New Band to Burn One To: PUSSYCAT AND THE DIRTY JOHNSONS

Directly from the sandy beaches and hot sun of...London, England...comes a raunchy, bawdy, in your face trio of rockers who deliver a high energy brand of rockabilly retro skate surf punk fuzz. The wailing, confrontational, all out vocals of frontwoman Puss Johnson (She's going to have to marry a Hampton, I think) are reminiscent of Sleater-Kinney's incredible Corinne Tucker. The dual guitars of Johnson and lead riff-meister Dirty Jake are a colossal sonic concoction of blistering be-bop and monstrous, memorable melodies. Filfy Antz drives it all forward in breakneck crescendo and perilous climax. This trio isn't climbing into any typical box of the usual fuzz labels, but the retro punk vibe is loud, raucous, and diabolically fun.

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Album Review: STEAK - "NO GOD TO SAVE"

STEAK have assiduously become a staple of underground fuzz, having previously released quintessential stoner/psychedelic hard rock albums in 2012, '13, and '15. Now, having signed with Ripple Music, they have released another full length album of ten thundering, riotous rock melodies that once again showcase the musical brilliance and deep-tuned craftsmanship of this Warrior Island battery of four preeminent metal artisans. "NO GOD TO SAVE" has allowed STEAK to bring to the fans of stoner rock, of fuzz-fueled, low-tuned loudness, a collection of songs that completely appease the most hooked addicts with hooks of amplified fervor.

STEAK are a brilliant group of metalheads, rendering songs that do much more than relay a particular sound quality. They certainly are adept at creating and playing extraordinary hard rock music that is rich in low tones and euphoric amplified distortion, music that combines clean, razor-sharp riffs with serrated edge keenness and a mammoth aural presence. But they are also adept at doing so over melodies of near genius, crafting songs that instantly excite while embedding snares of long term memory that will haunt its victims for years to come, songs such as "Overthrow", "Clones" "Living Like a Rat", and "Mountain".

"NO GOD TO SAVE" not only showcases their variety of fuzzy metal music, but does so in perfect harmony of their extraordinary vocalist, Kip, who is impeccably matched to their brand of heavy with his deep, mellifluous vocal tones that easily scale the highest peaks the music requires without ever resorting to any sort of rebel yell, guttural utterance, or falsetto flippancy, as well as complementing the band's six-string slinger Reece's samurai brilliance, or without ever overpowering the mighty drubbing of Cam's bass magnificence, or never overshadowing the wielder of wood, slayer of skin, drummer Sammy's stickwork.

When you look at the legacy STEAK have begun to build you can see this London clan possesses something as special as any metal band around, regardless of attempts at genre identification. They struggle like everyone else in the underground world of heavy rock, but have managed to advance their music, and hence, their careers, when doing so is never ordained. They now are part of Ripple Records, which in itself is a mark of accomplishment, and they have already given us an unerring library of amplified addiction. With "NO GOD TO SAVE" they have bestowed upon us one of 2017's preeminent heavy metal, hard rock, stoner rock albums, proving they are poised to become the legends their burgeoning legacy reveals them to be.

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Quick Hit: JUKEBOX MONKEYS - "GREY SKIES RED PLANET"

Jukebox Monkey have created a wonderful mix of contradictions with "Grey Skies Red Planet", delivering a clean sound via a wonderfully nasty disposition, a southern rock style of frankness without any direct homage...in fact, in foregoing anyone else's sound or style they are somehow reminiscent in doses of almost everyone, a mean feat from this mean foursome of warrior isle brawlers, who in doing so have developed their own unique style that is an upfront, in your face,  stoner rock bruiser of a record, inexorable and steadfast in its mammoth assault of sound, ornery in its temperament, and euphoric in its deeply fuzzy experience.

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NEW BAND TO BURN ONE TO: KUJARA

Hailing from London, Kujara are a three piece delight of conglomerated brilliance. They have brought a big metal pot of thick, viscous rock stew to a bubbling, gurgling roil on their debut, the impressive "Three Days". The bill of materials for their music is an explosive amalgam from nearly every corner of the rock world, combining the best aspects of stoner fuzz delight, deep dark doom, progressive psychedelics, heartstrings of retro/blues rock, a haunting desert atmosphere, tight hooks, memorable melodies, expertly rendered and harmonized vocals, energy beams of blazing and powerful riffage, and through it all, through all that homage and recognition, a bright and exciting sound that is uniquely their own.

As with every new and exciting band that makes its way into the stoner rock milieu, the hope here is that Kujara will return soon enough with more brilliance and fun. Until such time this initial EP of sheer magnificence will certainly carry us along for quite some time.

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New Band To Burn One To: Low Sun

Now this is interesting.

Low Sun are an instrumental stoner/psychedelic band from London, UK, who also mix in some darker ambient vibes with a post-rock feel, before exploding into the stoner riffs we all adore so much. Their two-track demo, Prologue, dares to expand the corners of what constitutes stoner rock and psychedelia with courage and a musical talent which speaks for itself; ‘Novice Swordfighter’ straddles an Earthless feel with some powerful riffs, while the fuzz riffs of ‘The Monster Storm’ eagerly lay waste to what’s before you. An excellent release!

Readers of this blog will love what these guys are doing. Check out their stuff before their debut full-length inevitably blows your mind.

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LP Review: Before The Shore by Bright Curse

London, UK, three-piece heavy psychedelic/stoner rockers Bright Curse signed with the excellent HeviSike Records to release their new album, and anticipation was high following the release of the band’s self-titled record and ‘Shaman’ single last year, and it’s with joyous relief that Before The Shore hits all of our expectations as it takes its, roughly, 100^th listen in our ears!

The main standout point for the record is the incredible vocals of Romain Daut throughout, his vocal range has such power it can completely transfix you. Opening track ‘Lady Freedom’ sees Daut basically singing his heart out with long, loud, drawn out vocals masking over some quite damn heavy guitar licks that normally would be the standout for any track. ‘Lady Freedom’ is a slight misleading start perhaps for the record, as it’s the most simple heavy stoner rocking track on here, whereas the rest of the record begins its downward spiral into the hazy world of psychedelic layers and heart-wrenching passion. ‘The Shore’ is more of a Jekyll and Hyde beast as the vocals are delicate as the guitars gently pick away on a 60s psych beat, before the band explode into their impassioned best as the riffs run free and loud. It’s a combination which works perfectly, lulling you into a sense of piece before destroying your headbanging motions, because when the band decide to let loose with the riffs, boy do they go for it!

All of the tracks on Before The Shore are different from one another, never making the record stale: In amongst the riffs and psychedelia of ‘Cheating Pain’ is a spoken monologue about death, ‘Walking In A Graveyard (Bloody Witch)’ is the most 60s space rock vibe on offer here, ‘Candles and Flowers’ throws in the band’s doom influences, and the vocals on ‘Earth’s Last Song’ will send shivers down your spine!

Before The Shore is stunning! (The artwork is pretty stunning too). Possibly one of the best things about this album is that it is a grower! Each listen draws you deeper into the soul of Bright Curse, each time unravelling new layers and depths to the sound the band create, drawing you in, seeing things from a different angle. A proper album that requires, and deserves, your time.

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Band Submission: The Lunar Effect-70's Rock/Fuzz/Psychedelic/Riffage From London, England

Band Name: The Lunar Effect
Genre: 70's Rock/Fuzz/Psychedelic/Riffage
Location: London, England
Brief Bio/Description: Born in late 2013, The Lunar Effect was originally a solo project of tour hardened ex Deep Sea Green guitarist Jon Jefford. After releasing three records and touring internationally with Deep Sea Green, the London born songwriter was signed to 3 Ravens Records and released a self-titled debut "The Lunar Effect".

After receiving widespread praise, alongside national and international radio play for his self-titled record, Jon decided to make The Lunar Effect a fully-fledged touring band. He recruited brother and ex Deep Sea Green drummer Daniel Jefford, guitarist Jim Harris of UK Garage Rock act The Ladykiller’s and eccentric solo artist Mark Fuller on Bass.

The band has been performing material from the debut record throughout 2014/15 whilst refining their sound and experimenting with 60’s and 70’s psychedelic desert elements. Due to certain disagreements with their record label, The Lunar Effect went back to basics and decided to record, mix and master their own EP "Strange Lands" themselves, which was released 01/05/2016.

Band Members:
Jon Jefford - Vocals/Guitar/Piano/Harmonium
Dan Jefford - Drums
Jim Harris - Guitar
Mark Fuller - Bass
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EP Review - Host by Wren

London sludge doomsters Wren are about to unleash a truly devastating EP that all darkened fans of heavy, uncomfortable noise are going to love.  The four-piece like things to be down-tuned and brutally bleak, with riffs crushing your spine and vocals spewing down your throat; it’s not a record for the feint-hearted.

The record opens with ‘Stray’, an eight-minute series of world crushing riffs that follow no typical time pattern, constantly keeping you on your toes as the songs bounces from one riff to the next, all overshadowed by the barren aggressive vocals that will haunt you long after they’ve seemingly gone. The songs on Host often vary between moments of suffocating inclusion and total alienation, but you still become captivated by every riff. The harshness of the cacophony of riffs on the end of ‘Stray’ completely steals your soul, ‘No Séance’ reminds us of the brilliance of sludgers Rhoda with its chugging riffs completely destroyed by the angriest of scowls. ‘Ossuary’ is the highlight on the EP, as the gentle scales of the song act as a false safety before the core sound of the band brings you hurtling back towards the floor at full throttle with the most menacing of riffs they can muster, and it’s a sound which lets you thrash, before their post-rock/metal style vibes carry you along their story before ultimately fucking you over again: It’s a stunning listen.

Wren impose themselves on you like a hammer to the throat! Host is a deeply dark, menacing, brutal, heavy, and engaging listen, and our dark dank souls love it.

Host is being released on the ever exciting Holy Roar records and will be out at the end of April.

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