Quick Trip: ORANGE SUNSHINE - "HOMO ERECTUS"

A stunning blend of great late 60s, early 70s style psych-rock with heavy stoner fuzz sensibilities has been captured on this nearly 2 decade old album by Orange Sunshine. Listening to it is sort of a double deja vu by going back to the band's early days of the new century where they brilliantly captured the sound of 4 decades prior, the decades of flower power, of tripping on mind altering pharmaceuticals and mind blowing heavy rock, the decades of musical captivation and discovery.

The music on this album has an almost magical immersive quality to it, whether you lock yourself into your mancave and test the limits of your speakers, lock yourself out from your surroundings with headphones, or utilize your car's bluetooth functionality on that long roadtrip, you will quickly find that even without the help of pharmaceuticals your mind is expanding in pleasurable and exciting ways. The spells cast on this album are rendered with mystical guitar work that colorfully penetrates to a pulsing primal core, led by vocals that use that great breakout quality of rock vocalists of the era and accompanied by a superior, groovy beat of drums, and rapturously cool bass bonanza.

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Album Review: SASQUATCH - "MANEUVERS"

Alright! The fifth album from one of rock's unsung practitioners has been released. Any spin through any one of the, now five, albums put out by the Los Angeles retro/stoner rock trio Sasquatch will provide opioid level euphoria through a delivery system of dense metal and decibel distension, packaged in razor sharp hooks and monumental melodies. This is the case with the first song on the first album through to the last song on the latest album, the freshly available "MANEUVERS".

The musicians that recorded "MANEUVERS" include:

Keith Gibbs - guitar, vocals
Jason Casanova - bass
Craig Riggs - drums

Where's Rick Ferrante, the longtime drummer for the band, you ask? He's very much still a part of Sasquatch. How could he not be? He's been there from the inception, providing a quality of rhythm drumwork rarely matched this side of Ginger Baker. Craig Riggs, himself an accomplished drummer, as well as vocalist, for the stoner rock legends Roadsaw and supergroup Kind, has been tasked with the skin-thumping duties on #5 as Sasquatch launch their campaign through Europe in support of the new album. Many, if not most, of the gifted musicians that ply their wares in the underground world of stoner/fuzz rock, do so outside of their regular job work schedules, so making extended forays away from those jobs isn't always possible. Rick, though, has other venues lined up for his phenomenal skills, both as a full-time member of The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic and playing live venues with the up and coming underground superstars Aboleth (is that an oxymoron - underground superstar?)

"MANEUVERS" consist of 8 intensely amplified tracks of thick, syrupy mega-fuzz in which Keith Gibbs' wonderfully mellifluous vocals match perfectly his sledge hammer heavy riffs and ozone searing solos, where Jason Casanova's bass is forcefully wielded, relentless in muscular ferocity, and Craig Riggs' steady rhythms sting and pound in incessant brilliance. The overall tone is a soulful resonance, somber, edgy, and nostalgic, unyielding in its sheer power.

"Rational Woman" kicks off the show with gargantuan raggedness, beautifully laid down in primal tempo, showcasing Gibbs' rich, powerfully melancholy vocals. "More Than You'll Ever Be" is steady and relentless, advancing in magnetic forcefulness. "Destroyer" demonstrates the raw might of haunting tonality. "Bringing Me Down" is reminiscent of early Sasquatch songs in sentiment and style, a welcome memory for some, a fresh introduction into past glory for others. Funky and on fire, "Just Couldn't Stand the Weather" brandishes a unique melody and style, a departure that doesn't stray too far from the path marked 'Sasquatch', but is populated by some intriguing mutations, riff creatures at once familiar and uncanny. "Drown All the Evidence" is Americana, magnified, amplified, and wracked through with distortions of flagrant pleasure, punctuated by elegantly ragged, bruising solos. "Anyway" is a psychedelic charmer, a brightly colored panacea, recharging batteries in color and brilliance. The closer is the massive and melancholy "Window Pain". The blue pain and gray fog atmosphere of this song is punctuated by the rare use of keyboards, highlighting the feeling of loss and a damaged soul. Solos reminiscent of Ernie Isley rip through the gray morass in sharp, keen doses.

Overall this album delivers a massive load of essential feels. The music is nostalgic and new, familiar because it's crafted by masters of more than a decade of accomplishment, as well as fresh in a package of nascent material that expounds on a proven formula without a hint of staleness. It's a sound that hearkens back to the last decade when stoner rock was still new and Sasquatch were new kids on the block. The guitars come in every satisfying form, distorting the edges, and burning the center, tapping into those primal cords that run central to us all. Gibbs' vocals are solid, full of heft and strength, and forging soulful connections over and again. Fierceness and joy, the hallmarks of those who love the weapons they wield, are on perfect display through Casanova's masterful, subterranean riffs. And Riggs steps into what would normally be a massive void, shouldering expectations and delivering brilliance with his consummate rhythmic execution.

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Album Review: Two Headed Beast - "Wizard Mountain"

The world of hard rock, of heavy metal, is wonderfully varied, so much in fact, there are distinct genre silos underneath the hard/heavy umbrella, many of them having filled up decades ago, going nearly dormant as ever newer ones are molded out of the settling dust of their predecessors. Perhaps the granddaddy genre has been the audacious, in your face sound of traditional heavy metal that grew out of progenitors such as Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer, and Black Sabbath. That heavy metal sound was personified by bands such as Judas Priest, Megadeth, and Iron Maiden, to name a miniscule few. It was a sound that dominated the scene in the mid to late 70s and into the bulk of the 80s before sort of weirdly fusing into the over the top sounds of big hair bands. The excessiveness of big hair, though, prepped us for the wonderful grunge explosion as well as the almost unnoticed rumbling of stoner/desert rock of the 90s. Many other sounds have come, and gone. For anyone exploring for the first time any version of wondrous, amplified metal vibrations, old or new, there is an overabundance of choices. Gifted musicians can draw from an almost limitless supply of inspirational music, the possibilities are endless. This is what ran through my mind when I first heard "Wizard Mountain". Of course, I have no idea how Two Headed Beast may have arrived upon their signature sound, I just know I hear the wonderfully deep, heavy fuzz of stoner/doom rock in their vigorous riffs and searing solos, but, in the blink of a photon, I am ripped back to an earlier era as soon as those incredible vocals of Brian Allen kick in. "Wizard Mountain" quickly concentrates my focus, drawing me deep into its wicked melodies and triumphant chorus, down into the murky depths of low tuned and amplified energy, emboldened by the soaring, invigorating intonations of Allen's vocal time machine. The pairing of traditional metal vocals and bottom dark stoner/doom guitar is somehow brilliant, revitalizing, and emboldening. It's a physical reaction to a spiritual rendering, teleporting me to a time and place of power and potential.

Two Headed Beast hail from Portland, Oregon. Band members include John Hughes, Jason Dunn, Shawn Ferguson, Scott Speelman, and vocalist Brian Allen.

The initial track, "Valley of Skulls", immediately opens with the double whammy of deep, fuzzy guitar and powerfully rendered vocals that is the consistent and persistent hallmark of every track to follow. The tempo is dangerous, the magnitude bold, and the realization you're in for a unique and brilliant ride quickly sets in.

"Two Ton Sky" starts off with bare bones, building up to an all-out assault of power and force. The drumwork here is simply marvelous, pounding out a primal beat of mammoth proportions, propped up wonderfully by the bruising dance of bass and guitar, magnified again by those laser sharp vocals.

The eponymous title track, "Witch Mountain", is like a pugilist stalking his opponent, steadily moving forward step by step, delivering hammer blow after ruthless hammer blow until the sudden sound of silence signals the end.

"Apollyon the Destroyer" changes the pace, flowing down a psychedelic bridge of color and static before charging up a steeper trajectory of power and amperage. "Hail the Chief" is a frontal assault of bad attitude and snarl. "Boneyard" and "Blackball' pay homage to traditional metal in measured advances of ragged vocals and steady riffage.

This brings us to the unofficial closer, "Curse of the White Owl" where Two Headed Beast dust off their stoner rock foot pedals and crank up the fuzz in a magnificent display of hook and heat. The solos soar beyond the stratosphere, while the measured tempos of riff and stick are darkly subterranean. Allen's vocals are exquisite on this track, offering a sing along rendition in which no one can match his gifted ability, but will have fun in attempting to do so.

Two Headed Beast offer up a brief coda that is pinned to the tail end of the penultimate song in "Tail of the Owl", a fun little ditty of psychedelic conclusion.

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Album Review: Salem's Bend

The first great album of 2016 dropped on bandcamp shortly before Old Man 2015 changed Baby 2016's diaper, as it seems to happen quite frequently every year....the dropping of albums around Christmastime, not the baby body function maintenance.

Hailing from the great city of Los Angeles, California, Salem's Bend's self titled debut of 7 unique tracks is a breath of unique air to the underground stoner retro desert sound as these rockers have crafted some fine melodies around which they've wrapped gifted displays of musical execution in a fuzzy, heavy, crunchy, funky vein. The influences for these rockers are many and true as the low, heavy blues rock that soars down a retro desert highway in the doom of dusk exhilirates with their uncommon, singular sound.

Salem's Bend have stuffed some exquisite recordings in this initial rock offering. Each time I listen through it I find a new appreciation for the craft and style they've developed from their own experiences with rock giants of past and present, having absorbed the sounds from hours of listening to albums of the greats such as Zeppelin and Sabbath, as well as from recent behemoths like Kadavar, Earthless, and Hot Lunch. They have forged their own searing, raucous guitars, intense, deep bass, and athletic, punctuated stickwork around some of the most intelligently interesting melodies to float through the stonersphere in quite some time. It's a perfect blend of past, present, talent, and heart.

The album kicks off with a timeless pounder in "Balshazzar", a searing, primal scream of rhythmic delight. There are doomy delights such as "Queen of the Desert" and "A Tip of Salem", and the album practically soars with the lyrically exquisite "Losing Sleep" as well as with the pulse pounding "Mammoth Caravan". 

This album is timeless, ageless, and a perfect start to 2016. At present we look forward to what the year will bring in the form of spiritual musical deliverance. I daresay that in 12 short months when we reflect on what we enjoyed of 2016, we'll be speaking once again of "Salem's Bend"

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LP Review - 'Hustler’s Row' by Gentleman’s Pistols

Having just released their third album in 12 years since formation, you could at best label Gentleman's Pistols as laid back... But their long-awaited follow up to 2007's excellent 'At Her Majesties Pleasure' (HP review here, their latest long-player titled 'Hustler's Row’ has been well worth the wait... With lineup changes (new bass player) and label shenanigans (moving onto indie label Nuclear Blast from Rise Above) seemingly stalling the band, the current line-up of the four-piece is James Atkinson (vocals, guitar), Robert Threapleton (bass, vocals), Bill Steer (of Carcass fame, guitar) and Stuart Dobbins (drums).

Hustler's Row is a collection of 70's inspired heavy classic rock stomps and occasional ballad that takes you back to when the likes of Free, Aerosmith and Thin Lizzy ruled the airwaves. Perfect for the discerning stoner fan, who enjoyed albums that were passed down by their folks growing up with the words "This is real music…” ringing in their ears.

Frontman Atkinson still has the knack for writing a cheeky lyric and track title - 'Dazzle Drizzler', 'Lady Teaser' etc - and has a cool and assured delivery that glides perfectly over the warm guitar sounds, and the bluesy chops of Steer’s lead guitar breaks.  ‘Gents’ as they’re know to friends, ooze an assured style which is only fully appreciated with speakers spun right up to 10.

Call it retro, or whatever you like. These songs are superbly crafted and confidently delivered by a band who know their shit. Get tipsy on groove, flares, cow-bell, denim and booze, and grab a copy of Hustler’s Row. And party like it's 1975.

Also check out an album track by track on Nuclear Blast’s YouTube channel.

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Sunday Spell: Blue Snaggletooth - "Beyond Thule"

You remember that kid in school who never quite fit? He wasn't necessarily weird, he didn't lack friends, and he was almost off-puttingly cool. He spoke like a transplant from another time, but you couldn't tell if his dialect was from the past or the future. He had a presence that you couldn't quite explain and his confidence bled through clothes you wouldn't find at the mall. And when the bell offered the day's first taste of freedom, you knew he was gonna be truer to himself than you were.

Whoa, who's this? Blue Snaggletooth's retooled lineup is that swayed aura from an alternate dimension, thrust through our speakers on Beyond Thule, a nine-track sophomore push that's meatier, more cosmic, and more honed than the band's 2011 debut, Dimension Thule. That's hardly aimed at diminishing what that lineup secured in their thrown-back, precocious and delicious fuzz tuber. Instead, our intent here this morning is highlighting an act that remains true to the ethereal fuzz, its pioneering forebearers, and expanding on an already dynamic presence.

Blue Snaggletooth make no haste in immediately showcasing their classic stoner backslide via dripping, sky-shot licks on Reptiles. Elements are driven to their groovy peaks and the band's foot never leaves the gas, firmly announcing these guys are not of this era. Sleeping Mountain is a slow juxtaposition, illustrating ever-evolving scope riding on pensive psychedelia seeking deeper, distant truths. Thick, lumbering riffs sway toward a torrid groove, spiraling upward in what is, for now, the album's finest moment. If nothing else, these guys can craft a fucking escape.

Stops and starts are prevalent throughout the disc's midsection, and tempos range from itchy jumping bean clips to dirty signature shifts, breaking every rule and coming out ahead as a result. Moods deviate nearly as much as gears, and shaking off the caked mud is every bit as important as returning to oozy tones. Gawkers drops back in its seat and fills us with a blend of wonder and dread just before we're jolted from our creature comforts and thrust into bristled hedges. And later, Nameless Cults is executed with such confidence and precision that we're nearly lost under the sludge-stained stoner stomp. It's as sticky as these guys get, but that guitar just can't help but gush.

If Beyond Thule offers a signature track, stamp Ahamkara as the album's comprehensive crowning achievement. Steady lopes and an evaporation of all that viscous warble hardly encapsulates all you'll hear on this track. The thorax is highlighted by a lonesome drone, peppered with plucks that promise nothing but further spacey unknowns. It's celestial and boundless, breathing and swelling and ultimately spilling over, into and onto damn-near everything. The familiar channels return for a roll in the hay, but Blue Snaggletooth's most genuine flash comes when they conclude "transcend out of all time." Right on.

Whether tightening only to later explode or tripping out as the sound unravels, Beyond Thule is an album offering nothing you can't love. Get lost with this. Bouncing between trees but never fully coming to a stop, Blue Snaggletooth chop and warp their way into your mind and expand your world. Your dad might like this as much as you do. Come to think of it, maybe your grandkids'll be into it. This sound is vast, timeless, and soaked in transcendence. Dig it.

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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Orchid - "The Mouths of Madness" / Kadavar - "Abra Kadavar"

From out of the mists of recent success comes two albums highly anticipated by the ol' Nuclear Dog, as well as by many fans spanning the stoner globe. The first comes from Orchid, a band that has released 2 highly successful albums in the recent past, with the latest one an LP garnering a first place position on Reg’s Top 20 Albums of 2011. The quality of rock Orchid have delivered to the masses on those past releases naturally generate a tremendous level of anticipation from fans of these dark dreadnoughts. The second album comes from relative newcomers Kadavar who just last year released their debut album and landed on my own Top 20 list, so much did I thoroughly enjoy their blitzing riffage. A common thread that runs through these two bands beyond our sweaty expectations is the type of music they play. Both bands hearken wonderfully back to the heyday of heavy rock n roll with guitarcentric music packaged in magnificent melodies and driven with bombastic passion.
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ORCHID - "THE MOUTHS OF MADNESS"

Orchid hail from San Francisco and have been together since 2007, making and playing unbelievably awesome heavy rock in the classic vein of the great bands of the 70s such as Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, perhaps the band they are most identified with. Consciously or unconsciously, Orchid, especially on "The Mouths of Madness", channel original Black Sabbath in almost every way but in vocals, and that's not so far off as to be a detraction. This is not a bad thing. They aren't necessarily mimicking Sabbath so much as taking up the mantle of Sabbath-like music, and doing it perfectly, and by perfectly I mean sounding LIKE Sabbath's music without sounding exactly like Black Sabbath. They sound like Orchid. For me, that's an incredible feat, and a cherished result, because the sound the original Black Sabbath created is priceless and deserves more creative execution. No one else in the history of rock has truly pulled this off, and that includes iterations of Black Sabbath itself after Ozzy left. But that's my take on it. I'd wager that even if you don't agree with it you'll agree that the music on this album is humongous in solid, satisfying low tuned and heavy sound.

Band members of Orchid are:

Theo Mindell - Vocals
Carter Kennedy - Drums
Mark Thomas Baker - Guitar
Keith Nickel - Bass

Huge, heavy, low tuned riffs are the hallmark of Orchid's music, something they have delivered in spades on their initial EP release "Through the Devil's Doorway" and more recently on their first LP release "Capricorn", but on "The Mouths of Madness" they have up the ante by delving a little deeper into the darkness, wrapping uncanny guitar and bass riffs in pitch black wickedness, giving rise to a timbre of shadows and monstrosity. What tops off the toothsome signature sound are vocals at once unique, compelling, and custom made for the music. All in all, this latest album is a black ribbon gift of impeccable conveyance.

Nine songs have been rendered on "The Mouths of Madness", none more full to bursting with manic melody and classic guitar riffs than the title song which opens the album like a long lost companion of unbridled passion.

"Marching Dogs of War" elicits dark nostalgia in a way that penetrates directly to some primal dark core where the tapestry of Baker's guitar and Nickel's bass entwine perfectly with the percolating perfection of Mindell's vocals.

"Silent One" is a psychedelic romp of sheer delight where low tuned guitar licks are meshed with Kennedy's masterful drum fills and Baker's dextrous solos, and where spacey reverberations echo throughout the melodic journey of dark energy.

"Nomad" is a vocal triumph, where Mindell expresses remarkable power and depth in relating a fantastic tale through the purposeful tempo of strings and sticks, moving through a number of vocal variations throughout the course of the song, executing each with a masterful stroke.

"Mountains of Steel" could have been an apt album title for this ennead of superlative symphony, but, as one of nine delivers the same monstrous, gargantuan sound as its brethren.

"Leaving it All Behind" delivers a classic sound that isn't as deep and dark as those before it and after, instead eliciting an incredibly beautiful melody and guitar delivery that is driven home once again by Mindell's spot on vocals.

"Loving Hand of God" is heavy and low, with fibers of guitar clarity strategically intertwined through the dark package of melodic endeavor, consisting of a changing tempo that ranges from deliciously slow and deliberate to an upbeat solo stack of blistering heat.

"Wizard of War" is christmas and birthdays combined with the sabbath, a pure mountain of low tuned sweetness, from the mega deep riffs and tight tempo to the clarity and presence of impeccable vocals, topped off with solo heat that has a frayed and dangerous edge.

"See You on the Other Side" signs off the album in aggressive style, raining guitar solo fire and impassioned vocals onto an energetic melodic odyssey replete with unrelenting pneumatic drumwork.

This album is exceptional in many ways, but strip out all the superlatives and comparisons and measure it solely on its execution and delivery and it stands up as a timeless masterpiece, simple as that. Yes, it will enter the discussion as year's best, and will come up against some stiff competition, perhaps even from its doppelganger band (we can only hope), but make no mistake, it will be there with the very best once the dust settles. I'd even wager it will be there long after, standing beside Orchid's first two releases, and any subsequent work bound to come out down the years, as a compendium of colossal celebration.

Order the new CD at Nuclear Blast




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KADAVAR - "ABRA KADAVAR"

The beauty of this decade, and likely beyond, in terms of awesome heavy rock is the amalgam of the best of 70s metal and 90s grunge along with the underground stoner rock and high desert sounds of the 90s and the 00s. Many kids who grew up listening to their parents' music and their elder siblings' or friends' music were likely exposed to a tremendous amount of great classic metal and underground rock. As those kids have become adults playing in their own rock bands, whether from the U.S., the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Argentina, or anywhere on the globe, they are developing masterful strokes of monstrous metal magic. Hailing from Berlin, Germany, Kadavar are the vanguard of that development, leading the way with their colossal creations of mega metal. Two incredible albums in two short years, while not unheard of, is still a major accomplishment for any band, but to follow what was widely considered a resounding successful debut with a sophomore effort so soon is incredible, and risky only if it's not up to the standard already set upon themselves. The question Kadavar have put to us, then, on this sophomore rendition is, 'is "Abra Kadavar" as good or better than our self titled debut?' The conclusion, before going through the evidence, is YES! Somehow, using the momentum gained on that self titled juggernaut, Kadavar have managed to kick their Bavarian beast machine up a whole 'nother level and blast on down the highway of classic/retro heavy rock on an engine firing on all cylinders and purring with volume and perfect synchronicity.

Band Members on Kadavar are:

Lupus Lindemann - Vocals / Guitar
Mammut - Rivoli Bass
Tiger - Drums

To start, the overriding brilliance of Kadavar comes across to us in the same manner used by all bands who create meaningful, worthwhile heavy rock, with phenomenal guitar, skilled vocals, and superb melodies. For Kadavar the vocals and guitar happen to be delivered by one member, Lindemann. But, it's imperative to point out that the hard driving, relentless sound of Kadavar's brilliant melodies would be flat and listless without the gifted and impassioned rhythm section of Mammut's Rivoli bass and Tiger's extraordinary drumwork. Listen closely and you will find skillsets far above the bar where excellence begins to be measured. There is an energy and athleticism in their melodious maneuvering, lending power and magnificence to the sound and the song.

Lindemann's vocals are perfectly matched to Kadavar's music, but beyond the quality of his vocal outpourings is the manner in which Kadavar arrange them on the recordings, just a bit behind the instrumentals, keeping strings and sticks at the forefront where they deliver not only the signature sound, but also elicit the unyielding satisfaction of a willing and engaged audience.

"Abra Kadavaar" is resplendent with music, consisting of 10 tracks, each a marvel in its own right. The opening track, "Come Back Life" has a slight haunting quality, nostalgic in feel, and spiritual in delivery with crisp, clean guitar work threaded throughout in doses of refrain and dashes of solo blitzes. "Doomsday Machine" follows, and is arguably one of the top tracks on this collection. The same haunting vocal quality persists, but the guitar renderings pick up in intensity and deliberation, performing a tight spiral of crunchy riffs and blistering solos. "Eye of the Storm" follows with a change in tempo and executional feel, delivering an intriguing melody enhanced by powerful bass strokes and brutal drumwork topped off with what is obviously the signature brilliance of Lindemann's guitar licks. "Black Snake" is a plaintive wail mired in blues laced rock, beautiful, unique, and utterly intriguing. The halfway point comes quickly as "Dust" blasts onto the fore in controlled explosions of perfect timing and leviathan riffs.

The second half of the album starts out ablaze with "Fire", a big, bold amalgam of sound enhanced by Lindemann placing more emphasis on vocals as instrument this time around, in which he exercises a challenging lyrical component with passion and superior proficiency. "Liquid Dream" unloads at first like a ton of bricks before narrowing down to a tight, powerful assault and battery of escalating intensity. This song is unique and simultaneously enjoyable . "Rhythm for Endless Minds" is a fuzz fueled psychedelic trip of epic proportions, riding a musical tapestry of intertwined sounds and existential riffs overlaid by ethereal, haunting vocals. The title song, "Abra Kadavar" continues the colorful and euphonic odyssey but on a brighter, more colorful tapestry using heavier gauge threads of guitar riffs, drum rills, and bass fills, interwoven in complex and intriguing pattern of enchantment. The album closes out with "The Man I Shot" returning to the classic, nostalgic formula that was followed previously on the album, unfolding a sound that is at once fresh and nostalgic, reminiscent of  a long lost rock experience from days gone by and eras past but still reverberating in the blacker recesses of a dark subconsciousness.

This is another album that goes immediately into consideration for 'best of' discussions once the year end is upon us. In a genre in which listeners, followers, fans, and disciples demand exception and excellence, Kadavar have delivered that in triplicate. There is depth and texture to all ten songs, providing the listener with vast opportunities to explore oft and anon the weavings, nuances, and tapestries intertwined throughout the album.

Order a copy of the CD or vinyl at Nuclear Blast





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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split - Mamont - "Passing Through the Mastery Door" / Atlantic Valley - "Mammoth"

Today, Followers of the Fuzz, we present to you for your listening pleasure 2 bands who wield the fuzz the way Thor wields Mjolnir, or Conan his broadword, or The Sword Saint, Miyamoto Musashi, his katana and wakazashi, not with reckless abandon, but with the epitome of skill, grace, power, and intent. These guys strike for the ultimate outcome, which in the case of the music is to deliver the killing blow of pure stoner rock awesomeness. This isn't to say you won't hear elements of other styles as well, but make no mistake, the power and the fury today are stoner fuzz at its finest.
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MAMONT - "PASSING THROUGH THE MASTERY DOOR"

Mamont hail from Nyköping, Sweden, a small town south of Stockholm. Members include:

Karl Adolffson - guitar, vocals
Jonathan Wårdsäter - guitar
VictorWårdsäter - bass
Jimmy Karlsson - drums

"Passing Through the Mastery Door" is their first LP, although they have previously released an excellent self titled EP in 2011. While today we are promoting the latest LP released late in 2012, it is quite interesting to listen to both the 3 track EP and the later 8 track LP. The Mamont musical stamp is present on both, to be sure, in terms of song structure. These guys write beautiful stoner rock music, intelligent, fun, and exciting, all rare qualities when it comes to manufacturing notes, times, rhythms, patterns, etc. But the best part of listening to both the earlier EP and the newer LP is going from the exquisite songs from the 3 track release and discovering exponential growth in the song writing and delivery on the 8 song release. It's quite phenomenal, something of a pleasant surprise, something that generates excitement, appreciation, and admiration. Whatever it was these guys did to come up with the much fuzzier, more distorted, higher energy music laid down in conjunction with superb, stellar melodies on the LP is quite refreshing and deserves a full measure of thanks for anyone who thrives on listening to this rare breed of sound. Yes, we hear a LOT of great music, both old and new, on an almost daily basis, but to hear impeccably intelligent stoner rock is rare and to be treasured.

There is a story in "Passing Through the Mastery Door" according to the band's bio. The journey to discovering that story by listening through it over and over should be quite enjoyable indeed. I can't pretend to have unlocked the tale as of yet, so the best I can do is focus on the rapture of the sound.

"Mammuten" is the starting point where no time is wasted in unleashing the lumbering beast of fuzz upon an audience perhaps brimming with anticipation. Slow and purposeful, the huge low tuned guitar trudges forth soon to be accompanied by the signature stoner riffs reminiscent of much earlier stoner sounds found in Dozer or Truckfigthters. Ever so exquisitely and deliberately the song morphs into a psychedelic melange of distortion and guile before giving way to its successor "Jag Sår Ett Frö", carrying straight through on the fuzz carpet of distortion introduced in the opener. The hazy, psychedelic atmosphere carries forward as well with a haunting vocal that soon unleashes our first exposure to the raspy edged lyric delivery that can only be described as perfectly matching this heavy, deep pile music.

Full dose exposure to the vocals occurs on Track 3, "Creatures", where there may be as many as a half dozen beasts unleashed, if you count the dueling, snarling guitar riffs, undercurrents of richter scale bass, boulder crushing drumwork, and the aforementioned stylings of Mamont's vocal delivery via lead vocalist Karl Adolfsson, as all come together to tell the tale of the evil demons central to the tale.

Between "Blind Man (Part III)" and "Satan's Fasoner" we are treated to stoner rock of exceptional quality, with gargantuan waves of fuzz and cheese grater vocals extraordinaire, none perhaps more exquisite than "The Secret of the Owl" with its barely controlled urgency and  breathless delivery.

This is a rare stoner rock gem that unfortunately slipped through the cracks of my new release tracking system this past September/October. When I go back I see clearly that I had it marked as well above average, meaning in line for quick review. For some reason it got missed until now. But, better now than not at all, and while it may have missed out on end of year 'Best Of' lists, it certainly will get played over and over for years to come as often, if not more, than many of those albums that did make the list.




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ATLANTIC VALLEY - "MAMMOTH"

Atlantic Valley are a Spanish 4 piece stoner rock band hailing from Vigo, Galicia. This is a group of musicians who are just getting warmed up when it comes to producing rock music. They were the winners of a local band contest that spurred them toward recording and releasing their first EP, which, with 6 songs, is of sufficient length to satisfy that deep down craving for meaty, beefy, delicious fuzz. One of the hallmarks of the EP is the lyrics are both in Spanish and English, depending on the song, which does not detract from the slick melodies this new band of four have conjured around their low tuned and wonderfully overdriven delivery.

Band members:

Simón Nicolás - Drums
Angel Pèrez - Bass
Alexandre Alonso - Vocals
Marcus Domato - Guitars, Backing Vocals

Bright and insistent fuzz riffs greet us on the opening track, "Summered Cold Office", with lyrics on the opener in English. The vocals are well suited to the music, never yelling the sound, but singing with a raspy deftness entirely suited to this heavy brand of rock. The tempo is upbeat and energetic for the opening minutes before the song segues into something more deliberate and purposeful for the closing minutes.

"Irreal" opens with a gigantic stoner riff that accompanies the Spanish lyrics and perfectly weighted vocals. Large and low the song is steadfast in its delivery throughout, steady in tempo, and sturdy in the blending of sound.

"Van Scape" kicks the tempo up a couple of notches from its forerunner, laying out heavily distorted licks undercut by immense bass riffs and insistent drum punches. Edgy and distant, the vocals completely complement the music.

"Loia" has an extended, memorable opening, placing much of the onus of the music on adept and agile drumwork, a theme that carries throughout this song of haunting eloquence and brutal delivery.

"Doom Exequo" has elements of stoner punk infused throughout the length of this superb melody. The shackles are dropped for an all out blitzkrieg onslaught from fuzz strings and raspy edged vocals, as well as Olympian drums and mountain devouring bass.

"Titan" brings in a psychedelic element to the band's stoner sound before giving way to their punkish traits once again. These are elements simply used as vehicles for delivery of deep pile fuzz along massive waves of distortion.

This is more than a valiant initial effort from an up and coming stoner rock band, for, despite the unpolished edges, it delivers 6 quality songs heavy in low, overdriven tones, well written melodies, and deftly delivered by gifted and motivated musicians. This album is that rare case where everything works all the time. I am certain you will enjoy this freshman effort immensely and, like me, look forward to their next release and its accompanying growth.





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New Band To Burn One To: LIQUID SILK

HEAVY PLANET presents . . . LIQUID SILK!

BAND BIO:

Liquid Silk are a heavy rock faction from Berlin who deliver real grooverock, peppered with a lot of stoner, blues, and psychedelic rock. The whole thing is served with a sound that originates from 70s heavy rock and has been optimally influenced by the stoner rock band Kyuss.

Liquid Silk transport you to a time when the streets were still dusty, delivering a real desert sound. 

Some songs remind you of good ol' rock music, e.g. The Doors, Free, and The Who. Other strong influences are Led Zeppelin, Clutch, Graveyard, and Black Sabbath. 

To put it simply, Liquid Silk make 70s-retro-stoner-blues-psychedelic rock with a desert groove. 

Band Members:

Andolin Sonnen - Drums

Dennis Hempfing - Lead Guitar

Georg Michael - Vocals, Guitar

Roman Vigdortchic - Bass

THOUGHTS:

Liquid Silk have created a beautiful version and rendition of stoner rock on their self titled debut EP. The stand out features are at least three. Georg Michael's vocals are unique and perfectly suited to their music, as well as to the stoner rock sound altogether. It has a deep and agile quality that grabs you during softer moments as well as moments of high energy and emotion. The overall Liquid Silk sound is perfect stoner/desert rock with loud, fuzz filled guitars cranking out innumerable riffs and licks in a beautifully deep and low tuned quality, displaying a perfectly executed level of distortion and tempo. The 4 songs of this EP are well written, full of melody that would have sounded right at home on a Kyuss album. These are not the only positive qualities to be found on the record as bass and drums display intrigue and satisfaction in perfectly complementing the two guitars, while the overall sound of the band as a whole, richly textured and brilliantly executed, delivers a new and unique stoner rock compilation that is at once familiar and new. 

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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic - "The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic" / Electric Taurus - "Veneralia"

There is a direct connection between one band from last week's Atomic Split and one band from this week's version, but that direct connection is not necessarily the style of music. Aside from that you will need a spare oxygen tank this week as we trip fast and far through the universe, and while the vehicle is mandatorily psychedelic in nature, whether you use fuel that has a smoky exhaust or whether you simply let the music be your guide, you are likely to be breathless through long quixotic stretches of this quantum quest, quickly quenchable with dispatches of pure oxygen. Enjoy the musical journey folks. It's a trip.
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THE ULTRA ELECTRIC MEGA GALACTIC - "THE ULTRA ELECTRIC MEGA GALACTIC"

This album could be considered as a gift of sorts, a gift to lovers and long time followers of stoner rock, psych rock, retro rock, 70s rock, the kind of rock that matters. UEMG are a supergroup comprised of:

Ed Mundell (Monster Magnet, The Atomic Bitchwax) - guitars
Collyn McCoy (Trash Titan, Otep) - bass
Rick Ferrante (Sasquatch) - drums

There is a lot to glean from those 3 lines. Ed Mundell is as well known in the stoner rock world as a rocker can be, having been a significant, intrinsic part of both Monster Magnet and The Atomic Bitchwax. His ability to play his chosen instrument is phenomenal and breathtaking, to say the least, and his influences on both his former bands was integral to their most musically prolific periods. That is not a coincidence. Collyn McCoy formerly of Otep and currently of Trash Titan (that name sounds incredibly familiar, where have I heard it before?) is a whole lot more than a bass player in a rock band, currently laying down monstrous, phenomenal sounds for 2 functioning bands. Rick Ferrante . . . he's the drummer for Sasquatch - you know, SASQUATCH!, a band of gargantuan sound and ability, driven ferociously from the back by the organic and seamless ease of Rick's rhythmic underpinnings. An obvious omission from those 3 lines, too, is the lack of a vocalist, signifying the instrumental bent of this album, something in my experience that tends to lead to an immense and satisfying listening experience. When the music itself has to grab and keep the interest of the listener most stoner rock musicians tend to muster up some mighty tasty tunes. This album is certainly no exception.

The band's story is familiar. Three musicians who found themselves in each other's company and in need of playing at a time when there were no pressing commitments from elsewhere began a musical journey together, a journey that perhaps started out slowly, cautiously, jamming together, playing in small venues in and around the area in which they live, growing together musically into something they could call their own until one day they found they had created something unique, and phenomenal, and noteworthy. Judging by feedback from the crowds, from the people around them, and from their own keen ears they concluded they really should share it with the world. And so they have. Thank you, gentlemen, for this musical gift.

The best way to hear these songs, of course, would be at a live venue. I have not had that privilege, and quite likely never will. From there the closer you can get to live sounds the better off you'll be, but even if all you can muster is to hear this stuff in mp3 format you will still quite likely be blown away by the intricacies and richness of what UEMG have created. It is certainly the kind of album that grabs you hard the first time through and only gets better with each spin through.

Two interesting tidbits about the album are, first, the opening track in which the introduction is a passage written and spoken specifically for the album by the author Harlan Ellison. Cool. And, second, a guest spot on the opening musical track, track #2, by Ferrante's bandmate from Sasquatch, Keith Gibbs. Again, cool.

"Exploration Team", as mentioned, has Gibbs' distinct guitar riffs melding perfectly with the incredible deliveries of UEMG's regular members. The overall feel for the song is fun and light. It's not really light by any stretch, but the enjoyment these guys express while playing, along with the pleasures as a listener, combines with the tempo for entertainment and wonder. As with each song on this album there are hundreds of pieces, parts, snippets, riffs, licks, fills, rolls, what have you that all blend together to create masterpiece after masterpiece. To a trained and experienced ear there is likely to be a dozen spins through the songs to catch what they have crafted in full. For someone who just knows he's hearing greatness, I look forward to dozens of spins of my own.

"Get Off My World!" has a slower tempo and an impeccable fuzz rate, if you will. I think it's fair to say that Mundell's blistering guitar work is the focal point on this song, but McCoy's bass and Ferrante's drums are still ever present and powerful, nonetheless.

"7000 Years Through Time" is like a huge, beautiful, laserbeam solo from beginning to end, which makes sense given the sole writing credits for it go to Mr. Mundell. Its follow on tune, "The Third Eye" is a crispy, crackling twelve minute romp that allows plenty of time for each member to play to the audience with relish, glee, and not a little bit of ferocity, all held in perfect check and doled out expertly in textures and waves that will leave you gasping in the vacuums left  behind.

"Rockets Aren't Cheap Enough" . . . it's as much fun as you can have with guitars and drums, I'd be willing to bet.

"The Man With a Thousand Names" is a new kind of fun on the album, infused with sitar infusing this trip to the outer reaches with an Eastern flavor.

"Hello to Oblivion" seems at first to not have distinguishing markers as pronounced as its brethren, but going through it more than once reveals some wicked bass riffs and powerful Bonham style drumwork to go with the multi-layered riffs and rills that permeate the richly textured song.

The album closes out with the trippiest leg of the journey with "In The Atmosphere Factory". The strings, as usual, are multi-faceted and diverse, manipulated here for a surreal experience that flows in and around the steady, primal tempo set down by the song's rhythm. It's a carefully chosen and perfectly played closer.

This album, which is more than likely a mere representative sample of what these songs sound like in a live environment, still will get serious consideration for Top Ten/Twenty lists throughout the rock world at year's end, I have no doubt.




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ELECTRIC TAURUS - "VENERALIA"

Dublin Ireland is the home for this three piece stoner/psych band who have crafted an incredible journey of volume and fuzz with their debut EP "Veneralia". Initially formed in 2010 and having gone through some of the typical growing pains of new bands, by the time they had solidified the lineup and had written some superb music they were comprised of the following members:

James Lynch - Bass
Matt Casciani - Guitar, Vocals
Mauro Frison - Drums

The music was good enough for Italian indie record label Moonlight Records to sign the band and put out this excellent EP. With influences coming heavily from the great rock music of the 60s and 70s, both popular and more from an underground origin, as well as the second coming of rock during the 90s with grunge and stoner/desert sounds, Electric Taurus have managed to create their own unique stoner rock sound that has a distinctive psychedelic flair, making for a nice unique trip through the musical cosmos powered by low tuned,  heavy engines, and melodic imagination.

Even though the album is considered an EP, due to its 'meager' 6 tracks, I suppose, it does not skimp on total volume, delivering nearly 50 minutes of quality music.

The opener is "Mountains", a great introduction to the quality on display, with lots of crackling, crunching fuzz, big booming bass, and a melody that is distinctive and memorable. A haunting bridge between the opening minutes of the song and the outro is rich in atmosphere and the vocal stylings of Casciani.

"A New Moon" blasts off with a classic stoner guitar sound comprised of differing riff layers that blend perfectly with strong, dynamic drums to engage the listener immediately into the music. The focal point throughout the song is the music, as opposed to the vocals, which are relegated to a distant yearning call from somewhere deep in the reaches of space. This vehicle of fuzz moves rapidly through space and time on an epic stoner/psych journey.

"Mescalina If At the Edge Of the Earth" is a long playing trippy delight, unfolding cautiously and deliberately until it reaches midpoint where the booster rockets that were heretofore idle kick in with a mighty churn of chaotic rhythm and power, comprised of equal parts guitar riff fuel, liquid drum rolls, and bass tone explosions, as they burn through the final stages of the song with unimaginable power and carefully controlled ignition.

"Two Gods Caput Algol" is more of a throwback to 70s rock reminiscent of early Aerosmith, Cream, or Hendrix. The melody is measured, purposely allowing for the vocals to express power and emotion in tandem with the guitar's mega riffs. The song never relies on one musical idea repeated several times, instead introducing change ups and variances that make it thoroughly intriguing and enjoyable.

"Prelude to the Madness" is another throwback to an earlier sound, but significantly different to the previous track. While it has elements of sounds from forty year old rock it combines that with segments that are slightly reminiscent to grunge era music with a punkish flair. The trippy and far out is never out of the equation, though, making its way in among the feel good rock of the 70s and the torturous glee of the 90s. This eclectic take is, again, quite interesting and entertaining. You never get the feeling anything is done for the sake of it, but instead is cleverly measured and delivered in perfect doses of rock era mashups.

The album closes with "Magic Eye" and an ear for distortion at its low tuned finest accompanied by raw, ragged, redolent riffs of rigor and enthusiasm.





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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: The Black Widow's Project - "Heavy Heart" / Half Gramme of Soma - "Half Gramme of Soma"

What's the cliché? Something about strapping yourself in because you are in for the ride of your life? Yeah, that's as good as any. Geneva, Switzerland is where the first set of fuzzbombs are carefully packaged before ignition and blastoff. Athens, Greece is the source for the second set of high octane combustibles. We've often gotten great fireworks from Greece and at least once from Switzerland, so this is no anomaly, but a trend of the most exciting kind, where distortion, talent, volume, passion, and melody are blended into tightly wrapped packages bursting with explosive potential. So, ladies and gentlemen, ye who venture into the realms and domains presented daily by Heavy Planet in order to visit the deviantly deft denizens and their concoctions . . . strap yourselves in and prepare for blast off!

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THE BLACK WIDOW'S PROJECT - "HEAVY HEART"

The Black Widow's Project is a three piece band from Geneva, Switzerland. "Heavy Heart" is their second offering, the first under the current lineup of:

Al Castro - Vocals, Guitar
Raph Legend - Bass
Mathieu Sink - Drums

Formed recently in 2010 the band quickly released their first EP, "Benefit of the Doubt", which garnered a ton of interest due to its huge, intelligent songs. After going through a bass player change with Raph recently joining the group, this small band with the big sound have now released their second collection of original fuzzbombs, but this time in the form of a full length record, crammed to overflowing with 14 stoner/retro rock originals.

The fuzz is huge on this album, as is the creativeness. The songs are well written and well executed, which makes for an incredibly enjoyable experience. Add to it the passion, the obvious and intense exertion in unfolding each creation in perfect time, and you get a special album.

The influences come from decades of great rock music, and influences beyond. You can hear sounds similar to hundreds of songs and rock bands down through the decades, but similarity doesn't mean replication. The song writing here for both music and lyrics is exceptional. The tapestries created are tight, bright, and satisfying. Each song is woven through with a myriad sounds from guitar, bass, drums, and vocals that make for the kind of album you can listen to a hundred times and pick out different and various pieces that go together to make a wholly satisfying whole on each of the fourteen offerings of "Heavy Heart". I don't hear one song sounding much like the next, while the sound for all remain uniquely that of The Black Widow's Project. Play any one song alone and you would know it was their creation. Listen through the whole album and you will be deeply engaged for each of the fourteen due to the uniqueness of each. That is rare and welcome ability, especially when it comes to rock music.

My favorite songs, something easier said than decided upon because I truly love them all, would include the following:

It's hard to beat the opener. It sets the tone most times for the rest of an album and on "Heavy Heart" that's exactly what happens. A lone guitar, distortion tuned to proper fuzz levels, kicks off the song on a brief intro that gives the listener the perfect indication of what's to follow, both for this song and for this album. Once "Ha Ha Ha Uh" kicks in you're in the stratosphere flying fast and high. The tempo is quick, the riffs are plentiful and varied, the bass is energetic and powerful, and the drums do the job of both driving the song's rhythm and adding to it's interest with stick fills and drum riffs that intrigue and satisfy. Alongside the amazing guitar work on this song is the equally amazing vocals. The raspy passion of Castro's belting of the lyrics falls just shy of amazing. He hits the proper tone with this rock and role vocal blast, never yelling as so many vocalists do, and certainly not quite singing in a prim, proper manner, which we would not want. He hits it just right, matching the tone and intensity of the instrumental portions of the song.

"Ain't Gonna Tell You Lies". To start with, who in Geneva, Switzerland says 'ain't'. We certainly do here in Oklahoma. But that's not why I like this song. I like the simple guitar strum opening with Castro singing in normal pitch, revealing that when he's not stretched to the max he still has a beautiful voice. A solo precursor within this song is a bass so low, so huge, it has to have been played by heavy rock moving machinery. The song is steady and simple, and somehow strikes a satisfying chord deep within.

"We Have to Be Free" is a beautiful song, plain and simple. It has a bluesy feel to it throughout as it goes back and forth between calm control, ignition, and fuzzbomb explosions. Moving through the various feels and tempos makes this one of the more intriguing songs on the album. The incredible execution by all three members playing their four instruments simply adds to the maximum pleasure. This is an addicting song that will have you longing for the next time through the album to hear it again.

"Spirits" is a spare, haunting song of incredible beauty that still manages to fuzz out around the edges.

The closer, "Innerwar", is one of the best of the bunch, along with the opener. These guys know how to open, and then how to close. "Innerwar" sounds like something from a concept album, obviously telling a story that's part of a larger whole, while remaining true to the single tale within. The ballad-like feel of the first few minutes of the song leads into a trippy, almost psychotic journey where the instruments lightly touch upon the sounds that play heavily upon your listening psyche, slowing building with textures of new riffs and subdued vocals.

EXCLUSIVE STREAM


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HALF GRAMME OF SOMA - "HALF GRAMME OF SOMA"

There is a HUGE contingent of stoner/retro rock from Greece, much of it from Athens. It's a large city, so why not, but it still seems as though an inordinate amount . . . which is a good thing . . . of underground rock n' roll calls Athens its home. Add to the list this tremendously gifted, rockin' band, Half Gramme of Soma, hereafter referred to as HGoS (almost hogs, almost ghost, defintely rock n' roll).

It's amazing to me when bands come from Europe how much the vocals can sound as if the singer is from down the road somewhere here in the U.S., and HGoS is no exception. I have no idea how much effort they have had to put into their studio performances to accomplish this sound, but it certainly gets my attention. Not nearly as much as their beautiful music screams for notice, though. The starting point for any band associated with the underground sound of stoner/doom/retro rock are the heavy, low tuned, fuzzed out guitars. It's what sets them apart from the no-riff uber-raff on the radio. HGoS is no exception here either. The guitars are pure meth and adrenaline mixed with . . . well, why not mix it with SOMA . . . creating an instantly satisfying warmth throughout your body, charging up your metal receptors, and creating a condition of pure party atmosphere pleasure, whether listening alone in your car, or cranking it up at a booze fueled end of the week celebration, or anything in between.

HGoS band members include:

John V. - Vocals
Alexandros K. - Guitars
Takis A. - Guitars
Nick G. - Bass
Uncle Jim - Drums

HGoS, having formed recently in 2011 and having honed their craft in the various live venues in and around Athens, manages to deliver high quality sound on all parts and pieces of their instrumentation. John V. has a great set of rock pipes, using them to great effect throughout the album. The twin guitar assault of Alex K. and Takis A. are effective, effusive, and effing awesome. Nick G. has somehow strung his bass to the heavy machines used in building tunnels through mountains, and Uncle Jim knows how to impeccably navigate the skins through the heavy maze of riffs from the 3 guitars by using just a pair of wooden sticks. Most of all, the fivesome know how to slap a song together in such a way as to make it memorable, exciting, enticing, and dripping with anticipation, all by mainly making clever and satisfying melodies, songs that not only rock, but bring a sort of fuzzy funk that fits perfectly with the low tuned, distorted bazooka blast emanations of the various string sources. While most stoner/retro bands draw heavily either from the great era of the 70s or the grunge and high desert eras of the 90s, HGoS seem also to have thrown in a sound that hearkens to the new wave sound of the 80s, which makes for a very intriguing metal sound, something that almost feels like they've solved the puzzle that existed on too much 80s so called rock. . . adding the big, fuzzy sound of stoner rock guitar.

This self titled album is their first foray into studio production and contains 9 melodic creations layered thickly with fuzzy metal shavings, crafted in such a way as to be most enjoyable when the amperage is set to ultra high levels and you have room enough to violently move about the room.

"Burn Your Shadows" opens with a funky guitar ditty that leads into the opening hooks and riffs that are slightly reminiscent of the B-52s or The Cure, except with a much heavier, beefier sound, especially when the instrumentation is isolated for several incredible minutes.

"Feed Your Hell" opens in a measured pace that leads into a more up-tempo refrain. John V.'s vocals lend a ballad like quality to the song as the twin guitars provide both a heavy undercurrent of deep, dark riffs plus a more penetrating and insistent interlude. The music here is telling a story, one that isn't all light and sunshine, but replete with dank, musty revelations.

"Secret of the Fox" is a partner piece to its predecessor above. It's steady, unyielding tempo is full of various textures of twisted metal licks and fills riding on an undercurrent of heavy bass, and narrated with melancholy, haunting vocals.

After several songs of deep, dark melancholia comes a song that is a masterpiece of tempo, melody, and listening enjoyment in "Dead End". I am not a master of culling out the lyrics to a song, so while the title would seem to convey failure in the journey of whomever is travelling through these songs, the atmosphere of the music seems to convey the opposite. A quicker pace, insistent and deadly drumwork, and metal rending guitar riffs accompany dual vocals on this song, providing the listener with an intriguing melody infused with heavy textures and bigger than life substance.

Immediately following is an incredibly haunting piece, "Wings Rusted Away", that allows for instrumental isolation to an extent, allowing the listener to go one on one with the huge guitars and whipcord drums. Vocals are magnified as well, as the melancholy of the tune intensely permeates throughout your body, taking over, inducing a trance-like state akin to a natural endorphin rush.

Melancholia and haunting melodies close out the album with "Under a Malign Star", where HGoS make sure to go out with a universe deafening explosion of metal distortion and amplification.

 


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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Mammoth Mammoth - "Hell's Likely" / The Shooters - "Planet of the Black Sun"

From Melbourne, Australia you can find rock so big, so huge, so full of riffs and fuzz that one woolly mammoth is not enough of a comparison, so the band was named for two. There's a lot to love when you have two huge extinct creatures wielding modern nuclear weaponry in the guise of electrified musical instruments. And then, from the southwest of Spain can be found a prime example of pure rock, big, simple, and unadulterated in delivery and execution, but most importantly in enjoyment. Strap on your cuirass because we are about to do battle with the forces of heavy metal deficiency where we will certainly cure their asses with the ammunition loaded, locked, and on tap, ready to fire today.

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MAMMOTH MAMMOTH - "HELL'S LIKELY"

Band members:

Ben Couzens - Guitar
Mikey Tucker - Vocals
Frank Trobiani - Drums
Pete Bell - Bass

As stated, this foursome hails from Melbourne and have garnered a huge reputation as a live band. From all accounts these guys put everything they have into every show, leaving it all on the stage, while simultaneously leaving the audiences satisfied to their 'amped to the max' core. Not only are Mammoth Mammoth experienced in playing to audiences, "Hell's Likely" is their third studio release, beginning with a self titled EP in 2008, "Mammoth" in 2009 that included covers of Kyuss' "Green Machine" and Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold", which put Mammoth Mammoth's irrevocable mega-fuzz stamp on those two varied but familiar and loved rock standards, and now "Hell's Likely", eight original ass kickers, straight out of some Australian explosives factory where someone threw a lit butt on the ground, large explosives expanded rapidly, and Mammoth Mammoth had an album of incredible explosiveness.

The music these guys put forth is heavy and fun, heavily reminiscent of rock of the 70s and 80s, while interspersed with sounds from the fledgling underground sounds of the era that gave birth to stoner rock, the 90s. They never mimic the sound of any of their influences, but at the same time do not shy away from what they like to use when laying waste to the earth with their low tuned, high energy music.

The title track is the opener and sets the perfect tone for what's to follow. It's fast paced and laden with energetic drumwork displaying timbre and skill that only the most adept and demoniac of guitars could follow.

The fuzz is unfurled for track 2, "Go", where, again, athletic guitar work unleashes monstrous riffs, huge fills of distortion and low tuned wonderment. I love the solo on this song, unfolding in a steady and intriguing manner that takes it time and entertains mightily because of it, as opposed to just dropping a few quick, loud licks like the majority of rock songs are wont to do.

My favorite track on the album is the fourth song down, "(Up All Night) Demons to Fight", the name alone bringing an anticipatory smile. The tempo here is deliberate and forceful, quickly igniting those primal urges deep within my metal soul. This is the kind of song you go to battle with. It delivers blow after blow, riff, lick, and fill wrapped in fuzz and distortion, and punctuated with the heavy bass rhythm of Bell's relentless playing, at the same time packaged neatly with Tucker's 'fuck you, kick ass' vocals.

One of the hallmarks of Mammoth Mammoth's songs is the length they play. There's no long drawn out psych journeys here, but at the same time they don't typically get in and get out in 3 minutes or less, either. 5 plus minutes is the standard, which is a great time for fuzz filled wonderment such as the deliverance of these 8 songs.

The final track, purportedly available only on the vinyl version of the album, is "Dead Sea", a deliberate show of strength and power, that comes across as an intelligent fuzz bomb, setting off explosions at exactly the right time and in exactly the right place throughout this demonstrative show of force.

Mammoth Mammoth have delivered a gargantuan, monstrous, prodigious, leviathanic collection of stoner fuzz bombs that boil the blood at just the right temperature on "Hell's Likely". If you are new to their music use this as a jumping off point and then go backward in time to collect the remainder of their awesome collection, worthy additions to any stoner metal anthology.

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THE SHOOTERS - "PLANET OF THE BLACK SUN"

Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain is where we go for our next cargo load of fuzz and distortion. South  of Sevilla and west of Malaga ( I wonder which team these guys root for), Jerez appears to be an idyllic town in the southwest of the country, with beautiful architecture and gorgeous scenery, it looks to be the type of place that would be hard pressed to produce a foursome able to conjure the type of energy and power to move massive boulders with the strum of a chord, the pluck of a bass string, or the strike of stick on skin, but  that's exactly what The Shooters do - create massive amounts of beautiful, monstrous sound melodicly formed into a treasure trove of stoner rock jewels.

Spanish may be what The Shooters speak, what they write, what they use to fill their Twitter and Facebook pages, but good old American is the language used on the vocals of this gigantic band of uncanny caliber and faculty. The language used by guitar is retro rock, stoner metal, good old fuzz and distortion, a language understood by millions and craved by the same.Those cravings can be assuaged with the release of "Planet of the Black Sun".

Band Members are Alex, Carlos, Danishoot, and Marcos.

Although it's not quite clear who plays what for The Shooters, in the end it doesn't matter, nor does it even matter in the beginning. We have access to their new release and all we need do is plug it in and play. Enjoyment ensues. Like their Atomic Split predecessor, The Shooters lay down ample time on their tracks to allow for full engagement, and deep enjoyment, igniting all music receptors and linking to all primal metal music urges.

"Planet of the Black Sun" kicks off with "Against the Storm", a stoner rock gem, for no other definition can suffice. The vocals are incredible on this, and every song. The guitars continually crank out distorted pleasure, while the drums surface in perfect time to the ever churning riffs, providing intrigue and conciliation. The closing section of the song lays down an intriguing display of melodic adeptness and enjoyment.

Track 2, "Satellite", does not back down from the high bar set on the first song, kicking up the tempo a notch, while simultaneously kicking up the fuzz a notch as well. How? Hell, I don't know, but it does. The song is crammed to the gills with riffs, licks, and fills during the main course. The bridge bares it down to brass tacks, though, singling out nifty single riffs and drum fills before exploding back into the main groove of the song.

"Fuel Eater" quite simply jams for 5 minutes. Not in a hurry, digging deep grooves at a mud slinging pace, it takes over your brain for a nice trip through distortion and doom, over before you realize you ever left, because the trip was pure hypnosis of low tuned wonderment.

"Fate" kicks up the tempo and the melody a bit, utilizing a full, rich tone to the low tuned guitars, undercurrented by massively heavy bass and topped with the ever present rhythm of wood on skin. There is an in and out flow to the song that mesmerizes with a tribal quality hypnotic in nature and delivery.

The Shooters are superb songwriters, definitely stamping their sound and style on each song, but never totally recreating what's already been conjured, either by them or anyone else. The changes are perhaps slight, subtle, and modest, just enough to pique interest and satisfy familiarity.

These guys work their magic on the music they play, crafting quality songs, and playing with skill and enthusiasm. This album is 9 songs of sheer stoner joy, fierce in delivery, heavy in tone, and deep in satisfaction.

On their bandcamp page you will have access to all their music, worthy of the free downloads, and inclusion into your stoner rock collection.





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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Palm Desert - "Rotten Village Sessions" / Mothership - "Mothership"

Today we have the second second coming of Kyuss from Wraclow, Poland in the guise of Palm Desert, who Zac compared magnificently to the high desert sound of "Welcome to Sky Valley" on their first release, "Falls of the Wasteland" back in April of 2011. Now they've upped the ante a bit with their second release "Rotten Village Sessions" so we get to see if they were a one album wonder or not. The second offering today is a 3 piece in which 2 are brothers, hailing from Texas, with a deep, resonant groove borne of hours listening to their father's cache of 70s rock. Mothership are a mother lode of hard driving, fuzzy, melodious guitar soaked deliciousness mined from the depths of Earth's finest veins of rich metal.
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PALM DESERT - "ROTTEN VILLAGE SESSIONS"

Since the 2011 release of "Falls of the Wasteland", Palm Desert have now come out with another collection of songs seemingly written in the high deserts crispness of the Mojave Desert air titled "Rotten Village Sessions". The 2011 release was credited, as mentioned above, with a sound similar to the kings of the high desert, Kyuss, so the anticipation, if not expectation, for "Rotten Village Sessions" will be 'can they do it again'? Or would they even want to do it again. What will it be like?

As it turns out, Palm Desert stick to the formula, perhaps working on crafting an even finer collection of stoner rock tunes than before, something certainly not easy to do, something not many bands, regardless of location, would want to attempt, but Palm Desert have not only made the attempt, they have pulled off another solid collection of songs that fit perfectly in the pantheon of the high desert stoner sound perpetuated by Kyuss in the 90s.

Is the music on this album original in style? Does it break new ground or reveal anything new at all? Perhaps not, at least not in style or genre, but who the fuck cares? Is it good stoner rock? No. It's GREAT stoner rock, and I, for one, am very appreciative of this foursome from Wraclow, Poland taking a sound they obviously love, and that I happen to love as well, and whipping out 9 fresh, healthy versions of a rock sound that is becoming rare. There is no direct copying of anything here of which I can tell, just new songs brilliantly written to a style that is quite rightly one of the best rock has ever produced, one that came and went in relative obscurity for most, but luckily not for us.

Band members for Palm Desert are:

Kamil Ziotkowski - drums
Jan Rutka - bass
Piotr Lacny - guitar
Wojciech Gatuszka - vocals

Within the stoner rock style that Palm Desert employ are brilliant and gifted vocals, crucial to the high desert sound as set by John Garcia of Kyuss, eminent and energetic bass, never simply blended and relegated to the background as so often happens in many rock bands regardless of style, guitar that riffs and hooks, solos and scorches with the best of them, crucial to making memorable, enjoyable melodies, and drums, like the bass, that powerfully carve out their own space on these songs, not simply relegated to providing tempo and beat, but creating wonderful, vibrant music within the tapestry of Palm Desert's music.

The opening song, "Down the Odyssey" sets the tone, an eight minute intercontinental ballistic ride over the tops of saguaro and joshua, hooking from the outset, both in memorable melody and powerful blows to your stoner rock loving head. This is the kind of song you fall right into the middle of and ride for all its worth.

I love the echoey drum sound on track #3, "Ghulassa Saloon", that quickly leads into track #4, "Mani" where the musical threads here are trippy, catchy, and just plain groovy. It's a unique and incredibly enjoyable song that successfully employs unusual execution in instrumentation.

Palm Desert close out the album with a couple of classic sounding stoner songs, "Acid Phantom" and "White Wolf". The guitar work on "Acid Phantom" is pure and beautiful stoner rock, enjoyable for its effort as well as its dead on sound. "White Wolf" is ten minutes of sheer music brilliance, with a haunting, pitch perfect guitar weaving a tale of wonder and excitement, building up along the way with ever broadening drumwork, bass riffs, and vocal intensity. After ten minutes is a hidden little guitar ditty that adds a dash of flavor. It is there, I'm sure, just as a little thank you for those of us that made it to the end and enjoyed the trip along the way.




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MOTHERSHIP - "MOTHERSHIP"

Brothers Kelley, or Kells, and Kyle Juett team with Judge Smith to create a powerhouse rock trio that have no problem leaving the stratosphere of Earth for music that is cosmically and universally righteous. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, a heavy southern, bluesy influence is infused throughout their music, giving it a home base from which to blast off, but never constraining it to the small confines of our little solar system. Mothership know how to make their music soar, how to trip across the cosmos at the speed of sound, how to escape the gravity of the biggest black holes, and how to generate the force of the largest, most monstrous supernovas. Mothership may have been crafted in the backyard and garage of Daddy's house, but their vessel is one of the finest in the universe.

When first starting out, Mothership were 3 Juetts as father John flayed the skin as older brother Kyle cranked bass and younger brother Kells played guitar, with both brothers sharing vocal duties. Dad knew his time was limited, but can you imagine how much fun that had to be, playing some of the finest new rock crafted in recent years with your progeny? I can only imagine John enjoyed it immensely before turning the sticks over to Judge.

Judge, for his part, has stepped in admirably, providing high quality drumwork that never hides behind the roar and rumble of the high energy engines of the Juett brothers' strings. Judge's energy combines with a physical quality that permeates and punctuates perfectly and powerfully throughout the album.

Guitar work by the younger Kells is quite definitely a cut above standard rock guitar. Stoner / retro rock is all about guitar, and Mothership take that to heart, delivering loads of driven, cogent, quality guitar that takes its cues from old blues rock, rock guitar from the 70s, and embellishing upon that with volume and vigor, fuzzing out the edges with a satisfying dollop of distortion, boring out huge swathes of earth below the surface while simultaneously blasting away at outerspace in starburst, supernova, cosmic blasts of laser cannon riffs and string theory precision.

Kyle mans the bass in such a way as to grab your attention quite quickly when listening through Mothership's songs for the first time. There is a whole lot of gusto with his playing, just downright kick the door in with my Red Wing steel tips, watch how easy it is for me, and as he's kicking it in you notice a beautiful rhythm to the whole event despite the brutality of it, despite the unmitigated release of testosterone and thermite.

The brothers share vocal duties, and I, for one, can't tell much of a difference as both bring a decent rock voice to the party, blending well with the music they play, never yelling the lyrics, something increasingly rare, but never putting themselves in positions that would compromise their capabilities, which when you think about it, shows quite a bit of intelligence in song writing. That intelligence is much more evident on the songs themselves as each one of the eight on this self titled album are well written, well executed, and full of melody, hooks, riffs, memorable stretches with and without the vocals, just all around excellence in craftsmanship.

The opener is five minutes of instrumental, apparently stressing what to them is the more important part to their music and providing to us some monstrous riffage in tribal rhythmic packaging. It leads easily into "Cosmic Rain", a simple bluesy and catchy tune that will be one of those you find yourself singing to long after electricity has been shut off for the night.

Next up is "City Nights", where the melody is tighter and the hooks are contagious. The solos blister and burn, but the basswork, the rhythm guitar, and the energetic skin pounding on the refrains go straight to your blues rock receptors, firing off nerves that get your body moving in time to this incredible song.

It seems like each song kicks up the hookage a notch from its predecessor, and "Angel of Death" is no exception. After a nice extended intro, the blues fuzz kicks in, and musical satisfaction melts warmly through your body as the song unfolds and progresses. This is just pleasurable rock music listening, like biscuits, real butter, and honey. Chased down with a Real Ale Full Moon Pale Rye Ale, of course.

"Win or Lose" changes up the tempo, slowing it down, tuning it down, but kicking the intensity up a couple of notches to go along with a memorable and well crafted melody that will stay with you for days, I have no doubt. The guitar work on this song is exquisite, tremendous, just totally enjoyable.

"Eagle Soars", the penultimate song, continues the trend. The brothers spend time singing together on this one, which adds a nice flavor to what is already a boiling, frothy, batch of guitar stew, chock full of meat, and more meat, and just lots of meaty goodness.

The closer is "Lunar Master". It's a Lunar Masterpiece. Eight minutes of galloping headlong on your space stallion passing planets, comets, asteroids, and black holes at the speed of Mothership. Pretty awesome.

Mothership, in keeping with their celestial sci-fi name have conjured 8 tales of cosmic bliss played out in 70s Texas blues rock guitar, none of which sounds like it would fit, but when given to genetically superior beings, awesomeness is the byproduct of using what you know, on what you have at hand, with the enthusiasm of constructing what you love best. It's quite wonderful to behold.





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