Album Review: CLAN - "CARNIVORES"

Clan are a stoner rock band from Norwich, UK that exemplify the sound of the genre as well as any band of this century or the last. The mix of sound and style they are able to seamlessly incorporate into their music makes for something exciting, something quite fresh and new within perfectly executed familiar sounds. The fuzz packed riffs on every song are thickly sweet and mesmerizing. The vocals from front-man and lead guitarist Matt Pearce are singular, powerful, compelling, exotic, and provocative. Yes, they are that good and that unique.

Clan consist of:

Matt Pearce - vocals/guitar
Matt Rabong - bass
Ben Giller - drums

There are 9 songs and an intro on this full length album, so the achievement is commendable in that each track is an intricate, hooky, and memorable display of the band's tapestry of skill and endeavor. The melodies are fun and addictive, whether letting the power of Giller's stickwork course through the inner pathways of your neural system, or allowing the immense horsepower of Rabong's deep bass rhythm overwhelm your sensory presence, or thrilling to the double onslaught of Pearce's vocals and masterful riff-bringer guitar.

Clan bring a lot of old school mentality to their brand of hard rock by focusing first on melody before overlaying their well-crafted ditties with powerful, familiar stoner fuzz, which makes for great excitement on the first spin through the nine tracks, and immense enjoyment on each subsequent spin.

"Carnivore" comes out of the gate with a scorching intensity on the first full song, "Burning Bodies", setting the stage beautifully for what's to follow. The title track is an immense mammoth of sound and splendor as is it's follow on, "Jackal". "Haunt Your Ghost" and "Wolves" pummel through with relentless power and heft. "True Believer" is perhaps the bellwether track, the one that ignites immediate interest and excitement, leaving an indelible bruise of sweet darkness. "Sleep in Salt" showcases the brilliance of the rhythm duo of Rabong and Giller throughout the slightly melancholy and memorable melody. "White Spider" rivals "True Believer" as a signature track, one that radiates with special sweet, ebon melody brimming with dark fire and subterranean power.  "Blood of the Father" closes out this darkly shining gem of an album with the most haunting, slow burn song of the bunch, a viscous and succulent morsel that leaves you yearning for more before you're even done listening.

It's been three years since Clan have released an album, but the wait has been well worth it with this wonderful, witty, and addictive collection of great melodies and powerful stoner metal music.


bandcamp >>|<< facebook >>|<< soundcloud >>|<< youtube

QUICK HIT: SAUTRUS - "ANTHONY HILL"

Sautrus are a traditional 4 piece band consisting of one guitar, one bass, one drummer, and one vocalist. But that's where the traditional ends. They managed deserved notoriety in 2014 with the release of their second album "Reed", a magnificent blend of controlled stoner, doom, and psychedelic dynamite woven into their own signature sound. Now Sautrus are back with a new release, "Anthony Hill", and as with any follow up to success there is obvious pressure to match or surpass past accomplishments. Sautrus absolutely manages to deliver freshness with familiarity and boldness in this 7 track romp through soaring psychedelic brightness, subterranean doom rumblings, agile desert melodies, and stoner riffs of raw power, blending those traditional sounds into something lustrous, thick, and adamantian, every facet inducing carnal appetites for the syrupy black sweetness of their fuzzy machinations.

Hailing from Tricity of the Pomeranian region of northern Poland, Sautrus are perhaps on the brink of renown having now released three solid stoner/desert/doom/psychedelic rock albums of substantial heft, the latest of which is unsurpassed in quality, excitement, and potency.

bandcamp >>*<< facebook

NEW BAND TO BURN ONE TO: KUJARA

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

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

bandcamp >>|<< facebook >>|<< youtube

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

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

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

bandcamp >><< facebook >><< soundcloud >><< reverbnation >><< youtube >><< twitter

Album Review: Cybernetic Witch Cult - Troglodithic Trip

English rockers Cybernetic Witch Cult appear to be cruising comfortably at high speed right now, not only releasing albums in short order, but releasing albums of immense quality and gusto. There is a lot to love on each release and "Troglodithic Trip" is no exception to the rule. In fact it epitomizes the rule.

Band members are:

..Alex - Cosmic Narration & Fuzz dispenser..
..Kale - Undercurrent, Visual Wizardry & Secondary Narration..
..Lewis - Groovaceous Battery..

Right out of the gate the album launches a broadside of hefty stoner fuzz guitar grinding out an almost plodding track of force and focus leading up to perfectly matched scratchbox vocals on "Sagittarius A*". The tempo kicks up a half notch on the following "Astrogalactic Sprites" as the power kicks up tenfold, surrounded in a cold, dark slurry of haunting atmospheric oppression. "Cult of the Druid" is a dark and deep odyssey that plugs into your primal core with melodic runs, searing riffs, and scorching solos of psychedelic marvel.

The journey to this point has been a soul buttressing delight. But it's not over. Not by a long shot.

"Forbidden Fruit" is forceful, memorable, enjoyable, and loud. It's a rapturous hookfest of haunting ferocity. Brutal and bold, "Human" manages to turn a space opera into a low-tuned stoner tour de force, thrilling at every turn, delighting in every expression of instrument and voice.

The album closes out with the best song of the collection, "Tyrannosaurus Hex". It's a mammoth blast of ecstasy and amplification, of indelible melody, of three metal musicians from the warrior isles masterfully wielding their weapons, wreaking unyielding gratification, sparing no acolyte of these dark, fuzzy arts.

"Black magic teleport me,
Into its territory,
Send me back to a distant time.
Cretaceous Tyrant Lizard King
Come forth and hear my summoning.
Tyrannosaurus Hex will save the Earth,
Will save the Earth."

I love it.

bandcamp >><< facebook >><< website >><< youtube

QUICK HIT: Blackbird Hill - MIdday Moonlight (maxi)

May 5th is the official release date for Blackbird Hill's latest EP, "Midday Moonlight (maxi)", but the music is available for streaming a day early on their bandcamp page. This duo from Bordeaux, France are master blues rock craftsmen, expertly cobbling together powerful tunes of melodious amplification with their single guitar, single trap set, two voices, as well as a knack for engaging melodies and powerful hooks. Their songs range from haunting ballads to rip-roaring rockers, all supremely crafted and heartily delivered. If you listen today, hopefully you'll return tomorrow and download this gem of a collection.

bandcamp >><< facebook >><< instagram >><< website >><< twitter >><< youtube

New Band To Burn One To: Bautastor - Bautastor

Obscure, but incredible. Unheralded, but magnificent. Disbanded, yet eternal in legacy. This describes too many capable stoner/doom/psych/blues rock bands across the globe that vie for our attention and appreciation. Thank goodness for the interdubyas, granting us access to a trove of rich, delicious, riff laden, fuzz-dripping morsels of guitar driven greatness, regardless of any band's status post release.

Hailing from Sweden, an historical bastion of stoner rock greatness, Bautastor, a 4 piece group of gifted rockers have managed to release at least one album that has melded together the soulful sounds of blues rock, the crunchy, crackling riffs of stoner rock, the sweet melodies and hooks of the denizens of the desert, and the engaging, intricate psychedelic sounds of progressive rock. It's an album that clicks in all categories, pegs the needle on all capacities, and engages you in deep reveries of musical wonderment.

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DOUBLE TOKE: The Darts - Self-Titled LP / Mad Monkees - Self-Titled LP

I have 2 artists' works to share with you today, so this'll be two Quick Hits in one, which surely can be classified as a double toke, right? The theme today is a punky, garage-y, grungey assault with stoner rock fuzz bombs.



When I listen to The Darts I envision uber-slick rockers from somewhere in Britain, but these nimble rock warriors hail instead from Phoenix and Los Angeles. They display the full battery of stoner assault weaponry with a relentless bass, massive drums, and gargantuan guitar, blasting missiles of massive fuzz, but what sets them apart are the blitzkrieg of vocals from each of the four band members and the razor sharp melodies upon which the assault is laid. It's a formidable vehicle upon which is built an array of quality pieces, all of it erupting with heart and sweat and not a little bit of innate ability, making for music that is thoroughly pleasurable, deeply satisfying, and massively fun.

bandcamp ... facebook ... website

♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦



Hailing from Fortaleza, Brazil this band of four very special primates delivers a whopping load of fuzz and fun on their self-titled LP, released a year and a half after their self-titled EP. If you're coming across these high octane rockers for the first time then together the EP and LP offer up 14 roaring tracks of imaginative assonance, designed to be played in the loudest mode you can muster.

bandcamp ... facebook ... website ... reverbnation ... instagram ... youtube

♪☺♂☻◙•☼◘○♀♫♪☺♂☻◙•☼◘○♀♫♪☺♂☻◙•☼◘○♀♫♪☺♂☻◙•☼◘○♀♫♪☺♂☻◙•☼◘○♀♫♪☺♂☻◙•☼◘○♀♫♪☺♂

QUICK HIT: Carson- "Three Point Split"

This might not be what you would call standard stoner rock, but what is quite evident with this 4 song EP is that a meaty fuzz generator cranks out plenty of rough and ready riffage wrapped in and around some tasty melodies loaded with juicy hooks. Carson have managed to blend an alt-rock vibe with the power and satisfaction of edgy, crunchy riffs. This is the kind of music that keeps you spinning through the tracklist both to enjoy the sounds you know are there and to perchance discover any toothsome nuance not yet revealed.

"Three Point Split" comes on the heels of Carson's earlier 2017 LP release, "Drown the Witness", a 7 song power trip of wit and grit. So, all spun, this three-piece Swiss band have given us a memorable, fuzz-infused, melodic experience.

bandcamp || facebook || website 

Album Review: Larman Clamor - "Beyonder"

There are album cover artists out there in HeavyPlanet land that crank out beautiful covers for a myriad of Doom and Stoner metal bands and musicians, but one such artist, Alex von Wieding, none more abundantly known, finds the time in between wielding his incredible digital paintbrush to also lay down deep, dank ethereal delights of stoner blues tunes as well, in the guise of Larman Clamor, the moniker of this one man atmospheric blues fuzz machine.

The latest release by Larman Clamor, Beyonder, continues the artist's prolific trend of oozing smoggy blues riffs that slowly sheath the listener in thick tribal chords of indigo smoke, evoking the aroma of old leather and aged whiskey, and smoothly transporting you to a realm of peace and comfort, like old denim and well-worn cowhide.

Beyonder is chock full of 14 separate portals of smoldering warmth where von Wieding demonstrates his mastery of melody and one man band execution. The twangy fuzz rife on every track are time machine riffs of instant primal enrapture, a decadent drink of aged liquor, and the ensuing envelopment of insulated warmth.

This album is a skillful rendition of emotional analgesic, something to warm your bones while you work, relax, or play, a cushion against rigors and demons alike.

bandcamp || facebook || youtube || website || merch

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



bandcamp || facebook

Nuclear Dog's Triple Blast: Geezer, Wasted Theory, Mississippi Bones

The end of the year hurtles toward us at breakneck speed. 2016 has been a signature year in many respects, not the least of which are the numerous new EPs and LPs released by both known and unknown stoner/doom bands, many of them of exceptional quality. I'm sure someone will reflect back and say it wasn't a great year for new music. Poppycock! Get off my lawn! There has been so much great new music this year I will STRUGGLE, mightily, to narrow the releases down to a 'Best Of' list of any reasonable length. But that's a chore for another day. Today's task is simple, and fun. There are three amazing, astounding, outstanding, wonderful new LPs released one each in September, October, and November that I want to share with you. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present:

• Mississippi Bones - "2600 AD: And Other Astonishing Tales"
• Wasted Theory - "Defenders of the Riff"
• Geezer - "Geezer"

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Mississippi Bones - "2600 AD: And Other Astonishing Tales"



Fresh off a banner release in 2015, followed by a 2016 vinyl release that we reviewed recently on HeavyPlanet (Songs for the Rejects, Slackers, and Rabble-Rousers) Mississippi Bones add to their prolificacy by releasing another romp stomp LP with 2600 AD: And Other Astonishing Tales, 12 more songs that rattle and crash with incredible energy, enthusiasm, and elegance.

I will be the first person to point out my own shortcomings when it comes to understanding the mechanics of music. I am simply a fan of what I love, all of which begins with big guitar, and can only be enhanced with melody and great vocals. Mississippi Bones provides those three traits in spades. When I listen through this album I hear elements of Clutch, which makes this music quite exciting to me, but that is only the starting point for what they've created here. Music of this quality, at this rate of production, has to be a product of great musicianship from each member, and with six full members that equates to a product of tremendous content and caliber. Listening to this album is like being involved in a Fight Club brawl. There are a LOT of hard hitting, bruising punches, hammer-like blows to the head, and unseen, unpredictable, razor sharp strikes, all leaving you spent, exhausted, and keenly satisfied. The difference is there is no pain or discomfort involved in listening, just sheer raucous rock n roll pleasure, a fierceness of execution, and a keen sense of joy.

Hailing from Ada, Ohio, Missisippi Bones is comprised of the following members:

Jared Collins - Vocals
Dusty Donley - Guitars
Jason Miller - Drums
Derik Dunson - Guitars and Vocals
Jason Rector - Bass
Heather Collins - Vocals

Mississippi Bones make perfect use of multiple instrumentation on their music, and I count vocals as one of the instruments. The use of three perfectly attuned rock vocalists adds greatly to the depth and quality of their songs. The blending and meshing of guitars as well as harmonizing vocals makes for a super huge sound that envelopes you in sticky sweet warmth, while simultaneously providing crystal sharp individual runs and riffs that weave a heavy quilt of intensity, intrigue, and interest.

Mississippi Bones are not signed to a label, which is perplexing as hell. They are prolific and they are accomplished. I would think there would be huge interest in championing what they have to offer for quality hungry stoner/doom rock fans. The good news is their music is easily accessible and available in this high tech day and age.

bandcamp || facebook

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Wasted Theory - "Defenders of the Riff"



You want rough, tough, edgy, loud, and lewd on your plate of underground fuzz metal? Look no further than Wasted Theory and their new release "Defenders of the Riff". This band is one of hard work, grit in your craw, grit in your hand cleaner, of big bore engines and steel-toed boots, of backyard barbecue over fluid and coal, of well worn jeans and righteous facial hair, of All American ass kickin' in whatever way needs kickin'.

I follow the awesome album cover artist Alex von Wieding, who has created dozens of incredible fantasy pieces for metal bands around the world. He happened to mention how the music behind one of his latest album covers was contagious in effect and humongous in scope. That album was "Defenders of the Riff", which you can tell by the artwork above was a great inspiration to von Wieding's vision for the album cover, an extraordinary work of art for a remarkable collection of rocket-fueled retro blues rock n roll.

Hailing from the great states of Maryland and Delaware, Wasted Theory are:

Larry Jackson, Jr. - Vocals, Lead Guitar
Brendan Burns - Drums
Dave McMahon - Rhythm Guitar
Rob Michael - Bass

Just the song titles alone are enough to get your juices flowing with handles like "Get Loud or Get Fucked", "Belly Fulla Whiskey", and "Throttlecock" to name a few. The music behind those titles are big gauge buckshot blasts of big boulder stoner blues, without a doubt. All of the music on this album is a romping good time, with upbeat tempos driven by mangy riffs, decibel heavy, low tuned rhythm, and one sweet gravelly voiced front-man deftly leading the way. The music gives an aura of rawness, but is thoroughly grounded in melodies that immediately cut to the listener's primal core, carving deeply chiseled niches that will have you constantly playing the songs in your head long after you have had to plug in for a re-charge.

bandcamp || facebook


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Geezer - "Geezer"



If you ever want to study a band that is the absolute epitome of stoner rock then look no further than Geezer. While they don't stand alone in this category, they certainly stand at the top of the hill, a hill that they've worked hard to surmount. There are no tricks, no gimmicks, no shortcuts to their music, just good old fashioned heart and hard work laid over tremedous talent and uncanny ability. This has rendered a deeply beautiful collection of fuzz and grit on their latest release, the self-titled "Geezer", on both the Ripple (digital/CD) and STB Records (vinyl) labels, their fourth overall.

Hailing from Kingston, New York, band members include:

Pat Harrington - Guitar, Vocals
Richie Touseull - Bass
Chris Turco - Drums

There are two huge hallmarks of Geezer's music that immediately pull you in when you first hear them, the huge presence of wire melting FUZZ, which I love, and Harrington's equally fuzzy, gritty vocals. He has a quality that is perfectly suited to this style of heavy metal, full of metal shards and crunching concrete, but also crystal clear and athletic in range, a rarity among vocalists in a genre that too often relies on yelling more than singing.

But the goodies don't stop there. Behind the fuzz, of course, are the guitar and bass of Harrington and Touseull, but not before you are treated to the heart pounding stickwork of Turco to kick it all off and keep the music grounded in primal flow. There is absolutely nothing straightforward about what they do as they explore an exciting and enticing variety of sounds, tempos, emotions, and sensations on their intricately beautiful riffs and eloquent runs. This album ranges from darkly haunting as on "Sun Gods", and sweetly melancholy on "Dust", to jump jiving blues rock boogie on "Superjam Maximus", with mind and soul bending psychedelic carpet rides, such as those featured on "Bi-Polar Vortex" and woven throughout.

bandcamp(Ripple) || facebook || bandcamp

Album Review: Ruff Majik - "The Fox"

Whew! Where are my asbestos gloves? This album is HOT!! Searing through the ionosphere from Pretoria, South Africa, screaming towards us cloaked in fuzz stuffed riffs, raucous runs, and joyous melody comes the latest release by one of Stoner Rock's new breed of jam masters, Ruff Majik. "The Fox" delivers six fibrous, rollicking delicacies of amplified fuzz close on the heels of their 2015 offering of "The Bear", itself bursting forth with six jagged metal edges of sharp and smoky stoner standards.

Ruff Majik are comprised of:

Johni Holliday - Guitars, vocals, and narratives
Benni Manchino - Drums and narratives
Jimi Glass - Bass guitar

As an EP of six, "The Fox" has little room and little time to waste in solidifying a sound that will attract the ear of discerning stonerheads. I can safely and securely report they have been quite successful in utilizing every bit, every note, every riff, every run, every song on this astounding release.

"King of the Badgers"  This opening track begins with what would appear to be a setup for a psychedelic riff trip, but before the initial minute has closed the band has unleashed fuzzy hell on our senses, and all out distortion through melodic amplification. Fittingly, Glass's bass begins the riffslaught, followed closely by Holiday's dextrous riff-fire and then Manchino's undertow of power. The tenor of the song is pure stoner bliss, with low tuned distortion and filtered fierceness throughout, before closing on a short, melancholy acoustic coda.

"Wax Wizard" begins with heads tilted simultaneously to the sky at the gargantuan sound and straight downward to the dark abyss of low tuned stoner perfection. This song is deliberate, dank, and darkly determined in its steady onslaught of hammer blows and husky sound detonations.

Third in line is "Canned Fruit Bats", which utilizes a very cool opening couple of minutes. The fidelity at the outset is low, simple, and melodically beautiful, almost as if being played through your portable hi-fi at the beach back in the day. But very cool soon gives way to awesome. Awesome in scope, delivery, and emotion. The band's now customary onslaught begins with, and sustains an up-tempo flow of fuzzy chords and dusty laser riffs wrapped in a vocal and lyrical masterstroke. This song is a treasure.

"Sodoom and Gomorah" is a dirge of dark delight, gloomy and certain in its trudging tempo through melodic muck before revving up its outboard amplifiers to cut a quick and deadly swath toward its riff laden conclusion.

Opening with a poetic reading that is a prelude to what's to come is "Coffin Dragger", another beautifully crafted up-tempo onslaught of fuzz and distortion in the same vein Ruff Majik have perfectly established to this point, but offering up something new and immensely compelling, burying your experience deep into exquisite riffs of bass, string, and skin.

The closer is an emotional ride told in two parts, each equally adept at portraying the darkness of emotion and loss. "Royal Forest" is a beautifully haunting tale, perfectly accentuated through low wailing riffs and woeful vocals.

bandcamp || facebook || documentary

Album Review: Slumber Dust - "Slumber Dust"

Fuzz, beautiful fuzz. It's what rock music these days in the mainstream is missing more than anything, it seems to me. The seeming reckless unleashing of the guitar in wonderful variation makes for beautiful metal musical constructs, vehicles of dank, dusk, and gloom that exhilarate and soar, deftly gliding through gritty, grimy filters of string and skin . We call it stoner, desert, doom, and sludge. It began in earnest as a genre in the 90s and exploded in that first fertile decade of the new century. And so now it forcefully powers through its third decade, hurtling fiercely toward a fourth, as strong as ever, witnessed by the massive number of artists and albums releasing new music almost daily on a worldwide scale. A hallmark of this ever awesome underground reverie is the subject of today's review, Slumber Dust, hailing just a stone throw from Buffalo, across the border in Saint Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Slumber Dust are a three piece faction of foot stomping, ass grinding metal rockers who bring an essential musical, metal deference to their brand of stoner rock and their initial self titled EP release.

At the time of recording, Slumber Dust were comprised of 3 members:

Geoff Graham - Vocals, and Guitar
Mike Manseau - Bass
Chance Watt - Drums

But the early history of the band was that of Geoff writing and playing songs with Kevin King, who can be heard on the underground recording of "Saturn's Basement" that is comprised of two of their songs, and seen in the accompanying video below. Well before Slumber Dust were able to properly record the album in a studio, Kevin passed away. Undaunted, Geoff formed the three piece named above and engineered the EP's recording and release on BandCamp.

Since the release of "Slumber Dust", Chance has been replaced with Eric James, and the new three piece arrangement are hard at work on 8 new monstrous tracks for their second release.

The EP opens with "The Last Starfighter", which quickly establishes the wealth of gifts these three Canadian lads have on offer. Guitar, bass, and drums are all immediately established with a clamor and commotion of fuzz galore. Following not long after are Geoff's vocals, a perfect complement to the underlying undulations. The song is heady, steady, and huge, with a persistent one two punch of rhythm that soon gives way to a mind bending instrumental stretch.

The tempo is tightened on "Angels", crunching and crackling with a blue spark of elecrtricity. "Pryamids" follows with a stoner huzzah, brandishing an engorged feast of melodic fuzz. This song will be on my 2016 mix, and beyond, as one of special quality.

"Samadhi" continues the established trend with huge and hungry guitar leading the way through a fun and original melody, this one with an exquisite haunting quality that flashes into your consciousness immediately, staying long after. "Ksitigarbha" is a sloshing, slogging doomcast of dark and dangerous undertones, leading perfectly into the finale, "Bad Karma", which again establishes Slumber Dust's keenness for melody wrapped in heavy, syrupy blankets of muddy fuzz.

I've been quick to note the guitar work and outstanding vocals of frontman Geoff Graham, but equally gifted and energetic on this album are both Mike Manseau's bass and Chance Watt's drums. Mike makes the bass soar under the reedy landscape of melody with his own expert riffs of low bliss. Chance's drums are simply fun incarnate, never taking a backseat to the renown of riff or lead of vocal, while complementing both.

Slumber Dust are a young band, just getting started on their long, musical assault of stoner riches. We look forward to what they have in store for us in the future.



bandcamp || facebook || soundcloud

Album Review: Black Water - Edison's Elephant

Hailing from Brooklyn.....or?.....and?.....Phoenix by way of Rocky Mount, Virginia, Black Water ply their trade mostly in 'Indie' waters, I suppose, but their style and energy fit in perfectly with the low tuned, melodic stonersphere of desert rock, bringing just enough familiarity with their unique style to render their loud and lascivious brand of rock at once familiar and fresh.


You won't learn much about this foursome from their Facebook page, or any other digital domain, beyond the bandmember's names: Travis Prillaman, James Taylor, Cody Webb, and Caleb Fuller. But fire up "Edison's Elephant" on your favorite digital music player and you'll likely learn all you want to know about what they have to offer in the way of high energy, bluesy, rioting rock riffage. Black Water's music doesn't stray far from what you love about guitar heavy rock, displaying hefty homage to blues and blues rock at its best from eras past and present. The guitar on this album is like a superweapon of some sort, blasting out incomprehensible sound that manages to simultaneously shock and satisfy. It's wrapped around and threaded through ultra luscious rhythms in the presence of one badass drummer and an equally muscular bass player. At the vanguard of this otic onslaught are the perfectly matched vocals, while at its core are emotionally charged melodies of intelligent structure.


The songs on this album are the crowning achievement. A case could be made for each as 'best of', and each spin through the tracklist yields a new appreciation of one or two in the form of new found enjoyment of bridge or riff, etc. "Tarantula" is a haunting delight. "Blueser" is my candidate for best song in a strong, strong field of melodies as it borrows heavily from blues rock tradition and delivers mightily in Black Water's primal rendition. "Stutter" is unique in style and display, presenting a fresh, exciting experience. "Flying", also, is not a too common exhibition with it's drum heavy melody, funky guitar, and impassioned vocals.

bandcamp / facebook

Song of the Day-Ape Machine-"Under This Face"

"Under This Face" is taken off of the upcoming new album "Coalition of the Unwilling" due out soon on Heavy Psych Sounds. This is a straight-forward rocker that represents the band in all aspects. Heavy, fuzzed-out riff-driven freak out with brawny vocals, rampant drumming, odd time signatures and ear-grabbing melody. Love this band!  For more information, please check out the following links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Pre-sale

Album Review: Miss Lava - "Red Supergiant"

MISS LAVA - "RED SUPERGIANT"

After a scorching 2012 in which Small Stone Records had released well over a dozen new albums from their superstar stable of rockers, 2013 has started off a bit more slowly, until now that is. New signing Miss Lava is on the verge of releasing their second full length album, and first on the Small Stone label, "Red Supergiant". This album should become an instant classic in the stoner rock world, filled to the gills with eleven finely crafted throwdowns that epitomize quality metal music.

Miss Lava hails from Portugal, a country not necessarily known for its stoner rock breeding grounds but one that might surprise you with the community of low tuned metalheads rocking to the rumble and roar of real rock, with Miss Lava undoubtedly leading the way. In fact, the sound this quartet of talented torchmongers have crafted for "Red Supergiant" is top shelf incredible, blending the best of low tuned mega riffs, scorching solos, booming bass undercurrents, and memorable hook laden melodies. These gatos maniaco know how to both forge music of the finest craftsmanship, as well as to execute their handiwork in a display of impeccable showmanship. To top it off, out of eleven songs on the album, these rockers have managed to craft more than a few, or even a handful, of high caliber numbers, creating a full contingent of mouth watering exploits to be regularly and thoroughly enjoyed.

Band members:

Johnny Lee - Vocals
K. Raffah - Guitars
S. Rebelo - Bass
J. Garcia - Drums

While Miss Lava do not, in any way, sound like some sort of Kyuss cover band, the sound they have crafted is of a similar type, one that blends perfectly the heavy rumble and roar of classic stoner sounds with clever musicianship exemplified by striking melodies and memorable hooks. To top it all off they have managed to bat a perfect .1000 on "Red Supergiant" by including eleven songs in which each stands on its own as a beacon of rock quality.

The album opens with "Desert Mind", immediately demonstrating their penchant for both the rumble and roar of mega riffs from guitar and bass while vocalist Johnny Lee leads the way on melody and memories. "Lay Down"  and "Feel My Grace" keep the tempo at a brisk pace, putting those growling guitar riffs through their paces. The overarching tone on "Ride" is more somber than its predecessors as the stoner sound comes through in a huge way. "Crawl", too, creates a dire atmosphere of smoke and darkness permeated by distant thunder. One of the most poignant, well crafted, and memorable songs comes in the form of "Hole to China". The tempo picks back up in a big way with "Catch the Fire" a romp of monstrous proportions. "Murder of Crows" and "Motel Neon" blast and bomb away with a force of joyous fury, while "Yesterday's Gone" deals another haunting jaunt through bog and mire. The closer is the title track "Red Supergiant", which wastes no time in proving worthy of the gargantuan moniker by dealing out mammoth licks that grow in intensity as it builds to the inevitable climax to song and album.

Small Stone Records has a knack for finding quality bands and sharing their tunes with those of us that enjoy the lower, richer end of the metal sound, but also enjoy quality melodies and memorable stretches of music. Miss Lava are a welcome addition just as "Red Supergiant" is a welcome rendition.





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