QUICK HIT: Bionic Cavemen - "Reactor"

Late in 2013 I had stumbled across an up and coming band and their initial release, "Predator", naming it my Number 9 favorite album of 2013. The 4 gentlemen from Chicago are back with their latest release, an eleven track LP that blisters and burns with savage blues rock fury. The hallmark of stoner/retro/blues rock music is, of course, the massive, gargantuan guitars, amplified to sun blocking heights, and Bionic Cavemen have emphatically perfected this aspect of their music, although thankfully not at the expense of their wonderful lead vocalist whose ragged, raging vocals are an aural injection of sheer pleasure. Add to the mammoth sound and spine-chilling vocals are an opus of songs that are immediately engaging with an additional genius of structure and design. This is no mean feat when combined with a sound that is typically simple and powerfully primal, which "Reactor" is upon first listen. But, even at first listen you hear 'more', the kind of 'more' that will keep you spinning it as much for the mind-numbing riffs as for the admiration and enjoyment of high craft embedded throughout, just waiting for discovery.

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7" Review: Aboleth - EP-I

Feast your eyes on that simple, beautiful album cover above. It's a bellwether for what is packaged inside. Los Angeles trio Aboleth have kicked off their career with a sweet three song 7" record simply titled EP-1, packed with explosive stoner rock magic that runs the gamut of tripping all the right triggers of outstanding stoner/desert/retro/blues rock.

The hard rocking trio include:

Brigitte Roka on vocals
Dan Joeright on drums
Collyn McCoy on baguitar

Baguitar? What the......? McCoy, stoner rock royalty from both Trash Titan and Ultra Electric Mega Galactic, has devised a new hybrid instrument that allows him to riff both ultra high and mega low. The sound of this beautiful invention is a runaway blitzkrieg thunder vortex, which McCoy unleashes from the jump on the first track, "No Good".

"No Good" is a tremendous introduction to Aboleth's sound as Joeright's skinskinning comes in alongside McCoy's baguitar monsoon licks to create a clean, athletic sound that stretches the boundaries of blues rock riffing. It pulls you in quickly with its brilliance before the door squeaks open for Roka's raspberry sweet and smoky bourbon vocals to ooze seamlessly into the mix, making a triumvirate of indigo crisp and mesmerizing stoner bliss. This song is raucous and well crafted, a whipsaw of thick multidimensional fuzz, a deluge of intriguing sound and melody.

Next up is "Corpsehunter", another onslaught of sound and craft, weaving melody with those unique baguitar riffs and Roka's pitch perfect vocals, vocals that simultaneously haunt and exhilarate. Closing out the thrill ride is "Captain Cheese", a nearly 7 minute psychedelic turn on a measured metal journey, impeccable in detail and nuance, and brilliant in deeply heartfelt exertion.

The sound Aboleth has crafted is simply exquisite. It's fine stoner/desert rock, but doesn't rest there on any laurels. The sound of the baguitar is equally exquisite, magnifying the energy and amplitude of standard fuzz riffage, which makes for a deeper than usual intrigue for the listener. Roka's vocals are unique. They contain both the sharp cutting edge of the finest of female vocals while tempering that keenness with an underlying ragged snarl that magnifies the appeal of the whole. And then there are the clean, clear, muscular rhythms of Joeright's drumwork, who manages to pull off the difficult task of making the underlying rhythm significant enough to be enjoyed without ever stepping on the magnificence of his cohorts' contributions. The three pillars upon which Aboleth are founded and upon which it stands are formidable in function, breathtaking in form, and a fantastically thrilling encounter.

Aboleth are in the studio cranking out their next wide spectrum stoner sojourn. Once this initial triple jam foray gets a bit of notoriety the anticipation for future releases will likely skyrocket. This first stage booster is powerful and magnificent and should pave the way for the explosive stages of future releases.

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Album Review: Buzzzard - "Cold Blood"

Dateline Carbondale, Illinois. Four young rock n roll entrepreneurs have decided to band together and create an album in the stoner blues style. Of course, this is nothing unusual. This happens all the time all over the world with slight variations in style of music and number of band members. But what doesn't happen all the time is a perfect confluence of talent, desire, and ability. It has happened here.

This album is pure stoner blues. There's nothing else there and there doesn't need to be. It's beautiful, magical, and haunting. 7 tracks where guitar, bass, drums, and vocals weave a primal, almost spiritual musical journey. It is keen in scope and massive in conveyance.

Band members are:

Mike Lighty - Guitar/Vocals
Cody Beckman - Drums/Backup Vocals
Ben Bleyer - Bass
Kasey Rogers - Guitar/Backup Vocals



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Nuclear Dog's Atomic List - Favorite LPs of 2013

It was, by all accounts, a great year for underground metal, for music with heft and edges. There were new releases from stalwart veterans that were met with great anticipation, as well as releases from the dark reaches of the unknown, generating surprise, excitement, and relish. There were top LPs and top EPs as well as favorite songs. There were even a few releases from the pioneers of stoner/doom rock, although none are listed here. For what it's worth these are the 2013 releases that I feel earned my respect as the very best representation of what I like to think of as TRUE rock, set up as three separate lists - Favorite LPs, Favorite EPs, Favorite Songs. It's a lot, I know, but it was a large year musically, the kind of year that maybe doesn't happen too often, so I felt inclined to be indulgent, effectively listing the top 40 albums of the year and then my favorite songs, which happen to number 26. Several great albums and songs aren't even listed. There are very few in my lists that bang up against those of my Heavy Planet brethren, so indulgent these lists may be, but at the same time they are all deserving of the spotlight, all worthy of your time, all worthwhile investments, all delivering supreme joy and deep satisfaction. I hope you can find either agreement or discovery in what follows.
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NUCLEAR DOG'S TOP LPs of 2013

The world of underground metal in the form of Stoner, Doom, Sludge, Psychedelica, Blues Rock, Desert Rock, Retro Rock, and the many fine conglomerations is unlike anything I've experienced in my five plus decades. There are thousands of quality bands releasing hundreds of quality albums each year, and while almost none of it is mainstream, it is a vital and healthy worldwide cultural phenomenon. The best of any given year is not always an obvious given, not because nothing is deserving, but because most of it is. Nonetheless, here are the 20 LPs I declare as the best of the calendar that has just passed us by.

20. Orchid - "The Mouths of Madness" - Nuclear Blast

One of the most prolific new bands of Stoner/Retro ilk is the magnificent Orchid who early in the year released an album of new, original material with "The Mouths of Madness", while the end of the year brought us "The Zodiac Sessions" consisting of newly remastered songs from their 2009 EP "Through the Devil's Doorway" together with their 2011 LP "Capricorn". The remastered songs on "The Zodiac Sessions" are incredible, clean, deep, and heavy. But, the new LP "The Mouths of Madness" showcase the band's highly evolved ability to craft and execute guitar driven melodies of high quality, continuing a standard they themselves have set and that is not easily matched.



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19. Devil to Pay - "Fate is Your Muse" - Ripple Music

The tagline on Devil to Pay's Facebook page is "It's all about the riffs, man." and this Indianapolis foursome deliver a beautifully low, heavy brand of riffs, combined with superb songcraft and complemented by vocals that are intiguingly unique.



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18. Kylesa - "Ultraviolet" - Season of Mist

Multifaceted and just flat out fun this treasure trove of fuzz and mind bending experiences exhilarates from beginning to end, filling the void with masterful melodies and deep, crunchy guitars. Kylesa are one of the veterans of heavy metal and continue to exhibit growth and adeptness in their ability to craft intelligent rock music.



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17. Luder - "Adelphophagia" - Small Stone Records

A Detroit foursome of members from other bands who come together to create uniqueness in the low tones and heavy rumble of stoner rock by applying the sublimity of deep riffs with the sweetness of what many call a shoegaze sound normally targeted for a more 'indie' audience. And it works mightily, as this collection of steady, stoner, steamrollers blow through on a wave of power and grace.



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16. Elevators to the Grateful Sky - "Cloud Eye" - Transubstans Records

Every year there is an album or two that seemingly come from out of nowhere, albums from bands I quite likely have never heard before, which for me is easy as I'm quite new to the treasures of underground fuzz. The disparity in most end of year lists speaks to the diversity and incredible quality of underground metal of the stoner/doom/retro species, so it seems natural that an album will fly under the radar from time to time. One such album is "Cloud Eye" from Palermo, Italy's Elevators to the Grateful Sky. It's full of varied yet consistent, insistent low tuned riffs, laser beam solos, pummeling drumwork, and groundshaking bass, all wrapped tightly around highly intelligent melodies and delivered with tons of energy and enthusiasm.



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15. All Them Witches - "Lightning at the Door" 

In all likelihood your list has this album much closer to number 1 than I do, but, regardless, All Them Witches have managed to release one of the year's best albums two years running. This year it's "Lightning at the Door" which is as apt a description of the contents as can be had in four words. The guitars in this album are, to understate it horribly, lively, exploding in blues rock power and reverberating in deep, gargantuan riffs of massive amplitude. There always seems to be something new each spin through on this album of intrigue and craft.



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14. Gozu - "Fury of a Patient Man" - Small Stone Records

Owner of the year's best album title, Gozu are quite an interesting study in their approach to the music of retro/stoner rock. The deep, low riffs are there in fuzzy spades, as deliver a double whammy of intriguingly unique vocals and brilliantly crafted melodies, setting Gozu apart as easily recognizable and instantly enjoyable.



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13. Arrowhead - "Atomsmasher" - Von Grimm Records

Arrowhead are a three member stoner band from Sydney, Australia who just flat out crank high energy, high voltage tunes on "Atomsmasher", brandishing lethal guitars, unrelenting stickwork, piledriving bass, and blue chip vocals on melodies that never tire or succumb to gimmicky repetitions. Spinning this album is an adrenaline rush of megawatt proportions.



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12. Kadavar - "Abra Kadavar" - Nuclear Blast

On the heels of their wildly successful debut album in 2012 Kadavar follow up with another ten incher, chock full of hard driving, guitar laden retro rock of the finest variety, heavy on well crafted melodies, haunting vocals, and those ever present, relentless guitars.



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11. Exporting White Elephants - "Organic Raw"

This unique two piece band from Santiago, Chile combine cleverly crafted songs, ragged, rich vocals, and ten tons of fuzz delivered through dual rhythm instrumentation of bass and drums, foregoing the standard six string guitars of almost every rock band that is or ever was . . . and it not only works but is impeccably delicious.



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The top ten albums, my favorites for the year, are all exceptional. More than half of these are interchangeable, meaning their placement isn't necessarily an indictment of their quality either way. The first four placings, though, represent the strength of my bond with those albums, placed carefully in the order of my internal importance. Some of these albums will appear much higher on other's lists, some won't appear at all. My tastes run to stoner fuzz and retro power, so doom and sludge are not represented much, while psychedelic tendencies tend to coincide with retro metal, and even occasionally on predominantly stoner collections.

There are 3 things that place these albums at the top of the list, all three being quite obvious tendencies we all look for in our music - super strong guitar ( always the starting point ), interesting vocals ( awe inspiring vocals will tend to place it higher ), and exceptional melody ( a must have ). But it goes much deeper. The guitar has to dominate. The vocals must inspire. The melodies must be timeless and endlessly fascinating. When it's all put together the result is an exceptional, phenomenal experience for the ages. Here are ten albums that do just that.

10.  Lint - "Existence"

A threepiece powerhouse from Wollongong, New South Wales, Oz who throw down fuzz laden riffs of intense psychedelic potency, focusing mostly on instrumental influences tempered by imaginative vocal interludes.



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9. Bionic Cavemen - "Predator"

Slipping in at the end of the year this foursome from Chicago have crafted nine exceptional melodies that both instantly hit the pleasure nerve and as well as provide depth for new discovery on each subsequent spin. More retro than stoner, the guitars deliver unyielding power and ragged enjoyment, just as the vocals provide depth and intrigue. Bionic Cavemen describe their music as vintage heavy. They've nailed it.



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8. Brimstone Coven - "II" - STB Records

Wheeling, West Virginia's Brimstone Coven, a fearsome foursome who have crafted ten massive power ballads of immense propensity by laying in deep and mighty riffs, mesmerizing solos, unrelenting bass tremble, and wicked, surreal vocals. Their music is beautiful and haunting, mesmerizing and deeply satisfying as they take us on journeys of darkness, trepidation, and sinful pleasures.



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7. Vista Chino - "Peace" - Napalm Records

Much has been written, and more will surely follow, about the members of this band and another, as they all happened to set the underground world on fire twenty years ago, a fire that continues to burn in many ways. One of those ways was the perseverance and incredible tenacity of Brant Bjork and John Garcia to overcome assholes and loopholes to finally . . . FINALLY . . . release original music in the vein of the sound they helped create in the high desert air of their early adulthood. With the inspired addition of heretofore unknown guitarist Bruno Fevery, who delivers the fuzz riff with aplomb, the sublime song writing chops of Bjork, and the incomparable vocals of Garcia, Vista Chino deliver a truly phenomenal rock experience that is both fresh and satisfyinglty reminscent of the glorious sounds penetrating the crystal clear air of the Mojave.



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6. Clutch - "Earth Rocker" - Weathermaker Music

Veteran rockers Clutch released the monster album "Earth Rocker" and then proceeded to tour the world three times over. They actually came through my home state of Oklahoma 4 times on this tour. 4 TIMES!! These guys are the epitome of rock n roll. They likely make decent coin on what they do, but their motivation remains creating and sharing exceptional music, something they have aways done and thankfully still do. With one of the top vocalists in the history of rock and a unique brand of melody that pops and moves in ways unexplained, "Earth Rocker" is an album for the ages.



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5. Bedroom Rehab Corporation - "Red Over Red"

Another twosome consisting of drum and bass. Incredible. Incredible that this toothsome twosome from New London, Connecticut can make such phenomenally massive music. Released very early in the year it has hung around the entire twelve months getting spin time on my iPod and in my car due to the gargantuan, mammoth riffs created by the lone stringed instrument as well as the energetic, forceful drumwork that by default joins center stage, executing a dance sublime from this duet of fuzz.



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4. Sasquatch - "IV" - Small Stone Records

Keith Gibbs is a rocker through and through. On his rock and roll journey through life he has been joined by two more incomparable rockers in Jason Casanova and Rick Ferrante. They are veterans of the underground having now released four albums. But they are more than just veterans as the music they have put on display with all four albums can quite rightly be considered some of the best rock on display anywhere at any time. Consistency is part and parcel of what they create, but ingenuity places their music a cut above as the melodies are superb and the riffs phenomenal. Album four, aptly titled "IV", brought with it an extreme amount of anticipation, and delivered in spades. Familiar yet fresh, "IV" is another one for the ages.



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3. Hollow Leg - "Abysmal" - Last Anthem

This album is the kind that is instantly recognizable as pretty damn good. So you listen, and you enjoy. And when it comes time to spin something on the ride to work you choose it again, and you find that it's even better than maybe you recalled. And each time you spin it you realize it's pretty damn good, incredible, phenomenal. This one snuck up on me and continued to do so again and again like some kind of deja vu ninja, walloping me upside the head each play through. Originally I wanted to dismiss it as I'm not much of a fan of the rumble/grumble affectations many metal bands employ, but it didn't take long to realize these vocals are not such an affectation, instead are a brilliantly crafted and delivered addition to the monster guitars and explosive drums this Florida foursome have unleashed on the unsuspecting populace on this debut release. Keep your guard down and let them smack you upside the head, because an attack from Hollow Leg is worth it.



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2. Iron Man - "South of the Earth" - Rise Above Records

Iron Man are veterans of rock, with emphasis on veteran. They have been around making exquisite rock in one guise or another since the 80s. As with numerous metal bands the lineup changes have been more than a few, but when the lineup for this latest iteration of Iron Man was solidified and an album produced, lightning struck in the form of "South of the Earth". While they might likely be classified as more retro than stoner, certainly with melodies that hearken back to the greatest metal of the seventies and eighties, a deep and abiding low tuned monster permeates throughout the songs of this psychedelic retrograde juggernaut.

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1. Hot Lunch - "Hot Lunch" - Tee Pee Records

And now for the best of the best. Released in March and jumping to the top of my list immediately, nothing has knocked them from that perch in the months since. Hot Lunch align themselves with the skating communities of California, and have crafted a unique set of supremely rocking songs on this, their only album to date. It's not easy finding it as it's not even as mainstream as the underground rock floating around the stoner/doom sites we all frequent, but in keeping with the main mission of Heavy Planet, the unknown, unsigned bands are our passion. Hot Lunch is on Tee Pee Records but a quick tour of their site will show the priority for this exceptional band is not as high as perhaps it should be . . . in my humble opinion. It should be much easier to champion their cause because music like this does not come around nearly often enough.

The instrumentation on this album is a megaton dose of edgy energy and instinctual execution, with sublimely raw vocals delivering jumpstart melodies and two stroke rampage, wrapped tightly in a package of fierceness and joy. Kudos to this San Francisco foursome who are ferocious and mighty and have given us the best album of an exceptionally great musical year. Hot Lunch, you are Nuclear Dog's Favorite Album of 2013







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SASQUATCH: The Heavy Planet Interview

Noted monster rockers Sasquatch, having just released their monstrous fourth album, "IV", have also taken the time to answer a couple of questions we posed to them about the album, their standing in the rock world, the overall state of rock from their viewpoint, their likes, their dislikes, what motivates them, and what they see the future holding for themselves and the band. With their responses this rock trio reveal a huge passion for what they do as well as a conspicuous ability and bearing in how they apply themselves to their chosen passion. Take some time, if you will, and get to know Keith, Cas, and Rick just a little bit and see what you might take away from having gotten to know just a piece of who these consummate rockers truly are. I open the questions with a reference to the song "Money", about an acquaintance who borrows a few bucks in an ongoing one sided relationship in which there is only one giver and one taker, a serious situation to be sure, but I had hoped to make light of it somewhat as an opening salvo, if you will. I was curious how they might respond to this question, and just as with their music, just as with the responses to the entire interview, they didn't only not disappoint, they tended to go the extra mile, because they can and, I suspect, they choose to. It speaks a lot to who they are. Ladies and Gentlemen . . . Keith Gibbs, Rick Ferrante, Jason Casanova . . . the incomparable Sasquatch:
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HP: Okay, I want to get the easy one out of the way first . . . can I borrow some money? Hah!

Keith: Sure, how much do you need?

Cas: Here at the First Bank of Sasquatch, we provide hassle-free short-term loans to all of our customers. No paperwork, no red-tape. You tell us what you need, and you’ll have cash in hand within minutes. Interest runs at about 20% per week and there’s no need to worry about receiving bills or sending in payments. We will have some nice men stop by your residence, remind you when payment is due, and they can even collect while on site. Think of all of the money you’ll save on stamps!

HP: Do you have any feedback yet on how well “IV” is selling out there in the world?

Rick: So far, pretty good. Small Stone would have more info though on how sales are doing. Getting a lot of thumbs-up so far. This is more of a direct approach. A “meat & potatoes” record if you will. People seem to like it; some miss the acoustic stuff and/or the intro-outro things we would do on some of the other records.

Cas: Rick misses the intro-outro things we do on some of our other records.

HP: How is the touring schedule for "IV" shaping up? Is it a difficult process to get one together?

Keith: We are talking to some European booking agents at the moment and hopefully we'll be touring sometime in April/May 2014. Touring the US is another animal. We would love to do it but getting guarantees is difficult since we usually book it ourselves.

Cas: Yeah, the US is tough. Demand and supply isn’t quite tipping in our favor. Can you make some calls and fix that for us? Great, thanks.

HP: Have you progressed enough in developing the tour to know who might tour with you, if anyone? Is there any chance of touring with a more well-known band? There is no one out there that plays better rock than you, but there are plenty of bands that are more widely recognized. Opening for some of those bands might garner a wider zone of interest from those folks who love meaningful rock. That's just me blabbering. Do you have an opinion on that sort of thing?

Keith: There are a few names being thrown around for Europe: UEMG (Ed Mundell’s solo project, Ultra Electric Mega Galactic, reviewed on Heavy Planet here: http://www.heavyplanet.net/2013/04/nuclear-dogs-atomic-split-ultra.html) and House Of Broken Promises, but nothing set in stone at the moment. We would love to go out on bigger tours as well but no takers as of yet. You would think it would be easier after four albums.

Cas: It’s a whole different ball game in terms of touring in the big leagues. From what I’ve seen and heard, it’s becoming more common practice that bands or their labels are buying on to these larger tour packages. Once again, “pay-to-play” rears its ugly head in a different fashion. Sorry, Debbie Downer moment.

HP: You guys have been together a decade now, and have released 4 very important albums (even if most of the world doesn’t realize it yet). How different was the process for writing the music on the first album from that on the last?

Keith: Very different. I had been a bit of a control freak on the first two, but now with the addition of Cas, I've let go of that. Rick and Cas both have great ideas, whether it be riffs or arrangements, so it's much easier to let go of total control. And I think that is very apparent if you listen to the progression of the songwriting on the last two albums especially.

Cas: I don’t really do anything. It must be the beard. Or Rick’s aftershave.

HP: Keith, can you describe to us a little bit of that process for creating songs? Do you start with the music, the lyrics, some combination of both?

Keith: It always starts with just a collection of riffs that I have in my head, then I bring it to the fellas and we arrange it together for the most part. As far as the lyrics, I've had a lot of ups and downs in the past five or so years and I draw everything from that. It's been a rough ride. My daughter, Riley, is a huge source of inspiration and she's also the greatest.

Cas: The writing part of it seems to be second nature for Keith. I just bring beer and watch the magic happen.

HP: Has it become more of a struggle over the years to write new songs, or do you feel like there is a pretty deep well there?

Keith: The well is very deep when it comes to riffs, thankfully; I have been lucky in that respect. There have been spaces of writer's block but that is usually because of drama in my own personal life.

HP: You mentioned Cas and Rick are now very involved in the writing process. As talented as they are as musicians I can only imagine they have a lot of deep understanding of song structure. Can you elaborate on what they bring to the table just a bit?

Keith: Rick and Cas are great when it comes to that. They each have different backgrounds in musical tastes so that really helps a lot. Rick loves old school Rock & Blues as well as Jazz, Psych, & Prog, but he is rooted there. Cas comes from more of an indie standpoint, which helps us to stay away from writing music to make money (as opposed to keeping our integrity). He also loves the old school stuff. I’m somewhere in the middle. Cas and I both love 80's thrash metal!

Cas: Keith brings the riffs. Rick then likes to get into the nuts and bolts of the songs as they come together; any and all aspects involved with the structuring, gear, and/or recording approach. The two of them get the songs to a point where it’s practically complete by the time I come in and add my parts. 

HP: Keith mentioned some inspirational sources, how about for Rick and Cas, where do you typically find your inspiration? Is writing a song something in which you have to flex a lot of mental muscle, or do the songs come somewhat easily? Or is it perhaps something in between?

Rick: Usually from a personal event or experience for the most part. Current & past world events maybe a bit as well.

HP: “IV” contains some incredibly well written music, both lyrically and melodically. I'm thinking specifically of "Eye of the Storm", "Corner", and "Drawing Flies". The thing that is inspiring to a fan like me is how fresh your music sounds, especially considering you've been cranking songs out for at least a decade. Is it a conscious effort on your part to create a specific sound or a certain feel for any of an album's songs? Do you struggle at all with trying to find a freshness in what you write?

Keith: We just write what comes out. I have kinda taken that AC/DC approach where I don't care what is going on around me musically, we just stick to our guns.

Cas: Yeah, there’s no real magic secret or concerted effort in the writing approach. It’s quite basic and to-the-point. It ends up typically being, “Oh, that’s a cool riff. Let’s make a song of that with that other cool riff.” Boom. Song done.

HP: Tell me a little about your playing, each of you. Has anything changed for you physically in the way you approach playing these days, whether it be for the studio or for a show. As you've aged a bit, has it had an effect on your ability to manipulate your instruments, whether positively or negatively? Do you guys find you have to warm up a little more these days before taking the stage or is the opposite effect where you've become so proficient at playing it's now second nature?

Cas: I can probably speak for all of us in that we have to warm up the fingers, stretch a bit, and get the pee break in right before set time. I think it’s important to go through the pre-show motions at any age, but it’s especially important now that we’re old fucks. My knees don’t function quite as well as they once did. The tinnitus also seems to be getting worse as I age, so I am trying to learn how to play on stage with earplugs. I tend to rip them out frequently because I want to hear everything at full volume. Yeah, I’m a dumbass.

HP: Similarly, Keith, how have the years treated your vocal chords and your ability to sing in the all out full throated way you do for Sasquatch? John Garcia recently stated that age has not diminished his ability to sing like it seems to do for most frontmen, so I was wondering what your experience has been in that regard.

Keith: It's pretty much second nature, at least for me. We've never had a grueling touring schedule so things like tendinitis or vocal issues have never been a problem. I’m happy and sad about that because we would love to tour 6 months of the year, but I think it helps keep our longevity.

HP: What does the future hold for Sasquatch? Do you see yourselves making music for another decade or more (I hope)?

Keith: Sasquatch will keep putting our albums as long as we are able to do so. I'm pretty sure I can speak for the guys when I say that our number one passion in life is music.

HP: Your music is usually placed within the genre of 'stoner' rock, for better or worse. What are your thoughts on that aspect of the underground rock world? What are your thoughts on the state of rock and roll right now where thousands of extremely gifted bands and musicians remain deeply obscure, labeled as stoner, doom, high desert, fuzz rockers, but get little to no airtime or notoriety? How do you feel about the more popular rock artists currently garnering air time, bands like Foo Fighters, Black Keys, Godsmack, Nickelback, Disturbed, or whoever is out there these days? Any of them making music that is worth the time to listen to?

Keith: I would have to defer to the guys for that question. I really don't listen to anything current, it's just a personal choice. Bands like old Traffic, Blind Faith, Zeppelin, Floyd, any seventies bands are what I draw from. Cas keeps up with what is going on, you should see his CD collection, it's fucking massive! As far as the Stoner rock tag…it doesn't really apply. I think of us currently as a rock band with some elements of stoner rock. We are strictly alcohol driven these days. Ha!

Cas: Tough questions. No clear answers quite yet. There have always been those bands, genres, scenes that haven’t gotten the notoriety they deserve, and I don’t think that has really changed since I’ve been a wee lad. I do think that the playing field has leveled out a bit more with the digital age and what some consider to be the fall of the “majors”. The opportunities are still in flux though. Many of the bands (us included) are trying to figure out how to really embrace and take advantage of the technology and Internet-driven advancements. On one hand, our music is freely available to anyone that wants to steal it. On the other hand, if it weren’t for the youtubes, facebooks, and even myspaces of ten years ago, Sasquatch wouldn’t have the kind of global exposure that we do now. Hell, a majority of our online store traffic comes from Europe, but we’ve even been getting some decent response from places deep in South America, Australia, as well as South Africa. Kind of wild when you think about it. To answer your question about popular rock… yeah, there is mainstream stuff I like just as much as the next guy. Soundgarden falls on the top of that list. I also have a lot of respect for what Grohl and Homme have done to make a career of it. Same goes with the Black Keys. That other stuff you mentioned is a bunch of rubbish though.

HP: When you're alone, each of you, what tunes are you spinning in your car, your office, etc.? How about when you're together, either touring or in the studio perhaps, what do you listen to as a gaggle of musicians. Is it a gaggle? A horde? A pride? I'm not sure.

Rick: Gaggle! My iPod will have anything from Frank Zappa, Budgie, Mahogany Rush, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Funkadelic, Monster Magnet, Killing Joke, The Cult, The Guess Who, pre American label Loudness, Rory Gallagher, Steve Earle, Eric Johnson, Tony Williams Lifetime, Robin Trower…pretty diverse. We also dig our fellow Small Stone bands as well. We will take turns & throw on whatever: Cas? Keith?

Cas: When the three of us are touring in the van, there tends to be a lot of Stern and random comedy shows on Sirius. Otherwise, it’s driver’s choice. In the office, I tend to listen to mellower stuff. Exotica, jazz, classical. Something that doesn’t distract. Ya know, like a Red Red Meat or Martin Denny record hits the spot. On the commute, it’s rock time, and there are a variety of bands I started listening to in the early 90s that still stay in rotation on my mp3 player. I can spin a Barkmarket, Quicksand, or Shiner record, for instance, and it still sounds as fresh to me as the day it came out. We’re also lucky in that one doesn’t have to look much further from the label for good stuff to pass the time. Try cranking Mellow Bravo’s “Ridin” while you’re on the freeway next time. I had it on yesterday morning. It’s great for bobbing and weaving in and out of traffic going 80.

HP: What was the last album that stopped you in your tracks and made you take notice?

Rick: I like the new Killing Joke record MMXI as well as the new Clutch.

Cas: Re-Voltaire.

HP: Each of you have had experiences playing in other projects or for other artists, just as you've had guest artists on your own albums, notably Small Stone Head Honcho Scott Hamilton of Luder and Gozu's Marc Gaffney on "IV". Are there any other projects or supergroups coming up, such as when Rick played drums for The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic and on which Keith had a guest spot? As fans of all three of you guys, as a group and as individual musicians, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to hear whatever you produce, either as the monster group Sasquatch, as guest musicians for other bands, or perhaps as members of the trend of super groups that pop up from time to time.

Keith: Sasquatch is my baby and I really don't have that much interest in doing anything else right now except just guest spots. Hope that doesn't make me sound like a dick, it's just the truth. Cas is playing with our friends in Behold! The Monolith and I think he really enjoys it since they are much different than what Sasquatch does.

Cas: Yeah, I’m now splitting my time with Behold! The Monolith here in LA. We’ve known those guys for awhile (I think Keith and Chase have been bros for about 10 years), and I’ve been a fan of the band since Sasquatch had first played with them a couple of years back in Reno. This past Spring they lost Kevin (their frontman, bass player, and all around good dude) in a fatal car accident one week before they were set to leave on their first US tour. It’s been really tough on the guys, but after speaking with Kevin’s girlfriend and family, they decided to continue on. Anyway, I started jamming with them maybe in August just as they were getting back into it. It’s sort of a hybrid between sludgier doom, and fast-paced metal, something that I haven’t done since my early college days. It’s quite different musically than Sasquatch, so there’s a good balance between the two bands.
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So, there you have it, a little insight into three mammoth rockers, masters of the riff, who live for their music, are clever, gifted, and insightful, and conduct themselves with humor and wit. They are well matched as a threesome, each bringing a wealth of ability and heart to the music they make, and we, as their fans, are better off for it, even if, for them, it's a not insignificant struggle. Passion trumps strife, strife inspires art, we reap the rewards with the incomparable "IV".

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Album Review: Mojave Desert Rebels - "High Class Clown"

As a listener, as a fan, what is the epitome of rock n' roll? What does a band have to possess, develop, or deliver to be at the height of . . . not greatness in the sense of fame and fortune, but greatness in terms of music recorded. Kyuss reached that level without ever achieving the fame and subsequent fortune they so richly deserved, and the stoner/doom world is littered with similar examples - Dozer, Truckfighters, Fu Manchu, Sasquatch, Brain Police - many that will jump instantly to your mind if not to mine. So, what is it these underground, unsung rock n' roll heroes deliver that makes them so special? Simply put, great music, but great music consisting of parts that stand alone as crafted impeccably, and that then come together as a phenomenal experience. Parts that are made up of agile, athletic drumwork, pulse pounding bass guitar, vocals of devilish delight, melodies that hook you so hard you nearly bleed, and above all, guitar made with the stuff of the cosmos, pure and brilliant and intrinsic to our very soul. Today's band, on their debut EP release, have managed to not only manufacture music in a similar fashion, with superlative individual performances playing masterful melodies blended into what will surely be for many fans of this pure form of rock a memorable and monumental experience to be cherished for years to come, but to add one more component to the mix that sends it over the top in pure reverberated bliss - excitement. Mojave Desert Rebels, to benignly state what will become obvious after listening to their album, enjoy what they do to a very high degree. This makes for a total rock experience that can only be surpassed in a live environment. Put on your tennies and keep your whiplash brace handy as you plug this hi test music in and spin all dials as far to the right as they will go. (Settle down, it's just a poor metaphor, not meant to be taken literally).
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MOJAVE DESERT REBELS - "HIGH CLASS CLOWN"

Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, and having only been together since 2011, the foursome of Mojave Desert Rebels have managed to leapfrog to the forefront of enjoyable rock music with their initial studio release of the EP "High Class Clown"

The members are:

Martin Bentø - Vocals
Morten Bernstorf Hansen - Guitar
Andreas Bütow Pröll - Drums
Guillaume Blanjean - Bass


These guys take their cues from classic heavy hitters such as Led Zeppelin and ZZ Top as well as genre giants Kyuss, implicit in the name of their band. While the influences certainly exist, they have taken the tools learned and developed their own unique method of carving up the ether with distortion and fuzz, slicing through with a fierceness and joy rarely noticed in a band. "High Class Clown" is the home to four raunchy, rockin', four minute forays where excitement and ability blend for an unforgettable experience.

The EP kicks off with "Village in the Sands", a seemingly pleasant ditty that opens with an enjoyable melody of agreeable delivery that has a slight smolder at first perhaps going unnoticed in the totality of the music and not becoming immediately or fully apparent, never having a true switch, instead simply building in intensity until by the time the solo is unleashed, almost 2 minutes in, an all out blitz of emotion, volume, and distortion is in full bore ear plug mode. This is the introduction to Bentø's vocals, a powerful tool in the massive instrumental battery of these proxy desert rockers.

The title track is next up and unlike its predecessor starts off with a show of might. Hansen and Bentø showcase their muscle in slow flexion while Blanjean and Pröll drive it all forward in measured and powerful deliveries of rhythmic domination throughout the first half, all brilliantly in control of a tapestry of hot burning fuses that eventually reach the payload where a big bang of brilliance and expanding magnitude is unleashed. The payoff is a second half that evolves into an exquisite display of interwined brilliance and monstrous musicianship.

"Enemies on Fire" exquisitely opens with Bentø's plaintive wail of aching beauty that is soon taken up by riff, lick, hook, and fill from dynamic deliveries of deep instrumental distortion running through an escalating atmospheric ascension toward an incomparable crescendo of brilliance and domination.

"Towers of the Skies" rolls out heavy machinery topped by napalm delivery systems. Blanjean's basswork here is incredible - deep, nimble, and unyielding as the stanchion upon which Bentø and Hansen propel heat seeking missiles in a spreading arc of white hot brilliance and Pröll maintains a radius of staccato discharge. As this fuzz destroyer advances the intensity increases in a slow burning buildup of ferocity and proficiency until maximum output is reached at climax.

Not listed on the album but included as a YouTube video below is "The Desert Song", a slightly different, bluesier, equally intense and brilliant song. Check it out along with the EP on Bandcamp, Reverbnation, or Soundcloud.

I think you will be hard pressed to find much in the world of rock this year that delivers on as many musical levels as "High Class Clown" while also demonstrating  sheer pleasure and enjoyment in delivery. It is a brilliant debut from a band that is likely destined for some level of notoriety if longevity can become one more hallmark of the band.







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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




orch yt here

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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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Stargun Music - 1st Anniversary Celebration and Heavy Planet Interview

Two guys with the same love for great rock music we all share have found a way to make rock and roll their vocation, which in turn makes this great music the focal point of their lives due to the establishment and success of their rock music label Stargun Music. Determination, vision, imagination, tenacity, and passion . . . especially passion . . . all played a role in Ross Diamond and Jeremy Lawson enjoying a successful start to Stargun Music where the first year has seen new band signings, new album releases, and recognition as a quality source for quality heavy rock n' roll. Ross and Jeremy take us through their humble beginnings in the followed interview conducted by Nuclear Dog.

The awesome dudes from Stargun Music, Jeremy and Ross, have prize giveaways for some of you who are celebrating with us at Heavy Planet. Immediately following the interview is a set of trivia questions in which you have a chance to win a signed vinyl copy of "All Too Human", advanced releases of SADA's debut on the Stargun Music label, copies of Denizen, or copies of "Sonic Titans". Be the first to correctly answer the trivia questions proffered at the interview's conclusion.
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Heavy Planet:
Can you take us through the beginning of the label?
- Who was involved in the startup?
- What was it that made you want to start your own label?
- What did it take to get going with the label?
- Who was/were the first band(s) signed?

Jeremy:
Originally Stargun Music was put together to be a rock band community sharing and review site where bands would upload their music and listen to others music, rating songs, and leaving reviews in exchange for having their own music listened to and reviewed. The website never even launched, it was riddled with bugs and it had totally exhausted our budget and enthusiasm, so we buried it. A couple of weeks or maybe a few months later, Ross had the idea of launching a label instead.

Ross:
It had always been a pipe dream of mine, and after we knocked the original website on the head, I threw it out there as a suggestion and we were both like, okay this could be do-able! I had done a bit of writing for some magazines and blogs and found it hard work, to be honest, so I have total respect for what you guys at Heavy Planet do. We're both creative guys but wanted to be directly involved in working/collaborating with bands.

Jeremy:
I suppose the reason for wanting to do any of it was just because we love rock music and thought it would be fun to be involved with loads of bands making records.

Ross:
The next thing was, without anything to back us up, how do we get bands interested in working with us? That's when I thought a compilation would be a good idea for our first record. It would show people the type of music we are into and would be a reasonably quick way to get our first album under our belt.

Heavy Planet:
That compilation album, "Sonic Titans", was a stellar effort, to be sure. I know it introduced me to several new bands from the UK such as Trippy Wicked, Steak, and, of course, Enos. All of them, as well as "Sonic Titans", have been reviewed on the Heavy Planet site. (Sonic Titans review)

After you got underway, what was the plan for moving forward?

Ross:
The plan was that people would take us seriously after the release of "SONIC TITANS", and that we would come across as a label that bands would want to work with. The plan worked! Shortly after the compilation got released ENOS, who featured on the album, got in touch to say they were ready to start recording their next album and would we want to get involved! Hells yes we did! Absolute no-brainer, we love ENOS and the album they produced, "ALL TOO HUMAN" really is stunning. It blew all expectations we had out the water! Then DENIZEN got in touch and before you know it we were naturally moving forward.

Jeremy:
I didn’t think too much about a plan or strategy from day one. I just knew I wanted to put out this album idea Ross had thought of and that was enough work to be getting on with. I've been involved in so many creative projects and business projects, I know that sometimes too much planning and strategy can get in the way of just getting on with it.

Heavy Planet:
Who are the current acts on the label?

Jeremy:
Well I consider all the great bands from Sonic Titans as Stargun collaborators and on the label in a sense, but officially signed to the label are ENOS, French punk rockers DENIZEN, heavy rockers SADA and most recently MOTHER CORONA.

Heavy Planet:
That is a fantastic starting point for your label as each one of those bands are quality rockers. Well done.
"Sonic Titans" was going to be my next line of inquiry in fact, so, despite the subject already having been broached I will ask my questions anyway, in case there is more to learn about that crucuial point in time when you were working hard to establish your product.

When I first listened to "Sonic Titans" I thought all the bands on the compilation were Stargun bands outright. It wasn’t until much later I learned differently.
- How were you able to get all those terrific bands to contribute to your compilation?
- How would you rate the compilation album in terms of helping the label out in the first year of operation?

Ross:
Like I said in a previous question, it helped us massively in getting people and bands to take notice of us so it 100% worked in that sense. Also it was a great way of learning the ins and outs of producing a record without having one sole band's artistry at stake, so for our first project it took a bit pressure off for that reason. As for the bands that actually feature on the compilation, they are all bands we really dig in the scene at the moment. It was important that they were hard working bands who do a lot for themselves. It was hard to choose the final 12 as there were quite a few bands we wanted to include but we didn't want to make the album too long. All the bands were really into it as its another platform for promotion for them. We are still hugely grateful to all those bands getting involved.

Heavy Planet:
You’ve recently announced the signing of a new band, SADA. What can you tell us about them?

Ross:
Soooooo excited about this album!! These guys were making waves about 7 years ago!! They shared a stage with ORANGE GOBLIN and OBIAT and many other cool bands. KERRANG called them the "future kings of stoner metal!" But they called it a day before ever releasing a full length record. I got in touch with them about the possibility of releasing their material, because I thought these guys were truly awesome. I never really expected to hear anything, but we did and they were very much interested and now boom! the album should be out in June. SADA are officially back together and have already started gigging again! We saw them live the other week, and they are, without a doubt, balls-out heavy stoner rock!

Jeremy:
In simple terms I would say I am a huge Clutch and Five Horse Johnson fan, and I think other fans of those bands will be absolutely blown away by SADA.

Ross:
Right on! Exactly what Jeremy said. I think fans of Halfway To Gone, The Atomic Bitchwax and even proper metal-heads are going to dig SADA.

Heavy Planet:

Wow! That kind of excitement certainly has me anticipating the release of SADA's first full length album, under the Stargun Music label to boot!

Any more signings on their way that you can mention?

Ross:
Well I just mentioned MOTHER CORONA, they're our most recent signing. We saw them live in our home town and I can honestly say they were one of the most exciting live bands we've seen! Dave Oglesby, the drummer and vocalist, had so much energy on stage we knew straight away we wanted to work with these boys. Their self released first album "Cosmic Dust" was very well received and is a great record so I have no doubt that the new one will be even more awesome. I believe they're hitting the studio in May this year so it won't be out until later this year.

Heavy Planet:
That will be two major releases in 2013, following closely on the heels of your first band release last December of Enos' "All Too Human". It appears as if the momentum created by "Sonic Titans" has strongly carried through this first year of operation with what will end up being the release of three very strong albums.

What are your expectations for year two? Will it be more difficult than the first year, or do you feel the momentum you have will continue?

Jeremy:
I think it will be both easier because we have this great momentum, but also harder because "All Too Human" by Enos was so well received the bar has been set quite high.

Heavy Planet:
How far ahead have you been able to look and to plan for Stargun Music?

Ross:
Being independent and completely self-financed, the budget is incredibly tight so we can literally only plan one project at a time to be perfectly honest. We do have a small hit-list of bands we would like to work with and if we can, at the very least, release say 3 records a year that would be pretty awesome!

Heavy Planet:
What kind of stuff are you guys working on other than simply signing bands? I notice on your Facebook page a DVD for Enos. Stuff like that.

Jeremy:
Well, full credit to Enos, they organised the shoot for the DVD themselves. We have pencilled in a few projects including video shoots, but I’ve felt that due to time constraints it should always be our priority to focus on the albums.

Ross:
I really want to do a Stargun Music Showcase, which would get all the bands together for a show, and for that to become an annual thing. Like Jeremy said, definitely want to do some music videos as well.

Heavy Planet:
It appears to me that you focus on communicating with the world via Facebook and possibly Twitter as opposed to through your website. Is that fair to say? Or am I reading too much into it?

Jeremy:
That is spot on. Due to having limited time and full schedules we keep posting short but current updates to Facebook and probably update the website every 4-6 weeks. I do use Twitter reluctantly but that said it has led to some cool introductions to guys like Joe’s Pedals (custom guitar pedal maker) and a few others.

Heavy Planet:
You guys work closely with artist extraordinaire, Alex von Wieding. How did that relationship form?

Ross:
Alex has done the artwork for some of my favourite albums. He was quite literally the first name I mentioned for SONIC TITANS. We genuinely thought it would be a long shot but we emailed and he was really enthusiastic! It helped that he was really into a lot of the bands that featured on SONIC TITANS. Alex has been a massive support for us. He doesn't just do the artwork, he gets fully submerged into the whole project.

Heavy Planet:
Are there any other album artists you work with or plan to work with?

Jeremy:
Artwork decisions are made with the bands so they might lead us in another direction at some point. The thing is, Alex basically has god-like illustrative power and he’s a really decent guy, so I’d always be happy to work with him.

Heavy Planet:
Jeremy, Ross, thank you very much for your time and your thoughtful and enlightening answers. Your enthusiasm and hard work not only pay off in terms of your company, the newly awesome label Stargun Music,

Ross Diamond, Jeremy Lawson

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STARGUN MUSIC - SWAG EMPORIUM

As previously mentioned the prizes listed below are available to the select few who correctly, and quickly, answer the stupefying trivia questions we've conjured up to stump our awesome fans of fuzz. Be the first, or in some cases, among the first to send correct responses to the following email address:

gunnerkee19@gmail.com

Be sure to include your name and postal mailing address in the email. Failure to do so regardless of correctness or timeliness of response will result in no swag.

Prize #1 - Signed copy of "All Too Human", with autographs from the members of Enos. 1 prize available to the first correct answer.

Trivia Question:

1. What is the basis, or storyline, for Enos' "All Too Human"?


Prize #2 - Advanced CD copy of "All Hail the Beef Lords" by SADA. Three copies available to the first three correct answers.

Trivia Question:


2. How long has Stargun Music's mission statement of 'dedicated to the preservation of heavy rock n' roll' been in effect?

Prize #3 - CD copy of Denizen's "Whispering Wild Stories". Five copies available to the first five correct answers.

Trivia Question:

3. Who was the first band signed to the Stargun Music label?


Prize #4 - CD copy of the compilation album "Sonic Titans". Five copies available to the first five correct answers.

Trivia Question:


4. Who is the latest band to sign with Stargun Music?

Again, send correct answers and your postal mailing address to gunnerkee19@gmail.com. Prizes will be dispatched in as timely a manner as is feasible. 

Stay tuned tomorrow to HeavyPlanet.net as we continue the celebration of Stargun Music's first anniversary with another interview and trivia question / prize package. The second interview will be with the incredible rock n' roll artist Alex von Wieding.

In the meantime, enjoy the music from Stargun Music's awesome compilation album "Sonic Titans"

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"SONIC TITANS"

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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Devil to Pay - "Fate is Your Muse" / Supercabra - "Down From the Mountain"

We've all had the mental image of a steamer trunk or some other suitcase type carrier, after closing, coming apart at the seams due to the overabundance of items stuffed inside, right? That image is what comes immediately to mind when confronting today's double stuffed Atomic Split, filled to bursting with big, heavy, wondrous tunes from two bands who quite successfully epitomize stoner rock music in the form of Devil to Pay and Supercabra. While each has their own unique take on crafting gargantuan, fuzzy grooves, the similarity between them is in the effort and ability they each possess in forging LPs laden with quality and fun. Both albums are enhanced greatly with volume and repetition, so please sit back, plug in, give the volume dial a quick and complete right turn, and take in the music of these two albums to their max more than once or twice and I'm certain you will be exceptionally pleased with the time spent discovering what these two unbelievable bands have on tap for you to experience with sonic wonder.
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DEVIL TO PAY - "FATE IS YOUR MUSE"

Band members:

Steve Janiak - Vocals, Guitar
Chad Prifogle - Drums
Matt Stokes - Bass
Rob Hough - Guitar

Man, I swear if you listen to "Fate is Your Muse" three times a week, followed immediately by protein/carb drinks after each session, and follow this routine for 6 months, you will look like Mr. Olympia at the end of the cycle, because THIS ALBUM IS HEAVY!. The more I hear it the more I realize just how low and heavy Devil to Pay has made it. It's not just one big lump of metal, but provides finely textured and braided variations on any given song's low tuned riffs and themes. Matt's bass and the guitars of Steve and Rob work together to craft pleasurable mega riffs and snippets of sheer joy on top of interludes of blissful licks, punctuated with welded beads of sheer laserbeam solos. These sounds are wrapped tightly by Chad's energetic, intelligent drumwork that itself is tightly wound and perfectly spaced to create a strong cable of metal might. All of it is deftly and tightly packaged with Steve's unique signature vocals perfectly suited to the melodies they have conjured forth.

Of note is that "Fate is Your Muse" is produced by Ripple Music, who have established themselves as one of the major labels promoting truly great rock and roll, whether it be of the stoner, doom, sludge, psychedelic, or retro variety.

Devil to Pay's history is of the vein of perseverance and tenacity, having lasted through the inevitable band member changes through a decade of existence, but also through major personal tragedies that would stop anyone else cold in their tracks not truly committed to the cause. Hailing from the Heartland of Indianapolis, Devil to Pay have persevered and are creating some of rock's finest music at present - any genre, any level, any anything.

"Fate is Your Muse" contains twelve delicious stoner gems, each weighing tons in combined stonerage, each perfectly relevant on its own, and each adding magnificently to a perfect dozen devoid of sugar and light, but packed tightly with metal grindings, darkness, and distorted reverberations of sheer pleasure.

I can't single out any one song or group of songs as my favorites because they all are awesome, as I'm sure you, too, will find them to be incredibly fun to listen to. Devil to Pay kicks off the album with "Prepare to Die" where a classic riff sound permeates throughout and the heavy, low fuzz is ever present, just as it is throughout the album. Here we are also introduced to the signature vocal stylings of Steve's unique pipes, something that doesn't at first scream 'belissimo', but give it a minute, or a couple of songs, and it will quickly fall into place as perfectly matched to the melodies, as previously mentioned. Subsequent playings then become much more enjoyable experiences.

"Ten Lizardmen and One Pocketknife", in addition to providing the best title on the LP, provides a tightly wound tempo of blistering rawhide rampage. Incredible fun. "Wearing You Down" and "Already Dead" slow the tempo down slightly, but the monstrous low riffs are nearly overwhelming, complemented perfectly by searing, soaring solos.

"Yes Master" has a slight Alice in Chains feel to it, but still strongly remains signature Devil to Pay, make no mistake. All the big guitar hallmarks wrapped by Steve's signature vocals are there.

The quickest, tightest song on the album is "This Train Won't Stop" and it gets my vote for best on the album.  A fast paced romp, tight and clean in tempo, fierce and fun in delivery. "Savonarola" keeps the tempo quick and somehow manages to fuzz up the riffage in doing so.

"Mass Psychosis" is another great example of artistic maturity in terms of musical creation as the riffs and licks unfold, intertwine, and engage the listener in complex constructs of distortion and metal bliss. "Tie One On", it's own unique construct, follows the same concepts as its predecessors with engaging and engrossing fuzz bomb variations and execution. The riffs are mighty, the vocals sprightly, and the song packaged tightly, creating supreme enjoyment in its low tuned magnificence.

The album closes with "Beyond the Ether". This one has traces of original Black Sabbath in it, at once sublime and endurable, etching deep channels of distortion and fuzz into the psyche of the listener. Deep, low, slow, tenuously restrained ethereal power escapes in measured doses as the song trips inexorably forward through the psychotic dark. A majestic ending to a memorable and magnificent dozen of stoner metal treasure.

There is no doubt this album can quickly be placed into a category for consideration of inclusion in Top 20 of 2013 lists. It stands out quickly and only rises in stature with each revelational revolution.





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SUPERCABRA - "DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN"

Band members:

Ben Action - Lead Guitar
Scott Free - Bass
T Perea - Lead, Rhythm Guitars
Gregg - Vocals; Lead, Rhythm Guitars
Clint Milmime - Drums

Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico and forming off the remnants of several local bands Supercabra have brought together an army of guitars ready to do Stoner and Retro Rock battle at the drop of an octave. Strap 'em on and buckle 'em in, 'cause you're in for an unforgettable ride through earth shattering sounds and mind blowing metal.

Supercabra have carved out a unique place for themselves in the underground world of stoner/retro/desert rock by providing a high level of quality, enhanced greatly by the army of guitars at their disposal, but also by the melody making gifts on display presumably by several, if not all, of the band members. The songs are diverse in nature in terms of the musical approach to the melodies, but they claim the same sublime splintery edge to each song.

One sound outside of music that comes close to the resplendent signatures of guitar fuzz and distortion is that of a finely tuned 'big block' engine unleashed on the road, roaring in all its glory as it moves through space in minimal time. Supercabra open their album with such a sound, which struck me as entirely apropos given the meaty, beefy tones shared between music and machine, especially this music by this metal machine. "Vanishing Point" has more of a spoken lyric than is typical for vocal execution, but the guitars are all unleashed on this song providing entry points in myriad locations for focus on enjoyable licks blasting and blistering their way in perfect unison while simultaneously following their own unique pathways. The blend is wondrous, just as each part is mesmerizing.

"Death B4 Minivan", a famous rallying cry for those yet to experience parenthood. Raucous and hormonal, the song generates loads of fun in its guitar onslaught. "Early Morning Red Dog Prayer" is more cautious in nature at the outset, but provides a gargantuan container of fuzz, perhaps in an attempt to mimic the thick rope of cobwebs described within the lyrics from a 'morning after' episode. The hair of the dog kicks in at solo time as the house must surely have caught fire from the screeching, scorching riff rendition. Dexterity and desire are on display during the meat of this lick stew melody, but the closing seconds is what really sets it apart as a singular tune as a ghostly, warbly vocal from somewhere out of the ether takes over and brings the song to a close. Whether it's a guest vocal, or whether someone in the band provides the eerie chants, it provides a memorable closing moment to a memorable melancholy melody.

"Drinking and Driving Man" is a distorted, raucous reincarnation of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen, fun, upbeat, and bursting with juicy goodness.

Next up is quite likely a song that will be adopted as personal themes for millions of pain sufferers in California, Colorado, and Washington. "Resin" is a haunting and melancholy trip through the trials and tribulations of dealing with resin buildup in various medicine delivery accoutrement. Oh the heartache!

The tempo kicks up in "The Warzone", a tight and structured romp of sonic dissonance levied via the mercenary axes of distortion and power employed by Supercabra's guitar cadre.

There is a plaintiff wail within "Las Vegas Ave." that cuts to the quick with it's sharpness in the midst of melancholic fuzz reminiscing and introversion.

Retro rock is the game on "Stolen Freedom", a song that sounds as if it came from the protest eras of the sixties, only with massive fuzz riffs, lively bass licks, and incredible drum rolls accompanying the crys for freedom.

"Grizzled Stoner Wizard" wins the award for best title, and quickly makes a case for best song to boot. Stoner riffs are displayed from the outset, upfront and vibrant, long and lustful. It's funky and fresh in tone, tripping through the wires, providing an incredible sound of unleashed fury and unremitting joy.

Supercabra close out with a cover of Black Sabbath's "Electric Funeral", superbly unfolding the fantastic tale in measured paces through the refrains while cutting loose during the blitzkrieg choruses of the classic metal standard that is highly regarded as one of the roots of stoner/doom rock, hence the tribute from this gifted and brilliant group of mighty stoner wizards.

"Down From the Mountain" is a superb stoner rock / heavy metal album, never settling for sub par execution on any of the included songs, delivering ten perfectly manufactured packages of fuzz tone.





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