The Mad Trist – Pay The Piper

The Mad Trist – Pay The Piper
PIAS
Rock/Stonerpop
Waardering: ****

When The Mad Trist opened the Bospop festival in 2005; they did this for an almost empty tent. At the end of the show they had filled it and the band could look back on a very successful gig. It got even better when they told that they hadn’t even played ten gigs yet. With much anticipation I looked out for the debut-album; but that never came until last year when word arrived they had entered the studio under guidance of Torre Florim (De Staat). Last month finally saw the release of Pay The Piper. For the most part the album is filled with stonerpop which on occasion slows down or speeds up to rock a slightly bit dirtier. Torre’s hand is easily distinguishable and ofcourse we can name Queens of The Stone Age as their main influence. Och, what the hell; its just a fun record and a promise that we will see these gentlemen a lot during next festival-season. Above all, the fact that De Staat, Drive Like Maria and The Mad Trist made it through is good sign for the bands that are still waiting for the big break… Hooghwater, Shaking Godspeed, Bandito, Black Bottle Riot, Dead Man Running (They quit I just found out), Stonerfront Nijmegen, De Dam, Barbarella, Heist and we could continue on like this for quite some time… We’re from Holland, where the fuck you from?

www.themadtrist.com/

Hooghwater - Hooghwater EP

Hooghwater - Hooghwater EP
Quadrofoon – 2008
Rock/Psychedelica/Stoner
Waardering: *****

When the first EP of Dutch Hooghwater graced my ears in 2008; it took my breath away. Where had this band come from and how were they able to produce five stunning tracks without getting any notice in the press? Even now, after they released their full-sized album Echos last year; they have yet to receive the attention they deserve. The five tracks from 2008 are full of driving grooves and hinted at the extremely diverse and convincing psychedelica they would end up making for Echos. A great mix of energetic garagerock, melodic stoner and sixties melancholy. Back then they produced this thing with only the three before become the foursome they are now. Let’s blow up the dykes so everyone gets licked by Hooghwater…

http://www.myspace.com/hooghwater

www.hooghwater.com/

Heist – Razorblade Lemonade

Heist – Razorblade Lemonade
Splinters - 2010
Rock/Stoner/Metal
Waardering: ****

The five bastards of Heist live in the vicinity of Haarlem, Netherlands and have been playing together for about five years. Before and in between those years the guys played with band like Cereal, MissAntartica, Club of High Eyebrows and Keith Caputo. With their debut-album Razorblade Lemonade they show the world that in those years they have been honing their craftsmanship and have been preparing a massive raid upon the music-loving world. The nine songs on this album do not have a fault within them and show a broad spectrum of influences all stemming from the alternative rockscene. Think of Kyuss, Queens of The Stone Age, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Foo Fighters. On occasion they drift a bit more in the direction of postrock and pop, but always with extreme prejudice. (Thanks to producer/master Justin Shturtz of among others Sigur Ros?) Dynamic, blasting riffs, pummeling drums, grooving rhythms, variation and precise. A very successful Heist with an extremely large loot!

http://www.myspace.com/jeheist

American Dog – Mean

American Dog – Mean
Bad Reputation – 2010
Rock/Southern/Blues/Metal
Waardering: ***

Six studio-albums already have the three cowboys of American Dog filled with their Down And Dirty rock, like they are only able to make in the south of America. (Even though they’re from Columbus, Ohio…) Heavy doses of blues interspersed among the metal and rock and lubricate it all with a truckload of beer and whisky. A steady driving rhythm and guitars that seem to rear like a Mustang. On Mean, cause that’s the name of the record, they continue this tradition. A tradition that started thanks to the demise of the band Hilljack at the end of the nineties. A tradition as much in debt to bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Nashville Pussy and ACDC but also Black Crowes and George Thorogood. Raw vocals and excellent guitarwork make sure one can enjoy this Southern Rock album for a long time and hopefully with cold beer. No innovation or experimentation, and we like it that way!

www.AmericanDog.us

Hellfueled – Emission of Sins

Hellfueled – Emission of Sins
Black Lodge / Suburban – 2009
Metal/StonerMetal/MelodicGrunge
Waardering: ***

These four Swedish freaks started out under the somewhat too lovely name Firebug, before changing it to Hellfueled. Their fourth studio-album under this name is called Emission of Sins and starts out furiously before taking on a slightly more accessible form then we are used from them. Not that the entire record is filled with sing-a-longs or radio-friendly MOR-songs; but the rawness or earlier albums takes a backseat to melody and polished pieces more often. Ofcourse we can still hear Ozzy in the voice of the singer and the music does remind of Sabbath and Black Label Society; but much less then before. And that is always a good thing. Filled with awesome riffs and damn fine solo’s, Emission of Sins is a worthy record to keep you warm in these cold winter months. If they had only refrained from creating the pop-song ‘In Anger’…

http://www.hellfueled.com/

Happy New Year

Happy New Year my psychedelic Hi\/e fiends!

May your year be filled with beautiful music and monsterous riffs!!