“I believe everything we dream can come to pass through our union we can turn the world around we can turn the earth’s revolution we have the Doom Charts People have the power…”
~ (misquoted Patti Smith)
Welcome to the October 2026 edition of the Doom Charts! Below, the Top 40, from a list of 200 albums that received votes… Showing us once again that… Voting maters! And… It’s what keeps this monthly chart going and we can’t think the Contributors enough for all the work they do and the fact that they turn in their lists every month… We hope the ones following along, follow those individual sites from time to time as well. Cause all those Contributors all do an amazing job on their respective sites. Dive in, find your new favorite album and vote for it, once those year end polls go live…
The October 2026 Doom Charts just went live! And once again, a very beautiful list of forty heavy albums... And it might just contain your next favorite album! Be sure to check'm out... There are actually two on the list that have escaped my attention before today, gonna list to those two first and then start with the rundown of all forty...
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, progressive 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…
One week from tomorrow! Party time! Balloons, cake and a whole lot of rock 'n roll! It's Peter Pan Speedrock's 30th Birthday Party... And it's at.... Helldorado !! Drive your stake through a
darkened heart... That wild festival in Eindhoven, the Netherlands where anything can happend and everything will. Ooooooo-ooo-oh yessssssss!
These long strange nights... These warped and twisted nights! But you will never be quite sure you were even there... A lost golden festival of rock 'n roll! Lost in a haze and lost in time... Are you ready to get lost?
Amazing bands one and all, but with 30 years of Peter Pan Speedrock, the party atmosphere will surely be grand from the get-go! Amenra! Converge! Ramkot! Prong! The Lords of Altamont and so many more! The Eagles Of Death Metal for instance! Let's boogie!
Good afternoon! Another week has come to an end. It was meant to be one final hectic week, building towards an amazing moment of finally having some time to HiVe. And that it did! It also brought a brilliant night out to see Phe perform at the album release show for their new album, Closer To The Sun. What a wonderful night it was! Unfortunately, on Sunday, some deeply personal news shattered all those wonderful feelings. Suddenly, the future became uncertain, and we find ourselves unsure of what lies ahead or how this will affect the path before us. We hope to find a way to process it all, to come to terms with what has happened, and eventually discover a way forward. We're sorry for speaking in riddles, but for now, that's all we can share. Sometimes, life has a way of changing everything in an instant.
Luckily, we have all that wonderful music to lift our spirits and whisk us away on a wild adventure whenever life allows us the time. And we're glad we managed to share a few of those musical journeys with you before the weekend arrived. We hope you also took a wild and hazy trip with the Erosions / Psalm album! Or perhaps immersed yourself in the proggy stoner-rock magnificence of Mushroom Beard? Maybe the very cool Stoned Jesus, the groovy Kardeathian, the zealous Green Lung, or the classic pub-rock and hard-rock goodness of Airbourne caught your attention? They're all albums that deserve your time, your ears, and a place in your playlist. Just like the ten we've listed above! So go on, give them a spin. We hope you enjoy the ride as much as we did. Check 'em out!
Below is the Top 10 playlist for Week 45, featuring a selection of albums and tracks from my Bandcamp collection that are currently available to listen to...
Psalm / Erosions – Split album Space Goat Records – 2026 Stoner, Doom, Rated: ****
Space Goat Records is the new label on the block. Spearheaded by the one and only Jason Doome of Grand Rapids Doomfest and Sean Brooks of The Heavy Underground Farm Report and HUFR FEST. Two good ol’ boys running a sick new heavy underground label… Stoned, ripped, twisted… Good people! With a hell of a mission statement: “Space Goat Records is an independent heavy underground label dedicated to limited-edition split vinyl releases. Premium packaging, collector-quality pressings, and unforgettable riffs unite exceptional bands from the doom, stoner, sludge, and psychedelic underground—one exclusive release at a time.”
And their first Split album, is one by Psalm and Erosions. And if you were there, we were honored to premiere the second single for this wild split release! And if you are here now, you need to head on over to Monuments In Ruin cause they are doing the FULL ALBUM PREMIERE a day early!
If you do you get hit by Erosions first, three slabs of swamp soaked, fuzz fried Southern sludge, cooked low and slow in a haze of smoke, sweat and a filthy snarl! Sure, we can hit you with other band names liked Weedeater and Bongzilla as references, but those bands would still now sound as if they have gotten lost somewhere between a backwoods roadhouse and a radioactive bog! Erosions bring you monstrous riffs, ragged vocals, lumbering grooves and enough analog grime to clog your bong many times over! There’s a loose, drunken swagger running through the whole affair as well. Which is dangerous for some, the drink and the smoke… But these guys know exactly how to walk down the tightrope, balancing their caveman heaviness with bluesy, down and dirty stoned out doom. Absolutely no finesse, unless you understand that this kind of brutality takes a portion of grace as well. Get your first hit of the gloriously filthy headbanging trip into the sludge filled abyss!
The second dose comes from Psalm! It’s a different kind of trip, still as heady, but down the doom-laden rabbit hole we go. A darker, more melodic strain of Sabbath worshipping kind of heaviness. It doesn’t feel like the vintage blood lust, but there is an occult little cultivar simmering underneath. An entire infectious and addictive groove is ever present and an old-school kind of charm to boot. Psalm bring you thick, chugging guitars, haunting melodies and carefully crafted arrangements that seem to favor atmosphere. It’s no nostalgia trip, even though we can hear all that vintage doom DNA coursing through their veins. It’s the kind of particularly pungent hybrid of doom and sludge that if you take too much of, you might mistake the wonderfully smoky riff soaked journey for some dark and twisted corner of your mind. It’s good! It’s heady and it’s premiering right now…
Yes, head on over to Monuments In Ruin to get the dose you’ve been dreaming off! Out tomorrow on Space Goat Records, the split album by Erosions and Psalm!
Mushroom Beard – Mushroom Beard Pale Wizard Records – 2026 Metal, Stoner, Sludge, Psych Rated: ****
The three from Stoke on Trent called Mushroom Beard will be releasing their self-titled debut album through Pale Wizard Records. TODAY! And if you know anything about Pale Wizard Records you know these crazies deal solely in good stuff; nothing but the good and heavy stuff! And not just because it’s the boys from Sergeant Thunderhoof behind the label. All the other bands and projects released, featured or promoted are wild rides one and all! And guess what… Mushroom Beard is another one of those amazing releases!
The six-track Mushroom Beard concept album takes us into a world of ancient magic, psychedelic sounds and monstrous riffs. Blending doom, progressive rock and psychedelia, the band have created a record that's as much about atmosphere as it is about sheer heaviness. A spoken-word introduction, accompanied by classical instrumentation, sets the scene before the opening track, March Of The Shroom Elephant, kicks in with its slow, thunderous riffs and powerful groove. A fitting introduction to the band's sound!
Elden Beard follows, and at almost eleven minutes, it's a magnificent slab of progressive heaviness. Brooding basslines, hypnotic melodies and riffs that could fell an ancient oak make this one a real highlight. The band take their time developing the track, shifting between moods and musical passages without ever losing their grip.
Things take a darker turn with Bringer. Ominous organ sounds creep into the mix, adding an eerie dimension to the already crushing riffs. Next up is Speech Of The Leaf And Beard, featuring none other than Sergeant Thunderhoof vocalist Dan Flitcroft. His distinctive voice fits perfectly into this psychedelic and heavy celebration of nature's hidden language. A very welcome contribution indeed!
With Fungal Haze, we venture further into Mushroom Beard's psychedelic territory. Gloriously fuzzy guitars meet eerie atmospheric passages, while the heavier sections keep things firmly rooted in doom. The instrumental closer, Khala-Sai, takes a more spacious approach, gradually building layers of guitar, bass and drums towards a powerful, almost cosmic finale. A fitting conclusion that leaves you wanting more.
With their self-titled debut, Mushroom Beard deliver an enjoyable combination of psychedelic rock, progressive arrangements and heavy doom. There's plenty of variation across the six tracks, but the album maintains a clear identity throughout. The band clearly enjoy exploring different moods and musical ideas, but never forget the importance of a good, heavy riff.
Pale Wizard Records have another interesting and awesome release on their hands, and Mushroom Beard make a very promising entrance. Yes, the Shroom Elephant has only just started marching, and I'm certainly curious to hear where it goes next!
Stoned Jesus – Songs To Moon Season of Mist – 2026 Metal, Prog, Stoner Rated: ****
The first album from the Stoned Jesus trilogy hit us back in August 2025. Songs To Sun, as it was called, was nothing short of incredible, with many of its songs quickly finding their way into our hearts and becoming instant favorites. And now, as October 2026 grows ever darker, Stoned Jesus return with their own kind of light: honest, heavy rock in the shape of the trilogy's second chapter, Songs To Moon.
The Ukrainian band Stoned Jesus started out as a heavy-handed, brutish stoner rock outfit. Over the years, however, progressive influences have increasingly found their way into the band's DNA. These days, main songwriter and bandleader Igor Sydorenko seems more intent than ever on exploring the finer nuances of composition, crafting increasingly graceful and sophisticated songs. The second instalment of the trilogy may open with the sheer brutality of Under The Skin, but it soon reveals a different side of the band. There is the sophisticated elegance and unmistakable eighties post-punk flavor of Velvet, as well as acoustic passages that venture into almost ballad-like territory, most notably on the emotionally charged One More Empty Day.
That latter song hits almost as hard as Quicksand, the closing track on last year's Songs To Sun. And perhaps it's just me, but despite all the hardship and turmoil captured on that record,Songs To Sun somehow felt a little more hopeful. Hopeful, perhaps, against all better judgement. Songs To Moon, on the other hand, seems to inhabit a more melancholic, even despondent place. As Sydorenko wails: “Everything I do, will never make a change.”
And yet, somewhere beneath that sense of resignation, there is still a glimmer of catharsis. There seems to be something strangely liberating in accepting that nothing ever changes. And from that very realization, something unexpected begins to emerge: a stubborn, almost defiant form of resistance. Not the kind that promises victory, but the kind that refuses to surrender. That, perhaps, is the feeling that lingers long after Songs To Moon has come to an end. Which leaves us wondering: what will drive the final chapter, Songs To Earth, when it arrives in 2027?
We’ve been lucky enough to have seen them live. Opening up for Psychlona in the Merleyn in Nijmegen. And yes, we’ve been lucky enough to have traded a beer or two with the guitar player. And for the past weeks we’ve been lucky enough to have been swallowed whole by their debut four track, self-titled release: Kardeathian. Indeed, it’s the instrumental stoner force from Dortmund going by the name Kardeathian and their first calling card…
Forged deep in the German underground and tempered on stage alongside quite a few other great names besides Psychlona. They deliver their debut with style and grace. It’s a journey into the darker, heavier corner of stoner doom, post metal and something very massively hypnotic. And with no vocals to guide, that is quite a feat. Colossal riffs, rumbling low end and drums that propel the music ever forward like a war machine on a rampage through a barren landscape…
But here comes the hypnotic part, for beneath all that weight, there is still space to breathe. Riffs tend to open up, rhythms seem to settle into a trance and the tension grips or lets loose, like the ebb and flow of a distant storm gathering its strength. We already mentioned their first single Six earlier, and it still serves as the perfect introduction. Those three minutes of stomping, riff driven momentum, that briefly lets the light back in before accelerating towards the horizon, with nothing but a trail of dust and distortion behind it.
They revel in the pounce, in the stomp, but still… Across the album, Kardeathian favors immersion over excess, building their sound through repetition and a dense presence. Nothing here is ornamental. Riffs serve a bigger purpose, riffs serve the greater pulse, dragging the listener ever deeper into the Kardeathian current. Heavy music, laid bare, stripped of distraction, hypnotic and loud. Kardeathian wants you to surrender to the beautiful weight of the riff and surf its groove. It’s all they want. Even though they won’t tell. Cause Kardeathian is instrumental. Cause Kardeathian knows, sometimes, words will only get in the way…
Green Lung – Necropolitan Nuclear Blast – 2026 Metal Rated: ***
Man, how we loved Free the Witch and the album that followed, Woodland Rites. It’s almost hard to believe that these releases were released in 2018 and 2019, respectively. And that they arrived just a year after Green Lung first crawled out of their coffin to unleash their spine-tingling, bone-shaking sound upon the world. Their raw blend of retro hard rock and proto metal, steeped in occult lyricism, spellbinding vocals, and an organ capable of sending shivers down your spine, equal parts fear and delight, proved to be an enchanting foundation upon which to build something greater.
And build they did. Their next two albums, Black Harvest (2021) and This Heathen Land (2023), gave that sound a more defined shape. Gradually eroding its rough edges and steering its proto-metal roots towards the heavier, more polished metal that came to define the eighties. And now, with their new album, Necropolitan, Green Lung broaden, deepen, and well, perfect that evolution. Don’t worry, their love for classic hard rock and eighties metal remains the beating heart of their sound. The lyrics still revel in the arcane worlds of occultism, magic, and witchcraft, while everything is brought to life by those passionate, almost zealous vocals that make Green Lung so utterly irresistible and instantly recognizable.
And yes… every now and then, that unmistakable organ still rises above the rest, casting its spell over all the Necropolitan music. Only this time, it doesn’t seem so frightening. Perhaps we’ve grown accustomed to its dark enchantment. Or perhaps Green Lung have simply learned how to make the bewitching darkness feel a little more like home…
Airbourne – Airbourne Spinefarm – 2026 Rock, Hard Rated: ***
Almost twenty years after their debut album, the Airbourne sound is as alive as ever! Bristling with power and attitude, the band’s sixth album bears their own name, and that always means something when you’re this far into a career. These Australian rock ’n’ roll maniacs have always held a special place in my heart. Yes, we’ve mentioned it before, thanks to the wild interview we did back in 2010. I still remember the record company people freaking out when Joel and Ryan decided they wanted to head south with me because Rhino Bucket were playing in my hometown that night! It was quite the struggle keeping them in check. Well, we’ve kept track of the band and crossed paths a few more times since then, and this new album marks another fine chapter in the Airbourne story.
This is Airbourne in all their glory. The familiar nods to their heroes are there, along with the straightforward, no-nonsense, yet highly rock ‘n roll lyrics we’ve come to expect from O’Keeffe. The clichés are definitely kept in check, while the choruses are catchier than ever. Could that have something to do with the songwriting partners involved this time around? After all, Bryan Adams knows a thing or two about crafting a rock anthem, and the same goes for Robert John ‘Mutt’ Lange. There’s also a touch of Motörhead in the mix, and, we’re treated to a lovely farewell nod to Lemmy in Send Me to Rock ’n’ Roll Heaven.
And that’s exactly what this album is: rock ’n’ roll heaven! A high-octane blast of old-school hard rock, pub rock and a little sleaze, packed with thunderous riffs, infectious choruses and unapologetic swagger. After twenty-five years, Airbourne is still energetic, electrifying and utterly addictive, especially when tracks like GUTSY and Alive After Death come roaring through the speakers. Airbourne is gloriously familiar, relentlessly loud and thoroughly entertaining. Just like those good ol’ boys themselves!
Morning! We left right after we premiered the full album Closer To The Sun by Phe and returned late last night from the stormy wastelands… Its been a wild few days and nights and we will be looking forward to settling in for hibernation settings over at Stoner HiVe… Which doesn’t mean we go sleep in a cave… Hell no, it means a little bit more HiVe time and less out of town time. At least, that’s what normally happens around this time… But life has a way of throwing curveballs of late… So… Let’s see… And listen… To all those great albums out there!
As mentioned we were honored to premiere the full album for Phe! Did you listen yet? But that wasn’t the only premiere… Also that wild doom psych folk album by Masion Dieu went live over on the HiVe! Which we reviewed a day early. Just like that awesome Moon Destroys album! Let’s see which albums we can mention this week… But I’m sure there will be one or two! And I am looking forward to Friday… For all the right reasons… How about you?
Below is the playlist for Week 44, featuring a selection of albums and tracks from my Bandcamp collection that are currently available to listen to...
As we stepped out the door, autumn struck our faces with its cold, unyielding hands, and suddenly, we remembered… Every day, we are Closer To The Sun. Perhaps, in reality, the Earth is drifting farther from where we began, but in our minds, in our hearts, and somewhere deep within our souls, we are forever moving towards the light… Especially when we are listening to the wild new album by Dutch psychedelic blues outfit Phe! And this right here, today, right now... Is the FULL ALBUM PREMIERE for their Closer To The Sun album!
The album drops tomorrow and the live date for the release show is next week, 31st of October, in Popei, Eindhoven. But you can hear the album a day early on Stoner HiVe!
ForgedintheheartoftheDutchunderground,PhereturnswithCloser To The Sun, a sonicvoyagewhere their very own take onheavyblues,fuzz-drenchedriffsandpsychedelicatmospherescollide.Bornfromtherawspiritofstonerrock, diesel bluesandpropelledbyprogressivetwists,theirsoundshiftsbetweenhypnoticgroovesandsoaringintensity.Followingthesingles we premiered earlier, AdriftandPsychonaut,Phe inviteslistenersintoaworldwheredarknessburnsbrightandthe endless horizonalways beckons...
Press play on the new Phe album Closer To The Sun below and feel its intense heat grow ever bigger...
On their early releases, darkness is something Phe created through weight. Distorted guitars, gritty vocals, slow-burning riffs and a sense of impending, almost ominous, heaviness. By Nothing Else Is Real, the atmosphere itself became a place to explore. The music could be heavy without being relentlessly oppressive, and spacious without losing its power. The band's prevalent brooding mood turned into something the listener could inhabit rather than simply endure...
With Closer To The Sun, the same darkness is now accompanied by a greater sense of motion, of flight, of melodic clarity and lift. Phe have grown from a raw, groove-driven heavy-rock trio into a more patient and expressive psychedelic rock band. The riffs remain their backbone, but the spaces between them have become just as important. Phe seems increasingly interested not only in how heavy a song can feel, but in how far it can carry you... Their evolution is not about becoming lighter. It is about discovering how to make their heaviness breathe. And Closer To The Sun is the perfect vehicle for that adventure...
It was only yesterday, that we ventured into the hidden city… That’s right, words about Maison Dieu’s Città Nascosta album were jotted down and posted on the HiVe. The brand new album by the Italian trio will be officially out for all to hear on Friday the 23rd. Released on the Argonauta Records imprint Octopus Rising this is a magical and mystical beauty… And you can read all about it by scrolling down or clicking HERE… But right, now, today, right here you can do the more important thing, and travel to the hidden city yourself… And be emersed in its beauty… For we are honored to present to you the FULL ALBUM PREMIERE for Maison Dieu’s Città Nascosta!
With Città Nascosta, Italian trio Maison Dieu open the gates to a hidden city where ancient spirits linger and the pulse of the earth sets time. Blending psychedelic doom, ritualistic folk, Eastern influences and haunting instrumentation, they conjure a world both shadowy and enchanting. Fuzz-laden guitars, hypnotic chants and primal rhythms guide the listener through its winding streets, where the organic meets the occult and the unfamiliar feels strangely like home.
Press play here on Maison Dieu’s Città Nascosta!
PR Wire:
Hailing from Italy, Maison Dieu are a three-piece Mystic Doom band formed in 2015 by Ester (vocals, guitar), Mauro (bass, vocals) and Ivan (drums). Their sound combines crushing doom riffs with psychedelic textures, hypnotic rhythms and ritualistic folk atmospheres, creating a dark and immersive sonic world where heaviness meets mysticism. Their influences range from Chelsea Wolfe, Wardruna, Acid King, Messa, Nytt Land and Black Sabbath, while their distinctive identity is further shaped by lyrics performed in Italian, English and an original language created by Ester. After reaching the finals of Arezzo Wave in 2015, the band temporarily paused their activities in 2017, returning to the stage in 2022 with a second-place finish at the Homeless Fest. In 2023, Maison Dieu released their first single, “Sei 6”, followed by an international tour across eight European countries, sharing stages with acts including Giuda, Go!zilla, Isaak and Kayleth. Their 2024 single “Ellys” preceded the release of their debut EP Herbacea via Sliptrick Records. The band subsequently embarked on further European tours across Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland and Denmark, including an appearance at the Church of Crow festival. Now signed to Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records, Maison Dieu enter a new chapter with their debut full-length album, Città Nascosta, a journey deeper into their unique blend of mysticism, psychedelic darkness, ancestral ritual and crushing doom.
.jpg)
