LP Review - 'Sermonize' by Isaak + Interview

Italian stoner-rockers Isaak are back with their latest record 'Sermonize', the follow up to 'The Longer The Beard The Harder The Sound' released in 2013. The album is being released by both Heavy Psyche Sounds on vinyl, and on CD early 2016 by Small Stone Records.

I managed to catch up with drummer Andre, and ask him a few questions about the new record...


It’s been two years since the first Isaak album - what can fans expect from the new record?

They should expect something new! We tried to merge our souls, lives and passions into this record, cause we needed to leave a message as a representation of Isaak. Sermonize fully represent us, also as a live band: it’s authentic and sincere. We can say that we are growing up, day by day, like a human being; we are evolving, our sound is evolving and we are constantly looking for new forms of expression. We are tied to our roots (the Kyuss cover is an evidence) but we love to experiment and risk on a genre, stoner rock, which sometimes could be very self-referring. This is what our beloved fans should expect: the desire to listen the same track tons of time and always find something unexpected!


The new album, Sermonize - can you tell us a bit about the choice of title?

Sermonize literally means: to preach, talk moralistically. The title is tightly connected with the lyrics of the album, which deeply sum up the personal life experience of every band member. The record speaks about loss, pain, passion, sacrifice, change and the necessity to find ourselves. We moved to a heavier sound texture, leaving (at least for this record) our lysergic stamp just to express these concept better, as a rant to the world. Curiosity: the previous title was “Prayers For The Tightrope Walker”!


How was the writing/recording process for this album, compared to 'The Longer The Beard...'? 

The writing process always start with a guitar riff brought by our riff machine Scazzi (Francesco, guitarist), then together we think about how to complete it with the proper intention; there are not such differences from “The Longer..”, basically we have different ideas and inspirations and more maturity to turn them into a more personal and harmonic style.


Richey Beckett contributed to the album artwork - how did you get to work with him?

We all are huge fans of Richey, we do love his works and we always thought about a collaboration; basically we dropped him a line proposing our idea and including some of the new tracks and he made the artwork painting, then our brother SoloMacello created the layout! That’s it!


You guys are from Genova, Italy - how is the stoner rock scene in Italy right now?

The Italian stoner rock scene is growing up strong and bearded! There are many cool bands (as JussiPussi, Humulus, Glory Owl and more) which are contributing to create the awareness that our scene is every bit as good as the American one!


What are the bands/artists that inspire you to make music in Isaak?

We all have different musical tastes and inspirations: Scazzi (Guitars) is more on Death Metal (Carcass, Slayer, Obituary), Gigi (Vocals) prefers more classic rock (Mark Lanegan, Tom Waits), Gabri (Bass) is a grunge lover (Nirvana, Pearl Jam) and Andre (Drums) is a musical whore cause everything could be his cup of tea, from post rock (Vanessa Van Basten) to hip-hop, to Beyonce or Wolves In The Throne Room. But of course we all agree when we talking about Torche, Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Baroness, Mastodon, Entombed, Screaming J Hawkins.. who wouldn’t be!


How would you convince someone who’s never heard your music to check out Sermonize?

Cause Sermonize is the album with the raddest artwork in the world! Ahahaha!


What are the band's plans for 2016? Any tours or festivals planned?

We’ll tour around Europe in March 2016 to promote the album, thanks to HeavyPsychSound; but don’t forget that on February SmallStone Records will release the cd version of Sermonize!


If you could sum up Isaak with three words, what would they be?

Well… Kyuss on steroids!!!



'Sermonize' is packed to the brim with hard-rocking bangers, perforated with grooving riffs and the distinct growls and howls of vocalist Gigi. Like a convertible cruiser in the desert, it races towards its destination with very little let-up, burning rubber all the way. Tracks like 'The Peak' and 'Almonds & Glasses', have the pedal flat down to the metal, which provide a perfect foil for the more exploratory jams like 'Lucifer's Road' and 'The Phil's Theorem'.

The desert-scene influence on Isaak is fully evident, not least with the cover of 'Yeah'! The vocals have a John Garcia laid back swagger, but the overall vibe here is less expansive and psychedelic and way more in your face, up tempo and to-the-point. And that's no bad thing, these guys know how to write a 4 minute smash and grab!

For me, this new record is a real step forward in the evolution of Isaak, having followed their progression since their former life as Ghandi's Gunn. The sound is heavier, more considered, and the song-writing steps away from Kyuss-worship enough to solidify the band's identity as their own. Also a quick mention to the awesome artwork too... such a stunning piece by Richey Beckett.

2016 could be a big year for these dudes!

Follow the band here - Bandcamp | Facebook

LP Review: Throneless - 'Throneless'

Sweden - a hot-bed of doom metal - have spawned another band determined to deliver monolithic slabs of heavy. Throneless, a 3-piece who hail from Malmö, are the latest signing by Italian imprint Heavy Psyche Sounds whose roster includes Black Rainbows, Karma To Burn & Ape Machine. Their self-titled debut recorded by the band themselves features 4 tracks of slow BPM, head-banging, down-tuned drones, that leaves you hypnotised and beaten into submission by the sheer power of their sound. 

Sonically, Throneless here sound fucking huge and you’d be mistaken to think this is a three guitar attack, with such dense, chewy fuzz and layered guitars. There’s a great organic ‘live' feel to the record too which puts you inside the room with the band, most probably alone, and in the dark... 

They’ve captured a real brooding menace that seeps its presence across every track, epitomised by the distant howls of the vocals. Like a long, dark, cold Scandinavian winter, there’s a gloomy shadow which casts long over this record. There are moments when I wanted to hear a bit more of the drop-out parts where the clean sounds build again to drown you in a huge wave of sound, but that’s a minor quibble. 

This is a solid debut which will earn Throneless fans into the likes of Ufomammut, Bongripper, Conan and Yob, and offers enough to suggest that they will explore new ground in the future for the genre. But it can’t get any heavier than this, can it...? 

Throneless are:

Johan Burman - drums

Johan Sundén - guitar

Patrik Sundberg - bass

Check them on Facebook | Bandcamp

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gentleman's Pistols - Facebook

LP Review: 'High Country' by The Sword

Almost a decade since their revered debut ‘Age Of Winters’ (2006), The Sword return with their fifth record ‘High Country’. And if you’re like me and have followed the band’s sonic evolution over the years, their latest offering feels less like progression and more like full-blown reinvention. Throughout their career, The Sword have fed their brand of stoner rock to the masses, acting like a gateway to any number of stoner acts covered on this very site. But forget whatever preconceptions you have about this band. It doesn’t apply here. This is The Sword boldly stepping out from the shadows of their former selves.

Still ever-present are vocalist’s John Cronise signature melodies and mythological lyrics, but instead of being low in the mix as on previous records, here they shine through with confidence. With ‘Empty Temples’ Cronise is reminiscent of Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott, and there are more harmonies on show throughout the record than ever before, giving ‘High Country’ a genuine classic rock feel. Halfway in, the band's experimental horizons impress with synthesizers on the spaced-out interludes of ‘Agartha’, and ’Seriously Mysterious’. Perhaps the biggest departure from previous material are the guitar sounds... Cleaner and brighter, they’ve also moved up from drop C delivering a more vintage sound, akin to fellow Texan's ZZ Top.

Highlights include the slinky meandering southern groove of ‘Mist & Shadows’ (probably the track most similar to their back catalogue), foot-tapper and album opener ‘Empty Temples’ and the thrashy headbanger ’Suffer No Fools’.

With ‘High Country’ The Sword have embraced their classic rock influences with both hands, and shed their stoner-doom skin almost entirely. Whilst the more narrow-minded of fans may need a few spins to get onboard with ‘High Country’, The Sword effortlessly remind us of the roots of heavy music and we thank them for it.

Have a listen to ‘High Country’ below and let me know what you think...




Check out the band's Website | Facebook

EP Review: ‘Cold’ by OHHMS

Covered with bruises must be the arms of the quintet that make up OHHMS, from continuous pinching injuries sustained during their first 12 months of existence. All part of the plan, no doubt. Having been picked up by Holy Roar Records after hearing their demo, to releasing their debut EP ‘Bloom’ in 2014, festival appearances at Temples, Arc Tan Gent, Fear and Hevy, plus shows with Conan, Earthmass and Slabdragger, they’ve also found time to record their follow-up EP ‘Cold’.

Describing themselves as "Progressive. Doom. Slow. Noise. Animal. Rights.” ‘Cold’ delivers two meandering beast-like tracks of heavy progressive doom over 30-odd minutes. First up is ‘The Anchor’, which highlights the band’s boundless creativity, opening with a slow atmospheric intro with bold work from vocalist Paul Waller, to an expansive heavy middle section with guitars and drums in unison, through to a fuzzed-out closing in homage to 70’s psychedelia. ‘You can’t sink us’ is the roar, and on this evidence I’m not one to argue.  

Right... onto track 2. ‘Dawn of the Swarm’ picks up from where ‘The Anchor’ ends. From a dream-like Pink Floydian intro, the track builds to an instrumented assault of riffs and vocals, to suddenly disperse leaving you feeling like you’ve been pushed off a cliff... Only to feel saved, bashed about a bit and redeemed before the track ends. Once again OHHMS are bending conventions with their prog-like mentality packaged in a shiny doom wrapper. 

‘Cold' is like a sonic wormhole, you never know where you're going to arrive at next. And that's what’s captivating. OHHMS are on a mission to expand your mind and keep you guessing every step of the way. And their song-craft and creativity will ensure they continue to carve their own path, and separate themselves from their often one-dimensional peers.

Follow the band - Facebook | Bandcamp

Check out ‘Cold’ below: