The Bad Light – Temples

The Bad Light – Temples

Self released – 2016

Rock, Stoner, Psych, Garage, Blues

Rated: *****

After the wholesome start of the first track called The One, with a merry-go-rounding guitar and a slow drum stampede, added vocals and an ever building and filling instrumentation, you can feel a bit overwhelmed by the almost cluttered mid-section. The sensation of drifting off and falling. Dead center in the middle of a tempest still shines that pure chiming melody. But then they slow down and start over again and you are immersed. Immersed in a complete universe of sound and wonderful layers. Cause it’s just one guitar, one drum and two voices. Wow. The Bad Light latest album Temples has you cornered and will beat you into submission, without a doubt and with a lovely padded Billy club. They hail from Santa Cruz, California, were originally a duo and bring forth a holy mixture of stoner, psych, garage, blues and doom. On their new effort they’re a trio, consisting of drum, guitar and vocals. The songs resonate through your bone structure and fill your very being. As mentioned before, many of the multi layered, yet basic sounding tracks overwhelm, take by storm and will have you gasping for air. Simply because the intensity of their sound is so immediate. It’s the blues stomp everything is based on. Righteous and wild! And then there are those female and male twin vocal duties, running with each other and bouncing off each other. It chimes like pyroclastic crystal! Almost too beautiful! As does the entire album. One track and you might want it to stop or it might kill you. A second one will make you think it will kill you when it finally does stop. Gorgeous! And where we loved Marrow Of Sound and Onward Downward, Temples is simply in a league of its own. Brilliant!

(Written by JK)

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Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Sbam! Three weeks in a row! A Quick Fire Friday segment! Like a runaway train the Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday segments steam over you. And it’s all good. Cause it’s meant to spread the good word on all those great bands out there. With just a small amount of words we intend to spread their musical prowess and our melodic belief…

Dirt War – Demo 2015

And war? War never changes. War is always dirty. War is always evil. And the aptly chosen band name Dirt War sure know how to translate that given on the four track Demo released at the tail-end of 2015. The four-piece from Buffalo, New York assault the senses with their doom ridden sludgecore. With their metallic punk filth. Their dueling fuzzy basses and growling screams. And even though we can dig the three first tracks, closing battleship Wolves is without a doubt the true battle-cry here.

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Forming The Void – Skyward

Released at the end of last years summer, the Skyward EP by Forming The Void is a definite lost diamond when it comes to atmospheric stoner rock, with metal, sludge and grunge influences. Don’t get me wrong, their isn’t just gritty heaviness here, there is also psychedelic room and luscious energy to trip on. A doom chord and progressive nod here and there and above all during the five amazing tracks there is this feeling you missed out on something. Why did we not take notice when it was released? Well, we do now and look forever Skyward for more of Forming The Void!

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Avant Garden – The Amazing Adventures Of Space Cadet

Formed after a Queens Of The Stone Age concert in dirty bar in Helsinki, Finland you can definitely hear those QOTSA influences. Which isn’t a bad thing. Cause Avant Garden has a definite warm sound, drawing influences from stoner, alternative and indie rock. On their latest release The Amazing Adventures Of Space Cadet the three excel in languid rock with those influences mentioned above. This is for the endless summer days, when the sun never sets and the cloudberries have finally been simmering long enough in the 90% alcohol bathtubs to guzzle up. Kippis!

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Spontane – Lelum Polelum

Remember that two-track release Mojra by those crazy Polish guys from Spontane? Well, take a look at the damn fine new track Lelum Polelum and the video that goes with it. I wonder what the song is about? Do you know?

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Slush – American Demons

Slush – American Demons

Self released – 2016

Rock, Punk, Garage, Stoner

Rated: ****

I definitely get the resurgence of vinyl, its warmth, its sound, the look, the feel and the definite love it shows for the music it contains and the art it holds. And then there’s also the ritual of choosing something to play from your storage, taking the vinyl out, putting the needle down and sitting back with the sleeve in hand as the music starts. There is something great about all of that. The use of cassette tapes is something I haven’t quite figured out, I know how it works. Obviously. But I can’t seem to get my head around the added value of the use of this type of container for your valuable piece of audio art. But I might need to ask around to see what the cassette tape lovers have to say? And when the package arrived, the new Slush recordings called American Demons, the silver plastic tape looked old, worn and derelict. There certainly could not be any decent music on what looked like an old re-used soundtrack cassette from the eighties. But this ofcourse only added to it being begged to be heard. So, click, clack, and the cassette player opens its mouth. Click, the play button is pushed. Immediately the good music starts. Growling lo-fi punk and garage with a definite stonerrock feel to it. They have this driving edge to all they do, this low down proto punk vibe, garage boogie and stoner shake. Just listen to that second golden track In The Flesh and try to stop your foot from stomping the ground. Yes, this is something full of groove and pumped up adrenaline. This is for the skaters who love the fuzz and for the garbage pail kids who like to dance naked under a star filled sky. This is so addictive and so full of grit, it makes you piss your guts into a hole in the ground and makes your soul feel exactly young enough to kick around. Kick around! Blood shot adult commitment!

(Written by JK)

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Choco – Killing Time

Choco – Killing Time

Self released – 2016

Rock, Stoner, Space

Rated: ****

Okay. So this was released a year ago. And since a few months we’ve been receiving links to videos, for instance for the righteous Helms Deep track and the glowing Springtime song. Both featured on the Killing Time album by Dutch quintet or is it sextet Choco, formerly known as Chocolate Habanero and before that as Toner High Cinderella. Featuring Deef from Toner Low and fellow Dr. Dynamite affiliates. The result is definitely something different. Meandering between alternative rock, stoner, stoner disco, space and something dark and swollen there is definitely something addictive to this. They dare to do the different thing on many occasions and become this highly tasty offbeat monster. Like 99% chocolate it is an acquired taste, but once you know how to handle it, you won’t want anything deluded anymore. There are some things nobody needs in this world, and six weird Dutchies, rocking hard and crazy, hunched backed, lurking across the stage might be one of them – but I want it anyway, and on some days I actually believe I need this. That is why Choco is dangerous, it is addictive and gets under your skin and makes your mind believe you cannot live without it. And you know what, your mind just might be right…

(Written by JK)

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Drive By Wire – Kerosine Dreams

Drive By Wire – Kerosine Dreams

Are you still grooving to that lovely Drive By Wire album The Whole Sheband released last summer? We sure are. So why not check out their new video for the Kerosine Dreams track and get swayed by their trucking stoner sound. There is absolutely nothing wrong here and everything right. Get hooked! What took you so long? 

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Zun – Burial Sunrise

Zun – Burial Sunrise

Small Stone – 2016

Rock, Stoner, Desert

Rated: ****

And once again we are treated to a magnificent new project from the surroundings of the all mighty Palm Desert, La Quinta and Indio near Los Angeles in the United States of America. Gary Arce, string magician of Yawning Man, and the man who stood at the beginning of all that goodness that has been coming from the desert, implored help for his new project Zun from the likes of John Garcia (Kyuss), the lovely Sera Timms (Ides of Gemini, Black Math Horseman), Bill Stinson (Yawning Man), Harper Hug (Vista Chino), Mario Lalli (Yawning Man, Fatso Jetson) and last but not least Doors guitar player Robbie Krieger. This collection of artists give us a veritable musical adventure. Floating, peaceful, almost ambient desert rock that leaves you in awe of nature, the earth and the universe. Tightly wrapped in all the righteous musical colors. Burial Sunrise, from the new project Zun, is a definite Gary Arce album, a hero who leaves the talking to his guitar and always lets the guitar speak wonderful tales of exploration...

(Written by JK)

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Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Last week we noticed it took almost a year to continue on with the Quick Fire Friday segments. But now the floodgates have been opened. And you might drown in the amount of new Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday segments coming at you! Which are meant to spread the good word on all those great bands out there. With just a small amount of words we intend to spread their musical prowess and our melodic belief…

 Crystal Balls – Roots

Growling death and blackened doom straight out of the gutter of hell where all the dead babies go to dance and do cocaine. Errr? Not sure where that came from. But I reckon it’s the malevolent tones of the two track EP called Roots by Gainsville, Florida, three-piece Crystal Balls. But there’s nothing shiny here. Just dirty, hairy and grimy music! Music for dead... Well... You know..

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Ex Uaj Zed – 4

Here’s some lo-fi garage out of Poland to sink yer teeth. Just like the pronounciation of the band name. How do you pronounce Ex Uaj Zed? I guess we need to head on over to Poland to catch them live. Cause on their new album 4 they sound as wild and wonderful as ever!

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Stonerror – Rattlesnake Moan

I wish I could have met them. Back when, I was wrecking havoc in Krakow. Sure, there was enough fun to be had with the likes of BNNT and the crazies we met along the road. But the guys from Stonerror are the righteous freaks we would have liked to drink with! Just take in those five tracks of their wonderful Rattlesnake Moan EP and you’ll get why!

O’ and check out that video on Youtube! Amazing stuff!

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Cojones – Resonate

We’ve been in love with Cojones ever since we first heard their split release with Umor. And then Sunrise came out in 2009. Wow. It’s still in heavy rotation over here, so many years later. And the same goes for Bend To Transcend from 2012. Well, they’re about to release a new album called Resonate, in a few months. And here’s a little teaser!

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Komatsu – So, How’s About Billy?

Komatsu – So, How’s About Billy?

Lighttown Fidelity – 2016

Rock, Stoner, Sludge, Metal

Rated: ****

It’s been a wild, wonderful and tragic few years in the existence of Komatsu! After line-up changes here and there, we have a Komatsu where only the bassist was part of the original four. Horrific tragedy happened, the fill-in drummer Jelle Tommeleyn during the European tour as pre-show to John Garcia was killed in a hit-n-run accident in his hometown in Belgium. Their entire merchandize and gear was stolen at a gig in Italy supporting Nick Oliveri. But even all those tragedies could not stop the machine that is Komatsu. With new energy and new hope they stomped on, aiming to release the new album Recipe For Murder One in September 2016. As a pre-curser to said album we now have this wonderful seven inch to sink our teeth in. Two tracks, the damn fine trucking So, How’s About Billy? which is also the focus of their first video. (See the post below.) And the crazy evil sounding hammer that is Scavenger. Which could have been heard if you had gotten your hands on the Nederfuzz - The Dutch Fuzz Collection album that was added to the Rock Tribune magazine Nr 152 back in February. The way Komatsu has evolved is simply amazing and especially vocalist Mo Truijens. But that’s what doing massive tours does to a collective and a grimy voice. A voice that now leads a sludge metal machine that is at the top of its game and aiming to flatten the globe in its wake! So, How’s About Billy? So, how’s about we all grab a beer at a next Komatsu show near you! Cause you know what, live they’re even better!

(Written by JK)

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Komatsu – So, How’s About Billy?

Komatsu – So, How’s About Billy? 

First video for Dutch sludge machine Komatsu! Sporting the new title-track taken of the limited edition seven inch So, How’s About Billy? Which is also the first single of the upcoming album Recipe For Murder One scheduled to be released later this year. 

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Stratus – Stratonomy

Stratus – Stratonomy

Self released – 2015

Rock, Classic, Hard, Blues, Prog, Psych

Rated: ***

Released just before Christmas 2015, Stratonomy is the second full-sized album by Swedish power trio Stratus. So don’t confuse them with the Iron Maiden spinoff band or the Serbian heavy metal act. They’re from Sweden and they move towards the sixties and seventies in a big way, like so many of their fellow countrymen. But instead of infusing it with stoner, they have taken a more bluesy and progressive approach. Which fits these boys like a damn fine glove! Highly melodic and extremely relaxing, they’re prowess showing with every fill and every solo, it is the composition and instrumentation of almost every track that makes you sit back in awe. It’s warm and enveloping and shows how good these fellas actually are. Even the highly lyrical approach to most of their songs is something that definitely works and adds an extra amount of admiration. Even though they do seem to fly out of the curve here and there, there is no way we would not want songs like Wicked Woman, I Hate You And Wish You Were Dead and Neveragain to be stuck in your head for days on end. Simply put, Stratonomy is damn good!

(Written by JK)

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Spiritual Beggars – Sunrise To Sundown

Spiritual Beggars – Sunrise To Sundown

Century – 2016

Rock, Metal

Rated: ***

We’ve been treated to damn fine albums every two to three years by Swedish overlords Spiritual Beggars since 1994. Sunrise To Sundown is the ninth studio record and the third with vocalist Apollo Papathanasio at the helm, formerly of the Greek metal formation Firewind. The evolution the band has made since the coming of this power metal singer is one of a definite move back in time and towards ever grander gestures. For the track What Doesn’t Kill You, for instance could just as easily have come from the Firewind setlist. But for the most part the songs seems to move ever so sneakily more towards Deep Purple. And ofcourse there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. We can enjoy power metal from time to time and Deep Purple are the grand ol’ wizards of rock. But wasn’t the band more exciting and thrilling when they were hugging the genres of blues and stoner? When they were cozying up to those more gritty takes on heavy rock? And yes, we have definitely been enjoying Sunrise To Sundown, but we fear we will move on to different pastures soon enough. Although, the keywork by Per Wiberg (Kamchatka, Opeth) is one of the best delivered in this foul year of 2016! Sunrise To Sundown, a fine album indeed, but will it stick around for very long after the sun sets..?

(Written by JK)

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Scrambled Limbs – Scrambled Limbs

Scrambled Limbs – Scrambled Limbs

Self released – 2016

Rock, Sixties, Psych, British, Early Rock

Rated: ****

WoW!!! This record by Scrambled Limbs is a throwback to a time of experimentation and the infancy of rock in general. The self-titled EP could be one of the Beatles solo records, haha. It's just that British and tasty. Although it does have hints of modern era rock. This is a definite must listen for every fan of the sixties. Hints of Cream also rise to the surface at times in this twisty psych fantasy. Sam Rodwell is the sole proprietor of Scrambled Limbs and I assume he plays all instruments. The guy has that something special that any band would want as a whole, but wrapped up in one mind. I really enjoyed this record and can't wait to hear what might be coming next. Thank you Sam, for sending along this awesome piece of work. Peace.

(Written by Charlie Tooth)

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Mike & The Melvins – Three Men And A Baby

Mike & The Melvins – Three Men And A Baby

SubPop – 2016

Rock, Punk, Sludge, Metal, Noise

Rated: **

For some weird and possibly fascist reason the recordings of Three Men And A Baby had been gathering dust on a shelf for about sixteen years. Cause it was around that period in history that noise duo GodheadSilo was taking a breather and vocalist/bassist Mike Kunka headed off into a studio with his buddies from The Melvins. So, let’s go back to 1999 and pray that the millennium bug doesn’t destroy civilization as we know it. (Cause we humans can do that ourselves.) The Melvins, we love’m, they’ve always done exactly what they wanted and gone the route they themselves aimed for. This give us an enormous and highly diverse catalog of albums, ep’s and songs. And this album seems to capture a lot of that in the space of twelve short tracks. It starts out damn promising with the first three tracks being lovely sludgy stomp on the terra and damn the consequences type rockers. But shortly thereafter the boys start swerving and the weird samples take over. When it comes to jams, you can get your booty licked here and smile with the guys, cause they sure as hell seemed to have fun. But for the most part it’s just that, the guys having fun and not actually carving out something we could get addicted to. Perhaps this calls for a new one day studio romp; for the baby must surely be an angry teenager by now…

(Written by JK)

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Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Wow. It’s been almost a year since the last Quick Fire Friday! Not intentional as you know. It just happens that way. But here we are now. With a new Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday segment. Meant to spread the good word on all those great bands out there. Just a small amount of words to help spread their musical prowess and our melodic belief…

Giant Gutter From Outer Space – Black Bile

Giant Gutter From Outer Space hails from Brazil and on their third release Black Bile gives us no less than forty minutes of mind boggling experimental bass and drum music. Mathematical, noisy, technical and stonerish. A true battering ram. A Black Bile battering baton. Check it out and feel your knees weaken and the green in your stomach turn black.

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Flynotes – Smell of Space

The Russian trio Flynotes take the more atmospheric approach to every heavy genre we all love on their third album Smell Of Space. Their instrumental heaviness is full of grand gestures and well-crafted compositions. Like hovercrafts full of eels!

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Viridiana - Eram Quod Es, Eris Quod Sum

And instrumental duo from Spain going by the name Viridiana. They released their one track Eram Quod Es, Eris Quod Sum EP digitally in December 2015 and it now sees a vinyl release. Over Thirteen minutes of experimental doom laced, psychedelic stoner with minute meanderings into loads of other genres and with the use of all sorts of samples. Just listen and become what they are…

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Dirty Frank – Into The Pit

I’m not going to ruin this for anyone. You just need to listen yourself. They hail from Helsinki and there are five of ‘em in Dirty Frank and Into The Pit is a two track wonderfully wild EP. Five filthy young dudes who don’t give a fuck about conventional music. Be ready. Get into the pit!

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Vokonis – Olde One Ascending

Vokonis – Olde One Ascending

Ozium Records – 2016

Rock, Doom, Stoner, Psych, Metal

Rated: ****

Sweden. One of those chosen countries. And definitely when it comes to all the heavy stuff we all love so dearly. The list of amazing bands coming from that country is simply endless, and new ones pop up every day. Some of which ofcourse stem from outfits that stopped for whatever reason at the time. One of them is Vokonis, comprised out of members from Creedsmen Arise and Ginger Trees. A power trio in every sense of that word. Powerful. Heavy. Doom. Stoner. Metal. All of it applies to a maximum and all of them fall short in telling the real story of Vokonis. For that you will have to experience the full force of the six amazing tracks on their debut effort called Olde One Ascending. They dipped deep into the pool of Iommi and drank heavily of everything Sabbath and Sleep while clashing their cups which are filled to the brim with majestic riffs and exalted repetition with fellow countrymen Monolord. Like the laugh of a man sentenced to death, their trucking sends shivers down your spine. And even though all the tracks have that hazy stoner doom edge, they all have a very own atmosphere and identity. And they are all of such a high level and transcending nature one can only expect Vokonis to rise and reach even greater heights then what was expected or the Creedsmen. Yes, that Ozium Records label knows where the truly good stuff came be found. Yes, Olde One Ascending is solid, roadworthy and amazing. Smoky tunes for gnarly beards drowning in pints of larger. We love it!

(Written by JK)

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