maandag 18 maart 2024

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…


Scorched Oak
Creature With The Atom Brain
Peuk
Hypnosaur
Stygian Crown
Abrams
Pumping Flamingo
Shotgun Valium
Vitskär Süden
Full Tone Generator

G'mornin! A new week has started! And we get to do another Full Album Premiere this Thursday! So, better check in this Thursday right?! Did you check out that Sons Of Morpheus album Fruits? I hope you did. Cause it’s a diesel blues rocking stoner gem and you can read more ab out it HERE. That Sixteentimes Music label has some damn fine releases every year. You might want to check out the entire catalogue in fact, it’s bordering on the insane, the amount of quality there. We also did a Single Premiere for Elk Witch, Ghost Of The Lupatia has a beautiful video and musically it heralds the coming of that amazing Azimuth album out April 12 on Majestic Mountain Records. We talked about the new Chelsea Wolfe and Dekonstruktor and did a Quick Fire Friday session besides getting the February Peroration Post up for the Doom Charts. And just yesterday, on Sunday we talked about that crazy eighties loving Hypnosaur release. I know we could and should do better, but on average, I’d say, not a bad week all in all. Let’s hope we can do at least as much in the upcoming week. Check out those posts from last week if you haven't and check out those amazing albums we listened to the most last week!Enjoy!

zondag 17 maart 2024

Hypnosaur – Undead Invaders Born To Die In A Maze

 

 

Hypnosaur – Undead Invaders Born To Die In A Maze
Self-released – 2024
Rock, Metal, Pop, Glam, Seventies
Rated: ****

According to all leading paleontologists, dinosaurs went extinct some 65 million years ago after living on earth for 165 million years, give or take a few days. But after listening to the new four-track release called Undead Invaders Born To Die In A Maze you can safely assume that there was at least one still alive in the eighties and still very much alive today! It’s the Hypnosaur! And we’ve been following that telekinetic wonder lizard ever since hearing its damn amazing Doomsday album back in 2023. The sound of that record which implored a lot of Ghost touches, glam metal and other wonderful eighties influences is still present on the new release Undead Invaders Born To Die In A Maze. This time however we hear it on opening track Undead to some extent, which uses chilling guttural crocodile vocals to get its message across. Turning into operatic sequence here and there and becoming highly catchy and poppy during the refrains and whenever they are building towards them. It is also very very very present on third track Born To Die, with its Dracula toned keywork, and a vocalist that stretches every part of his range and ability. Hooks a plenty and lovely guitarwork, and all of that is secondary to that majestic keyboard sound. Haunting, yet o’ so lovely and very hypnotic! Every song title is part of the four track EP Title, for the translation for Inwazja z Plutona is Invaders From Pluto. That’s right, second track, first single and cover from the band Kombi, Inwazja z Plutona, is the Invaders part of the title and was mentioned on the HiVe back in December and misses that Ghost touch but substitutes that for some delicious stonerized eighties synth-pop. A voice eerily resembling the original vocalist and an infectious rhythm will have you searching for your dancing shoes in no time. But before you get your groove on, it’s time to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and I am all out of gum. The Maze ends this EP with a few momentary vocal touchstones that remind of something more eighties postpunk related before going forth with the eighties metal schematics. Musically so light-footed, lyrically so dark. Musically energetic and uplifting, as much as the classic rock from yore, with all instruments in service of the vocals, which translate so much of those dark lyrics into a rainbow colored labyrinth. And those drums, wicked! O’ and don’t be afraid to check out their videos on YouTube, ranging from amazing to hilarious, to boldly showing off their musical ability, and their stunning good looks, the Hypnosaur four know how to work the camera! And specially check out The Maze! Shot in honor of all those great classic Wolfenstein, Duke Nukem and Doom games… Mein leben! Indeed, the Hypnosaur has humor, got style, a lot of eighties love and the ability to turn it all into a kaleidoscopic catchy rock diamond!  


(Written by JK)




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vrijdag 15 maart 2024

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

 


Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Is that the first Quick Fire Friday of 2024? It seems so! We haven’t done one since December before the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown of 2023 started. That’s like, three months ago! Yikes! Well, we’re here now. And ready to spread the good word on a truckload of heavy releases! We usually mention singles and EP’s, but sometimes an older album as well! And you know why we do this. Because there is so unbelievable much of great music out there and we can not mention everything. The small thing we can do of course, is another Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday round! A small amount of words to get the good word out! The good word about something heavy and something cool! Check it out below… And we know… There is so much out there, so much good and heavy stuff, and we just simply cannot ever do it all justice. But here it is… Another Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday! And it burns hot like molten lava!



Stash - The Rojo Tapes

Fourpiece Stash delivered their first album called Through Rose Coloured Glasses in September 2022 and re-released five of those tracks almost exactly a year later with an EP called The Rojo Tapes. Not completely sure why they did that, cause the versions are exactly the same. But, they’re damn fine and could use the extra attention! Five gritty and burly stoner metal and sludge metal tracks. A touch of southern, a load of metal and an almighty groove! Dig in to that Stash!


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Sons of Arrakis – Scattering

Back in 2022 they released their Volume I album and it ended up on Number 18 of the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown of 2022 according to all your votes. We’re talking about Sons Of Arrakis and they are about to release a new album called Volume II on that fine label called Black Throne Productions. Now, I know, the single has been out for a few weeks. But we find it irresistible and reckon everyone should have Scattering on repeat. Please let me know if you feel the same! And if you think they might get more views now thanks to all the attention for the Dune movies? Let's hope so, cause they deserve to be heard by one and all...


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MaidaVale – Faces (Where is life)

Another single that was released a week or two ago, Faces (Where is life) by Swedish quartet MaidaVale. Switching from The Sign Records to Silver Dagger Records for their new, third album Sun Dog the sound took on an even sunnier, world music and afrobeat vibe. Especially on this first single. And on May 3rd you will get to hear the rest of Sun Dog, and their still entirely groovy take on psychedelia, krautrock and that seventies vibe! It’s all happening!


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Hollow Leg – Poison Bite

This single slash video was released, Yesterday! We’re referring to Poison Bite by the Florida four called Hollow Leg. It’s the lead single for their new release coming up May 3rd called Dust. And we can be sure it will be filled with more gnarly doom and brutish sludge. That doom groove, that massif tone and that unending nod. Get bit!


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Hydra – Into The Night

It’s been out a week! The new three song EP by the Polish four called Hydra. Doom metal, stonerrock, sludge and roll and with such a majestic groove that you will be headbanging as that very first break commences and that groove starts and after that, you are hooked and won’t stop banging along! And then the vocals kick in, immediately taking it into proto and classic heavy metal territory. Out on Piranha Music, the three tracks on Into The Night are pure glittering metal gold!


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Cannabus – Desert Trip

Out… TODAY! The new Desert Trip single by the stoner rock band from Welland, Ontario, Canada called Cannabus! It’s the lead single for their new EP called Other Side arriving April 19th and it’s a scorcher! Once again on that crazy Black Throne Productions label, the new single sports all that seventies guitar work, laced with stonerrock and rolled up into a blues groove. Majestic is an understatement! And did we mention we love all their artwork?


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Iron Jinn – Truth Is Your Dagger (Live At Roadburn)

We already mentioned the first single from the soon to be released Iron Jinn live album. Lick It Or Kick It kicked the door open for that Live At Roadburn album that will arrive through Lay Bare Recordings on April 5th. And to show you more, they released Truth Is Your Dagger a week or two ago as well. It was the first time they jammed it in this particular version… “…way and it just clicked. Special guest on keys Jarno Van Es (since this show a full band member) adds a big scoop of 'Bitches Brew' and he and Oeds dive into some minimal territories evoking a somewhat heavier Steve Reich, since then we dubbed it 'Reich & Roll.' It's moments like these why we believe this record needs to be out there.” As Wout Kemkens stated…


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Redstone – Immortal

And we end this Quick Fire Friday segment with a serious stoner metal kick in the nuts! Out since March 8th, the second EP by French quintet Redstone! Immortal is metal, stoner metal, sludge tones and a few of these more atmospheric passages and more metal, and even a bit of progressive meandering. Immortal sports five tracks and all five have this fierce and feral attitude. Savage, and yes, a whole lot of attitude!  


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donderdag 14 maart 2024

Single premiere - Elk Witch - Ghost of The Lupatia

 

 

Single premiere - Elk Witch - Ghost of The Lupatia

We were honored to bring you a full album premiere this morning, but that’s not enough for this Thursday. Nope, there’s more! And so, we invite you all for another premiere right now, this very evening! It’s the new single and video Ghost of The Lupatia by the Medford, Oregon three called Elk Witch. It’s the second single for their new album Azimuth which will be released through Majestic Mountain Records on April 12. We’re equally grateful to be able to present this wild rocker to you all. A gorgeous video to accompany their mountainous metal and shimmering stonerrock, a song that carries with it, a very own atmosphere and setting, expressive and emotive. And so does the video. I love dogs.






Deven Andersen, vocalist and guitarist of Elk Witch, comments:

Ghosts of the Lupatia was written after our bass player Darren Wostenberg came in with the idea about this specific shipwreck that occurred in the 1800’s off the coast of Oregon, a tragedy that claimed the lives of the entire crew. The area is a part of the “Graveyard of the Pacific” and is known for shipwrecks and watery deaths. It’s shrouded in ghostly legends of phantom ships and lifeboats emerging from the dark mists. In the 1800’s death was closer for those who ventured to the edges of the known world and people died much younger. We wanted to try capture that vibe with this song.”


 About the album:

Azimuth is a natural progression from our first album, pushing the ingredients of those songs into a more refined and diverse selection of songs. This time around, we're delving into broader subject matters that extend beyond the earthly realms, exploring both the past and the future of existence. The title 'Azimuth' felt like the perfect fit, symbolizing direction and serving as the compass that guided us through the album's creation. In terms of sound, we aimed to obtain a sound that was operating at higher sonic level while also achieving clarity but retaining the core sound we have developed. Recording was a process, we spent 20 days tracking and 45 days mixing, with a significant time spent building in some additional underlying layers. Our goal was to enhance the production value compared to our last album, all while staying consistent with delivering original hand-painted artwork for the album cover. We hope all this comes through in finished record.”


Track list:

SIDE A:
Dead Silence – 4:59
Azimuth– 6:00
Liminal Space – 1:32
Empyrean – 5:35

SIDE B:
Vortex – 2:41
Universe 25 – 3:23
Space Drift – 4:01
Ghosts of the Lupatia – 5:05
Goddess of Winter – 4:36

Credits:

Deven Andersen ~ Guitar / Vocals
Darren Wostenberg ~ Bass
Joe Coitus ~ Drums
Produced by: Elk Witch
Engineered by: Deven Andersen
Mixed by: Deven Andersen
Recorded & Mixed at Vortex Studios – Central Point, Oregon
Mastered by: Dan Coutant at Sun Room Audio – New Windsor, New York @srmmastering
Album Cover: Adam Burke @nightjarillustration
Gatefold Images: @Nibera and @Jadoarts
Gatefold Layout & Graphics: Deven Andersen

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Full Album Premiere – Sons Of Morpheus – Fruits

 

 

Full Album Premiere – Sons Of Morpheus – Fruits

As we already mentioned yesterday, we’re honored to bring to you the full album premiere for Fruits, by the three amigos from Switzerland called Sons Of Morpheus. Out on that damn cool Sixteentimes Music label, this album arrives on the year of their tenth anniversary as a band. A full screed of praise was published yesterday, which you can read HERE. But for all you heavy music crazies out there who cannot control themselves and want to press play, go do so below, and get ready for an album filled with prog induced freak blues. Diesel blues, incorporating a bit of stoner and psych, an album that has that soulful ability coming out of every tone, every riff and every solo… Press play on the new Sons Of Morpheus, take a bite out of Fruits!  




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Sons of Morpheus - Fruits - Review


woensdag 13 maart 2024

Sons of Morpheus – Fruits

 

 

Sons of Morpheus – Fruits
Sixteentimes Music – 2024
Rock, Prog, Blues, Free, Stoner, Psych
Rated: ****

Sons Of Morpheus is here to wake you from your slumber of indolence and at the same time the three from Basel / Winterthur, Switzerland are here to make you dream, to fill your sould with reverie. After that wild psychedelic blues and stoner album called Nemesis from 2017, which was filled with masterful grooves and turned all that grungy o’ so soulful, they are now back with a new album. Fruits as it is called will give you almost a full hour of heaviness. This time around the three go back to their blues roots and use it to dive more into prog rock territory. Although there are definite moments that will remind you of their approach to stonerrock, their love for seventies free rock, freak out blues, psychedelic touches and a bit of garage. In fact, there are a lot of those moments, but because the more prog based influences are bigger than before, it felt right to mention them outright. Indeed, on Fruits, the Sons Of Morpheus come bearing gifts. Even though it’s us that should be sending them presents, cause 2024 marks their ten year anniversary. And on this festive Fruits album they use that more prog approach to travel back to their blues roots, cause it all began as a blues rock project called Rozbub. Third track Soothe My Soul is perhaps the most obvious blues rocking masterpiece. You know the kind, the diesel blues kind. Seventies guitar work, warm blooded riffs, a masterful bouncy groove, bopping bass, punctuating drums, sometimes funky, sometimes choppy and a bit jazzy, it’s all there and it will surely soothe your soul! And after your soul is all at ease and preparing to surf the magnetic currents of blues based bliss, it gets jogged violently awake by fourth track, punky rocker Braindead. Stomping its message home, with that fierce refrain and vocals that will mill around your head for the rest of the week. Running, is that free rock kind of music, propellent and reverie inducing. Or what the Kamchatka three would call: Freak Blues. Invoking the spirit of both Vaughan and Hendrix, these three minutes of motoring blues are like the one unlucky drink that shoves a wavering alcoholic off the wagon. If you weren’t completely enamored with Sons Of Morpheus before Running, this one will surely get you. But you were probably already feeling goosebumps from that first tracks. Cause those were the seminal prog based tracks, the influence stretches out over all of them in some way or form, but single Hello Stranger and opener Capstan both combine that prog with stoner and psych and make it all as grandiose as possible. And did we mention Smoke & Trash yet? That second track of the album, sporting splendid multiple vocals, a very contemplative opening, soon turning into this thunderstorm, that whirls and builds and finally comes to that most blissful of breaks. You will be ready. And you will soar once they kick back in. Expertly done and a moment of pure euphoria. And that’s what this entire album seems to be kicking around a lot, euphoric prog moments and blissful blues, balanced and intriguing. This is quite the celebratory album for Sons Of Morpheus! Congratulations!

And hey! You can already listen to two singles on the Sixteentimes Music bandcamp right now! Or come back to Stoner HiVe tomorrow… Indeed, tomorrow on Thursday the 14th of March, we will have the FULL ALBUM PREMIERE for this wild Sons Of Morpheus album… Come back on Thursday for the gift that is: Fruits!


(Written by JK)




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dinsdag 12 maart 2024

Dekonstruktor – Death Beat

 

 

Dekonstruktor – Death Beat
Addicted Label – 2024
Doom, Death, Metal, Noise, Sludge, Industrial
Rated: ***

There’s always a slight feeling of trepidation whenever I start listening to an album labeled as death-doom or experimental black metal or a mix of them all. I often feel less equipped to deal with that sort of aural devastation. My tastebuds are more accustomed to the less harsh albums floating around the heavy underground. And I reckon a few of my fellow Doom Charts crazies, like mix master Chris Tighe (The Mighty Decibel), cool Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal), the brand new kid on the block Eric Crowe (Doomsayer Records / Halo Of The Goat Radio) or old hand Steve Woodier (Anointing The Sick), are better at appreciating and assessing the quality of certain albums from those genres. But after pressing play on the new Death Beat album by the Russian three called Dekonstruktor, I immediately was hooked on all those, errr, hooks. Hooked on their grind. Their approach to the earlier mentioned genres implores an abundance of groove and melody, even if those are on occasion subterranean and surrendered to the noise on top. Almost all of the tracks implore some stomping doom or a droning element that will get you into a white-out kind of daze. But they all switch it up with industrial moments, sludgecore and noise elements. And all of that sounds harsh, but for some reason, as we stated earlier on, the amount of groove and melody turns these over forty minutes of white-out, black, death, doom, into something desirable and addictive. Death Beat is full of life and it will sharpen your senses…



(Written by JK)




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Chelsea Wolfe – She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She

 

 

Chelsea Wolfe – She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She
V2 / Loma Vista – 2024
Alternative, Doom, Industrial, Darkwave, Triphop
Rated: ***

We haven’t been mentioning everything Chelsea Wolfe has been putting out over the years and as usual, we know we should have, cause there hasn’t been a miss among those releases. That amazing Hiss Spun album from 2017 for instance or the one we did mention called Birth Of Violence from 2019. Well, the Wolfe has returned and she’s back with what she calls a rebirth. With an album title that refers to her past, present and future. To leave behind what has come and gone and move forward. She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She is a powerfully cathartic statement about cutting ties, as well as an important reminder that healing is cyclical and circular, and not a simple linear process. She has not just been cutting away the dead wood, the wrong people and the ugliness that might hold her back. She’s also decided to try even more avenues of approach towards the heaviness she likes to use as a vehicle for her poetry. This time around there’s some Industrial, Triphop and Electronica to produce those atmospheres we love from the Wolfe. Lyrics wise it is definitely dark again, but with a feeling of understanding and her own sliver of hope. And her musical experimentation often drifts over to a lighter and almost generic approach. Hinting a bit at some of Björk’s triphop drifts or electropop that could easily be discovered by the masses. There’s agitation here, unrest, no easy listening, yet whenever that feeling dissipates there’s room for some acceptance and calm. And even though this album might turn out to be a favorite for many, I cannot help feeling that I would rather hear her drift more towards the sludge metal she did with Converge. But that’s probably just me, hoping for an album that’s perfect for me, and that’s not what Chelsea Wolfe is about. She’s about she… And that's okay...


(Written by JK)




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maandag 11 maart 2024

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…


Full Tone Generator
Acid Mammoth
Appalachian Death Cult
Blend of Stones
Dekonstruktor
Lie Heavy
Slutavverkning
Burnt Sherpa
Empty Full Space
Blessed Black

Welcome to another Monday morning! Another week passed and another week before us! An exciting one cause we get to host another FULL ALBUM PREMIERE on Thursday! You want to know for which album, check in tomorrow evening or Wednesday morning, when we put up the review for that album! It’s stunning! And check out them Top 10 Most Listened artists above, cause all those albums are amazing as well! And besides those 10, we also put up the Stoner Hype post which blurbs about the Number 40 to 26 from that month’s Doom Charts. We’re let everyone know that we will surely be going to that amazing Love For Loud Festival in Amsterdam on March 29th! And wrote a few words about that higly cinematic and atmopheric one track suite Venezia by Italian rockers Satori Junk. Had hoped to do even more, but time was again elusive… But besides that FULL ALBUM PREMIERE on Thursday, a review about that album a day or two earlier, we have at least another two reviews already done and ready to go live… So, here we go again hoping to find as much time to do Stoner HiVe as possible! Thanks for checking in, press play!

zaterdag 9 maart 2024

Full Tone Generator – Refuge of Sinners

 

 

Full Tone Generator – Refuge of Sinners
Golden Robot Records / Iron Head Records / Hurricane Music – 2024
Rock, Stoner, Desert, Sludge, Hard, Punk
Rated: *****

As you few crazies that follow the HiVe probably know, we have a gigantic obsession with everything Rancho De La Luna. We even did a Rancho De La Luna Month early on in our little existence. And even though the main man behind Full Tone Generator hails from Melbourne, Australia, the band has close ties to everything Rancho. The first album Valley Of The Universe featured none other than Brant Bjork on drums, their Never To Return live-album had Nick Oliveri on bass and their new one, out since a week, is called Refuge of Sinners and was recorded in the fabled desert hideaway recording studio. Yes sir, a studio in the desert and a true Refuge of Sinners. Produced by the band and master chef Dave CatchingRefuge of Sinners sports nine tracks that all exhume that magical Rancho vibe, the desert punk attitude and that stoner rocking sound of yore. Indeed, the Kyuss low hanging groove here, Mondo Generator speediness there and a whole lotta love for the good and heavy stuff. This is what happens when you put four good ol’ boys from Australia with a penchant for the Palm Desert sound into their most longed for environment and studio. And we should leave them there, so they can produce more of this wild and wonderful ruckus. Kenny, starting the show with that dark and uncanny tone, languidly traversing through a noisy and overdriven landscape, the coyote like guitar howling. Take Me, pushing the needle down, that wild beginning, the rumbling drums, producing a smash and grab attitude, before the guitars kick in and those vocals bring it all home. With a spirit and attitude that hangs somewhere between Garcia and Oliveri, those vocals make this two-minutes-and-twenty-seconds-long rocker, that perfect ripper, that banging almost road rage inducing driving song. Single Juan Carlos has been your go to atavistic stonerrock tune since June 2023 right? It has been for me! For it gives you, out of this world pure and unadulterated generator party heaviness. Fourth track The Snake Charmer can perhaps best be seen as a one minute interlude with those atmospheric Rancho sounds. It does set the scene nicely for middle track and longest cut, Find Out. A mighty flow, that slowly builds through as much of the stoner and desert rock you experience before this track arrived; but also incorporating that seventies touch. Bluesy by default, this track will not bring you down, but will make you fly, soar through endless starry sky. Following Don’t Even Know You continues in that vein, Yeah Hey delivers fight music for the fight after which we come to Dark Eyes. A thoughtful song that sports more emotional singing, almost going off the rails even and a second line of female vocals. Would love to know who the guest vocalist on this track is, but for now, that’s still a mystery. They finish the album by reprising it for one and half minute, painting a deep and reflective atmosphere, which turns into a fitting ending for this beautiful little refuge of an album..


(Written by JK)




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Appalachian Death Cult – Welcome To The Cult

 

 

Appalachian Death Cult – Welcome To The Cult
Self released – 2023
Rock, Stoner, Doom, Metal, Psych
Rated: ***

There are plenty of cults within our little niche called the Heavy Underground. And all of them want to welcome you into their midst of course. You know, so they can steal your money, your blood and your soul! It would not be a cult if they didn’t. But there are few that are as inviting as that sparkling new one out of the Johnson, Tennessee called Appalachian Death Cult. That’s right, they’ve gone as far as calling their debut four track EP Welcome To The Cult. Released almost a year ago, they deliver their truth in the form of some seriously cultivated and misty stoner doom. Hazy and psychedelic by default it shotguns their smokey tunes direct into your lungs. The three tracks featured on their bandcamp site (yes, there’s a secret fourth track) all share the same denominator, namely: drugs! Odes to shrooms, to getting high and living high are all there, filled with muggy riffs and sloth like rhythms, these tracks are there for you to consume and to space out to. The radio and speech snippets are excellent, but that banjo is pure heaven! Especially on opening track Bag of Shrooms, the way it trickles through the entire track, sheer perfection and a ticket to the Appalachian Paradise. Or at least as close as you can get to that by dipping into a bag of something and listening to Appalachian Death Cult. I feel warm and fuzzy inside, yes, and I feel entirely welcome...


(Written by JK)




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vrijdag 8 maart 2024

Satori Junk – Venezia



Satori Junk – Venezia
Industrial Ölocaust Recordings – 2024
Rock, Ambient, Classic, Prog, Doom, Psych, Instrumental
Rated: ****

Somewhere around 2012 we were ordered to go to Milano and do a travel story for a magazine about a rock and roll weekend in the grand old lady of Italy. Around the same time the four from Satori Junk started jamming somewhere near the many urban landfill sites of the wonderful but bandaged city. Those dubious smells and drifting grime have always been an inspiration for Satori Junk. Just listen to their earlier self-titled record from 2015 or The Golden Dwarf from 2018. But it might be ever so clearer for the new one track suite called Venezia. Inspired by all that human created filth and those questionable aromas they must see and sniff every time they enter their rehearsal space, they felt drawn to what happened in Venice all the way back in 1630. As the plague rushed through the canals and alleys of the city, killing approximately 50.000 people, the people searched for meaning and for a way to fight the disease. That horrific piece of history is translated into some damned beautiful music, that borders on going full prog rock constantly and especially during the ending segment. The rising tones, the guitar solo climbing towards the sunlight above, signifying the triumph over the disease. Damned beautiful music indeed. Damned, for not only the dubious sites around Milan and the old plague tale from Venice inspired the four Satori Junkies, Covid was surely and inspiration as well. For they started recording as the Covid pandemic hit Milan, and the first lockdown was announced. And that menacing and uncertain quality of what the future might hold can be heard throughout the first segments of Venezia. Charming, yet forlorn piano work offsetting these parts and signaling the flowing of the diseased ridden tides of Venice. A tale of horror translated into a grandiose piece of music, often feeling like this is the kind of compositions that Satori Junk will ultimately need to dive further into, the classic, prog and cinematically rich music that will make the listener envision all those crows picking at the bodies and the rats scurrying about…


Ps. And I love that artwork!

(Written by JK)




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donderdag 7 maart 2024

Empty Full Space – From The Limbo

 

 

Empty Full Space – From The Limbo
Spinda Records – 2024
Rock, Space, Psych, Kraut
Rated: *****

We’ve been living with the From The Limbo album ever since we received the promo and we have  been completely captured and occupied by the sounds originating from Empty Full Space. And we were honored to do a premiere of their opening, title track From The Limbo with five other sites back in early February. Since then, two other singles have been released and on March 20th, the full album will be set free and will start to fill every little piece of the universe with its psychedelic current and its spacerock ocean. Most of the songs slowly wash over you like languid waves upon a distant and warm beach. But then there’s second track Morphogene, which contains those waves as well, uses surf rock elements and pipe riding images to deliver this most wild, trippy, energetic and highly danceable of krautrock masterpieces ever to be unleashed upon the world. With its Eastern themes and those ever returning drum and beats, this is the krautrock meant for small, packed rooms of festivals, a mass of throbbing people, all glassy-eyed, making sweat drip from the walls and the widows extend outwards with their collective energy. Opening track From The Limbo already led up to this, slowcoring its way to a more energetic ending, building momentum and gearing up for Morphogene. It is a duo of highlights early on the album. An album that takes a more exploratory and galaxy sailing approach to their spacerock after that riveting beginning. The Wheel still packs a powerful punch in the middle, but it mostly has this dragged out hypnotic, Britpop reminiscent, fuzzed out and overdriven sound that leaves a warm and constantly glowing feeling. Amnesia even leans towards a doom touch, before garage, trip and grunge rocking your bones with the interlude and then imploring those doom sounds, until kicking things into overdrive again. Wait, what are the various parts, this composition is so dynamic and swirling, you might lose track. You might lose your way. You might lose your mind. Certainly during that end spurt! Cooling it down with another more Beta Band resonant Have You Seen The Witch? The gentle nod, the cool vibe, you almost hope they never speed up again and keep looking for the dubious enchantress forever. The heavier toned 2C ends the album in fine form, exploding first and then expanding until it occupies the entire sonic landscape. No void left, no spot left blank or vacant, it’s all occupied by the vast and masterful sounds of Empty Full Space!
 


(Written by JK)




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