The Red Lantern

 

 

The Red Lantern

We haven’t been able to do a Red Lantern post every year. Cause the albums that earn the Red Lantern are only those on a sent in list of twenty entries, where they occupy the 20th position, and then only get voted for that one time. The years when this did not happen at all, we just invented the Bottom Dwellers post. But the reason why, remains the same. We just love the fact somebody out there loves these albums so hard they want other people know about them. And we are here to help out! If only a little bit.

So, since the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown is a weighted list and not every lovely freak out there sends in their list as a Top 20. Some send more, some send less. And we only count the albums that receive a Number 20 spot on any of the lists sent in as a contender for the Red Lantern, so this year, we have SEVEN albums that received only one vote as a Number 20 spot on someone’s list.

Amplifier – Hologram

The Manchester (now) duo Amplifier delivered their newest album back in April and sounds on many levels like a progressive rock opera of yore. But the touches of something nineties, something stoner and that heavy guitar sound, make it something special. Sort of continuing where their former album Trippin’ with Dr. Faustus, from 2017, left off. Hologram, highly eclectic and eccentric!

Center Of The Earth – Mars

This Danish quartet Center Of The Earth just as easily delivers a doom chug, a stoner riff or a psychedelic outburst. Three songs, almost forty minutes and not one bad second to be heard! Mars deserves to be explored! There’s life to be found!

Complete Snake – Red Hog

An Australian metalcore outfit that implores black and death and makes it all incredibly scuzzy, filthy and demented. Complete Snake are go! Four tracks, almost twenty-five minutes and something freaky and jazzy, make Red Hog that album you might need when you are on the verge of a high fever delirium tremens… If only to push you over!

Fatmas – External Internal Eternal

Fatmas hails from Australia and delivers some alternative metal that uses doom, sludge, stoner and something atmospheric to get the message across. And thus, makes it progressive and extremely delightful! External Internal Eternal gives you five luscious tracks and once again something varied and fat!  

Mother Misery - From Shadow To Ghost

In 2024, Mother Misery will have contributed to the Swedish rock/metal scene for 20 years. From Shadow To Ghost is another highly diverse album, which seems to be the common thread throughout these Red Lantern albums. Metal, eighties touched one moment or seventies and almost proto the next. Progressive influences are there in abundance and something nineties as well. And always highly melodic; and thanks to all that diversity and pristine production, very modern!

Tribe Of Pazuzu - Blasphemous Prophecies

Blackened death metal straight out of the Canadian wastelands! Tribe Of Pazuzu pounds you into submission from the first song: We Serve Under No God! A smidgen of technical, thrash and speed metal, the eight tracks on Blasphemous Prophecies not only demands submission it also offers up release. Yes, and especially if you are a lost soul looking for some pristine death metal to set you free!

Wytch Hazel - IV: Sacrament

Four-piece Wytch Hazel offer a shining and Angelic lighted seventies inspired classic rock album that not only goes the way of all that proto goodness, but it also implores the best of NWOBHM and that prog feeling of yesteryear. And yes, even the Christian themed lyrics are brought in such a way, such warm harmonies you will be feeling some sort of spirit in no time. For me it was the spirit of hold school rock ‘n roll!