Off to hike around a dormant volcano...
We’re off… Off grid for a week. Hiking around and learning more about volcanoes! Not active ones like the one on the drawing. But long since extinct ones. And yes, albums by Volcanova and Puta Volcano are going wiht us. But we will surely be listening to the October Doom Charts on route and whenever the starry night calls for it... I mean, that Elephant Tree / Lowrider split seems perfect for that!
Back in a week!
Shi – Pure Disgust
Self released – 2024
Metal, Doom, Sludge Stoner
Rated: ***
“Bael sounds scary in a fun way…” says Dex Zealot, age 10, after hearing the new Shi album called Pure Disgust. And he isn’t wrong. He says a whole lot more which can be read on the Shi bandcamp page. Where you can also go to hear the first single and title track Pure Disgust, for the rest of the album won’t come out till November 15th. But once that date arrives, you will be blasted by doom metal, sludge toned, all bleached and blackened by those guttural snarls. The four hail from Louisville, Kentucky and call their sound Deep Fried Doom 'n Roll, and yes, there’s still a bit of old rock ‘n roll roots somewhere buried between all the horror and the grime, just as you might discover a bit of blues and southern touches. And just as you are laying down, letting their sound bulldoze over you, fourth track Creature Comforts comes on. Already displaying a different kind of tension building from the get-go, it truly becomes this disgustingly beautiful thing once the trumpet hits. Offsetting all that darkness by a soaring rise. I love it! Grating ever further we hit an interlude that puts them riffs in a corner and after that the Zichronam track starts with different vocals; immediately giving you the idea to turn the other cheek. Which will leave you bloodied and bashed and in need of a trip to the hospital for reconstructive surgery. Bad Times. No, good times, but it’s the title of the final track on the album, the battleship closer of almost six minutes, that almost feels like a blackened sludge and doom opera in many ways. The different sections hooking into each other like arias, overtures and finales. Now, let’s go back and try and find Sookie Dog, so we can give her a biscuit…
(Written by JK)
DOOM CHARTS
OCTOBER 2024
“Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me some HEAVY FREAKING RIFFS”
~ (Probably misheard quote from a trick or treater)
And such doom we have! 40 new albums,
and many more voted on by the Doom Charts crew, are here to make you
squirm with dark delight this spooky season. Don your blackest t-shirt,
load up the candy bowl, and dim the lights, for doom is upon us!
Off on a little one week holiday soon. And we will take those forty amazing albums from the October Doom Charts with us for sure. A great edition once again. Featuring a few albums I voted for. But I could have voted for all of them. As usual. But of the ones that did make it, I had on my list: Methadone Skies, Santa Planta, Grand Magus, Eye of The Golem, Bozoo, Certain Death, Acid Rooster, Deer Lord, Black Elephant, Inche Kai Che, Lowen, Your Highness, Ruff Majik, Vokonis, High Reeper and that majestic split album by Elephant Tree and Lowrider. What a month once again! What a great time for heavy music!
Albums found on the October Doom Charts, with words already written on Stoner HiVe...
Elephant Tree / Lowrider Review
Welcome to Doom Charts, representing some of the finest bloggers, journalists, radio, podcasters and reviewers from the heavy underground around the globe. Each month, our critics submit their picks for the best new doom, sludge, metal, stoner, psychedelic and heavy rock albums. The results are compiled and tabulated into the chart below. This is a one-stop shop for the best new albums in the world…
The Doom Charts for October 2024
Jerry Cantrell – I Want Blood
Double J – 2024
Grunge, Hardrock, Stoner
Rated: ****
I Want Blood was on my October list for the Doom Charts. I'm sorry it did not make it. And I'm sorry for what might seem like some minor boasting in the sentence that follows. But I’ve had the honor of talking with Mr. Cantrell a few times, but unfortunately not for this amazing new album. But I recently did have the pleasure of chatting with Mr. McKagan again. Besides his Lighthouse album and all the other stuff we talked about, McKagan also mentioned he was immensely proud and satisfied with the work he had done for the new Jerry Cantrell album I Want Blood. And rightfully so! For the nine songs on this album stand tall and make from his fourth solo record I Want Blood a monolithic listening experience. As the main man for everything Alice In Chains he has been the most important cog in the sound ever since the passing of frontman Layne Staley. Not just because he was always that other voice from the band, but also because of his layered and shifting guitar parts. And those sounds are once again present on the new album. With help from the earlier mentioned Duff McKagan, Robert Trujillo, Mike Bordin, Gil Sharone, Vincent Jones, Greg Puciato and Lola Colette. The result is a complete package, one strong record that shines with emotional vocal parts, whirling guitar work and always personal and provoking lyrics. I Want Blood sounds like the best of Jerry Cantrell, and it might just be the best he’s done. Hard-hitting, cutting and with the title track I Want Blood he shows us that the stoner rock and grunge sound have always been like brothers. Brothers from another mother!
(Written by JK)
Lowrider / Elephant Tree - The Long Forever
Stonerrock, Progressive, Doom
Blues Funeral Recordings
Rated: *****
Let us suck honey from the flowers, from the clusters in our hands… I am not necessarily a big fan of split albums, but there are always a few that defy expectations and are so perfect they become this holy grail of demonstration. Of showing off the most beautiful sides of the bands involved. Both Lowrider and Elephant Tree have done this on The Long Forever. Sprouting into different territories, wildly blossoming and turning it into one of the most gorgeous releases both bands have ever done. And that’s saying something when you realize the magical albums already released by both bands. There are seven songs on The Long Forever. Elephant Tree delivers three songs and has Lowrider add magic on final, title track, The Long Forever. Lowrider delivers four songs and has Elephant Tree pitch in on their fourth track, which sits there, in the middle of the split, as the perfect collaborative piece. It’s called Through The Rift, the Lowrider guitar tones, euphoria inducing, languid early morning grooves and vocals delivered by Elephant Tree. It takes on this entirely hazy and almost dreamy attitude, with colors that shift like the sands of time. A night sky filled with falling stars and a moon that winks. And as it winks out, you feel the wish burning in your heart… Why couldn’t it last forever…
(Written by JK)
Elephant Tree Bandcamp
Elephant Tree Homepage
Elephant Tree Facebook
Elephant Tree Instagram
Lowrider Bandcamp
Lowrider Facebook
Lowrider Instagram
The Hard Quartet – The Hard Quartet
Matador – 2024
Rock, Alternative, Indie, Postpunk, Garage, Stoner
Rated: ****
They claim it’s a band… But I fear it’s another damn fine project which will probably not live that very long. One album, one tour? Maybe two? Highly doubtful. Cause the four members involved all have their other projects as well and probably see this little ditty as a fun thing on the side. Presenting themselves as The Hard Quartet we have Stephen Malkmus, Matt Sweeney, Emmett Kelly and Jim White. A project born during the pandemic but only came to fruition later because, as we already mentioned, the four have their other bands and projects as well. Pavement, Superwolves, Chavez, The Cairo Gang, Ty Segall, Dirty Three being their main ones, but the list is much longer. On The Hard Quartet they dance between those bands and they only seem to be really ‘hard’ whenever they do some fuzz rocking in songs like opener Chrome Mess, following Earth Hater or Renegade. All three written by Malkmus and echoing other albums he’s been involved with. Probably rubbing off the most on the sound, but still, the muddle of it all has this groovy kind of punk esthetic. And when a song like Killed By Death gives off weird miniscule echoes of Oh! Sweet Nuthin', a song by another short lived project called $10,000 Gold Chain, you've got my vote. Some roots, some alternative rock and country, a bit of postpunk, some fuzz, garage and a hint of stonerrock. A jumble, a mess, loose and probably very freeing. It must have been a blast recording this album.
(Written by JK)
Bandcamp
Homepage
Facebook
Instagram
Cobranoid hit the road this November...
They struck hard! A lasting bitemark, with venomous rings spreading outwards... Ever outwards! For you remember when Denver three Cobranoid delivered their debut album right? And that Stoner HiVe got to premiere the FULL ALBUM? And you have been listening to it ever since? Well, the boys are taking their ruckus on the road! Spreading their very own speed doom sound on a little mini tour in during November. Lucky bastards over there on the other side of the pond! Here's hoping they'll make it to Europe as well one day...
The Cobranoid FULL ALBUM PREMIERE
PR WIRE:
After releasing their crushing self-titled debut album on August 16th,
Cobranoid are bringing the venom out of Denver and into the American
Southwest this November!
With dates in Fort Collins CO, Grand
Junction CO, Tempe AZ, and Las Vegas NV, Cobranoid will sink their fangs
into new victims as they continue their quest to spread the mighty riff
far and wide.
Atomic Peat - Demons Coming Home
Self-released (single) - 2024
Stoner rock, heavy metal
From Osnabrück, Germany, the hard-rocking trio of Atomic Peat come a-knocking this Halloween with a new music video and single, "Demons Coming Home", and it's an absolute treat. Dealing in stoner rock grooves with a decidedly metallic edge, the crew lay down crunching riffs atop an infectious, bouncing rhythm, soundtracking the footage of a man quite literally running from his demons. Slickly shot and tongue-in-cheek, the masked antics do not disappoint, and it's clear the band are enjoying themselves as much as we are. Atomic Peat's creativity and sense of humor are on full display, and it's a pleasure to behold the combination of top-notch riffage and a wholly original video, not to mention the soaring vocals and solo that are the cherries on top. Ring in the spooky season with these demons and you won't be disappointed.
(Written by Kyle SB)
Music video
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…
Ruff Majik
Deiv Id Fuzz
Buried Inside
Black Willows
Dust Lord
Night Verses
Ivy Gardens
Gods & Punks
Ridge
Eyes of The Oak
Evenin! Well. No posts whatsoever last week. Too busy and too much life and death stuff happening. Loved ones leaving this plain of existence and my lovely misses having a grand weekend of celebration for her birthday. It all took some time. We realized we even forgot to put up a Spotify playlist last week. That busy. We hope to do at least one post this week though. Cause next week we’re off for a little one week surprise holiday trip. Surprise for my lovely misses. But hey, luckily we’re not alone spreading the good word about all those lovely albums. You’ve got a multitude of great blogs, sites, zines and podcasts to choose from! And the October Doom Charts this Friday… So be sure to shop around and buy as much heavy music as you can!
Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…
Ruff Majik
Slomosa
Mount Hush
Deiv Id Fuzz
Black Willows
Duel
High Desert Queen
Weite
Stoner
Thou
It’s Tuesday already… I know. Shit went to the crapper again over here. Rent paying work, family stuff, you know the deal. And it won’t be flushed for day or two. But here’s the glance back at last week. And if you weren’t there on Friday you could still head on back and listen to all those bands mentioned on the Quick Fire Friday segment or read any of the two amazing write-up’s Ronny delivered. He wrote something about the cool Rückwater and the funky Eight Foot Manchild. And how can we not profess our love for Planet Desert Rock Weekend, that amazing festival in Las Vegas in January 2025. Or the magic that comes to the Amsterdam stages through Love For Loud. Cause live music is the good shit!
Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday
It’s been awhile… Oops! Sorry for that Staind flashback. I just meant to say that it has been ages since we did a Quick Fire Friday segment. And with the onslaught of so much great and fun heavy music, it’s a good time to do a new one. And with the Doom Charts Peroration Post for September going online just now, you will have so much great music to listen to we should prolong the weekend! Cause we know, there’s so much our 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!
November Fire – Through A Mournful Song
Released about a week ago, the debut album by New England three November Fire called Through A Mournful Song. Manic energy in abundance, savage, ruinous and delirium inducing. You will surely strive in vain to penetrate the entire mystery surrounding the sounds of this release. Sadness oozing through the compositions, turning the seemingly haphazardous into something that feels like a grand design. Like life itself?
Afghan Haze / Purple Kong – Split
Two of the heaviest, rolling it up for a spliff split and getting you high! It’s Afghan Haze and Purple Kong with their seven inch split Leaving Earth / Bound And Gagged. Released September 27th the two sides of this one release are no tranquil voyage towards infinity. Every riff will fill your being with visions of monuments in ruin and the fall of civilizations, but you will want to keep toking, cause in it, you will see our future.
Purple Kong Bandcamp
Afghan Haze Bandcamp
Afghan Haze Facebook
Afghan Haze Instagram
Sheraff - Concrete by the Ocean
Released… TODAY! (Or it should be according to the books...) The debut three song release by French quartet Sheraff called Concrete By The Ocean. Sure, they released a demo in 2023, but the improvement these Brest four show on their official release is stunning. Compressed and massive, the three stonerrock tracks are raw and powerful, gritty and colossal, thanks to the doom touches and the metal movements. Sheraff has got the goods!
Men of Mayhem – Doomed To Life
Back in 2017 the four Men of Mayhem released their Doomed To Life album. Stoner rock, metal, speed rock, hard rock and more. More mayhem that is! And Church Of Crow Records took it upon themselves to re-release that wonderful seven track album. And it will arrive in one week time, on October 25th!
Men of Mayhem Bandcamp
Church Of Crow Records Bandcamp
Church Of Crow Records Facebook
CCQueen – Electric Kisses
Boogie down and get groovy with the new CCQueen single Electric Kisses. A damn cool video to boot! We mentioned their damn cool Scavenger album back in 2022 and hope the new single is a precursor to a new album soon. Only two and half minutes long, it oozes sensuality and will surely make your body move!
Bandcamp
Instagram
Facebook
Homepage
Aeternal Chambers – Aeternal Chambers
Aeternal Chambers does have some of that Obiat vibe. You know, that band that released that awesome Indian Ocean album in 2022. And Aeternal Chambers features three of its members and turns their sound into a slightly heavier and totally instrumental version. Living in different parts of the UK and Australia, it’s safe to assume they send each other their parts and played of what was received. The output is stunning, highly atmospheric post metal and intense arcs combining and intertwining the light and the dark, the fleeting and the Aeternal…
Ultima Radio – Basement Session
Ultima Radio hails from Graz, Austria and has been releasing amazing stuff since 2015. Basement Session is their newest six track release and came out on October 4th. Crazy good stonerrock, alternative metal and all sorts of heaviness. With a new frontman at the helm, on the synth, guitar and vocals, the band has grown to immense proportions. Don’t touch that dial, you can have it on for the rest of the day, it’s Ultima Radio!
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
Homepage
Mount Hush – All I See
Wait. There is more. No wait, let’s start at the beginning. All I See is the new single, out since October 4, for the new Mount Hush album II which will be released November 9th. An amazing fuzz filled psychedelic blues track that makes you long for more Mount Hush . You will want to run to the record store and beg the wise and elder owner to order every copy available… . .. . .
Wait… You can! In the form of an amazing RPG game called Into The Hush. Playable of phone or computer it’s a stunning top down look into the past of computer games and Mount Hush . For by playing the game you can earn demos to all of the new songs and if you complete the game a grand prize awaits! “Browse through a record store in the woods, help the people there and complete quests to earn demos of every new song on the album! Save your progress and get a special reward for finishing the game. Listen to new and old Mount Hush songs in this homage to 1990s videogames.” Wow!
Bandcamp
Facebook
Linktree
Into The Hush RPG Game
Planet Desert Rock Weekend
January 30 - February 2, 2025
It’s one of those reasons to actually head on over to Las Vegas. It might in fact be the only good reason! We’re talking about Planet Desert Rock Weekend! Organized by the honorable John Gist from Vegas Rock Revolution. And not sure if he did it before, but the one hosted early 2025 will be four day event!! FOUR! Cause there’s a LAST CALL day on Sunday February 2nd, 2025! Featuring Bonehawk, Iota and Luna Sol. That’s one hell of closing night!
And that’s after a Thursday January 30, Friday 31st and Saturday 1st of February elongated very cool Planet Desert Rock Weekend! And all you European bands looking to head on over and play there as well. Contact Omega Sun, they know exactly how to work their magic in the USA! In fact, they should write a book about how to tour America. They know all the right moves… Ho ho ho!
Wanna know what bands are playing, check the sites to see the updates! But for now… It’s already one hell of line-up!
Fireball Ministry / USA
Unida / USA
Mos Generator / USA
Sergeant Thunderhoof/ U.K.
JIRM / Sweden
Solace / USA
Samavayo/ Germany
Valley of the Sun/ USA
Mr. Bison / Italy
Omega Sun / Slovenia
Fire Down Below/ Belgium
Sons of Arrakis/ Montreal
Godzillionaire /USA
Green Desert Water / Spain
Homepage
Facebook
Facebook
Facebook Event
Tickets
Instagram
Spotify
Eight Foot Manchild - Do Spirits Return?
DOOMBRASS Records – 2024
Doom, Heavy Brass
Rated: ****1/2
How about being attacked by a doom loving brass section that's not only about to kill conventions, but also your typical, traditional, slouching, four-string loving axe wielder, to take over his/her/their place in the band and run of with the drummer and guitarist (both held at gunpoint range) to produce some fierce and fiery doombrass? Fiction, you say? Not in Eight Foot Manchild's world, where baritone sax and tuba take over the bass duties and a trombone acts as if a second guitar has never been an option in the metal world.
From the first horn blow until the last thump their new ep 'Do Spirits Return?' leaves no doubt that it's doom metal with a stoner touch being played here, just not in the way we're used to. Bold, raucous and thundering brass attacks with an equally ferocious foundation of drums and guitars, rounded off by a creepy take on sludge metal vocals that grind through horror stories with a humorous edge. It's the world turned upside down and it fits Frankenstein's monster bolts to a tee. 'Do Spirits Return?' is one hell of a sonic assault that doesn't take prisoners. No, it takes us - the listeners- out at first sight (no questions asked) and buries us before we're able to blink our eyes. If we're lucky we might get summoned to roam the earth at night, devoid of our souls, but with a wild gaze, heavy limbs and locomotive imperfection.
So, to answer the album title: probably not, but I'll be begging all things horror to give Eight Foot Manchild some slack and let them come crawling out of a multitude of graves to unleash their ruthless doombrass on us converted zombies for years to come.
(Written by Ronny Dijksterhuis)
Shrine Of The Orange Sunn Review
