It was a wonderful week on a wonderful island… Did not get to see everything we wanted; a week is too short… But did an amazing downhill hike from Escorsa, through Torrent de Pareis to Sa Calobra… Saw a lot of the mountains, the Formentor peninsula and the entire north region till about Cala Gat. Driving around the album blasting Sergeant Thunderhoof, Phiasco, AAWKS, Mexicoma, The Same River and ofcourse the Mallorca heavies: Milana and Bisonte… A week is too short, so we did not get to meet up with Milana, who gave us some great tips for the island... But, we shall return again! And hope to do so next time!
Ofcourse;
departure and the return home is always a sad moment… But especially now that
delayed flights are the norm and extra hours on the airport the rule… Sigh… But
returning to a nice package of vinyl sure does brighten the day! Soon, we shall
commence once again with the Stoner HiVe show! We just need to sort through 400
plus emails…
Mexicoma – Kalpa Majestic Mountain Records – 2022 Rock, Stoner, Sludge, Metal Rated: *****
The massive mothersludgers of Mexicoma would do well on tour with Komatsu; and I would definitely follow that tour around the globe, going absolutely berserk at every show! For the new Kalpa record is a righteous sludge and stoner metal spectacle. We’ve been reviewing most or all of the releases these six crazy Swedes have put out throughout the years. Supervoid, Mexicoma, and that amazing Obsidian Monolith all got a mention on the HiVe. But looking back at those reviews does beg the question why there’s now an almost nine year gap between that last release and the new Kalpa; and we might need to dig deeper into the band to find the answer to that. But for now we will concentrate on Kalpa, featuring once again some great South American inspired art and all that good ruckus you already knew from Mexicoma. And it might be the fact that vocalist Magnus Olsson decided to leave and new singer Aron Andersson takes the reigns, but the sheer ferocity of the tracks seem to have risen quite a few nots. For the most part Aron’s voice seems to fit nicely in the same registers Magnus used to occupy, so going back in the catalogue for live shows will not be a problem. But where Magnus had the ability to go dark and moody, Aron has the ability to go metal and higher, much higher. Just listen to 99 Eyes or opener Heavy Hands, that bursts out of the gates like a proper introduction track for a new vocalist. It also shows its metal colors early and all that sludge and stoner we already told you about. And the fact that a new vocalist can hold his own with those three guitars riffing and powering away, show something about the ability Aron has. A new major selling point for Mexicoma. But some things stay the same, those three guitars attacking you full on, full out and without any quarter asked. And then there are those moments when even that attack goes a bit deeper, a bit more prog and that immediately gives you an inkling of what Mexicoma could possibly all do in the future. Lucky for all that need the savage stuff, the vicious almost aggro approach to all we love about the heavy underground, they bring it forth in abundance and in perfect style! Ready to destroy and to have it all be born anew, Mexicoma has recreated its own sound, the sound we all trust and love!
The Same River – Weight Of The World Electric Talon Records / Sliptrick Records - 2022 Rock, Stoner, Psych Rated: *****
Ever since hearing Weight Of The World by Greek formation The Same River I felt the urgent need to sit down to write a few words of love and praise for the album. But as usual, time eluded me and it took weeks, nay, months to finally get to it. And all that even after Ioannis Valiakos, from the Desert Vulture site already wrote some fine words for the Doom Charts Peroration of May and The Ripple Effect’s Pat Whitaker on the May Doom Charts, where they were featured proudly on the Number 19 spot. But it felt wrong to keep postponing the sit down. Slowly the weight was growing bigger, and my shoulders started to buckle. And then when the news came All Them Witches had to cancel their Krach Am Bach festival gig in Germany, it needed to be done quickly. For The Same River would fit snugly in that spot. Sure, The Same River formed in 2019 is only just now starting out, but the sound, the tones and the voice will surely remind everyone of All Them Witches. And that is not a bad thing! Weight Of The World has some bluer touches, some more metal thunders and perhaps more pounding than All Them Witches ever had. I might even be hearing a few; much heavier Madrugada touches, but that might just be me. Overall, The Same River seems to embody heavy psychedelic rock to the very core. Lyrically the album covey’s the band's “philosophical concerns about the decadence of human society filtered through the fears of an unknown world after this pandemic ends. Heraclitus, Albert Camus, Sigmund Freud and many mythological aspects of our heritage (with a deeper meaning), such as Sisyphus and Prometheus, blend in a way and fulfills in rhymes what their vision for this world is about; solidarity, peace and understanding.” Which is perfect ground to produce an album that is worth to stand next to all that ancient knowledge. It calls for honesty and pure of heart; something the nine tracks seem to thrive on. There are no masks in The Same River. Recorded during the pandemic in three different studios, the album fits together perfectly and sounds like a grand piece of art. That moves and projects images and emotions on a blank canvas and for you to do with what you like. For me it becomes this huge and in-depth adventure into every universal aspect you might be able to think of. But whatever it turns out to be for the rest of the world, the fact remains that this is an amazingly strong, brilliant and awe-inspiring album…
Mystery Dudes - Exit Through the Wormhole Electric Valley Records - June 2022 Stoner, Psych, Fuzz, Punk Rated: *****
Cruising in from Oslo, Norway are the Mystery Dudes with their debut LP, "Exit Through the Wormhole". Wielding righteous riffs coated in groove and fuzz to spare, Mystery Dudes deliver a high-octane stoner rock classic across eight tracks. Reminiscent of but standing apart from acts like Fu Manchu and American Sharks, "Exit Through the Wormhole" is a shot of adrenaline that knows how to have fun while melting faces off. Opener "Mountain of Chill" starts thing off full speed with a chainsaw chug of guitars and filthy bass, prime for headbanging and oozing good-times vibes, man. The sneering vocals are a highlight throughout the album, injecting a dose of punk attitude into the fuzz a la Eddie Glass. Follow-up "Evil Blood" is straight grimy, slogging doom, laying down a tumbling riff and fit for the grainiest of VHS music videos. A change of pace is soon at hand, however, with highlight track "Ghost Train" rolling through like its namesake, all gritty guitar and clattering percussion. The bass is particularly gnarly on this locomotive, and the track barrels forward with sinister intent towards a blown-out, sci-fi climax of blazing guitar. The aptly named follow-up track, "Punk" wears its heart on its sleeve and earns the high praise of sounding like a long-lost American Sharks tune. The jagged, uptempo riffage and snotty vocals demand fist-pumping and general smashing of shit, though not without a trick up its sleeve in the form of a smooth, psychedelic second half sans vocals. This gentler side of the Mystery Dudes shows itself again on the instrumental "Nebula", bringing to mind 90s alt rockers Live in its surprising melancholy, before diving back into Sabbath worship with the southern-tinged doomer "Mondo Hopeless". Another highlight, "Witch's Stare", delivers creeping occult vibes and a brick of a riff alongside absolute earworm lyrics. Closing number "Mexican Stand Up" closes the record out by bringing back the early punk energy, throwing grinding riffs at the listener with abandon in a gleeful psychedelic onrush. Mystery Dudes have a golden nug on their hands with "Exit Through the Wormhole", taking the best the stoner rock genre has to offer and elevating it to something immediate and exhilirating. Strap in.
AAWKS – (Heavy On The Cosmic) Self released – 2022 Rock, Stoner, Psych, Doom, Fuzz, Sludge Rated: *****
If you start your album with a snippet about Mescaline, you’re alright in my book and are allowed to call me any time of day. And if I realize it’s the four acid casualties united by a love for high fantasy, psychedelics, and heavy rock music on the other side of the line; it will drag me away from my masturbatory slumber and will make me feel alright about not fighting against all the injustice in the world. For if you listen to (Heavy On The Cosmic), you know there is nothing you have to do, ever, but feel all the warmth of all the people you’ve turned on, turned on to AAWKS that is. For AAWKS can do not wrong and everything right, they bring you catchy stoner, spacey doom and hard rocking psychedelics just as easy as thinking positive instead of negative can bring you extraordinary fortune. And in doing so, not only get better results for yourself but the entire universe. Cause that’s how the Great Magnet works. And out there in the cosmos you shall be overwhelmed first and foremost by that Star Collider track. Surfing the cosmic waves like a space age Fu Manchu addict; you suddenly become aware of the lead up to this track and how Space City that came before and The Electric Traveller before that all told you about this brutal interstellar adventure; and you will feel at peace with all of creation under this friendly dome and with eyes closed see that momentous eclipse in slow motion and you will understand. You will understand about all the spirals, going up and down this record. Going back then to Beyond The Sun, where the eclipse is yet to happen, the tonal doom and slow-moving riff currents will start you off properly on the road to become the space surfer you always knew you were… And there are more pathways to cut through this psychedelic space doom labyrinth; none of it will lead you to the center but going around in circles is all you want anyway. AAWKS transports you into another reality all together; and it will have a profound effect on you…
Quiet Confusion – Magella Go Down Records – 2022 Rock, Blues, Psych, Stoner, Garage Rated: *****
It’s funky! It is funky! The new blues rocking, stoner bopping, Quiet Confusion album Magella. The three from Verona, Italy have been rocking out since 2009. And those thirteen years of experience are definitely audible on the eight new tracks of riveting free rock. Channeling that seventies electricity the thirty five minutes of Magella will undoubtedly give you some Delta flashbacks and some garage shivers, but it’s mostly powering through on freak out psych rock and stoner rumbling. All of which are of course ingredients of style and panache. Just like that smashing wild opener Long Wave; if you don’t start running, and jumping, fingers waving towards the sky like a madman down the streets towards the nearest watering hole. I don’t know what will. Did we mention yet that it’s funky? Funky as hell and with that tempo, those roaring guitars, those almost haphazardly sung lyrics; it really is the perfect soundtrack for the start of a wild summer’s even out on the town. There’s so much of Quiet Confusion's own signature across the sound that it even feels wrong to point out certain reference points. The boogie and groove on Plastic Man, so glowingly soulful. A bluesy dragger that you feel will explode once the Lady In Blue sets its hooks in you. Virtuoso yet so simple Wastin Time; that with an extra loud or heavy rendition live will turn the crowd into one massive jumping and dancing tsunami. I think we’ve made it abundantly clear now that Quiet Confusion has delivered an extremely delicious album… Especially for summer days and hot and sweaty nights!
Indus Valley Kings – Origin Self released – 2022 Rock, Grunge, Stoner, Metal, Doom Rated: *****
Did you notice the amount of five star reviews going up on the HiVe? Indeed, the amount of great albums that keep on being released is jaw-dropping. And where we’ve mentioned more prog and psych albums before, this is of an entirely different nature. This is Origin, by New York trio Indus Valley Kings. Down tuned metal, gritty grunge and the stoner influences that can clearly be qualified as punk. One of the things that sets Indus Valley Punks, errr Kings, apart is the shared vocal duty; slinging it out together or taking a separate roll on one or the other song. The other thing is that they do not think twice about coloring a certain song extra grungy, more NOLA metal or with pure doom tones. It gives the entire album this flashback feeling to the time when you copied your favorite songs of a band on a cassette tape to listen to on your Walkman. And I like it, the way the record seems to be able to transport me to my youth. And not because the songs remind you of another song; just because of the overall atmosphere and the pure enjoyment of being surprised hearing the next track. Or even in the middle of the track, just listen to rumbling lead-up to the breakdown in A Cold Wind, man, that’s fly! And so is that sultry and soulful guitarwork that follows. And inspiring album full iron strong songs, not polished, but rough, raw and dirty. It gives the album depth and adds even more color to a record filled to the brim with variation and surprise. Origin is quite a bang and it should definite get a big roar and a huge amount of respect…
Sergeant Thunderhoof – This Sceptred Veil Pale Wizard Records – 2022 Rock, Stoner, Psych, Prog, Metal Rated: *****
Let’s start with the most obvious conclusion, the good boys of Sergeant Thunderhoof produced one of the catchiest songs of the year and one that will have to be on their setlist for the rest of time. Ya’ll will know which track we’re talking about, but we will say it out loud anyway: the second track Devil’s Daughter! Sure, all the hardcore Thunderhoof fans and all the heavy underground loving rock fiends will tell you they have a different favorite one and do so with a faint smile and a glint in their eyes. And everyone will know, that just like the rest of the world, the catchy returning riff, the vocals, the release and the energy of Devil’s Daughter is unparalleled and secretly everyones absolute favorite.
And now that we’ve gotten that most obvious of remarks out of the way let’s state the following as well, the new album This Sceptred Veil is meant for the ages, it’s one of those albums that will ring on forever and slowly turn Sergeant Thunderhoof into a legendary band. Or perhaps it already has. Opener You’ve Stolen The Words goes the way of gigantism; with its wide arcs and the vocals, which by the way have become even better on this album than on all those that came before. It grabs you entirely, pulls you closer to the abyss, has you dangling over and just whispers in your ear to enjoy the view. Which you will; even if there is unbelievable peril in your heart, it will also fluster it with glee for all you see and hear...
Third track Absolute Blue has the same kind of wide vista, giant vocal lines and an emotional charge that will give you shivers and run a current of electricity up your spine. Are we biased? Of course, there is no such thing as objectivity and definitely not when it comes to music. Have we always been this much into Sergeant Thunderhoof? Why yes, just check out our earlier reviews of Ride The Hoof or Zigurat. But the growth, once again, displayed on This Sceptred Veil album has the ability to not just shock and awe long time fans. This album should be heard by all heavy rock and metal crazies, cause it will undoubtedly become a favorite for them all. And I’m not just referencing metal fans here because of the highly eighties, NWOBHM-tinted seventh track Show Don’t Tell. There’s a lot of metal and it’s all used in such a way that it marries the psych, prog and stoner influences so it becomes this incredible immersive experience. And there will be moments when a heavy rock, heavy metal high, will induce euphoria and might bring you to tears. Or it might just be me… And then there’s the sound, the mix, the pristine production value. I’ve heard many records mastered by Tony Reed, but this record will belong to his best work ever, forever. How much we need to credit Mr. Reed or recording producer Josh Gallop, is of course unclear, what is clear, is the sound, and that they both helped deliver an album that can only be seen as sheer perfection. Sergeant Thunderhoof and their new album This Sceptred Veil are for me personally already legendary... Now if I can only figure out why I want to go to the toilet after hearing Devil’s Daughter…
Phiasco – Kessel Self released – 2022 Rock, Stoner, Fuzz, Desert, Psych, Space, Prog Rated: *****
“1.21 Gigawatts!?!” It’s the contraption! It’s the energy! It’s the time machine! It’s the new Kessel album by Phiasco! And you could start qualifying German quartet Phiasco as whatever heavy rock band you might want; cause they display the quality and the quantity of being able to play whatever the hell they desire. But most prevalent on their newest release Kessel are the references to the almighty desert, the good stonerrock, the psychedelic touch you need and then turning it all into a sweet and tasty mixture of good-natured fuzz. “This Is Heavy!” But before this mighty Kessel started running, the four Phiasco brothers released their first EP back in 2012, following that up with the already damn fine Vieh in 2016. But Kessel is of an entirely different order. It feels like a bronze, antique, copper beast of a machine. Which is of course the image the album cover, the lovely fun video for single Lucky Loop, the press pictures and their entire image will conjure up. But it’s also the music. It never goes too extreme, too loud, or too fast, perhaps not for fear the old vintage analogue Kessel might break up into a million pieces, but because the songs are so meticulously crafted, it felt wrong to make it all explode. “This Is Heavy!” And then there’s the humor residing in so much of what Phiasco seems to be about; we therefor aren’t even sure if opening track Cherokee is referencing the Indian Tribe, being a universal, time jumping wanderer in a metaphysical way or that they actually secretely mean their Jeep Cherokee, should ‘ride on’… Either way, as opening tracks go, Cherokee immediately sets you up nice for everything Kessel will offer. Irresistible riffage, great use of vocals and the perfect amount of variation to keep everything running in pristine condition. In such pristine condition that should Kessel run out of fuel at one point, the apparatus will be propelled at least another thousand miles on riffs alone… “This Is Heavy!”
(ps. Due to other assignments and work for the Doom Charts, we could not get the Sunday post for the Quick Fire Weekend finished... So, I guess we got another Friday version coming up this Friday...)
Saturday has arrived and it’s even more hot and sweaty over here! Already 30 degrees and we’re not even around midday… Which, means it’s the perfect temperature for another round of Quick Fire action! We did a full Quick Fire Weekend before; and we might just do that again… Starting today! It is that thing we do to mention a lot of singles, EP’s, demo’s at once. Occasionally a full-sized album gets this treatment as well. And we know… They are worth way more of our time! But you know how it is… There is so much out there, so much good an heavy stuff, and we just simply cannot ever do it all justice. So here it is. Another one of those Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Weekends! And it burns hot like molten lava!
Earl Redd Trucking – Sleeping with the House on Fire / Gambler's Home
A new two track release by Earl Redd Trucking. The Louisville, Kentucky three come out swinging with yet another duo of pretty lo-fi, damn gritty, hard hitting blues rockers. Hardrock, diesel blues, southern heat, it’s all there once again. And they’re about to record another single as well… Fumes all around! Smell you guys soon!
This is Somnium from Adelaide, Australia. (Not the Indonesian one.) And they produce some chilled out, laid back, psych rock that surely tries to set you free with their Truth Set Me Free single. The duo (or still three?) go from trance inducing indie rock to slacker hippy prog within the space of this four and half minute windy, drifting rocker. Feel the breeze... Catch a wave... Dig it!
We shall reside Down Under a bit longer and go berserk with sludge metal outfit Magic Chicken Fudgetoe and their new single No Personality! Thrashy, Punky, Noisy and all that good stuff that you want your Magic Chicken Fudgetoe to contain. Two and a half minutes of highly energetic ruckus that will give you the perfect soundtrack for punching a few holes in as much walls as you have around you! Can you hear me screaming?! Out on June 24th!
King Potenaz is a powertrio from the south of Italy. Fassano, Italy to be exact. The three Kings released their first two tracks back in January of this year. Proto doom, proto metal and all done deliciously filthy and deliriously fuzzy. We can be pretty sure that every Sabbath, Sleep or Kyuss loving motherfucker will dig this… And if not, King Potenaz will have them hanged, drawn and quartered! All hail King Potenaz!
The album Cursed Addiction comes out on Electric Funeral Records in a not too distant future and the lead single In The End was released last week. It’s the new classic metal, hardrock and progressive stoner project from Brazilian guitarist/vocalist of the band The Anmer, Pedro Zomer called Zomer Project! Damn fine, steamy, sizzling guitar work!
Bands, artists, writers, rodents and quadrupeds; lend me your ear! If you need something reviewed or want to review something or just want to scream, squeal and rant you can contact Bubba at the following emailaddress: Stoner HiVe ... Or check out the Contact Info page for every bit of information...
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