Quick Hit: Half Gramme of Soma - "Groove is Black"

Greece rockers Half Gramme of Soma are on the verge of dropping a new album, "Groove is Black", an eight song all-out assault on each and every pleasure sensor. It's all here. Endearing, searing stoner grooves, riffs and hooks galore, memory binding melodies, perfectly matched crunchy, edgy vocals, and simply an overall sound and experience of fierceness and joy.

I had reviewed HGoS's 2013 self-titled album , but somehow missed their 2014 follow on, "Marche au Noir", so, if like me, this newest release isn't the only one you've yet to experience, well, you're in for what the old folks used to call 'a rolickin' good time'! Greece has become one of the premier locales for quality stoner/doom bands, none better than Half Gramme of Soma.

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LP Review: Way of the Hoof by Boudain

Three years on from the release of their debut EP (read our review here), the Louisiana grooving stoner four-piece Boudain have finally released their debut full-length (they formed 10 years ago after all). Has Way of the Hoof been worth the decade long wait? You bet your damn ass it has!

The record opens with swathes of thick, gravy-like riffs, treading a line of what Fu Manchu would sound like if they listened to a bit more metal. ‘Sleazy Feats’ is bursting with riffs that the band can barely contain in its four minutes of stoner grooves that begs you to get down and dirty amongst it all, as in the soil and fumes dirt! Flicking between stoner groove, to metal groove, to a bluesy groove, with added doom groove, you can guess how funky this record will make you. The riffs of ‘Neptune’ is a glorious homage to every stoner band that has ever ripped you a new one since you’ve gotten this cool, the vocals are scorched and impassioned that leave no room for fucking about with. The heavy Southern influence kicks in on 'CODA' (Fu Manchu meets Down?) as the riffage becomes a glorious claustrophobic mallet to the face. Boudain wear their influences proudly on their sleeves with every pluck, hit, head-bang and droplet of sweat in everything they do, and it’s a pleasure to get involved amongst it all.

Way of the Hoof is just full of fun and full-throttle riffs, in particular on ‘First Class’ where they never let up for a moment, pure adrenaline guitar work. ‘The Mighty Turn Around’ has doom riffs that threaten to topple over and crush you, before the excellent ‘Disco Jimmy’ and ‘Godzilla’ close the record with thunderous god like riffing that clench the fist and shout “HELL YEAH”!!

Way of the Hoof is such a fun, pummelling record that it becomes an escape to listen to. These types of records are few and far between. Grab a hold, now!

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New Band To Burn One To: Covenaut

Such. Brutal. Riffs!

Bielefeld, Germany’s newest heavy groovy sludge lords have released an EP, Doomed to Live, of epically dark, dank, and sweaty proportions. The guitars are down-tuned to their venomized best, the vocals are scorchingly harsh, and the overall mood is one of anger, relentlessness, but one that’s unable to resist the grooving beat. Doomed to Live is an excellent addition to the collections of fans of Dopethrone and PIST, and one that’s sure to appeal to the mighty headbangers in all of us!

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New Band To Burn One To: Goatschlager

It has been a while since we’ve wrapped our ears around some new funky hard stoner rock, probably not since the last Clutch record. However, there are some grooving beats emanating from Northern Ireland’s Goatschlager which has our ears pricked and knees-a-swayin’. The Ballymena four-piece are raw, but they play a sound reminiscent of said Earth Rockers with a slightly more spaced out vibe running through their meaty hooks and bouncing riffs. Their debut offering Space Apache Vol 1 is direct and to the point; the want you to get down and dirty to their funky grooves, and even in our aging bodies, we feel compelled to oblige. There’s enough partying here to go round!

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