“I have climbed highest mountains I have run through the fields Only to listen to you…”
~ probably misheard U2- lyrics
The journey of a thousand albums
begins with listening to one… Welcome to the March 2025 edition of the
Doom Charts. It hasn’t happened that often, and we probably did not
mention it explicitly back then. But as of now… We will. We have a tie!
So, it feels only right to also blurb about Number 26, right? And since
we jotted down a few lines about Number 26, we reckon we should also
mention that on Number 41 lands ÖFÖ AM – OCTOPUS VULGARIS.
A grand instrumental stonerrock and metal album that will surely strike
a chord with many of you out there. Hell, probably all of you. The
total number of albums that received votes, no less than 226… And one
carried over from last month… Go feast your ears on the forty below! You
don’t see your favorite? Lets us know!
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…
Uranus Space Club - Space Pleasures Self-released - 2025 Psychedelic Rock, Space Rock Rated: *****
A rock band without guitars? Using keys and saxophone as the lead instruments? Poland's own galactic travelers Uranus Space Club dare to take that route. Not only to show that it's possible, but also to prove it can be a really heavy affair. They already surprised the rock world with their 2021 debut 'Another Planet, Another Love'. That was obviously - or at least partially - a tongue in cheek reference to the rock and roll tour cliché true rock stars (ahum) have a different love in every town they come across, just displayed on a grander scale, because, well, these four stellar musicians aren't limiting themselves to planet earth to win over new souls and partake in the very important scientific research of testing how much weight and pressure each combination of mattress and slatted frame can handle during different positions and activities, relative to the amount of people involved in said activities.
That's basically what it comes down to. Space exploration in its purest form while keeping both feet firmly on the ground - one eye closed for drifting off in concentration mode and the other half open to catch glimpses of the jazz greats that came before them. This rocks, funks, breaks and shakes in total freedom. On 'Children of the Spice' for example, the saxophone and keys are engaged in an expressive, sensual dance, swirling around each other endlessly, carried by a foundation of distorted bass and heavy drumming with a hot, steaming jazz theme enhancing it even further. And before you think, why are you reviewing this album for Stoner HiVe?, let me clarify that Uranus Space Club rocks big time no matter what they do or which exit they take on the highway from here to the outer regions of the galaxy. To make sure you get it, song titles like 'Funk Sabbath' and 'Lo-Pan's Bong' leave no doubt where part of their inspiration comes from, even if you have to dig deep sometimes to uncover them. The second half of 'Sizzling Grooves' is such a moment when the bass lays down that typical doom-laden, head-nodding Birmingham groove that comes into full fruition when the bass and keys counter-join the melody. And the aforementioned 'Funk Sabbath' is exactly what it pretends to be: a perfect morphing of funk and stoner/doom. Furthermore you gotta dig the sax introduction to 'Lo Pan's Bong' before it settles into a swinging groove the source of inspiration for the title is so well-known for, even though Uranus Space Club gives it - as expected - their own, almost unrecognizable little twist. And to close the circle on how this review started: one song is called 'The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress'. It's a brooding, slightly discomforting track that at times has got contrasting speeds happening at the same time with the drums playing a jazzy pattern, the bass settling into a sped-up funky bass line and the keys and saxophone playing some drawn-out notes and melodies. At other times it creates a smooth, soothing atmosphere picturing attempts at engaging in extraterrestrial lovemaking with moons and stars alike. A constant fight before the weird and wonderful madness of 'VoidRacerz 2137' warps you to the future with a showcase of power and a rush of adrenaline with fast and complex sonic wizardry and a sheer wonderful ending to match (in Uranus Space Club's book anyway). It makes 'Space Pleasures' not only a pleasure to listen to and a joy to travel along with, but also an absolute masterpiece of progressive instrumental space rock.
Slow Draw is Stone Machine Electric’s Mark Kitchens. And has been since his 2017 release The Hum Demo. The new Slow Draw EP The People's Department of Governmental Checks & Balances is filled with experimental drone, shoegazing noise and atmospheric wave disturbances. And we are honored to be able to premiere it’s first single Trying To Land. Perhaps the most accessible, with its ominous rhythm and song like composition. Anxiety seeping through all the cracks, it seems to be a fitting ending to the entire EP which seems to be rife with frustration, anger and despair. Trying To Land seems to be that final approach to make sense of it all and descent in proper fashion. Check out Trying To Land and get ready for The People's Department of Governmental Checks & Balances releasing on April 29th!
PR Wire
Slow Draw - single "Trying to Land"
Ambient soundscapes, lightly steeped in exploratory psych and the meditative drawn-out cadence of drone
Single “Trying to Land” out April 1st, 2025 Album “The People’s Department of Governmental Checks & Balances” out April 29th Genres: Drone, experimental, atmospheric
Since 2017, Mark Kitchens (one third of Stone Machine Electric) has been steadily releasing a series of singles and albums through his solo project Slow Draw. Informed by drone, ambient, psychedelia, and more, Slow Draw creates patient, exploratory soundscapes. At times unsettling, at others peaceful, Kitchens navigates his way through space and noise with unwavering intent.
The next Slow Draw work arrives April 29th with the new album “The People’s Department of Governmental Checks & Balances”, led by the first of three singles, “Trying to Land”, out April 1st.
IN THE BAND'S OWN WORDS:
“This album is a continuation of the frustration with current times and events as expressed in the recent release ‘Living in a Land of Scarecrows’. Things seem to be going in reverse, and nothing is logical, so, this mess of songs reflects that kind of chaos and frustration. The first single, ‘Trying to Land’, is about trying to reign it all in. Can you bring it in nice and smooth, or will it be rough and unpredictable? In this environment, you’ll never know until you are on the ground. Will it be rubble or business as usual?”
Morning! Hope everyone will have a great week. This is the Monday that starts a new week at home after that wonderful small vacation in the Austrian mountains. So this glance back and Most Listened Albums List is actually glancing back at last week and the week before. Cause, last Monday we were shooting down the slopes in grand fashion. Two weeks of posts takes us back to the Badlands Festival announcement, the FULL ALBUM PREMIERE for Drunken Crocodiles, a Jesse Stilettö write-up, words for Torpedo Torpedo, the mention of that wild live session on KEXP by Travo and the new Deafheaven. But Ronny Dijksterhuis graced us with two beauties about Dead Groove and Stiff Buscemi… If you haven’t go back and read through those, check out the list of Most Listened Albums above or on Spotify and get ready for a SINGLE PREMIERE, which we will do very soon…
Dead Groove - Rubicon Cleopatra Records – 2025 Hard Rock, Stoner Rated: ****
Back in 2023 Dead Groove made a huge impact on me with their self-titled debut album - a seventies hard rock extravaganza with a chunky slab of stoner thrown in for good measure. You might know singer/bass player Holly West from the widely acclaimed all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band 'Zepparella'. Drummer Fred Aching plays/played as the touring drummer for various bands, amongst others POWERFLO (with Sen Dog from Cypress Hill) and Bulletboys. Guitarist Cesar Salaverry has made a name for himself in his homeland Peru. Seasoned musicians that reach another level when they bundle their powers. You can hear it on their independently released first record, and you can hear it again on the new ep 'Rubicon', the first release since they've been signed by Cleopatra Records.
Side A of the vinyl release consists of two new songs, written by the band themselves. Both 'Fire' and 'The Damned' are short, heavy, thumping tracks with a driving rhythm section and splendid lead guitar. Compared to their earlier work they are a bit heavier without losing any of their trademark groove and swagger. A must hear for all fans of the heavier side of hard rock and all those who dig head-nodding grooves and the sound of boots stomping under bellbottom trousers. And if that isn't enough, Holly almost casually cements her status as one of the best rock vocalists out there.
Side B is a bit of a strange affair and a little harder to get into, especially when you're a big Motörhead fan. Because this is a cover of their most famous song 'Ace of Spades'. Aggression is the name of the game in the original and (don't get me wrong) Dead Groove does it justice with the energy and love they throw in there, but it takes a couple of spins to get used to it being sung with clean vocals instead of the obvious route most bands choose by shouting, screaming or growling their way through the song. Not a bad cover by any means, but it doesn't seem to be the most natural fit for Dead Groove.
All in all it's very nice to hear another sign of life from this group of superb musicians that found their sound from the get go and show there's much more in the tank with two great, explosive new songs and a decent to good cover.
Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power Warner/Roadrunner – 2025 Metal, Black, Post, Shoegaze Rated: ****
I could have sworn we mentioned their lesser metal more shoegaze album Infinite Granite back when it was released in 2021. But apparently, we did not. And so we jot down these words about the new Deafheaven album Lonely People With Power as if it comes back to back with Ordinary Corrupt Human Love from 2018 and New Bermuda from 2015. And on some levels, it does. For Deafheaven moves decidedly back to that metal side and the black metal screams that turned the metal world into a black metal haven, a heaven, a Deafheaven. It’s blast beats galore and granite grinding vocals, surging across crashing guitar tsunamis. But they haven’t discarded all of those Infinite Granite movements, for the dynamic range has been amplified, the waves crash harder and the flow between all the different elements feels natural and almost super natural. Otherworldly storms of blissful power and torturous components, turn into heavenly flowing dark, pop sensible melodies. With Amethyst being all of that in its purest and harmony bringing form, binding all the different elements of Lonely People With Power into one shining piece of jewelry. It’s Deafheaven, and all of it…
Stiff Buscemi - Jet-Black Highdooks Inverted Spectrum Records – 2025 Psychedelic Rock, Heavy Psych, World Music Rated: ****1/2
About 25 years ago, whenever a local rock band in the Eindhoven area was talking too much between songs at a concert, an amicable "speuluh kut!" ("start playing you cunts!") welled up from the crowd, indicating it was time to get going again. That's something Serbian psychedelic rockers Stiff Buscemi won't be experiencing anytime soon. Words aren't high up on their list of priorities when instruments are within reach. Quite the contrary - this is instrumental psychedelic rock in all its wonderful glory.
Opener 'Кљун' immediately draws you in with a Middle Eastern melody set over a sturdy, hypnotic rhythm that propels you straight to a small village made of sandstone in the middle of the desert, local stray dogs gathered around a small oasis, the wind softly caressing your skin and the shadows of palm trees providing a relatively cool spot to make the blistering heat more bearable. It's exemplary for Stiff Buscemi's sound that interweaves tapestries of (heavy) psych with Middle Eastern, African and Balkan music, ranging from a gritty, fuzzy escapade like 'Крлино Коло' to the short, atmospheric 'Iguana' while the title track 'Jet-Black Highdooks' rests somewhere in the middle. The latter slowly ascends from mellow to semi-rocking with a tension that predicts an explosion at some point in time. Will it happen? That's the main question for you to find out while listening to this album. What I can tell beforehand is that 'Jet-Black Highdooks' is thirty minutes of pure pleasure. An organic mix of styles that is at the exact same time a fuzz-drenched piece of psych and a relaxed breather, bound to set the world on fire in the right way: not by throwing bombs or using aggression, but by showing how unity and connection can be created through music - that universal glue that doesn't need words to act as the language of love.
We’ve been blessed with the opportunity to premiere their Turn To The Sun single and we’ve been even more fortunate to have had the pleasure of experiencing this Portogese quartet live! We’re talking about Travo and we still spin their lateste Astromorph God album as much as we possibly can. Cause it’s a wild ride every time again! And it helps us remember that Sonic Whip gig and prepare for the new Sonic Whip Festival, happening on May 16th & 17th. And now… We have the choice to listen to them live and direct, cause they’ve put their live gig from l’Antipode in Rennes, France, during Trans Musicales 2024 up on KEXP! Opening the set with a brand new track called Sleeper, it’s a showcase extraordinaire for what Travo is! And yes, Sleeper is stunning and Sleeper might just hint at a new Travo album soon to come!
PR Wire:
TRAVO live on KEXP
Until now, Travo was Portugal's best-kept secret. But then, what has changed? Well, a series of coincidences, more or less intentional, have led to the prestigious US radio station KEXP dropping on Friday last week the spectacular live session the band recorded a few months ago. Travo is no longer just a rumor among the in-the-know; it's a reality that, with just one click of play, will blow your mind. Don't say we didn't warn you!
We're incredibly excited to share with you that our live session for KEXP is finally here. We had an amazing time and felt right at home. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Hailing from the Portuguese city of Braga nearly a decade ago, the band, formed by Gonçalo Ferreira (guitar, vocals), Gonçalo Carneiro (guitar, synth), David Ferreira (bass) y Nuno Gonçalves (drum), began gaining recognition in the local indie scene with the release of their studio albums 'Ano Luz' in 2019 and 'Sinking Creation' in 2022. However, it wasn't until the release of 'Astromorph God' in 2023 through gig.ROCKS! and Spinda Records that their name began to be mentioned in the editorial offices of international media publications and booking agencies of some of the most respected European festivals when it comes to psychedelia, stoner and progressive rock.
The band was selected to participate in the FOCUS Wales music fair and the Dutch festival Sonic Whip in May 2024. To make this happen, both gig.ROCKS! and La Novena Escena organized an entire European tour around these dates. This would lead them to present their music in countries such as Spain, France, Belgium, Portugal and, of course, the already mentioned Wales and the Netherlands. What was initially going to be a small concert for industry professionals at FOCUS Wales ended up giving them opportunity to perform for, among others, the organizer of the legendary French festival Trans Musicales, who quickly after the show invited them to participate in its next edition in December 2024.
And it was there, within the framework of the French festival, that Travo had the chance to record a live session for the influencial KEXP, which is now available on the Seattle station's YouTube channel.
For this special occasion, Travo chose to perform the songs "Faceless Ghoul", "Arrow of Motion" and "Turn to the Sun" from their recent album 'Astromorph God', as well as a new track titled "Sleeper", which will presumably be part of their upcoming studio album. Just for songs are enough for the Portuguese band to make it clear the intensity and fire of their live performances, which come packed with heavy psych, progressive rock and garage attitude, blurring the lines between reality and collective ecstasy.
UPCOMING LIVE DATES
03 April | Porto (PT) @ Maus Habitos 19 April | Fafe (PT) @ Aniversário Malfeito 03 May | São João da Madeira (PT) @ Party Sleep Repeat 21 June | Netphen (DE) @ Freak Valley Festival 13 July Pleszew | (PO) @ Red Smoke Festival 23 August | Brussels (BE) @ Down The Hill Festival + to be announced
We’re back from Austria! And once again, not in one piece! But not that badly hurt… Just a minor concussion, sustained on the final day. So, we had great fun and much better snow conditions and weather than expected. It was glorious! Now, only some 250 emails for Stoner HiVe to go through and a huge bunch for all the other accounts as well. But we will be in full HiVe mode soon enough! If the headache does not become worse… What a glorious April 25th it will be! Cause, we just spun, the new Miss Lava, out on Small Stone Records, April 25th. Spinning now: the new Temple Fang, out on Stickman Records April 25th. And after that? You tell me!
We’re off for a few days trying to find some mountains covered in snow in Austria. But the Doom Charts Peroration Post went live just now, with 21 albums to feast your ears on. And there is that FULL ALBUM PREMIERE we did for the new Drunken Crocodiles album Aegony we did just yesterday. And there is that way-back machine on the little old blog, where you can find so many hidden gems, it boggles the mind. Can’t get enough of Kaiser’s new 2nd Sound, so that will be coming with me. Komatsu 's A Breakfast For Champions to wreck the slopes, An Evening With Knives 's End Of Time to kill the ramps… Any suggestions on what other albums to take with us?
Torpedo Torpedo – Arrows of Time Electric Fire Records – 2025 Rock, Stoner, Psych Rated: ****
I’m off to Austria tomorrow. Hitting the slopes in some way too hip ski resort. Why do those places (almost) never have rock bars? Live venues for rock music? I would assume there would definitely be a market for this. Or a heavy rock festival in the snow? Snowboarding by day, rocking at night. I see opportunities! A man can dream! And dream I will as well when cruising on the new Arrows of Time album by Vienna, Austria trio Torpedo Torpedo. We mentioned their debut album The Kuiper Belt Mantras back in 2022 and now they’re back with the follow-up, which seems to be hazier and swirling like a nebula. Working its luminescent gravity to pull riffs into the cloud and charge the drums like an electric storm. A few tracks have some more doom tones, but for the most part it seems to glide perfectly through the heavy psychedelic universe and stoner galaxy. The three are experts in the slow building tracks, the languid groove and the mesmerizing gradual delights. The continuously building final track Solstice for instance, unhurried and only minutely getting wilder and electrifying. Finally coming to a grandiose close, without taking the logical explosive route, but by controlling the wildness and the ever expanding soundwaves. Torpedo Torpedo are back with another great release and just like golden record on board of Voyager, this album will continue to move through existence, until the end of time…
Released a week ago, the debut self-titled album by Jesse Stilettö. Seven gritty garage rocking songs that implore as much from the stoner genre as it does from psych and even more of hardrock. Turning a fuzz corner often and sounding like they love the proto genres as much as everything that came from the desert. And by the desert we obviously mean the one that sparked the entire scene, for there are definite moments that a bit of QOTSA, Desert Sessions or Eagles of Death Metal surfaces. But never in a blatant or gruff way, cause they just seem to be the vehicles that capture the songs that float around in the universe. Cause it’s a lot of hardrock, bluesy by default and that reminds of the seventies as well. And that’s a good thing! And when they up the dynamics and the roots element in tracks like The Plaid Man the love for Jesse Stilettö will surely grow. Jesse Stilettö, a two piece from Minneapolis, Minnesota that know how to surf the right energies and take the heavy current wherever it might lead. And it has lead them here, to seven tracks of sweet ass rock ‘n roll! Lovely as they come and sharp as a knife!
We are honored to host this FULL ALBUM PREMIERE for the new Drunken Crocodiles album Aegony. Coming out this Friday, March the 21st on Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records it’s a righteous exploration of the ego and the self in respect to life and everything it might go through. And done in all grunge and alternative rock tones. Eight tunes that walk on the wild side and will surely make you stroll along!
Formed in 2012, Drunken Crocodiles carved their sound through years of experimentation and live performances, releasing two EPs before stabilizing as a trio in 2016. By 2017, they had committed to writing their first full-length album, leading to the release of OUT OF BARREL in 2019 under Too Loud Records. This raw and intense record was followed by an extensive tour in Eastern Europe.
Following a brief hiatus due to the pandemic, founder Elia Borelli (vocals/bass) reassembled the band with guitarist Federico Pardini and drummer Simone Silvestre in late 2021. The revitalized lineup wasted no time, embarking on a European tour in 2023 and refining their unique blend of Stoner Psych and Sludge. By summer 2024, the band entered the studio to record Aegony, their most ambitious and conceptually driven work to date.
ABOUT THE ALBUM – "Aegony"
An eight-track journey through distorted yet deeply immersive landscapes, Aegony embraces an analog recording approach, rejecting modern over-processing. With no reamping, no triggers, and no pitch correction, the band has ensured a warm, dynamic, and organic soundscape, resisting the "Loudness War" and preserving the raw intensity of their performance.
The album oscillates between hypnotic, dreamlike atmospheres and crushingly aggressive riffs, embodying the tension between melody and chaos. Each track is rooted in real-life stories, forming a conceptual thread that explores the destructive nature of the ego when unchecked by collective consciousness.
TRACKLIST: 01 - FIRST POINT OF LIBRA 1:11 02 - AUTOJEKTOR 7:30 03 - RAINMAKER 4:47 04 - LE DIVIN MARQUIS 7:11 05 - HOMO HOMINI LUPUS 6:21 06 - SLOW BURN 4:49 07 - BEHAVIORAL SINK 10:22 08 - FIRST POINT OF ARIES 2:00
CONCEPT:
Aegony delves into the existential turmoil caused by an unchecked ego, where self-centered desires overpower communal well-being. The album's narrative raises a critical question:
"Doesn't the ego shape all actions, steering humanity away from harmony and deeper connections?"
Each track portrays a real-life event, illustrating the devastating consequences of egocentrism on human nature. The album challenges listeners to contemplate a more unified existence, where collective progress replaces individual dominance. While this ideal may seem utopian, Aegony suggests that, through trial and error, humanity may eventually find its way toward true awareness and balance.
