Help Wanted!

Help Wanted!

The amount of releases we receive is still expanding like a universe of its own and it is time to face the music once again and see if there might be anyone else out there willing to lend a helping hand. If you dig listening to the heavy genres featured on this little blog and have a few moments to spare in the week maybe you would like to contribute? A new album or EP would be forwarded to you and all you have to do is listen to it and write a few words about it. If possible with a little bit of information about the band, what the music entails and if you dug it. Somewhere between a hundred and fity and two hundred words per mention is all it takes. Interested? Want to know more? Send an email to this adress: Stoner HiVe !

The Lemmings - The March of Provocation

The Lemmings - The March of Provocation

Self released – 1998

Rock, Grunge, Stoner, Punk

Rated: ****

Before Shovelhead became Shovelhead the guys that made up the first version of Shovelhead were going under the moniker The Lemmings. On their only album The March Of Provocation from 1998 the sound is very similar to the later Shovelhead records. Perhaps they sound even more like Mudhoney and The Stooges than after the name change and perhaps they have even more Hendrix influenced guitar outings. Their hard driving, raw, aggressive and rust-colored noise stems form their very own unique blend of psychedelic blues based riff rock. Their dark melodies and hypnotic rhythms are mixed by jam like solo’s and true 60’s and 70’s inspired nomadic string offerings that would definitely turn both of the Jimi/Jimmy heads. The Freehold, New Jersey powertrio produced something timeless and an album that has all the makings of a classic gem later to be rediscovered. So where’s Indiana Jones when you need’em?!

(Written by JK)

Myspace

Roadkillsoda – Oven Sun

Roadkillsoda – Oven Sun

Self-Released – 2013

Stoner, Punk

Rated: **

From Romania comes the disgustingly named four piece Roadkillsoda.  There is a restless spirit at work on ‘Oven Sun’ as riffs writhe and squirm under its glare like multi-legged insects exposed beneath an upturned rock.  The vocals and lyrics are defined by a punkish spirit of pissed off and exhausted concern, creating apathy and a piss poor disposition.  The band is known to rock out with some freewheelin’ solos when the mood strikes them.  Mostly, Roadkillsoda music is characterized by distillery fog grunge seen through the lens of a busted bottle of southern rock.  Ten songs have spilled out on the ground averaging about three and a half minutes apiece.   Sometimes, the band’s convertible picks up a speeding ticket as songs fly in and fly out without much fuss. Before you realize it three songs and not even ten minutes have passed.  We all know the feeling, that speeding convertible is guaranteed to hit a few more fuzzy creatures along the way creating more of their particular brew.  Now, what you want to do is, see, go down to the highway side and peel yourself a pack of songs off the road.

(Written by Lucas)

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Palmer Generator – (E)Motionless

Palmer Generator – (E)Motionless

Self released – 2013

Rock, Alternative, Progressive, Stoner

Rated: ***

Hailing from the Marche countryside in Italy, the three men from Palmer Generator just released a second effort called (E)Motionless. It is a family affair comprised out of brothers and a son and shows the legacy of a very musical family. The sound on the album feels otherworldly, experimental and has definite dreamlike qualities. It comes across like a weird hybrid of Eastern influenced space out music, with South-American ditties, progressive rock and stoner inspired rhythms and riffs. Some of the vocal parts could use a little work but this is hardly worth mentioning for the mind pictures painted are extraordinary. You can just as easily imagine green rainforests and naked beauties bathing under waterfalls, worn down parts of town where the wind has free reign over all the rubbish and very little souls dare venture or even sacred rituals by masked freaks that try to waken some ancient power. In other words; Palmer Generator has a lot to offer and probably has something for everyone…

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Trucker Diablo – Songs of Iron

Trucker Diablo – Songs of Iron

Ripple Music – 2013

Rock, Hard, Pub, Southern

Rated: ****

These Irish bastards (re)released their first album The Devil Rhythm only a year ago and have now produced a damn fine follow-up called Songs of Iron. We are ofcourse referring to the Trucker Diablo freaks. Another fist full of energetic rock that is in debt to those giants that produced the best of pubrock, hardrock and all those other subgenres that have little or no use for bullshit. With some tasty bourbon swilling, tobacco spitting southern influences the guys do their best to come close to bands like AC/DC, Thin Lizzy and even ZZ Top. The crisp and clear production just explodes out of the speakers and almost every song makes you nod your head and smile as you sip your beer. The only thing left to wish for now is a rickety lawn chair, a sleepy dog, a setting sun and BBQ searing steaks nearby. Never thought it possible for rainy Ireland to produce this kind of steamy and sizzling rock…

(Written by JK)

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Polkadot Cadaver – Last Call In Jonestown

Polkadot Cadaver – Last Call In Jonestown

Razor to Wrist – 2013

Rock, Metal

Rated: ***

Dog Fashion Disco exploded in 2007 and from its ashes grew Polkadot Cadaver. And with Last Call In Jonestown the guys have already released their fourth effort. It essentially carries on the former group’s experimental and cultivated weirdness. It’s a tasteful mash up of groove metal with sidesteps towards thrash, industrial, progressive and something artsy incorporating less tasteful themes and disturbing subjects. Dark, twisted and aggressive the album washes over you with brutal riffs and manic drumwork. It’s lunacy translated to a heavy shock and aggravating degree, which paradoxically enough leaves one relieved and refreshed. And with Neil Fallon of Clutch lending his soulful vocals to the Transistors of Mercy track the record calls out to everyone needing a tall glass of schizophrenic rock ‘n roll!

(Written by JK)

Razor to Wrist

Zeppheroin – Howl

Zeppheroin – Howl

Self released – 2013

Rock, Doom, Post, Metal

Rated: ****

Black Insect Laughter produces a sapphire zephyr that brings screaming proclamation and howling dismay from a long forgotten gutter somewhere between madness and hysteria. It is the man behind this beautiful website that pulls the strings on his very own musical outlet that has been dubbed Zeppheroin. Which produces lo-fi doom with furious aggression and a staggering appetite to eat fire in Paradise Alley. Which sounds like the madman bum searching for carnal desire and unsavory lust for unspeakable truths that flusters the mind and boils the blood. Which drags itself through hopeless back streets and corridors filled with wailing despair and the loathsome charm of the failed and the doomed. Which can only truly be appreciated by those that have heard the pure hymn stemming from the gloomy underground and have seen the absolute heart of the riff, the rock and the poetry of life butchered out of their own bodies good to eat for a thousand years…

(Written by JK with a little help from the honorable Ginsberg.)

Bandcamp

Kylesa – Ultraviolet

Kylesa – Ultraviolet

Season of Mist – 2013

Rock, Metal, Sludge

Rated: ****

Ultraviolet is the sixth full-length studio album by Savannah sludge metal formation Kylesa. On it they seem to run through their previously explored avenues and move away through dusty and rubble filled post punk back streets and enigmatic dark and psychedelic cul-de-sacs. The five-piece, double drums, muddy trashers seem to want to skewer the sewers looking for the dirty tones lurking there. And every now and again they pop up through the grating like one of those hit the mole kind of games Sam N Max always play. It makes the record seem a little jumpy and all over the place, which might turn away some but does make for one hell of a scary and exciting ride. In fact it does not so much feels like an acid trip but more like a DMT infused car chase down cartoon filled highways… You should step in and tune out pronto! “Mind if I drive?” “Not if you don’t mind me clawing at the dash and shrieking like a cheerleader…”

(Written by JK)

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Howl – Bloodlines

Howl – Bloodlines

Relapse – 2013

Metal, Sludge

Rated: ***

On their second album Bloodlines, the branded sludge metal formation Howl moves further away from the muddy dirty sound they produced on their debut Full Of Hell. Released in 2010 the Providence foursome received glowing reviews and comparisons to Kylesa, High On Fire, Mastodon and Baroness. There are still little stints and hints of that sludge and doom history but Howl has opted to go a much faster and direct route towards a burning metal future. The now reborn quintet produce iron strong gritty riffs, occasional blast-beats, incredibly impressive drum-work and incorporate a grimy sandpaper voice to propel this record to an extraordinary velocity. It’s a gallop through streams of lava towards the devils lair which must be situated somewhere down south. Howl promises once again to be a force to be reckoned with very soon. And for some the reckoning will start today…

(Written by JK)

Myspace

Sounds of Zamboni

Sounds of Zamboni

Wanna be the first among many to hear the new sounds from the solo project of Hijos De Mayo’s bassplayer called Sounds of Zamboni? Started after the sad demise of said band he has now put a few demo productions online. Check out his Soundcloud and get groovy to his space kraut drone extravaganza!

Sounds of Zamboni

Geezer – Gage

Geezer – Gage

Self released – 2013

Rock, Stoner, Blues, Psychedelic

Rated: ****

It’s only been a month or two when Geezer released their damn good Handmade Heavy Blues album that forced its way into our hearts and Lucas wrote a glowing review. And now the guys are already unleashing a new four-track EP called Gage upon the world. Recorded in one sitting after finishing the one track promised for The Grip of Delusion compilation soon to be released the songs are definite Geezer material. However they do move away from their classic blues roots and that heavy trucking sound they had on their already mentioned album and edge forward towards a dry heat desert feeling where things drip somewhere in the background and the beer spilled immediately evaporates. It’s all even more laid-back and lazy and speaks to that atavistic side of us all. That side that prospers when things get dangerous and life threatening. So let’s hope the summer becomes just that and we will use Gage as the soundtrack… 

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

A much better review as written by Lucas on his Paranoid Histophrenic!

Morality Crisis – Boats

Morality Crisis – Boats

Minnesconsin Records – 2013

Metal, Grind, Core, Prog, Sludge

Rated: ***

Do you want to be shell-shocked? Do you want to experience what all the victims of war experience? Do you feel like trying your luck with a roadside bomb and maybe end up in a wheelchair? Try the new record by Morality Crisis called Boats. It’s an intestine turning full frontal assault that will leave you deaf, blind and in a definite crisis. Their punky grind and hardcore tunes are infused with technical breaks and rhythm changes that makes you wonder where their progressive influences stem from. Their noise even has some stomping sludge hidden in their midst and it all is blasted your way sewage boiling vocals and battering riffs. So if you’re up for a dangerous stint through a shit kicking war zone, try out Morality Crisis; it might just save your life…

(Written by JK)

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Mexicoma – Mexicoma

Mexicoma – Mexicoma

Bilocation Records – 2013

Rock, Stoner, Doom

Rated: ****

A few months ago we featured the Supervoid EP by the Swedish six-piece groove attack monster force that is Mexicoma. And the guys have now released a full-sized self-titled album which will not just knock you back into next week but probably skip a few months as well. Cause the first track 5.27 works as a slow building but trampling round one knock out that incorporates fuzzy groove, beastly stoner and hallowed doom. And that’s just the opener. After that the subtle brutality and the brutish subtlety just forces itself upon you. There is no escaping the fact that Mexicoma is one hell of operation. Slow riffs, melodic guitar lines and drums that beat down any note that tries to flee. And then there’s the vocalist with a voice that seems to just explode right out of his chest. Aah yes, Mexicoma. Sweden must surely have a steamy hot desert hidden away somewhere…

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Knife The Symphony and Swear Jar – Split

Knife The Symphony and Swear Jar – Split

Phratry Records – 2013

Rock, Punk, Core

Rated: **

Swear Jar recorded their tracks to tape for zero dollars in the home of an unsuspecting vacationing family. Vocals and overdubs were then recorded later in the basement of an unsuspecting woman as she went on vacation. Long story short, if you go on vacation, Swear Jar will make a record inside your house. Well, nuff said. Why add anything to such a brilliant press statement? Knife The Symphony did no such thing though; they are the nice boys here and went to a proper studio to record their three tracks. But both bands are getting their influences from the indie core scene from the early nineties. The heavy aggressive and highly energetic punk, hardcore and everything with the word post in it scenes. It is loud, it is noisy and it absolutely right smack-dab in the middle of your face. So, should you drive by some house one day and hear some blood curling screaming coming from the inside. It doesn’t necessarily have to be some kind of insane killer having fun in there. No, it just might be Swear Jar recording a new album…

(Written By JK)

Bandcamp

Vista Chino - Dargona Dragona

The new song Dargona Dragona by Vista Chino.
No words; just fuzz out and get freaky.

Soundcloud

Montenegro – Confusos Recuerdos Después Del Coma

Montenegro – Confusos Recuerdos Después Del Coma

Slick-O-Delic – 2013

Rock, Psychedelic, Stoner, Doom, Surf, Balkan

Rated: ****

The scale of the Argentinean landscape is hard to imagine for us Dutch freaks. We cross our country from North to South or East to West in less than two hours depending the traffic. The same goes for the extreme beauty that goes with the territory and it’s colorful capital Buenos Aires. It is hard to picture in gray Holland. Montenegro hails from their main city and tries to capture both aspects in a whirlwind of psychedelic rock, which incorporates Balkan moments, old Surf cues and something that reminds of Enrico Morricone. It also has a darker aspect that must stem from the bad side of town. The part where El Bandito lives with his trusted burro ‘Horse Michael’. You can see him smoking his cigar, drinking his horrible mescal and riding his donkey when the red sun starts to set and the ill mannered come out to play. Confusos Recuerdos Después Del Coma seems to be the perfect soundtrack to his weird and ugly adventures and his trek through the desert. Montenegro has the ability to paint those pictures well…

(Written by JK)

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Ape Machine – Mangled By The Machine

Ape Machine – Mangled By The Machine

Ripple – 2013

Rock, Stoner, Hard

Rated: *****

After the damn fine This House Has Been Condemned record and the amazing War To Head album the American Ape Machine returns as a quartet with their third installment called Mangled By The Machine. Driven forward by the chased vocals of frontman Caleb Heinze the four friends continue their journey through heavy rock history and towards a very own future. For where their first two albums paid homage to the giants of yore and classic seventies psychedelic rock this one takes a few gentle steps to the side. With more hardrock influences, intense breaks and extreme rhythm changes the Apes produced a full throttle journey that stays the course of its concept with a massive groove without it becoming a masturbation in the corner of a zoo-cage kind of thing. Cause even if the album is meant as one long track and recorded in such a fashion; it never becomes the self-pleasuring peeling-your-own-banana-and-eat-it-too performance and just keeps displaying their insane drumwork and freakishly good guitar in an unpretentious modest but still grand opus. Powerful, arresting, chaotic and surprising. This is amazing to the third degree!

(Written by JK)

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Elvis Deluxe – The Story So Far

Elvis Deluxe – The Story So Far

Metal Mind – 2013

Rock, Stoner, Garage, Psychedelic

Rated: *****

On that fateful trip through Poland back in October Elvis Deluxe drummer Miko told me about the rough time bands have in their home country and about the difficult future that lay ahead for his own band. For some reason they were unsure what the forward course of action should be after having delivered the brilliant Favorite State Of Mind album in 2011. To serve as an example for that fact and for the celebration of their tenth anniversary they have now delivered an excellent third album called The Story So Far. On it we find three older songs that take you back towards the beginning of the band and five new ones. They promote the new direction they are taking; a more laid-back, minimalist and improvisational approach without ever forgetting their powerful and noisy background. It’s the art of making love for the right passionate amount of time before finally climaxing. It’s the art of stretching out the tension till it becomes almost transparent and then releasing it. And yes, there are also a few full force straightforward explosions for quick relief!

(Written by JK)

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Lesados – Leziria

Lesados – Leziria

Self released – 2013

Rock, Punk, Stoner

Rated: ***

Portuguese punk formation Lesados has returned with a second album called Leziria and has moved towards the stoner countryside to try and perform something miraculous. Founded in 2011 the three amigos initially tried for a loud and aggressive sound that overwhelmed. They have retained that aspect in their new incarnation, which is bass heavy and even slows down to tractor speed on occasion. It has also kept that choppy aspect of punk and that gritty guitar resonance. The drums fill and freak and the vocalist grunts and howls like a chain-smoking farmer calling his sheepdog. Overall, the five tracks and hidden cover impress with their ability, endeavors and prowess; their attempts to reach stupendous heights. And at times; they even make it all the way up to the clouds! Lesados, plantando as sementes para algo grande!

(Written by JK)

And a much better review as ofcourse written by Lucas on his Paranoid Hitsophrenic! 

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Elektrohahn und die Legebatterie – Commander Horst Control

Elektrohahn und die Legebatterie – Commander Horst Control

Self-Released – 2013

Biker Rock, Stoner, Psychedelic

Rated: ***

‘Commander Horst Control’ takes the listener on a two wheel trip through biker territory, rough and ready rock n roll, freaking out the squares with some dark psychedelia and even some elektropunk Nintendo sounds (see the intro).  The darkness that Elektrohahn und die Legebatterie drapes like a leather jacket across their otherwise straight-ahead rock sound comes in the form of the steadily thrumming bass groove, which is both hypnotic and addictive.  It forms the solid backbone that the band needs; it’s the highway in other words, upon which the rest of the band burns rubber.  Grunge influences also sneak into the affair, neglecting the formal biker dress code for flannel and shredded baggy denim in the form of some dissonant harmonies and syncopated rhythms.  But always it comes back to the Cream / Blue Cheer / Steppenwolf holy trinity of heavy metal thunder.  And make sure you bring a little patience along with you and ride this trip through to the end of the road, because there is a hidden track buried in the back of the album worth investigating.  Overall, a solid and steady cruise that takes care of rock n roll business.

(Written by Lucas)

Bandcamp

ASG – Blood Drive

ASG – Blood Drive

Relapse – 2013

Rock, Hard, Stoner

Rated: ***

Vocalist Jason Shi’s sound still resembles that of Perry Farrell from Jane’s Addiction. But we are in fact still dealing with ASG from North Carolina. Founded in the year of our lord 2001 the band has already delivered four damn fine albums, but has never made a jump towards the bigger crowds. With their new record Blood Drive that forward bounce might just be waiting around the corner. For they sound like a less aggressive cousin of Mastodon or Baroness and one that was been dabbling in the fun sounds of grunge and nineties alternative. The ever churning riffs, tight drums and impressive solos usually go for that gritty nineties sound but on occasion slow down to knee level banging. And on those moments ASG might impress the most for it shows they do not just simply rumble on without a destination but plot a course and stick to it. Tough, sturdy and solid but with true elegance!

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Robot Lords of Tokyo – Virtue and Vice

Robot Lords of Tokyo – Virtue & Vice

RLOT records – 2013

Rock, Metal

Rated: ***

The Robot Lords are back with their third album and a truckload of guest appearances. On their new album Virtue & Vice they storm down a lovely metal highway with small detours towards Southern, Hard, Sludge and Stoner. The six-string guests include Chris Poland (Megadeth), Tracy G (Dio), Wayne Findlay (Michael Schenker Group), Steve Theado (American Dog) and Terry Adams (Propulsion). Together with these animals the Lords have once again prepared another tasty meal at a down and dirty truckstop. It’s their version of classic metal riffs combined with the stoner groove we all dig and a sleazy swagger you’d see among the southern acts and just enough guitar shredding to leave you completely fulfilled. Virtue and Vice is one hell of an intense ride down the rock’n roll freeway. Sometimes you swerve to the left and get some old eighties static on the radio and then you cross to the right to get something heavy and thunderous. But for the most part you just speed down the middle and leave a trail of metal dust!

(Written by JK)

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Queens of The Stone Age - … Like Clockwork

Queens of The Stone Age - … Like Clockwork

Matador – 2013

Rock, Robot, Desert

Rated: ****

During a certain festival there was little time to listen to the streams that came pouring in but there was one that definitely had to be checked out before enveloping oneself once more in the brilliant pool of love and music that is Roadburn. It was the Matador stream that captured my attention. And it entered Like Clockwork. And it definitely turned out to be a good album but moves ever further away from the Queens of The Stone Age we fell in love with before the turn of the century. It has moments that remind of the Era Vulgaris album and things that do that Them Crooked Vultures magic. It is a definite grower and still incorporates that ‘anti’ thing that QOTSA does. The biggest disappointments will probably be the missing of a lot of fuzz; the very limited extra input the many guests produced and the roughness. The plus side of things is that Josh and comrades decided to go for the gusto and make everything as big as possible. Fuck all expectations and fuck that punk adagio he lived by from the Kyuss days. I want to do this, so I’m gonna do this. The result is something gigantic and it might just turn out to be something legendary… After time…

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Paissano – Paissano

Paissano – Paissano

Self released – 2013

Rock, Stoner

Rated: *****

Ola amigo! El pequino burro dijo el erizo… Well; that sentence and a bit more about stones and bumping into them…. Saying hi too loose women. Ordering food, beer and other kind of beverages. And basically all that is needed for wild wild nights are the only words of Spanish I actually speak. Follar Un Pato is another sentence everyone should know! But ofcourse we understand what Paissano must mean. For the music on the self-titled album of this Argentinean formation feels like a long lost brother and a fellow traveler. The sound comes in waves of incredible Kyuss like grooves and even though the few vocal-lines sound nothing like Garcia the diction does. And then the Karma To Burn instrumental heaviness and down right trucking gets you stomping down the terra like some wild beast on the prowl. And with a magical sprinkle that is strictly their own these four compadres turn into a dust storm that will blow everyone away without prejudice. Santa Madre de Dios, joder esto es bueno!

(Written by JK)

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Huata / Bitcho – Split

Huata / Bitcho – Split

Musicfearsatan – 2013

Rock, Drone, Doom, Sludge, Stoner, Noise

Rated: ****

When two perhaps lesser-known but still surely heavyweights of the droning and hypnotic low frequencies team up the world braces itself for impact. And rightfully so for on the just released split record from French natives Huata and Dutch freaks Bitcho the sound becomes intoxicating and almost oscillating with atomic power. The atmosphere feels volatile and dangerous and almost liquefies before your very eyes as the monotone grooves swerve and move and dance and drown out all of your senses. And ever so slightly Huata with tiny remarks and signature suggestions makes you accept that alternate reality. That shimmer in the distance that feels warm to the touch and cold in the heart. Bitcho draws you further into this new dimension and adds a mystic and occult quality that vibrates at the very core of your being and warps and distorts. This is some form of alien hot molten lava disguised as sound…

(Written by JK)

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Ten Foot Wizard – Return To The Infinite

Ten Foot Wizard – Return To The Infinite

Self released – 2013

Rock, Stoner, Blues

Rated: ****

Started as a side-project by members from the groove metal formation Bisonhammer the Manchester quartet Ten Foot Wizard is now showing their love for classic blues rock with that southern edge and a stoner groove in true honest fashion. For their first album Return To The Infinite is chuck full of riffs and guitar handling that make you want to drink foul tasting bourbon and spit yourself silly in a spittoon. With excellent gritty vocals and an ever-present catchy atmosphere that never gets stale or familiar the record aims for heavy rotation on your stereo. Add to this the exceptional dominating dry heat drumwork and one can safely say that we are dealing with impassioned blues rockers that honor that heavy side with verve. Never moving towards something complicated they take their pride in making that elemental groove as grandiose as possible! Simply irresistible!

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

And ofcourse Lucas has also paid attention on his Paranoid Hitsophrenic!

Boneworm – Boneworm

Boneworm – Boneworm

Self released – 2012

Doom, Metal, Sludge, Rock

Rated: ****

At one point during that unholy lost weekend in Reno we had to hitch a ride to the far side of town. Not because we needed to go there; but because we had to get out of the inner circle fast. For reasons best left unspoken. We had the good fortune or bad luck to be picked up by two freaks in a Camaro. So we felt right at home and nobody complained when we barked out the window and opened dangerous looking phials with weird viscose swirly stuff inside. Rest assured; the rest of the ride turned into a hazy rollercoaster full of bizarre adventures and encounters. But I won’t bore you with all the details and instead thrill you with something that might not even have anything to do with that mad weekend full of terror. This three-piece outfit from Portland, Oregon, goes by the name of Boneworm and is one hell of a creepy crawler. On their first self-titled album they produce three tracks that move in a steady march around a black bubbling cauldron. The procession is slow and steady and never speeds up or falters and only shows slight changes and progression. It’s refreshing to hear a band that refuses to go for the quick kill and just patiently devours you whole…

(Written by JK)

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Killsong – He Is Risen

Killsong – He Is Risen

Art As Catharsis – 2013

Rock, Punk, Funk, Freak, Art

Rated: **

'The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.' That’s one of the few really good sentences in an otherwise doable book. But if you want to hear something that resembles that sentence or perhaps something that is even weirder you might want to check out the Australian avant-garde funk freak out poetry five-piece that is Killsong. Ye gods man, and I thought I was demented? But on their five-track album He Is Risen they are putting all of us to shame! They definitely go for the gusto in translating their madness into something that can make teddy bears go berserk with bloodlust. This is not for the feeble or the wicked. For the first will start crying and the later will go on a killing spree. For everybody else out there; try this. If it doesn’t flip your head it might just be that last piece missing in your otherwise beautiful and colorful work of art…

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Ian James – Human Casualty

Ian James – Human Casualty

Blue FX records – 2013

Rock, Psychedelic, Pop, Alternative

Rated: ***

Lowell, Massachusetts is not a name that will immediately spark a light inside everyone’s mind. But the city has housed quite a few important historical figures and has been a frontrunner in both cultural and technological revolutions. Citizen Ian James will not start the next revolution with his new solo effort called Human Casualty. He will however stand firmly on the barricade with balled fists proclaiming his love for artistry and artisan music. As a solo artist and one man band he expertly navigates the dangers that such an endeavor usually entails. It quickly envelops the mind and throws the listener back through time when the magical Wall of Voodoo paved the way for acts such as The Cure. But he never goes the new wave route; he stays on the psychedelic rock road that uses guitars as weapons and words with deadly precision. He means what he sings and he sings what he feels that needs to be sung. After a few spins the rhythm box becomes the hypnotic lizard nod in your brainstem and his voice the tongue that licks your cerebellum…

(Written by JK)

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Cojones – Live in Jena (Black Night)

Cojones – Live in Jena (Black Night)

Self released – 2013

Rock, Stoner

Rated: ****

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Croatian grandmasters named Cojones; go shame yourself in some dirty little corner somewhere. Cojones burst unto the scene with a tight split record together with Umor in 2007 and leveled everyone in 2009 with the amazing album Sunrise and followed it up with a very impressive second one called Bend To Transcend last year. To celebrate their fantastic voyages through the European landscapes after those releases they have now sent a live record out into the world. It was recorded in Jena, Germany of March this year. Songs from both records are played with feverous joy and intense energy and it moves and it makes you grown. And so does the Jefferson Airplane cover White Rabbit. On certain moments the sound quality suffers a bit, but for the most part it feels like you are right there with the rest of the audience being shocked, awed and left breathless. I hope these guys start yet another tour very soon. Otherwise I will need to quit work early this year so I can attend the Sticks and Stone Festival in Nikolsdorf, Austria on July 13 or leave Slovenia sooner than planned to catch them, Been Obscene and Molior Superum at the Lake On Fire Festival near Waldhausen Im Strudengau in Austria on August 9… Dilemma!

(Written by JK)

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Valfader – Whispers of Chaos

Valfader – Whispers of Chaos

Self released – 2013

Rock, Doom, Sludge, Psychedelic

Rated: *****

Somewhere on the other side of this mist and rubble one can make out silent words and quiet murmur. There is something there and there’s something that knows and it tries to hiss some form of truth into our ears. Luckily we have the English trio Valfader from Bath to translate that chaos into audible beauty. On their debut album Whispers of Chaos the three amigos show us how true love for the obscure and shadowy should sound like. For almost forty minutes they take us on a majestic trip through their very own and very impressive haze. With a massive doom groove, heavy truckin bass, dizzying riffs and wails that bring the giants of yore to memory the album enchants, moves and captivates. And with voices that move from witchy to growly to haunting and back you cannot escape being mesmerized. And then there’s the slightly lo-fi production, which only adds to their very own august, noble and mystic sound. Simply amazing!

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Colossus – Wake

Colossus – Wake

Perennity Records – 2013

Rock, Metal, Progressive, Sludge

Rated: ***

The Swedish trio Colossus already delivered a raving piece of forceful power with it’s Spiritual Myiasis EP in 2011. The amigos now return with a full-sized album called Wake. And it is a definite wake-up call. A powerhouse of screams and angry progressive metal that rumbles with impressive drums and is flooded by a truckload of guitar and snarling bass. The most passionate part about this record might be the fact that they manage to put some sort of mighty catchy sauce on top of all those levels of heavy music. For some reason one can imagine this band gathering attention from much more than the likes that already knew about them. Even though the vocals are brutish and somewhat over the top on occasion; and there is a masterful and technical edge to it all; that ‘everyone could accept this’ quality is ever pervasive. I can also see that same fact turn some of us freaks away…

(Written by JK)

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Diablo Strange – Sordid Tales

Diablo Strange – Sordid Tales

Self-Released – 2013

Rock, Stoner, Hard

Rated: ***

Feast your ears on eleven tales of hard and fuzzy prestidigitation.  Your capable hosts for the next 40 minutes can trade punches with the stoner rock heavyweights all night long but are just as quick to weave an intoxicating spell in a top hat and penguin suit.  A gruff voice, fuzz bass and guitar that relies less heavily on effects than on strong riffs power these tales forward.  Meet Diablo Strange.  A magician?  No!  A stoner rock band hailing from Moncton, New Brunswick, a province on Canada’s choppy east coast.  The Maritime provinces were throwing stoner bands out to the far corners of the earth long before any of the rest of the country knew what the hell they were doing over there.  Diablo Strange does well to live up to that nobly stoned heritage.  So hop into the shaggin’ wagon and drive cross country, drawn to the heavy aroma and gravelly voiced siren call of the Maritimes, you now have the perfect soundtrack for the road trip!

(Written by Lucas)

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Sun Rider – Demo

Sun Rider – Demo

Self released – 2012

Rock, Stoner, Metal

Rated: ***

From the lovely Dutch city of Dordrecht comes a five-piece stoner formation that will blow your head off with heavy riffs, epic solo’s and psychedelic streams of energy. On their first three songs demo Sun Rider aims to leave your ears bleeding, your neck twisted and a massive grin across your face. They produce a tight groove with a metal gallop that moves like lightning and strikes with furious anger. Some incredible licks and tasty guitarlines give the forceful drumming exactly the right amount of color to keep things interesting, heavy and moving. The only thing that keeps this demo from being the stuff of legends is the not always convincing vocals of their frontman. On some moments his forced throat works; but on most it feels like a reach and too much of a stretch. On all other fronts: Sun Rider is a monstrous force to be reckoned with! Sooner or later!

(Written by JK)

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Chelsea Light Moving – Chelsea Light Moving

Chelsea Light Moving – Chelsea Light Moving

Matador / Beggars – 2013

Rock, Alternative, Noise

Rated: ***

On Demolished Thoughts from 2011 Thurston Moore offers his soul up for punishment. In an oppressive, wistful and angry fashion he deals with his break-ups. So Chelsea Light Moving aims to be a new start. A band filled with artists from underground bands such as Tower Recordings, Sunburned Hand Of The Man and Jackie-O-Motherfucker. Moore and his new band of pirates stay close to his Sonic Youth roots and incorporate much of their telltale elements. Wrenching harmonies, spoken word and distorted distortion. And honestly, this record is beautifully done and sounds like a long lost companion. All the while though you kind of miss the feedback Lee Ranaldo used to have for his brother in crime. Even so, half the songs are definite kickers and deserve a place in history. The rest might just be something Moore wrote down while doing something entirely different. Like boiling an egg. Or hitting three old men with a plaice across their faces. Who knows?

(Written by JK)

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Colossa – New Day Rising

Colossa – New Day Rising

Colossa Records – 2013

Rock, Alternative, Stoner, Powerpop

Rated: ***

Hopes were high for the Dutch Colossa threesome back around 2009 when they released their first EP. They did not really deliver on their full-sized album Born To Make A Sound that arrived two years later. It showed definite promise but failed to make that smash and grab we longed for. So with confidence and optimism we turned to their new album New Day Rising. With a new bassplayer and an extra guitarplayer they transformed into a quartet. One that leans heavily towards the Foo Fighters and with Howie Weinberg of Nirvana’s Nevermind fame doing the mastering that sound might have even become more prevalent. On some moments they sound raw and gritty and right there on the edge; where we all want our bands to play. But more often they carefully choose the middle of the road and become that powerpop band we can all tolerate. Which is an awful shame; cause we know these guys could do so much better! The songs are there. The talent is there. I guess the only thing left to do is to wait for the devil to show up…

(Written by JK)

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Coliseum – Sister Faith

Coliseum – Sister Faith

Temporary Residence Ltd / Holy Roar – 2013

Rock, Punk, Stoner

Rated: *****

Hailing from the dark and bloody grounds of Louisville, Kentucky the trio known as Coliseum has been racking up their kills for three albums on end. But with their new and fourth one Sister Faith they aim to slay the world! Celebrating their tenth anniversary and a new bass player the album seems to be chockfull of new and exciting moves and modes. Incorporating something dark and brooding, an ominous rhythm and a forbidding atmosphere that puts beads on your forehead and drips down your spine. Their dark heart rock ‘n roll stems from something wholly fatalistic and melancholic. Powerful and evocative the thirteen songs leave a heavy imprint on your soul. It leaves a stain in your heart and makes you move like a caged tiger. And with a little help from friends such as Wata of Boris, J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines), Elizabeth Elmore (Sarge, Reputation), Jason Loewenstein (Sebadoh, The Fiery Furnaces) and Jason Farrell (Swiz, Bluetip) on the honor roll the album simply drifts towards something mythical. A beast with two horns and a fuzz pedal that will make will make the thunder scream “bravo”. These are true songs for the doomed…

(Written by JK)

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Kadavar – Abra Kadavar

Kadavar – Abra Kadavar

Nuclear Blast – 2013

Rock, Hard, Seventies, Stoner

Rated: ****

Kadavar was one of the revelations on Roadburn 2013. We already knew the German trio ofcourse but had not had the pleasure of seeing them live. Their first self-titled record released last year was already a engaging trip down towards the seventies and made it all the way to the Number 2 position of the Stoner HiVe top 20; but for some reason could not entertain as long as some of the others that came before. The songs sort of melted into each other after a few listens. And their new record Abra Kadavar still seems to have a little of that same problem although not as much as their debut. But even so, it’s still grade A and unpolished psychedelic stoner and hardrock that grooves and relentlessly charges ahead. Add to this a high pitched villainous vocalist, a true animal on drums and the sound of blood, sweat and tears right through their lo-fi production and you have a damn great expressive record! It’s atavistic rock ‘n roll in all it’s simplicity and that’s exactly why we like it! And above all: Kadavar is one hell of a monster once on stage!

(Written by JK)

Nuclear Blast

Archers and Arrows – Alone Together

Archers and Arrows – Alone Together

Self released – 2013

Rock, Punk, Emo, Core, Indie

Rated: **

Switzerland. Loads of amazing bands have been coming down from the mountains to conquer the world lately. Just think of Feuerzeug and The Black Widow’s Project. But even if Archers and Arrows are nowhere near the level of those bands; the intensity and honest love for their indie emo hardcore punk mixture is ever obvious and shines through with furious beauty. On their full-sized album Alone Together they howl and scream with extreme passion and throw indie riffs and rhythms at you with no intention of taking prisoners. They are here to kill them all. But just ever so often their blades seem to dull a bit and before your head is severed one seems to lose the memory of what was heard. It’s the tightrope that just hangs a little bit too loose. But hey; ever so often we all need to dare and walk that rope and even though we do not always make it across. It is still a damn fine adrenaline rush! Even though it might be your last…

(Written by JK)

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