NUCLEAR DOG'S TOP EPs of 2013
And another thing, many bands release so called 7 inch albums, or EPs, typically seven tracks or less. There are as many or more of these than of the LP variety, by bands just as varied between known and newcomer as those that release the longer track sets, with songs equally as awesome. Because there are more than just a few of these I wanted to list my favorite EPs separately from the LPs because it makes a nice category and gives me an excuse to expand my overall list to 40. Again, despite the long list, place it alongside anyone else in the blogosphere of fuzz and doom and there will be only a few matches. The world of True Rock is brilliantly wonderful, isn't it? So much to love, so much to enjoy, so much to treasure that it becomes almost overwhelming. Keep in mind that much of the music in the list below is free or very low priced on the links provided. It just does NOT get any better than this.
20. Windhand - "Soma" - Relapse Records
A favorite among many, it has slowly begun to grow on me and take hold. Haunting, deep doom from this Richmond, Virginia fivesome. It will grow on you, too, I have no doubt.
facebook ... label ... bandcamp
19. Stonerfront Njimegen - "3-Days-Desert" - Fuzzmatazz Records
Beautiful stoner instrumental, fuzzy to a fault. Threepiece whose bandname comes from their hometown in the east of the Netherlands.
facebook ... bandcamp ... label
18. Electric Ruin - "Electric Ruin"
Fivesome from Ontario, Canada. Crunchy, cranky, stoner rock with a retro vibe.
facebook ... bandcamp
17. Schloost - "Notch"
Great stoner sound from this foursome out of Piacenza, Italy.
facebook ... bandcamp
16. Liquid Silk - "Liquid Silk"
Retro, stoner grooves by this foursome out of Germany.
facebook ... bandcamp
15. Killer Moon - "Tunnel Vision"
Psychedelic, retro monsters from Chicago.
facebook ... bandcamp
14. Deaf Proof - "Beyond the Orange Door"
Impeccable stoner riffs from Freiburg, Germany's threesome.
facebook ... bandcamp ... site
13. Doctor Smoke - "EP 2013"
Thick, smoky fuzz from the American Midwest.
facebook ... bandcamp
12. Trippy Wicked and the Cosmic Children of the Knight - "Underground" - Superhot Records
A year after releasing one of the best albums of 2012 this talented threesome from southern England release a new batch of songs with a fresh and distinctive sound that manages to maintain the signature quality of the band.
facebook ... bandcamp
11. Clan - "EP 2013"
Deep, raunchy stoner blues rich in melody from Norwich's threesome.
facebook ... bandcamp
10. Black Thai - "Seasons of Might"
Tight retro stoner riffs from Boston's fearsome foursome, complete with one of the best album covers of the year by the impeccable Alex von Wieding.
facebook ... bandcamp ... site
9. Wall of Sleep - "Mao's Gauntlet"
Haunting, bluesy stoner brilliance, released in March. The band released another 7 tracks in August on "Druid" and then promptly disbanded. Hopefully the musical genius of the band members will surface again somewhere in the near future.
bandcamp
8. Steak - "Corned Beef Colossus" - Napalm Records / Spinning Goblin
Flat out, kick ass stoner rock, meaty and mighty, beefy and buff. London, UK's rare foursome.
facebook ... bandcamp
7. Witchrider - "Witchrider"
Clean and intense psych / stoner rock with haunting overtones and brilliant vocals that I discovered through Seth's End of Year list. Too good to ignore and meant to be thoroughly enjoyed. Five member band from Graz, Austria
facebook ... bandcamp
6. The Superguns - "The Superguns"
Big, bold, hard, heavy, ass kicking, American rock from Melbourne, Australia's incredible foursome.
Explosive guitars, powderkeg drums, ricochet bass, and rifling vocals.
facebook ... bandcamp
5. Dozer - "Vultures" - Small Stone Records / Molten Universe
Veteran Swedish stoner rock band who have set a high standard since '98 and show no signs of slacking off with this late '13 release.
facebook
4. The Outlaws of Zen - "Death in the Afternoon" - Chemical City Records
Blitzkrieg stoner/retro rock combined with intelligent melodies from Michigan's foursome.
facebook ... bandcamp
3. Crypt Trip - "Crypt Trip"
Psychedelic stoner doom, brilliantly concieved, passionately executed. Huge, haunting, and hairy trio from Dallas.
facebook ... bandcamp
2. Palm Desert - "Adayoff" - BSFD Records
Poland's stoner giants, decided to release this placemarker on their day off, until they are ready to release their upcoming LP. Ended up putting out one of the top albums of the year. Brilliant. beginning to end.
facebook .. bandcamp
1. Mexicoma - "Mexicoma"
Six member stoner band from Sweden that boasts three guitars, but what sets them apart is not only their immense guitar riffs, but beautiful vocals, incredible melodies, and overall inspirational sound. Originally released in 2010 but released on vinyl in 2013 . . . so it qualifies. Music this awesome needs to be noticed and shared. Let me know if you agree.
facebook ... bandcamp
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Showing posts with label Best of 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best of 2013. Show all posts
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Nuclear Dog's Atomic List - Favorite Songs of 2013
NUCLEAR DOG'S FAVORITE SONGS of 2013
The songs are listed in alphabetical order by band name because they are all songs that scream for attention, are simply sublime, and quite frankly I love them all equally. A decade ago I used to desperately search for a great song ensconced in the middle of a mediocre album, but this was back before I found True Rock. Now I have a playlist as long as . . . well, even longer than that, actually. With so much great music released in 2013 this list is bound to be missing some great ones. My greatest hope is that someday I will still be able to discover those that have currently eluded me and add them to that long schlong playlist of personal favorites.
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The songs are listed in alphabetical order by band name because they are all songs that scream for attention, are simply sublime, and quite frankly I love them all equally. A decade ago I used to desperately search for a great song ensconced in the middle of a mediocre album, but this was back before I found True Rock. Now I have a playlist as long as . . . well, even longer than that, actually. With so much great music released in 2013 this list is bound to be missing some great ones. My greatest hope is that someday I will still be able to discover those that have currently eluded me and add them to that long schlong playlist of personal favorites.
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Thursday, January 9, 2014
Al's 10 best of 2013
As 2013 quickly fades away and drowns in a foggy haze of weed smoke and fine beer the memories of yesteryear are already difficult to muster, but with the veritable slew of outstanding releases throughout '13 I am left with one big glaring memory of another great year for heavy music in all its forms. Our beloved genre goes from strength to strength and with the consistently high quality of heavy music having been released over the past 12 months there is no sign that our scene is fading away with all the other memories that get locked up within the lost rooms full of a thick green haze and frothy hoppy goodness.
Despite my crumbling memory there have been some landmark releases that will forever stick in my mind so this is my 10 best of '13, a list I have selected from my regular playlist and pulled together from the reviews I have written for Heavy Planet, bar one. This is not an exclusive list and is in no particular order but be sure to click the titles where you will be taken to the bandcamps or 'tubes of these band's amazing music.
Maeth's debut release "Horse Funeral" blew me away when I first heard it. Then, a year later, I listed to their follow up release "Oceans Into Ashes" and I was stunned by what was I was hearing. Maeth are masters of their craft and it shows on this album in a blaze of searing and spine tingling post metal, massive doom riffs, gentle and/or mystical ambiance, powerfully crusty sludge outbursts and electronically sonic experimentalism. Maeth are different and follow no well worn and obvious codes as they forge their own path and it is highly enjoyable to hear. Maeth have a very strong character about them and it shines brightly in their music. With 2 albums under their belt at a level of quality that few can match so early on in their careers; soon enough everyone who loves heavy music, be it doom, sludge, post metal or drone; will know the name and music of Maeth.
Trippy Wicked returned last year with the highly anticipated "Underground EP" that showed TW take a darker more sludgier direction than their previous album, "Coming Home". Although TW have never been averse to thick and fuzzy sludge-outs, TW have never sounded so dark, so foreboding and so ultra crushing as they do on this EP. That last bit is not strictly true, I admit, as TW have always been ultra crushing but the fact that the "Underground EP" contains 5 odes to a dying world makes it all the more devastatingly crushing. Surprisingly, 2 of the tracks on the EP are instrumentals, if this can even be called an EP as it feels more like a mini-album, in that it feels so very complete, so solid, as if TW achieved what they set out to do with this EP. Not "as if", they DID achieve what they set out to do, and they achieved it brilliantly. The tone is set for the apocalypse; there is desperation and there is fear but most of all there is hope.
TW had a busy '13, hitting the road to play numerous very successful shows across the UK and with many more lined-up for '14, I do hope TW find time to write a new record this year as with every release they just get better and better.
After something of a long quietus/hiatus for Gonga, they finally returned in '13 with "Concrescence" and my oh my was it worth the wait. Being something of a departure from their previous releases, Gonga released an entirely instrumental album that had them explore a myriad of riff currents but without ever dropping the unmistakable Gonga sound. The seamless transitions from colorfully airy psychedelia to fuzzy warm desert grooves to big and earthy pulverizing doom to experimental and jagged jazz metal are all fine examples of Gonga's long mastered riffcraft abilities. The weaving together of these elements in Gonga's own unique way makes "Concrescence" a highly enjoyable listening experience and shows that Gonga have explored and matured their sound over the years but they still rock as hard as they ever did. Despite no longer having a vocalist, Gonga held onto their vision and went back down into the riff crypt for a few years and only resurfaced when planet earth was ready to hear "Concrescence". Gonga's return is most welcome indeed.
Sweden's dark psyche, doom, sludge kings Monachus released their second album under the name Monachus, after having previously been named Icos. I love all their work whatever they're called but "Below" took their already huge sound and managed to make it huger. The riffs throughout "Below" are of a truly memorable kind, to the point that any given riff from any song on "Below" sometimes suddenly pops into my head whilst I'm brushing my teeth for instance or holding a door open for an old lady; I hear Monachus' riffs in my mind and then I have to listen to them all day and the next day and the day after that. I get a craving and I need a Monachus fix and my mind won't rest until I get it. Their riffs and their delivery of those riffs and the vocals that are sung and growled so proudly, so encouragingly; they are very pleasing to my doom and sludge addicted ears and that is why "Below" makes it onto my best 10 of '13 list. Monachus take a big leaf out of the books of Isis and Neurosis but there is no mimicry to be heard from these 4 Swedes who have carved their own lasting mark into the great monolith of post metal blended with sludge. There are much howls of triumph throughout "Below" that one cannot help but raise up the arms in celebration. To what, I don't know, but it feels fucking good to do it anyway.
When I first heard Germany's Obelyskkh and their album "Hymn to Pan", I was at first stunned then a little confused. I had never come across Obelyskkh before and I spent a large chunk of time trying to work out why a band and album were so good and how it was possible that I had never heard of them. After a bit of research I discovered that Obelyskkh prefer to stay fairly low-key and they originally intended to never put any of their work to record, but they have and the universe is a better place for it. "Hymn to Pan" is a stunning example of masterfully woven doom and sludge metal that oozes with earthy vibrations and organic melodies. The riffs on display throughout "Hymn to Pan" are towering slabs of solid granite that reach to space and which have their roots deep down in the earth and Obelyskkh play their riffs like they are the legendary pagan warrior kings of yore sounding out a battle cry to defend their lands from the invading Roman hoards. The songs on "Hymn to Pan" are breath taking and full of a raw and heavy power that is up there with the very best of doom and sludge bands that we already know and love. Obelyskkh have shown with "Hymn to Pan" that they can at least equal those big dog bands and then some. I believe "Hymn to Pan" to be a classic in its genre and will be seen as such one day. Obelysskh play their take on the genre with an intention to make it last, to set it in stone and when we are all long gone, "Hymn to Pan" will go down as a true legend in its own right.
Despite my crumbling memory there have been some landmark releases that will forever stick in my mind so this is my 10 best of '13, a list I have selected from my regular playlist and pulled together from the reviews I have written for Heavy Planet, bar one. This is not an exclusive list and is in no particular order but be sure to click the titles where you will be taken to the bandcamps or 'tubes of these band's amazing music.
Tentacle - Ingot Eye
Tentacle are one of Ice Dragon's many alter egos and they just so happen to be the slowest and most sludgy, dirge filled and filthy Leviathan of otherworldly doom you are ever likely to have plowed into your metal ravaged earholes. For me, this album has everything I want to hear from doom; from it's Lovecraftian hymns howled by a crazed Cthulian high priest, to the ultra black laments that seize control of body and mind and have you involuntarily curled up on the floor and weeping in hopeless terror; the 4 odes to the deep that comprise "Ingot Eye" will slay any hardcore sludge/doom/drone/sickness fan. When the Tentacle gets you, that's fucking it. You give up. *Protip: not to be listened to on your mp3 players whilst trudging the streets as the effect described above only leads to long stints in psychiatric hospitals and a lot of horrible medication.*
Maeth's debut release "Horse Funeral" blew me away when I first heard it. Then, a year later, I listed to their follow up release "Oceans Into Ashes" and I was stunned by what was I was hearing. Maeth are masters of their craft and it shows on this album in a blaze of searing and spine tingling post metal, massive doom riffs, gentle and/or mystical ambiance, powerfully crusty sludge outbursts and electronically sonic experimentalism. Maeth are different and follow no well worn and obvious codes as they forge their own path and it is highly enjoyable to hear. Maeth have a very strong character about them and it shines brightly in their music. With 2 albums under their belt at a level of quality that few can match so early on in their careers; soon enough everyone who loves heavy music, be it doom, sludge, post metal or drone; will know the name and music of Maeth.
Desert Storm - Horizontal Life
I first discovered Desert Storm when their album "Horizontal Life" was sent to us for review. Soon after that I found out they were to play my home town during their tour supporting super-boogie, hard rock Texan trio Honky on their UK tour. I was immediately taken by "Horizontal Life" but when I heard them live I knew then that Desert Storm are a UK band not to be ignored or pushed aside in favour of more well known UK heavy bands. Desert Storm mean business and they are damn hard working to as they always seem to be on the road touring the UK. "Horizontal Life" is an album packed with big bluesy and groovy stoner metal riffs delivered with a confident swagger and gruff that gives a big nod to Clutch at times but Desert Storm add a big heap of dirty sludge metal and even gentle psychedelia to their sound to make it their very own. The song writing on "Horizontal Life" is brilliant and I don't think I will ever get bored listening to this album. I can't wait to hear what they release next and I can't wait for the opportunity to see them play live again.
Toner Low - III
"III" has to be up there (or down) with one of the heaviest albums released in '13. Hailing from the Netherlands, Toner Low have been around a long time and have put out 3 amazing albums of ultra heavy and hypnotically groovy stoner doom. "III" saw Toner Low take their already low tone and push it even lower. It is dangerous to play this album too loudly and through a big bass cab as it will cause your house fall down and probably your neighbor's too. These are frequencies that trigger earthquakes and make you shit yourself but the 4 tracks that comprise "III" are hugely satisfying to hear. Toner Low manage to make their extremely heavy sound warming to the mind, body and soul as their riffs are trance inducing walls of low freq bliss. Hit many bowls, toke as much green as you can and be prepared for a body crushing experience that will leave you catatonic and dribbling in lowend vibrations, but maybe wear a diaper just in case.
AMENRA - Mass V
Throughout 2013 and since signing to Neurot Recordings, AMENRA have toured extensively with many sold out shows and much discussed appearances at several big festivals, and with a UK appearance supporting the mighty Neurosis at Temples Festival in May, AMENRA and their "Church of Ra" will draw their disciples from far off lands for a night of solemn prayers to the doomed.
This album was actually released at the end of 2012 but since I didn't get to hear it until February '13 when I reviewed the album, it makes it onto my 10 best of last year list because for me this is one of the best post metal/power doom albums that I heard in '13. Released on Neurosis' Neurot Recordings, AMENRA come very much from the Neurosis cult of darkly spiritual, earthy and ancient doom and black ambient post metal. A crushing anguish slices through every track on "Mass V" but there is always an underlying essence of determination and hope buried deep within and for those with ears and minds to listen and to understand, "Mass V" is a work of almost religious reveling in introspective but ultimately liberating post metal and atmospheric doom. Whilst AMENRA are cold and harsh and bring images of frozen dead forests smeared with a mist of ghostly memories of lost and pointless battles there is a glint in the eyes of those long dead warriors and the dead trees show tiny green buds on the cusp of bursting. It's deep man.
Trippy Wicked returned last year with the highly anticipated "Underground EP" that showed TW take a darker more sludgier direction than their previous album, "Coming Home". Although TW have never been averse to thick and fuzzy sludge-outs, TW have never sounded so dark, so foreboding and so ultra crushing as they do on this EP. That last bit is not strictly true, I admit, as TW have always been ultra crushing but the fact that the "Underground EP" contains 5 odes to a dying world makes it all the more devastatingly crushing. Surprisingly, 2 of the tracks on the EP are instrumentals, if this can even be called an EP as it feels more like a mini-album, in that it feels so very complete, so solid, as if TW achieved what they set out to do with this EP. Not "as if", they DID achieve what they set out to do, and they achieved it brilliantly. The tone is set for the apocalypse; there is desperation and there is fear but most of all there is hope.
TW had a busy '13, hitting the road to play numerous very successful shows across the UK and with many more lined-up for '14, I do hope TW find time to write a new record this year as with every release they just get better and better.
After something of a long quietus/hiatus for Gonga, they finally returned in '13 with "Concrescence" and my oh my was it worth the wait. Being something of a departure from their previous releases, Gonga released an entirely instrumental album that had them explore a myriad of riff currents but without ever dropping the unmistakable Gonga sound. The seamless transitions from colorfully airy psychedelia to fuzzy warm desert grooves to big and earthy pulverizing doom to experimental and jagged jazz metal are all fine examples of Gonga's long mastered riffcraft abilities. The weaving together of these elements in Gonga's own unique way makes "Concrescence" a highly enjoyable listening experience and shows that Gonga have explored and matured their sound over the years but they still rock as hard as they ever did. Despite no longer having a vocalist, Gonga held onto their vision and went back down into the riff crypt for a few years and only resurfaced when planet earth was ready to hear "Concrescence". Gonga's return is most welcome indeed.
Sweden's dark psyche, doom, sludge kings Monachus released their second album under the name Monachus, after having previously been named Icos. I love all their work whatever they're called but "Below" took their already huge sound and managed to make it huger. The riffs throughout "Below" are of a truly memorable kind, to the point that any given riff from any song on "Below" sometimes suddenly pops into my head whilst I'm brushing my teeth for instance or holding a door open for an old lady; I hear Monachus' riffs in my mind and then I have to listen to them all day and the next day and the day after that. I get a craving and I need a Monachus fix and my mind won't rest until I get it. Their riffs and their delivery of those riffs and the vocals that are sung and growled so proudly, so encouragingly; they are very pleasing to my doom and sludge addicted ears and that is why "Below" makes it onto my best 10 of '13 list. Monachus take a big leaf out of the books of Isis and Neurosis but there is no mimicry to be heard from these 4 Swedes who have carved their own lasting mark into the great monolith of post metal blended with sludge. There are much howls of triumph throughout "Below" that one cannot help but raise up the arms in celebration. To what, I don't know, but it feels fucking good to do it anyway.
"A Black Sea" is the result of a collaboration between dark and sombre folk group Indian Blanket, and black doom metal band The Lion's Daughter, both hailing from St. Louis, MO. What these 2 bands have achieved together is an absolutely perfect fusion of doom and folk into a cohesive single element that is breathtaking in it's brilliance. This is the only release on my list that I did not review as it fell upon my ears right at the tail end of '13 but since then I cannot stop listening to it. I am a fan of folk music in its many forms, and I especially enjoy dark and earthy and psychedelic folk, which there is unfortunately very little to be heard, although there are some rare gems in amongst the inevitable tweeness of most 'dark' folk bands. I have not come across either band before but upon first hearing "A Black Sea", I became an immediate fan of both. On "A Black Sea" The Lion's Daughter & Indian Blanket weave an intricate tapestry of solemn violins, acoustic guitars and tragic words against a huge wall of heart crushing doom riffs, explosive percussion and harsh black metal vocals. It is beautiful to hear and could well be considered a masterpiece of folk doom metal. "A Black Sea" will be a major fixture on my playlist for a long time to come as I doubt I will ever get tired of hearing it. I hope these 2 great bands follow this amazing album with another collaboration sometime in the future.
2014 is already looking to be another storming year for heavy music with Sleep announcing that they are recording a new album and Electric Wizard vaguely hinting at the release of their next album, this is one doom/stoner/sludge fan who is quite ravenous at the prospect at wrapping my ears around new music from some of my most beloved bands. Lets raise our jugs of ale and bongs and give thanks to the lords of lowend for the heavy gifts which we receive.
Onwards, forwards my friends!
~*~
2014 is already looking to be another storming year for heavy music with Sleep announcing that they are recording a new album and Electric Wizard vaguely hinting at the release of their next album, this is one doom/stoner/sludge fan who is quite ravenous at the prospect at wrapping my ears around new music from some of my most beloved bands. Lets raise our jugs of ale and bongs and give thanks to the lords of lowend for the heavy gifts which we receive.
Onwards, forwards my friends!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Justin's Top Ten List.
I'm snowed in here in Michigan, but I'm lucky enough to have power and I've spent these last few cabin fevered days working through the past year's releases and deciding which ones really made an impression on me. I set a goal of ten for this list and after a bit of bargaining with myself, settled on the ten releases that I kept going back to this past year.
There are some obvious choices on my list. Some albums, some artists, you just expect to see. But I hope a few albums that might have gotten past you in 2013 will be brought to your attention now. To help get you reacquainted I've thrown in a song for you to sample, lest you forgot how awesome some of these albums are.
And here it is ladies and gentlemen, straight from the Polar Vortex, my Top Ten List.
10. The Sun & Sail Club- Mannequin = Gang Justice
9. Mojo Waves- Lo! and Behold = Great White
8. Gozu- The Fury of a Patient Man = Bald Bull
7. Stone Magnum- From Time... To Eternity = Lonely God
6. Blood Ceremony- The Eldritch Dark = Witchwood
5. Beast in the Field- The Sacred Above, The Sacred Below = Wakan Tanka
4. Horisont- Time Warriors = Writing on the Wall
3. Age of Taurus- Desperate Souls of Tortured Time = A Rush of Power
2. The Freeks- Full On = Secret Pathway
1. Monster Magnet- The Last Patrol = Mindless Ones
SPACE ROCK!!!!!
Monday, January 6, 2014
Toby's Top Ten of 2013
Well what do you know? Here we are back at the beginning yet again…a new year. And you know what that means, right? Well around here, it means that it's a time for celebration and discovery. As each member of our staff takes a look back at the vast, eclectic, and truly incredible output of fine tuneage that was released in 2013, you'll likely spot something that was not previously on your musical radar. If not, then perhaps we'll jog your memory and re-introduce you to an album that you'd unknowingly forgotten. At the very least, maybe we'll just piss you off as you vehemently disagree with our "best of" selections and wonder how the fuck we managed to leave Kvelertak off the list?!? Regardless, I can assure you that within our ranks, we'll cover the entire spectrum of heavy music, from spaced out psychedelia to fuzzed out grooves and from swamp-stomp rhythms to the blackest of doom. So get your pencil and paper ready, because what follows are the 10 records that polluted my ears the most in 2013. Happy New Year.
10 Queens of the Stone Age - …Like Clockwork
I don't profess to know the details behind the legal battle (or threat of one) that went down between Joshua Homme and his former bandmates from Kyuss over the latter's use of the name last year while touring as Kyuss Lives!. I will however admit that my perception of the issue was that it seemed to be a rather unnecessary affair, especially for someone of Homme's stature. Because of all that, I'll be honest and say that I really didn't want to like this album. So perhaps that fact alone should tell you all you need to know about …Like Clockwork, given that it still managed to make its way into my top 10 list. Right from the start with the album opener "Keep Your Eyes Peeled", it's evident that Mr. Homme and company have regained a measure of the quirkiness that made albums like Rated R and Songs for the Deaf the classics that they've become. And while I'll still maintain that the band was better off when Homme's "too cool for school" demeanor could be compared alongside the batshit crazy antics of Nick Oliveri and the haunting earnestness of Mark Lanegan (both of whom make brief vocal appearances on this album), there's just no denying that tracks like "I Sat by the Ocean" and "If I Had a Tail" are among some of the best that QOTSA have ever written. So I'll admit, …Like Clockwork was a triumphant return for what is arguably stoner rock's biggest star and it's an album well deserving of a place on this list.
09 Lullwater - Self Titled
Apparently this Athens, Georgia based band was so enamored with the history and aura surrounding the early 90's Seattle grunge movement, they packed up their shit and moved across the country to record this at the famed London Bridges Studio where Soundgarden recorded Louder Than Love, Alice in Chains made Dirt and Pearl Jam created a little record by the name of Ten. The result was an album that not only showcases those Pacific Northwest influences, but also maintains a strong foothold in the Southern alternative rock scene of their own home state. Combine the bluesy emotion of Drivin' n' Cryin' with the feedback and dissonance of Nirvana and you have Lullwater. That duality, which can be heard on tracks like "The Dream" and "A Plane", is what makes this self-titled release such an interesting listen, and it's why I couldn't get enough of it in 2013.
08 Borracho - Oculus
Back in the fall of 2012, we asked Borracho to headline our Heavy Planet CMJ Showcase in the Big Apple and they were more than happy to oblige. Much to our surprise however, the Washington DC based band showed up to the event without their vocalist and proceeded to rumble through a (mostly) instrumental set of thunderous riffs and bowel rumbling grooves. Little did we know at the time that what we were actually hearing in that grimy New York City basement were the beginnings of what would become Oculus. Now a year later, with the band having officially "restructured" as a three-piece, with guitarist Steve Fisher taking over vocal duties, the band sounds even tighter than they did on their 2011 debut Splitting Sky…and if you've heard that masterpiece, you know that's saying something. Furthermore, with the addition of little embellishments like the haunting feminine vocal that hovers over the album opener "Empty" or the organ that seems hidden amidst the riffs in "Know the Score", Borracho have managed to add a sense of depth to their arsenal on this sophomore release. With only four actual songs (along with the eerie segue "Eye"), this is an album that is meant to be taken as a singular musical movement. As such, I'd suggest you hear it in its entirety and see for yourself why it made it's way into my top 10 of 2013.
07 Deville - Hydra
I kind of think the cover shot on this one says all that you need to know about what's to be found within. Swedish stoner rockers Deville dropped all pretense on Hydra and got straight to the fucking point. No extended buildups, no ten minute jam sessions and no filler…this my friends is a rock album. With heavy doses of meaty riffs (check out "The Knife" and "Let it Go"), catchy choruses (see "In Vain") and those all important guitar solos stuck in just the right places ("Over the Edge"), this is an album that I could not put down in 2013. There are a lot of bands who may have a similar sound and style to the straight forward stoner rock approach that Deville employ, but very few who can lay down eleven equally infectious tracks in a single album. For that reason, I made sure to reserve Hydra a well earned place amongst my top LPs of the year.
I kind of think the cover shot on this one says all that you need to know about what's to be found within. Swedish stoner rockers Deville dropped all pretense on Hydra and got straight to the fucking point. No extended buildups, no ten minute jam sessions and no filler…this my friends is a rock album. With heavy doses of meaty riffs (check out "The Knife" and "Let it Go"), catchy choruses (see "In Vain") and those all important guitar solos stuck in just the right places ("Over the Edge"), this is an album that I could not put down in 2013. There are a lot of bands who may have a similar sound and style to the straight forward stoner rock approach that Deville employ, but very few who can lay down eleven equally infectious tracks in a single album. For that reason, I made sure to reserve Hydra a well earned place amongst my top LPs of the year.
06 Kings Destroy - A Time of Hunting
Apparently made up of members from various New York hardcore acts who came together with a combined vision to slow shit down, Brooklyn's Kings Destroy were definitely onto something with A Time of Hunting. The band incorporates a steady, bruising attack with enough melody and emotion (particularly from vocalist Steve Murphy) to warrant the invention of a new sub-genre that I'd call alt-doom. Head bobbing grooves, crawling tempos and searing guitar solos collide with vocals that transition seamlessly from mid to high range, at times calling to mind the late, great Layne Staley (see "Shattered Pattern"). But it's the band's ability to diversify and veer away from the monotony of a simple chug-a-lug doom approach that places A Time of Hunting on this list. "Blood of Recompense" could easily be dubbed a stoner rock classic and even manages to introduce psychedelic elements into the mix via the guitar work. And the album closing "Turul" is quite simply a mind-fuck with it's bouncy, dare-I-say, System of a Down like bridge. No…classifying Kings Destroy as "just" a doom band would be a disservice to them, because they're quite obviously much more than that. For that reason, I found A Time of Hunting well deserving of this spot on my top 10 of 2013.
05 Vista Chino - Peace
There really isn't much that needs to be said about Vista Chino (formerly Kyuss Lives!), but I'll say a few words anyway. For starters, Peace doesn't come off sounding like a rehash of past glories, but instead feels like a new start. In fact, despite the way it happened (see my writeup on …Like Clockwork above) I'm glad to see John Garcia, Brant Bjork and Bruno Fevery adopt a new moniker and get moving on the next chapter in their already impressive musical legacy (Nick Oliveri played bass on the album, but has unfortunately, since left the band). Having said that, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that the signature fuzz and desert grooves associated with Kyuss are here in spades, which is an obvious reason for Peace having a spot on this list. Tracks like "Dargona Dragona" and the epic suite "Planets 1 & 2", the latter of which features vocals from both Bjork and Garcia, are quite simply…bad-fucking-ass. And speaking of Bjork, who is the primary songwriter in this band, I totally dug songs like "Adara" and "Barcelonian" which just oozed that cool vibe we've come to expect from his multitude of non-Kyuss related projects. But ultimately, the reason that Peace is one of my top 10 albums of 2013 is because it represents the sum of four equally impressive parts that need to be making music together. The soulful vocals of John Garcia, the jazzy fills and resonant crashes from Brant Bjork, the fuzzy tones of Oliveri's bass and the meaty riffs from Bruno Fevery belong together and hopefully Peace is just the beginning. Also, where else can you hear John Garcia croon "I'm gonna stroke my 'stache"? Nuff said.
There really isn't much that needs to be said about Vista Chino (formerly Kyuss Lives!), but I'll say a few words anyway. For starters, Peace doesn't come off sounding like a rehash of past glories, but instead feels like a new start. In fact, despite the way it happened (see my writeup on …Like Clockwork above) I'm glad to see John Garcia, Brant Bjork and Bruno Fevery adopt a new moniker and get moving on the next chapter in their already impressive musical legacy (Nick Oliveri played bass on the album, but has unfortunately, since left the band). Having said that, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that the signature fuzz and desert grooves associated with Kyuss are here in spades, which is an obvious reason for Peace having a spot on this list. Tracks like "Dargona Dragona" and the epic suite "Planets 1 & 2", the latter of which features vocals from both Bjork and Garcia, are quite simply…bad-fucking-ass. And speaking of Bjork, who is the primary songwriter in this band, I totally dug songs like "Adara" and "Barcelonian" which just oozed that cool vibe we've come to expect from his multitude of non-Kyuss related projects. But ultimately, the reason that Peace is one of my top 10 albums of 2013 is because it represents the sum of four equally impressive parts that need to be making music together. The soulful vocals of John Garcia, the jazzy fills and resonant crashes from Brant Bjork, the fuzzy tones of Oliveri's bass and the meaty riffs from Bruno Fevery belong together and hopefully Peace is just the beginning. Also, where else can you hear John Garcia croon "I'm gonna stroke my 'stache"? Nuff said.
04 Sasquatch - IV
Sasquatch made the quintessential "driving record" when they made IV. With power chords layered on top of more power chords, a devastatingly thunderous rhythm section and truly soulful vocals slathered right on top of it all, these nine tracks just demanded that you twist the volume knob to the right and slam the gas pedal to the floor. Want a sample? Check out the first three tracks, which are as solid an opening barrage as I can recall from any album in recent memory. From the blitzkrieg opener "The Message" to the dissonant harmony of "Eye of the Storm" (possibly my favorite song of the year from this or any album) to the bluesy Hendrix worship of "Sweet Lady", these three tracks will give you a solid idea of the heavy fuzz that lies ahead. IV is quite simply an onslaught from this veteran power trio and I reached for it time and again in 2013.
Sasquatch made the quintessential "driving record" when they made IV. With power chords layered on top of more power chords, a devastatingly thunderous rhythm section and truly soulful vocals slathered right on top of it all, these nine tracks just demanded that you twist the volume knob to the right and slam the gas pedal to the floor. Want a sample? Check out the first three tracks, which are as solid an opening barrage as I can recall from any album in recent memory. From the blitzkrieg opener "The Message" to the dissonant harmony of "Eye of the Storm" (possibly my favorite song of the year from this or any album) to the bluesy Hendrix worship of "Sweet Lady", these three tracks will give you a solid idea of the heavy fuzz that lies ahead. IV is quite simply an onslaught from this veteran power trio and I reached for it time and again in 2013.
03 Clutch - Earth Rocker
This one almost seems too easy. In fact, I probably don't even need to say anything about Clutch's Earth Rocker because my guess is that if you're reading this site and you haven't already heard it, then you must not be interested. On this, their tenth studio album, these veterans of the trade revved up the riff machine and went back to the future…so to speak. What I mean to say is that besides the bluesy ballad "Gone Cold" (which is waaay fucking cool), the band seemingly abandoned the road they'd been heading down since…well, "Gravel Road" closed out 2005's Robot Hive/Exodus, veering instead into the much more straightforward rock n' roll territory we last heard on 2001's Pure Rock Fury. It's all here people. Neil Fallon's barking vocal attack is stronger than ever, as is his lyrical prowess, which is unmatched in this or any other genre in my humble opinion. Tim Sult brings the riffs in yet another virtuosic performance. And the rhythm section of Dan Maines and Jean-Paul Gaster remains the best in the business. Give a listen to the album's title track with it's spacey intro, killer groove and raw intensity. And if you happen to be a fan of the bluesier side of Clutch, fear not, there's still plenty of harmonica to be found on "D.C. Sound Attack!". It's just that the heavier, faster cuts make up the majority of this opus, and while tracks like "Crucial Velocity" and "Oh, Isabella" stand out as examples of the album's direction, there's honestly not a bad one to be found in this bunch. Earth Rocker was a welcome return to a golden era in the impressive history of one of the greatest bands of all time, and for that reason alone, it deserves a spot in my top 10.
02 Supervoid - Filaments
I knew very little about Pittsburgh's Supervoid prior to seeing them live in their home digs last spring, but it was that very set that started them down the path of landing on this list. When the band took the stage, I was totally mesmerized by their progressive song structures and their mastery of subtlety and nuance as they bobbed and weaved from stoner rock fuzz into crushing metal passages. Combining harmony with dissonance, this five piece understands the power of the buildup as they develop songs using quiet, introspective musicianship before pummeling your eardrums with gargantuan riffs and monstrous fucking vocals…just listen to "Arcane Groves" for the love of God. Needless to say, I was counting the days until the release of Supervoid's debut LP in October and once I got my hands on it, I was not disappointed. Far different than anything else released in 2013, Filaments lived up to the promise I heard that night in the Steel City with songs like "Coat of Luminous" and "Braymerian: War Elephant" which highlight the polarity of the band's attack. Give a listen to "Ladders" which features a clean vocal style…and please understand, this motherfucker can sing…over shimmering guitars and an ever evolving rhythm. Or check out the juggernaut stomp of "Wake of the Smoke Jumper" which pairs oh so well with its guttural growls, before shifting gears to become a pseudo black metal number with the addition of a high pitched backing vocal. So yeah, Filaments had a little bit of everything that we love here at Heavy Planet, but at the end of the day, it was Supervoid's ability to mesh all of those components into such a cohesive final product that puts this album so far up my list of the top 10 albums of 2013. Don't miss out on this one.
I knew very little about Pittsburgh's Supervoid prior to seeing them live in their home digs last spring, but it was that very set that started them down the path of landing on this list. When the band took the stage, I was totally mesmerized by their progressive song structures and their mastery of subtlety and nuance as they bobbed and weaved from stoner rock fuzz into crushing metal passages. Combining harmony with dissonance, this five piece understands the power of the buildup as they develop songs using quiet, introspective musicianship before pummeling your eardrums with gargantuan riffs and monstrous fucking vocals…just listen to "Arcane Groves" for the love of God. Needless to say, I was counting the days until the release of Supervoid's debut LP in October and once I got my hands on it, I was not disappointed. Far different than anything else released in 2013, Filaments lived up to the promise I heard that night in the Steel City with songs like "Coat of Luminous" and "Braymerian: War Elephant" which highlight the polarity of the band's attack. Give a listen to "Ladders" which features a clean vocal style…and please understand, this motherfucker can sing…over shimmering guitars and an ever evolving rhythm. Or check out the juggernaut stomp of "Wake of the Smoke Jumper" which pairs oh so well with its guttural growls, before shifting gears to become a pseudo black metal number with the addition of a high pitched backing vocal. So yeah, Filaments had a little bit of everything that we love here at Heavy Planet, but at the end of the day, it was Supervoid's ability to mesh all of those components into such a cohesive final product that puts this album so far up my list of the top 10 albums of 2013. Don't miss out on this one.
01 ASG - Blood Drive
And that brings me to my top pick for 2013. Now ASG aren't exactly a new band on the scene, having come up as a sort of East Coast answer to Fu Manchu back in the early 00's. Rising from the ranks of the surf and skate crowd in their native Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, the band garnered a respectable amount of success as their music got hand picked for "Viva La Bam" and other TV shows of that ilk. But aside from a split release (with Black Tusk) about four years ago, it's been since 2007's Win Us Over that we saw a full length album from the band. Well I'm here to tell you that this ain't your daddy's ASG. Blood Drive is of course loaded with tasty hooks, but you should also understand that these are sophisticated compositions. Spin the excellent album opener "Avalanche" and listen as the band hammers out a huge stoner riff and then builds on it with psychedelic effects and vocalist Jason Shi's insistent bellow and otherworldly lyrics. Or check out "Castlestorm" where they amp up the intensity and the pace as Shi unleashes a roar that'll have hairs standing on the back of your neck. And so what if "Earthwalk" is an obvious homage to Jane's Addiction, can you honestly tell me that's a bad thing? Listen to the intricate acoustic guitar that opens "Children's Music" before the band tears into another trance inducing groove. These songs have depth and as you make your way through Blood Drive, you'll hear a band that is weaving a tapestry of psychedelic stoner rock that won't soon be forgotten. Simply put, I wore this album out last year and continue to do so to this day. For that reason, ASG's Blood Drive is my top album of 2013.
And that brings me to my top pick for 2013. Now ASG aren't exactly a new band on the scene, having come up as a sort of East Coast answer to Fu Manchu back in the early 00's. Rising from the ranks of the surf and skate crowd in their native Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, the band garnered a respectable amount of success as their music got hand picked for "Viva La Bam" and other TV shows of that ilk. But aside from a split release (with Black Tusk) about four years ago, it's been since 2007's Win Us Over that we saw a full length album from the band. Well I'm here to tell you that this ain't your daddy's ASG. Blood Drive is of course loaded with tasty hooks, but you should also understand that these are sophisticated compositions. Spin the excellent album opener "Avalanche" and listen as the band hammers out a huge stoner riff and then builds on it with psychedelic effects and vocalist Jason Shi's insistent bellow and otherworldly lyrics. Or check out "Castlestorm" where they amp up the intensity and the pace as Shi unleashes a roar that'll have hairs standing on the back of your neck. And so what if "Earthwalk" is an obvious homage to Jane's Addiction, can you honestly tell me that's a bad thing? Listen to the intricate acoustic guitar that opens "Children's Music" before the band tears into another trance inducing groove. These songs have depth and as you make your way through Blood Drive, you'll hear a band that is weaving a tapestry of psychedelic stoner rock that won't soon be forgotten. Simply put, I wore this album out last year and continue to do so to this day. For that reason, ASG's Blood Drive is my top album of 2013.
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Seth's 2013 Year In Review
Let me get this out of the way. I'm gonna say it once, I won't explain myself, and we can all swallow hard and face the wind. Vista Chino's Peace is not included in my self-indulgent write-up honoring the best of 2013. Please direct all dissatisfaction to your nearest deadbeat uncle and share a drink with him, 'cause I don't give a shit.
Still with me?
Actually, I'm not gonna call these 2013's "best." That seems a tad overstated, considering there are likely countless albums I never dusted off. I've still got an inbox full of links and downloads that may stay sealed until my ears stop bleeding. But when I fell for an album, I fell hard. Though sludge and doom glaze me over thick and drunk, I also dip my wick in the trippy, the fuzzy, the dusty, the ice cold, and the downright weird. Signal the hounds, these are 2013's favorites.
Sludge / Doom
Here are the brass tacks, ten reasons that wake me before dawn every Sunday to get lost before the sun finds my window. Notice the bulk of these are albums featured as Sunday Sludge. I'll leave my comfort zone shortly, don't worry.
There's absolutely no moral ambiguity here. Scorn was my favorite release of 2013, due not in small part to its staggering embrace of all things bleak and malevolent. The stretches of pause are as stomach-churning as the clobbering sludge filth. This one's for the sadists and the masochists.
Sadly, the sticky blooze can hardly hold a dripping candle to Dorthia Cottrell's coven of vocal grips. Between the woodshed and the timber, these six cuts swell, sway, and swing with dominance. I laced up with this wax and my feet got stuck. Holy fuck... this ghastly, viscous Virginia-based doom is my captor. With wrists aimed skyward and faith smeared, I swoon.
Amid the sludgy psychedelia, finding Helena Goldberg's intoxicating coos made this album stick. That tingle might not be the buzzing sub-woofer; it could very well be a distant whisper intent on extracting your best smile and heaviest heart. You're all webbed up with nowhere to go. But there's that buzz again. I'm still lost in this.
Ah, it's just a stain. Blackout announced their presence with mesmerizing, filthy crumblers lacing fuzzy doom among the sludge clamor. For as weird as We Are Here can be, it'll have you dazed with its focus on doling out cavernous doom. The grind relents before it reaches bone, but fuck... I can't feel my face.
I might argue Dead Ends is the year's most complete sludge album. Shroud Eater know when to hit puree and they never push into the red. Every rhythm is barbed with savage riffs, and we see a band emerging from their own skin to rule with an iron fist. From thick bog to icy peak, Dead Ends is a flooring effort that bleeds with you..
Smoke and riffs. With their second release in as many years, ITCOS make no haste doling heady repetition and a shade of creekside introspection. The sludge wisps skyward, a slow-motion repetition booted backwards. Patience took these cats into another realm, while the swelling walls let us know there's an entrance nearby.
There's no real start or end here. Circadian Meditations may as well run on a loop. Not because the sound doesn't expand and flee (it does), but because you'll need to circle the perimeter to find your footing. The injected psychedelia slips home and steals this already magical release, spinning and spitting rocket licks amid astral mysteries.
The only surprise here was that Ultraviolet was even better than I'd anticipated. A siren's confidence melted atop progressive Georgia mud-sludge should be marquee material among this list, but the complexities contained herein mark stellar songcraft from a band that makes it look effortless.
Imagine time travel without the stupidity and you'll believe Black Seal may be onto something. Rhythm shifts and we're not sure where we're being led. Black Seal wear a punk skin here and there, but the stoner sludge terrain remains underfoot, while listeners are unsure which way to turn. Pyre may be a flashback, which blurs the line between progress and tradition.
This debut was a pleasant wintry surprise, balancing sullen drone with some incredibly massive atmospheres. The vocal tandem works far better than it should, and the archaic mood delivers a unfamiliarity that's been bottled since the dawn of time. If one release left me without words, descriptors, or a clue as to how to share my thoughts, it was this one.
Lord Dying aren't here to redefine metal, but they're certainly boiling down the sub-labels. Summon The Faithless transcends genres and delivers endless riffs, huffing the heavy from every calculated sneer. Playing fast and dirty, Lord Dying appear poised to make the leap. Burned skin and all, I couldn't possibly ignore this seething sludge.
Burnt Ends
Favorite Stoners
Austrian deserts may not exist, but nobody told Witchrider. This EP shot straight into the back of my skull when the barbed guitar licks grated through the desert rhythms. Witchrider fuzz out and burn with QOTSA-esque patience and repetition. Cool jams descend to balance the numbness, and my only complaint is that this wasn't a full-length.
Pairing stoner trademarks and 90's grunge elements might seem like the latest thumbs up, but these songs roll so easily that they open themselves to criticism about accessibility. Don't get trapped, Plan B met the kid in me and opened a buzzing nostalgia that's still got me nodding along. These fur-coated jams hit deep and maintain cool timelessly.
Favorite Noise
The violent twists and jagged screeches may steal top-billing, but they never detract from the larger picture. The low-slung noise highlights a band rising from adversity and having the sack to step back into the ring. Idolize left me with burning eyes and bug-filled teeth. Fast, furious, and absolutely vile.
There's nothing clean about it. Noise rock isn't supposed to be this catchy, is it? Amid the torrid clips and crushing rhythms is a groove that'll make you forget about wet pants. The lip-curled snips and massive riffs help the hooks stick, while the songcraft puts Whores. at the nose of the best in the sludge-noise genre.
Favorite Live Album
How can the world's best live band harness that same energy to tape? I don't know anyone more passionate about what they do than Steve Moss. As the claps deepen over the course of this record, you feel that Steve's not letting you walk home without feeling that same burn. Spin this and it's as close to being at Roadburn as you can get.
Favorite Vinyl
3D glasses, posters, and multiple options for multiple budgets. Easy Rider Records hit the nail on the head with this spooky psych-doom whizzer. The art and packaging trips as much as the evil embers offered on the record's two tracks. If the songs sucked I'd call it tchotchke, but the goodies only made my Sweeden experience that much sweeter.
Favorite Artwork
Jesus, even their artwork is loaded with beefy psychedelia. Monster Magnet pull us for a trip before this wax even spins, evidenced on the dark, space-driven nebula of John Sumrow's colors and tones. The bullgod staple is hardly lost in the cosmos, but you may struggle to free yourself from gazing.
Favorite Song
Neil Fallon's free-form stream-of-consciousness is on full display, while the now taken-for-granted groove rolls for the five best minutes of 2013. Trademark Clutch, I know. But the land-roving passages splitting the verses are undeniably delicious. The balance of Earth Rocker is no slouch, either. In fact, Gone Cold could just as easily occupy this space.
Favorite "Fuck You!"
Queens of the Stone Age - Smooth Sailing
It's pretty clear who Josh Homme targets with his tongue-in-cheek jabs, but these lyrics are pretty-well applicable anywhere. He faces the jaded winds head-on, even acknowledging his own miscues before snarkily outlining his plans to leave the past where it belongs and not rub his dick on something seminal and majestic.
Favorite Split
StoneBirds and Stangala - The Infamous Kreiz-Breizh Sessions Vol. 1
Serving bluesy stoner-sludge and washing it down with wet-pavement chants, this split was two trips in one. I'm not sure how the marriage works so well, and I'd love to showcase separate releases from each band. Eclectic and haunting, downtuned and psychedelically primitive, this split offered as much fun as anything I heard this year.
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