donderdag 30 november 2017

Disastroid – Screen


Disastroid – Screen
Self released – 2017
Rock, Stoner, Grunge, Sludge, Math
Rated: ****

Screen has been out for two months now, the new Disastroid album. Yes. Yes. After the first listening session I made the following notes: ‘An almost funky take on stoner and grunge, with sludgy overtones and Disastroid’s signature breaks and time shifts which reminds of math-rock.’ That already says a lot. Shit, that says everything. And just now, before finishing this little sermon about the album I went to their website. First few sentences there: ‘Disastroid is a heavy band from San Francisco. Their sound is a genre-blending mix of sludge, grunge, metal and stoner rock. (There's some weird math-y stuff in there sometimes, too, but just a little.)’ Apparently, the guys want to downplay their math approach; which is fine by me. But it is what sets them apart and makes their sound so groovy, funky and almost unbearably catchy. Sure, it might be less jumpy than say their last album Missiles, but it still moves around a lot. And it will definitely make you move too. It reminds of the best Prong on some moments; but there are also songs that sound like early Queens Of The Stone Age or tracks that remind of Soundgarden or The Melvins. Yes, they manage to provoke you into thinking about those great bands but always retain their own sound. It’s that weird amalgam of trades and tricks. It what you get when a band does their own thing and for nobody but themselves. And yes, it will make Disastroid just as great as the rest of ‘em!

(Written by JK)




Helldorado



Helldorado! 

Here. Take a glance at this. And see what we were talking about when we stated the obvious, that Helldorado was a hot hell of amazing ride! HERE IT IS! The official Helldorado - The Incredible Rock 'n Roll Freakshow aftermovie!  Missed this crazy rock'n roll freakshow, or just can't wait for Helldorado 2018 on the 17th of November? Daredevil Tickets (€35 ex fee) are now on sale! Only available until Saturday 2 December, 23:59. Be quick, because they've only got 500 of those!  



dinsdag 28 november 2017

Electric Wizard – Wizard Bloody Wizard


Electric Wizard – Wizard Bloody Wizard
Spinefarm Records – 2017
Doooooom
Rated: ?????

Earlier this year, At The Drive-In released an album after a 17-year break between recording. I liked it a lot but reading some of the comments about “in•ter a•li•a”, you would think that ATDI had committed genocide and pissed on the remains. Arguably their break through record, “Relationship Of Command” was lauded as a post-punk masterpiece – rightly or wrongly, and created a fanatical and rabid fanbase to whom “ROC” was the best album ever made. I base any review on how it compares to Black Flags “My War”. It was not as good but still a great listen. Because I am so fucking old, I am not going to have any albums coming along that will change my life anymore … kinda sad, but true. I have had my mind blown by hearing The Stooges, Pistols, Clash, Motorhead, AC/DC, Killing Joke etc. But for a lot of younger people, maybe “ROC” was their first defining album they had experienced and anything less than that will never meet their expectations. And so, to Electric Wizard (about time I hear you mutter). “Dopethrone” was a huge milestone for people and became THE album that defined a movement. Did it change my life? No – it was not as good as “My War” … But it did open up a world of heaviness that I had somehow missed out on until then. And that may be the problem for EW. Always being judged on an album way back in their past. Never living up to expectations. Wanting to grow as a band and not just record “Dopethrone” over and over again.Wizard Bloody Wizard is a riff heavy beast with fuzzed solos, proto-metal blues and tighter song structures. I like it. It also has a similar feel and sound to many other albums out at the moment. Albums that have clearly used EW as a template. Bands that have plundered the EW ethos and made their own sound. Leaving any new offering by EW not as “special” as “Dopethrone”. I cannot score this out of five because my critical opinion may differ widely from anyone else depending on how much earlier EW stuff has “changed” your life. This time dear readers, you and only you will have to be the judge and jury. May the Dark Lord guide you wisely!

(Written by Tony Maim)


maandag 27 november 2017

Stoner HiVe’s Top 5 Artists listened to last week…


Stoner HiVe’s 
Top 5 Artists listened to last week…


Holy crap! The weeks seem to go faster and faster! The only moments of respite on this crazy rollercoaster are the moment when we can sit down, grab a headphone and take in the sweet sounds of some new amazing album. Like the new Disastroid one called Screen. A mention about this album will follow shortly; for it turned me on in a big way! Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and the Modern Ruin record (out on International Death Cult) is angry, fierce but also highly catchy and melodic. Holyphant we mentioned last Quick Fire Friday round and are still spinning it like crazy! And the same goes for the crazy Finnish guys from Avant Garden. The other one that finally caught our ears is the new Flying Eyes record. Out on Ripple Music the eight tracks on Burning Season are filled with wild riffs and seems to marry loads of different aspects of everything heavy we all love. This is one hell of a special album!

vrijdag 24 november 2017

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday


Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday 

Another week passed, and another Friday devoted to some tasty Quick Fire madness! We would love to pay more attention to every band mentioned. But you all know how it is. The man has you face down in the dirt and working your ass off. So, we’ll have to make due with this new edition of the Quick Fire Friday. We know, we know, the albums and bands deserve more. But we just simple cannot ever do it all justice. But hey, it’s the Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday. And its burns hot like molten lava!


Avant Garden – Avant Garden

The full-sized self-titled album by Finish three-piece Avant Garden is one kick hell of a record! We of course mentioned these freaks once before and were already charmed by their warm sound, which incorporates indie, alternative and stoner rock. They’re still drawing some influences from QOTSA, but they make it all sound tight and tremendous! Damn, these five tracks are amazing! Give’m a whirl while there’s still time! 




45Rats – Gazer 

Another band that immediately starts caressing your ear with a velvet touch is 45Rats and their new album Gazer. Seventies inspired hardrock with a fine groove and drive and a tasty lust for the fuzz! This three-piece instrumental outfit was formed back around 2008 in the outskirts of Athens, Greece and have now put out their third release. This time they also invited Zannis Psilopoulos (Contra Limit, The Buzzdealers) to do some guest vocals on Jailtrain! It definitely suits the music well! 45Rats, get them before they scurry off! 




Holyphant – Holyphant 

Holyphant hails from Italy and deliver some grade A psychedelic doom and seventies inspired hardrock on their self-titled album. It definitely has a lot of divine elements to their tracks which remind of the great folk bands of the seventies. Not that there is much folky about this band itself. The same goes for all those early heavy rock bands. They have definitely left a mark on this powertrio. Deep Purple & Black Sabbath fans united! 




Son Of The Morning – Son Of The Morning 

Son Of The Morning to you all! Sorry, it’s just that the name immediately wants it to proclaim itself in a loud and booming voice. Just like the three tracks on this self-titled EP wants to be heard loud and booming. Doom rock; with a hard loving trucker drive and a lovely occult taste. The four-piece is fronted by a fine female voice in the name of Lady Helena. Dark music for dark time but with enough room and air to not feel suffocated. This is exactly the kind of wickedness we love! 




Galactic Gulag – To The Stars By Hard Ways 

A much better review to this awesome release by Brazilian instrumental outfit Galactic Gulag was written by Frazer Jones on his Desert Psychlist. To The Stars By Hard Ways features five amazing heavy psychedelic adventures that definitely look up to the stars but are also grounded with earthy tones and bluesy guitars. A definite trip for every instrumental stoner rock fiend! I’ve been indulging myself every day of the week! 


woensdag 22 november 2017

Radio Moscow – New Beginnings


Radio Moscow – New Beginnings
Century Media – 2017
Psychedelic, Hard Rock, Heavy Blues
Rated: *****

On this album called New Beginnings, Radio Moscow have perfectly transferred their sprawling jams to vinyl with fantastic results. Track lengths have been cut down this time around, giving the album a sense of urgency and pace. Vocals floating in reverb sit on top of the groove being produced as the band play stupidly tight hooks that lodge into your brain. A harmonica dips in and out but the main star here is the guitar. In fact this album is an act of worship to all the sounds that can be wrung out from the electric guitar. Holding high the torch that was lit by Hendrix, Clapton and West, Parker Griggs burns brightly with the white hot heat that an amp turned up full can produce. Wah-wah, chugging, riffs, solos, distortion all make this heavy psych offering a masterpiece of freak out and head nodding. This is the good stuff.

(Written by Tony Maim)



Helldorado


Helldorado!

The first edition was an absolute smash hit! Surrounded by scantily clad women breathing fire, wrestling their asses off and throwing knives; the entire outlook of the festival is grandiose. Much more carnival and much more colorful than the already legendary Speedfest was. Let’s hope this will have just as a massive run as the festival that came before. You could just as easily spend time watching the rock’n roll wrestling show; messing around with the crazy Mambo Kurt as you could be drinking yourself silly watching the most amazing bands. What a line-up!




 

Komatsu

The majestic Duel had the honor of kicking off this first edition. Sure, they entered the stage to just a handful of crazies in front of the stage. But soon; the Cobra stage was being watched by loads of people. And Duel did right by them. What a set and what a sound! A new fan for life was born with every song they played. This much is sure. When you play your home town it might be easy to let go of the reigns and slack off a bit. Komatsu is never one to cruise through their set; they had to pound everyone into submission with a very heavy and sludgy set. The first gig on the Tarantula stage was perhaps plagued with a few sound issues. On the other hand, it’s freaking Komatsu and they will level anything that stands in their way!



 Dead Lord

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown brought us back to the Cobra stage to hear their eighties reminiscent, southern tinged rock brought forth with sheer perfection. It’s Aerosmith and Guns ‘n Roses; but different and more bluesy. We loved it! But not enough to keep us from heading back to the Tarantula stage again to hear the Swedes from Dead Lord hit us over the head with their Lizzyness hardrock. A quick hamburger before we had to see what kind of ritual La Muerte had in store for us. And an unholy ritual it was! Candles, incense and an intense wall of smoke masked the band as they threw us their wicked rock. Sure, there were some jokes here and there about the burlap sack the vocalist was wearing. But hey, it’s almost 5th of December over here… 




Kid Congo

Tigre Blanco and his gypsy soul brought us down to earth and gave us some air to breathe, and we must confess, chat with long lost buddies. (Hope you got home safe Schnaps!) One of the best shows of the night started right after this. Monomyth, now with Boudewijn Bonebakker (Gingerpig, Gorefest), gave us a grand adventure. Can you imagine, thousands of speedrockers and drunken crazies all standing still with mouths wide open listening in awe to all the spacey goodness Monomyth brings. Well, it happened, they mesmerized the entire venue. Wild man Kid Congo and his Pink Monkey Birds then turned everyone out and on back on the Tarantula stage. He is without a doubt a true legend, and even though it was clearly not everyone was immediately smitten with the maestro. The ones that were saw a wild and wonderful character creating an entirely new universe!



Imperial State Electric was perhaps the least interesting show of the night. Unfortunately, every song they sent out into the venue from the Lion stage seemed to be bland and drowned out in fact, by all the screams and shouts in the crowd. And they were not shouting at or rooting for the band. But at each other; acting crazy and seemingly crazier by the minute. Which we all know would only grow louder and weirder as the night progressed. We should go back to Birth of Joy who were tearing it up on the other stage. But as mentioned before; you meet a lot of old friends on Helldorado and you make even more new ones! Grin! Another one of those bands that delivered one of the best shows of Helldorado was: Orange Goblin. Massive! Truly and insanely massive! Unfortunately, we had to miss the last part because of a scheduled interview with Red Fang. Which went, let’s say, okay?! Grin…


Red Fang
 
We caught the last part Nashville Pussy and got liquored up to watch the Red Fang rampage after that. And yes, there they were, creating the largest pit up till then. Especially when Wires and Prehistoric Dogs hit the crowd. As if all those older dudes and few women had been waiting until that moment to go absolutely berserk. What a wicked set! After which the real shit took hold and the drinking got out of control and sent a whole freaking lot of us through a ghostly funhouse (a real one yes.) and we got out just in time for yet another wonderful show by powerhouse Triggerfinger. And that was the only freakin sad part about Helldorado. That the fun had to stop and that we now must wait a whole freaking year for the next edition! 



Photo's by Dave van Hout, Jelle de Ru & Josanne van der Heijden

dinsdag 21 november 2017

Stoner HiVe’s Top 5 Artists listened to last week…


Stoner HiVe’s 
Top 5 Artists listened to last week…


As we try to get our head clean again after the amazing Helldorado festival; we post a quick list of the most listened to artists of last week. Which ofcourse should have gone up yesterday… And it ofcourse features Steel Panther, due to an interview last Friday and Red Fang because we were lucky enough to have an interview scheduled at that majestic Helldorado festival we already mentioned. We revisited the Doublestone album Devil’s Own released by Ripple Music. Since we are approaching the end of the year already we are revisiting all those marked albums, the ones marked as one the favorites for 2017. And Doublestone definitely belongs on that list! Spacelord was another one of those. What an absolute smash ‘n grab album! Same goes for Motherslug’s very own Electric Dunes of Titan! Slow and heavy it’s a titanic mountain of riffs and groove! Check ‘m out! Check ‘m all out!

donderdag 16 november 2017

Glice – Cielo


Glice – Cielo
Narrominded – 2017
Soundscape, Atmospheric, Experimental, Avant-Garde, Noise, Drone
Rated: **

Droning, atmospheric, experimental, soundscape noise as a wallpaper to this gray month of November. We slide off into the icy waters of December listening to the four-track Cielo release by Amsterdam duo Glice. We are of course not listening to music at all. This is sound-art. This is music meant for dark deserted metro stations and preferably accompanied by the amazing sound to image art by guys like Ricky van Broekhoven. Recorded in the outskirts of Berlin by Einstürzende Neubauten’s Alexander Hacke we seem to be drowning in distorted distortion or travelling across a large body of frozen water. Ice, it seems to be a recurring theme throughout the four tracks. Coldness and disorientation, alienation and desertion. It seems to be breaking down the fabric of sound. It does this well and in certain locations (accompanied by visuals) this will be definitely magnificent. But, ah, there is the but; this does not seem to work at home. It might be due to the fact the fireplace is lit, spreading warmth and fickle shadows across an endless array of vinyl, books, posters and cd’s. All of which beg to be picked up and put on and have them warm the soul; where as Glice’s Cielo release proudly seems to announce this is not meant to be heard in cozy and homely places. I know of a landfill nearby; and will try it with a portable device and headphones over there. And if you don’t hear from me within a few days, I might have been frozen by the cold atmospheric noise that Cielo is…

(Written by JK)



dinsdag 14 november 2017

Helldorado




Helldorado!

Only a few days to go to the first edition of Helldorado! The festival that, let’s not kid ourselves, is the continuation of what Speedfest already was. This time around it might even become crazier, weirder and more dangerous! With clowns, bearded ladies and knife throwers everywhere! Yes, it’s a rock ‘n roll freakshow! And what about that line-up! Bands like Triggerfinger, The Darkness, Red Fang, Orange Goblin, Komatsu, Duel, Monomyth, Nashville Pussy, Imperial State Electric, Big Business, Lords of Altamont, Birth of Joy, Tigre Blanco, Dead Lord, Mambo Kurt, La Muerte, Fifty Foot Combo and the amazing Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds! Throw in some other crazy stuff, comedians and travelling karaoke machines that might just show right behind you when you’re taking a leak and you know you are in for one hell of a ride! This might be worse than the Circus Circus on a Friday night in Las Vegas… Ooh yes! Way worse! Still a few tickets left! Go grab’m and join the freakshow!!!



Ooh yes! Way worse! Still a few tickets left! 
Go grab’m and join the freakshow!!!
 


maandag 13 november 2017

Stoner HiVe’s Top 5 Artists listened to last week…


Stoner HiVe’s 
Top 5 Artists listened to last week…

W.A.S.P.
Sean Wheeler
Hälläs
Supersonic Blues Machine
Sanhedrin

In preparation for a Blackie Lawless interview and the live rendition of The Crimson Idol record we listened to a lot of W.A.S.P. this week. But we definitely enjoyed the honorable Mr. Sean Wheeler more and his fine Sand In My Blood album (released by Little Village Foundation) is simply stunning. The legendary desert punk delivers one hell of a southern, sun dried, Americana tinged, bluesy folk album. One for the road and one for lazy afternoons with corn on the barbecue and dubious quality bourbon slowly turning into lukewarm gold. Supersonic Blues Machine and their Californisoul record (out on Provogue/Mascot) definitely deliver the goods as well. Powerful blues rock and hard rock filled with guest spots from Billy Gibbons, Eric Gales, Walter Trout, Robben Ford and Steve Lukather. Damn fine stuff! And how about Hälläs! Heavy rock from Sweden! A mixture of NWOBHM, space rock and seventies inspired hard rock. Their new Excerpts From A Future Past album (out on The Sign Records) has the exact amount of progressive touches that makes it one hell of an adventure. We love the shit out of it! It’s getting lauded all over the place, the debut album A Funeral For The World by Sanhedrin. And rightfully so! Just read Bucky’s words over on their Bandcamp: “A Funeral For The World celebrates all things heavy metal with a scorching metallic fuzz overlain by Maiden esque vocal chops and a groove factor off the charts. For any fan of metal, stoner, doom, or hard rock. This will go down as one of the strongest debut metal albums of 2017. Mark my words.” Words marked and awesome record noted!

vrijdag 10 november 2017

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday



Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

We all know time is passing by ever quicker. Nobody really speaks about it ofcourse. Nobody really wants to be the one to bring the hammer down. We are all doomed. There is no escaping that simple fact. But do we need to bend our head? Should we all just sit it out in some corner somewhere crying our eyes out? Hell no, let’s do the Inca thing. They knew they were doomed. It was written in the stars. But they build the majestic empire and cities anyway. So, let’s view all that awesome music out there exactly like it is. Majestic monuments to stand the test of time! Errr; aah yes, another round of the Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday! We know, we know, the albums and bands deserve more. But we just simple cannot ever do it all justice. But hey, it’s the Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday. And its burns hot like molten lava!



Formosa – Love On The Highway 

Video’s a plenty today. In fact, it's a Quick Fire Friday round with only video's! Crazy right? But that's how it goes.... The first single Love On The Highway from the upcoming album Sorry For Being Sexy by German rock ‘n roll outfit Formosa has just been released. And it sounds just as tight and sexy as their previous album called, errr… Tight & Sexy...


 

 


Hypergiant – Perseus Arm 

We’ve been grooving like an absolute maniac to the Father Sky album by Hypergiant. These Sydney doom masters are absolutely magicians when it comes to concocting mixtures of sludge, space, stoner into something special. The lead single Persues Arm is a testament to that fact. Just check out the accompanying video. And yes, you shall wish you were there at the time of recording! Massive! 







Lost Poets – Vulture 

The Swedish duo Lost Poets has certainly capture my mind and inspiration with their new single and the video that belongs to it: Vulture. From Seattle to the South-Californian Desert; from the arctic wastelands of Scandinavia to the inner-city blue hour, Lost Poets gives you rock music which varies from dark grunge to fuzzy desert-rock. They will give you a deja-vu you have never experienced before! 





Small Hours Society – Popolo 

And from Greece comes another one of those bands that has the ability to summon that blue hour. Those moments before the sun rises and everything can still happen. Small Hours Society might not be as heavy on the riffs as most of the stuff here; but it is heavy on everything else. There’s some Scandinavian territory in Serres, Greece it seems. I need to catch these cats live! 




Stonerror – The Ride

They riff, they groove, they call it psychedelic stonerpunk and we shall join them in calling it that! We love Stonerror and simply adore the single and the video for The Ride. Which is featured on their self-titled which was released in February of this year. I loved Krakow back when I was wreaking havoc in Poland. And every time I listen to Stonerror I want to go back and see them live in one of them dusty watering holes. You know what, I will put this one on repeat today… Friday ends with Stonerror!