Age are back with their second full length album. Where their first album Constant Struggle was an album filled with hardcore/thrash that was heavily inspired by bands like Cro-Mags and Leeway and oldschool thrash metal, they made a pretty huge change in their sound and appearance (for the people who’ve seen them recently, they changed from a clean cut hardcore band, to a gruff looking bearded stoner/metal band)..."(Read more)

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07. Elder- "Self-Titled" (Meteor City)

This album was the best stoner/doom offering of the year thanks to Meteor City which is alive and very well.

Review:

"This is the first official full-length release from Boston's Elder and it's a heavy-duty monster for sure. My initial response is that it reminds me a lot Sleep's Holy Mountain. Perhaps it's more like an album that would have followed had Sleep became heavier and gone a more progressive route. I dare say that Elder have a greater knack for subtlety than Sleep and they be a little less self-aware as well. From the opening notes of "White Walls" I could feel my self being sucked in by the thick, dark sludge being created. They take a basic approach to their music, but that works wonders as they just dip down low and start hammering out the skull-crunching rhythms..."(Read more)

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08. Javelina- "Beasts Among Sheep" (Translation Loss)

Every once in a while I like to listen to something a little on the edge of insanity, that would be this album. It has intensity and crushing riffs and combines them very well.

Review:

"Their team may be down in the World Series as of Nov. 3 (Cliff Lee can’t pitch ‘em all), but Philadelphia’s finest purveyors of thickened thrash, Javelina, are just hitting their stride. On their second offering for Translation Loss, Beasts Among Sheep, they rip, tear, growl, feedback and scream their way through eight tracks (nine if you count the bonus) of righteous workingman’s fury, with just enough doom awareness to keep away from being a basement version of Slayer or whichever modern Slayer clone you’d want to compare them to. They’re like Thrash Sabbath..."(Read more)

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09. City Of Ships- "Look What God Did To Us" (Translation Loss)

I really like what Translation Loss Records is doing these days and this band is one of their most promising. Blending atmospheric, swirling soundscapes with crushing heavy guitars and angst-filled vocals what is there not to like? Just sit back and chill.

Review:

"City of Ships’ first full-length, provocatively titled Look What God Did To Us, is a loud order to shut up and listen groaned in ten different segments. It’s an avant-garde look at what a fusion of post-hardcore and post-rock could produce if executed properly, and, also in the process, a re-introduction of a still largely unknown musical niche the band would do well to fine-tune in years to come. Now everybody knows projects like these are hit-or-miss; melding genres together is a tricky business and so many Frankensteins have come up short, but thankfully City of Ships’ brand is a largely successful combination..."(Read more)

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10. Wo Fat- "Psychedelonaut" (Brainticket)

Wo Fat take their cue from bands of the seventies and freshen it up with their own brand of Sabbath-inspired fuzzed-out trippy psychedlic stoner rock. Killer shit!

Review:

"Back from the swamp these "Rednecks" will stomp all over your face!
Like predators out hunting, Wo Fat spins right thru your body like some kind of Murder weapon.

It's been almost two years since Wo Fat from Dallas, USA started harassing the big Record industry and with the debut "The Gathering Dark" made them a name in the scene. On the second release "Psychedelonaut" these Kentucky fried chicken eating trio take us on a speed boat trip on the Mississippi and just like the debut it kicks major ass!..(Read more)

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Honorable mentions:

Goes Cube- "Another Day Has Passed" (The End)
Tombs- "Winterhours" (Relapse)
The Company Band- "Self-Titled" (Restricted)
Baroness- "Blue Record" (Relapse)
Shrinebuilder- "Self-Titled" (Neurot)
Fu Manchu-Signs of Infinite Power (Century Media)- If I would have created this list in June 0f 2010, this album would probably have been in my top 10. I previously had stated that I had been a bit disappointed in the album, but now I cannot get it out of my stereo. This album is bit more Stoner Doom than Stoner Rock, which when it comes to Fu Manchu anything they do is brilliant. Songs such as "Signs of Infinite Power", "El Busta" and "Web Foot Witch Hat" are legendary.


Most Over-rated:

Them Crooked Vultures- "Self-Titled" (DGC)

First of all, before anyone gets pissed off, I must start by saying that I was never a fan of Queens Of The Stone Age. I just do not like their herky jerky rhythms nor do I like Josh Homme's voice. I tried so hard to listen to this album the whole way through but just couldn't do it. I felt like the album lacked a bit of heaviness. I wish that Dave Grohl would have wrote some songs in the same line as he did for the Probot album. Some killer groove-laden stoner rock with a seventies feel would have been awesome, not this herky jerky QOTSA sounding bullshit.

Well, there you have it. Wishing everyone an awesome 2010!
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