Abrams – Loon

  

Abrams – Loon 
Blues Funeral Recordings – 2026
Rock, Grunge, Alternative, Hardcore, Metal 
Rated: *****

Out since yesterday, the brand new Abrams album Loon! An outfit we always admired, but we only mentioned their 2022 In The Dark release. Shame on us! And shit, they might even sound a bit angry about it. Nah, they’re angry about the state of the world I reckon… And has turned their sound ever more intense! A sharp electrifying evolution for the sound the Denver four has sent out into the world, morphing ever more into something volatile and confrontational. There is no backing down from this, it’s in your face, and stays there from opening track Glass House till the final Sirens. It’s transmutation of their very own blend of melody, shoegaze haze and hook driven riffs into kamikaze like machine metal. Shot through with an intense sense of anger, urgency and attention seizing power. Surging with abrasive energy, the seemingly chaotic and noisy wild outs  still retain all of the emotional pull that has always defined the band… 

The already mentioned opener Glass House and following White Walls lunge at you, foaming at the mouth. Riffs slash and convulse, drums hammer with feral intent and the whole thing feels only moments away from total collapse or mind shattering explosion. And yet, through all that splintered noise, you can feel the vocals rise, ragged, frayed, human and almost warm, like someone is trying to confess or implore, over the roar of a city burning wild with flames. It’s an approach they perfect on Loon. Sometimes, pulling back long enough to let dizziness set in, teasing with respite and melody before plunging back into the fray. A high wire act above all the chaos, where every note might be the one to make it snap. Exhilarating and dangerous! Do you feel lucky?   

(Written by JK)

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Oreyeon – The Grotesque Within

 

 

Oreyeon – The Grotesque Within
Heavy Psych Sounds – 2026
Rock, Stoner, Sludge, Grunge, Doom, Metal
Rated: *****

That opening salvo, after the casssette tape has started the opening track Echoes Of Old Nightmares, turning their grungy doom sound into sludgy lift-off will surely turn all heads and get all heads a nodding. Majestic is definitely applicable to the new Oreyeon album The Grotesque Within. The Italian foursome deliver this album four years after the stunning Equations of The Useless and three years after the two track Doom Session Vol.8. And it can be viewed as their fourth full-size since the first Builders Of Cosmos album that arrived in 2016. That’s ten years ago, a landmark… And so is The Grotesque Within! 

The Grotesque Within unfolds like a dim corridor with no visible end, each riff a flicker of failing light each drum sound burrowing down as if the corridor gets smaller and smaller. Self-produced, half recorded in their very own studio and the other half in Outside Inside Studio in Treviso, during the winter of 2025, the album trades some of the band’s cosmic sprawl for a more earthbound, sludge toned, grunge streaked weight and crawl. Inspired by the existential unease of Thomas Ligotti works, the songs accept all the horrors we face, feel and commit with a mass of tones and drifting vocals. 

It’s the monolithic doom riffs, looming like unseen structures in the dark that commend the nod first place. But then the vocals start to weave and whisk you away, throttling along the psychedelic textures that meander and shake like uneasy dreams. Breathing shadows, the record seems patient in its delivery, preferring to put exclamation marks behind the nod and not the explosion. Creeping ever more oppressive towards the end of that corridor, meticulously, composed and in total acceptance of its inevitable descent. 

On some level Oreyeon has always been massive yet nuanced, brooding and gazing upon everything involved with life, but with The Grotesque Within they turn that quality into an overwhelming monster wave, the kind of tsunami that causes quiet euphoria. And that’s a quality little bands that call their own. Immerse yourself and swim with all tides of The Grotesque Within… 

(Written by JK)

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Oreyeon – Equations For The Useless 

 

Luna Sol – Vita Mors

Look at that young Supafuzz buck!

 

Luna Sol – Vita Mors
Ripple Music – 2024
Rock, Hard, Blues, Stoner, Punk
Rated: *****

Anything Angstrom is always amazing! He’s the A-lister, the string twister and the grooviest dude around. And perhaps not even that well known! But for those of you following the HiVe, you will know we’ve been addicted to Dave Angstrom from the first moment we came in touch with his music.  Which was way back before the little old Stoner HiVe blog came into existence and he was rocking out with Supafuzz. Since that time he’s been involved with many great projects and bands. And before Supafuzz there was more as well. And all of it is worth checking out. Even though you probably already know Hermano of course and I hope you know Asylum On The Hill. But we’re here to talk about his latest band Luna Sol that released it’s debut Blood Moon in 2015 and following Below The Deep in 2019. Both great hard rock and stoner rock records that bring forth all that Angstrom goodness. And that project has now given us their third album Vita Mors. Which in fact seems to harken back more to one of his first bands called Black Cat Bone than ever before. And it is out today! 

 

And mentioned just now, it harkens back more to their early days and the blues roots that inspired it all than we can possible express. The Luna Sol three branded their style as High Mountain Stoner Rock and there’s definitely stonerrock in there, and hardrock and classic rock and punk. But the overarching theme is always the blues. Kicking it off with Black Cat Callin’, it’s got that early ZZ Top, swinging blues groove, that kick and punch stuff. Guitar wailing, bass thumping and the signature Angstrom soaring vocals. It’s the best introduction this album could wish for, cause it condenses all that will come in one fell swoop! Introduction is a fun skit introducing the band to an empty bar, vocalized by Dave’s niece. Continuing on with Evil (Is On The Rise), majestic bass work, sublime drums and a guitar that has the track walking across a mountain range and into your heart immediately. Ever appearing like the reluctant vocalist, his voice on Bottom once again take center stage and shines, excelling in producing those catch phrases and certain words that make his voice’s character shine through. You will hear them throughout the Dave Angstrom discography, and whenever he uses words like Mojo, Doctor, Mountain, he’s got you cornered and you cannot help but submit. Leaf Hound’s Freelance Fiend is up next, and the ‘Brother John’ bassline is getting a life of its own on this rendition. And Angstrom’s vocals seem to get even better, digging up all the grit and spit, before letting his guitar do the talking. Emotionally biting Head In A Hole, with stories of betrayal, beautiful female background vocals and pristine instrumentation, with end dying away in a bit of a feedback wail. Another cover song comes next, Mountain’s Never In My Life, and yet another righteous rendition. After which we head over into more desert punk grooviness, yes, with Low ‘n Easy we enter Brant Bjork territory. That bass, those drums, the laidback, natural and flowing, groove. It centers the album, turns all that blues you heard before into even more of a necessary pulse. Blues, it’s always there, but used as an ode to good times, to fun, to musicianship and exploring those roots of yore. The fifteen songs exhuming soul at all times, I’ll Be Your One takes soulful, warm and radiancy up a notch. The guitar solo touching the heavens as the layered vocals come in again. Stunning. Noising and reverberating in, with an open can of whatever the guys were guzzling, is another standout track called Surrounded By Thieves. Playing example once again to what his voice does best and that guitar layering: Wowzah! And yes, those choppy drums, that crash and cymbal work, intense! They had fun these guys! It's obvious on many tracks. You could hear it there and you can hear it again when No Substitutions starts. Which is a builder, a stutter touched hard rocker, that feels like you were present at the recording. And together with Watch Our Skeletons Die and You Better Get Runnin’ they offer three steady closers, with fun and laughter. Before we get to the Outro (Thank You), vocalized by two of Dave’s grandchildren. The old secret song is dusted off by Time Moves On (With Space), for you have to enjoy seventeen minutes of silence before you get to the semi-acoustic, emotionally charged, contemplative and rustic, fireplace rocker. Wonderfully punctuated by a chorus of many voices and luscious keys work. And that concludes Vita Mors, another stunning addition to the Dave Angstrom discography. Luna Sol’s new incarnation featuring Zeth Pedulla on drums and Doug Tackett on bass brings you all the good and honest fun of blues roots explored. And as usual, there are many guest stars and family members adding their breath, sweat and love to, Vita Mors this wonderful heartfelt album…  

(Written by JK)

Listen to the three singles immediately, and be ready for the rest later today!!



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Luna Sol' Blood Moon came in 4th on the Stoner HiVe top 20 Countdonwn of 2015

Luna Sol - Blood Moon - Review

Luna Sol's 2013 Demo

Asylum On The Hill - Passage To The Puzzle Factory - Review

Horseburner - Hidden Bridges

 

 

Horseburner - Hidden Bridges

Out June 21st on Blues Funeral Recordings, the new Horseburner album Voice Of Storms. And Hidden Bridges is the new single and video for that wonderful new album! Check it out and be as excited for what these progressive sludge metal motherfuzzers have come up with as I am.

Horseburner's new album "Voice Of Storms" is an allegorical commentary on the mistreatment of women across history. It’s the story of a girl being sold into child marriage who is imbued with the spirit of ancient Greek hunt goddess Diana, unleashed and wreaking havoc on a society that regards females as objects or currency. Drummer Adam Nohe reflects on their new single "Hidden Bridges": “It turned into a song that everyone in the band loves, I think it’s a universal favorite. Story-wise, we’re looking at our protagonist being led through an interdimensional crossroads where she can see all universes and timelines happening simultaneously. Here she learns of how she came to exist and it sets her on her mission through the rest of the story.”

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ISAAK – HEY

 

 

ISAAK – HEY
Heavy Psych Sounds – 2023
Rock, Stoner, Punk, Metal
Rated: *****

We’ve all been there at one point in our lives. Zonked out in front of the television. Late a night, waiting for the fried stuff to be ready. Drinking that final drink. Or nursing one of those king hell hangovers, hoping that it will lift, if you just sit completely still and stare at that coma inducing screen in front of you. And for some weird reason, it is always stuck on tell sell or whatever home shopping network was available in your neck of the woods. And among the adverts, a wonderous knife that would slice and dice through everything, whatever stands in its way. And when you hear those cutting riffs, that high energy, fast paced, speed inducing rest of the new ISAAK album, you get why this is that first opening intro track. Off center to what the new HEY album brings you; it sets you up for that majestic run through the stoner rocking, stoner metal landscape. Formed around 2007 on the outskirts of Genua as Gandhi's Gunn, they renamed themselves ISAAK around 2012 and re-released the final Gandhi's Gunn eight-track album The Longer the Beard, the Harder the Sound a year later with four added tracks, two of which were covers. Vocalist Giacomo Boeddu and guitarist Francesco Raimondi are still present from that line-up, but bass and drums are provided by a new tandem. But even so, those punky stoner metal beginnings are still there for you to enjoy and still doused in a lovely layer of fuzz. And as with wine and age, there is more maturity in every composition. Just listen to spacious, dark, alt-rock third track Except, featuring Fabio Cuomo from Gotho, Elder and Fabio Cuomo’s own solo project and Bernardo Russo from YALDA and Berna. Seasoned in subject, the restraint in delivering the riffs and energy, shows the new line-up knows all about control and layering. For those harrowing howls sit exactly right in the mix, the subdued vocals later on as well. A wonderful composition start to finish, followed by the more speeding, barreling train track Rotten. Still retaining melodic parts, it’s that highly determined delivery that will hook you first, before getting you high with that big rise during the ‘choruses’. As ISAAK has always put a cover song on their previous albums, to honor their early influences, there is nothing unusual about the fact that we hear a song by punk band The Wipers this time around. ISAAK brings Over The Edge into the 21st century and gives it a new spotlight for this heavy rock generation, and they do that exactly right! Intense and groovy is Dormouse, grungy and monstrous is Fake It Till You Make It, where every hard rocking section seems to his own very slick energy. By the time the brooding, moody, almost prog sludge approaching final track Goodbyes Are Always Very Sad rolls over you, you cannot wait to hear that second, the title track HEY again with its boisterous huge high adrenaline push and explosive sound. And yes, before you do that, you will head off into the kitchen, get that knife out and make yourself another caprese sandwich or something else you can slice and dice like a maniac. Cause you just can’t stop eating… everything ISAAK!

(Written by JK)

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Monster Riff – Presents

 

 

Monster Riff – Presents

It was weird being on the other side of the mic for once. But it was definitely a pleasure meeting up with Pat Schober from Monster Riff. It felt like too big an honor to be interviewed by him about Stoner HiVe, Doom Charts and well, myself. But it did give me the opportunity to exaggerate my musical abilities and my stint with various bands. So, if you want to hear me profess my love for heavy rock, how a certain period in time cemented my love for stonerrock and hear me give a few insights about proper promo emails and nonsense about how bands can make it in our little scene. Well, you can check it out on that mean Monster Riff site! Fair warning, can’t listen to it myself, always have trouble hearing myself working out interviews as well. So, it might be some kind of pitch in my voice that will definitely mess up your day and give you nightmares… But from those little skips and moments that I did hear, I definitely do love The Same River, Sergeant Thunderhoof a lot a nd how Purple Sage PR does everything exactly right!

Thanks again to Pat from Monster Riff for bestowing this honor on me… And for all those who decide to listen to the podcast, thank you as well! And don’t say I did not warn you!

Monster Riff

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Snake Mountain Revival – Everything In Sight

 

 

Snake Mountain Revival – Everything In Sight
Rebel Waves / Ripple Music / Deckhead Records – 2021
Rock, Psych, Wave, Noir, Stoner
Rated: *****

One of the most spun albums the past month is without any doubt Snake Mountain Revival’s Everything In Sight. When the promo came in through Ripple Music or perhaps it was Purple Sage PR, it did not immediately grab me. Cause we cannot state enough how much great and heavy music comes in daily, and sometimes at certain times, an album does not have the energy you are looking for at that moment in time in the world, whatever that may mean. But when we revisited the album, and those first three tracks rolled by and were already slowly weaving into my brain, like the seductive ghosts that they are, it was the fourth track that did the trick… Graveyard Grove came on and relentlessly hammered its enchanting beauty into my heart. It reminded of another song, but that is of no issue here, for the dark, the noir, the dusty atmosphere, the story told and the way the rhythm moved and moved me, it impressed the hell out of me and made one hell of an impression. It of course went on repeat for a couple of times. The vocals, the lyrics, haunting and chased, so perfectly executed. It might be viewed as the prized song on the album. But then again there are many more. And we only recently found out that most of the album was already released on two EP’s. How did we miss that? (We perhaps did, but Shasta Beast didn’t!) We then returned to the beginning and started it all properly; and got struck by the desert rocking baseball bat that is Satellite Ritual. With a Chris Goss atmosphere, the spacy, the surfy, psych and wave noir propels you forward. Something eerie, something spooky, it’s ever-present with the Snake Mountain Revival three. Sonically rounded out, the tracks keep this reverberating echo going through the album and there is as much psychedelic craziness around as there is subdued and tranquil peace. All of it will want to make you dive into the wind and swim with its current. It will turn you on and tune you in… And Everything will be In Sight…

(Written by JK)

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Duel – In Carne Persona

 

 

Duel – In Carne Persona
Heavy Psych Sounds – 2021
Rock, Hard, Stoner, Garage, Metal, Doom
Rated: *****

During the past hellish months, where there was little time for poor old me to play outside, we’ve been lucky enough to have the new Duel album In Carne Persona on repeat. We’ve been anxiously awaiting this one, cause the one that came before called Valley Of Shadows was stunning and reached the Number 5 spot of the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown of 2019 thanks to all you crazies that voted for it. Well, the Duel four are back and deliver their majestic super heavy tripped out old school stoner metal straight out of Austin, Texas once again. In Carne Persona features nine tracks that brings all that you have come to adore from Duel, but with even more seventies bravado and proggy swagger. Classic hardrock, early metal and something that sweeps up the ashes of what once was doomy and stonerish. But above all we hear seventies rock and everything proto in all its glory. So, yes, every old school metal head, hard rocking fiend and crazy seventies tambourine man will love the shit out of In Carne Persona. Duel seems to be able to do no wrong and everything right!  

(Written by JK)

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Yawning Sons – Sky Island

 

 

Yawning Sons – Sky Island
Ripple Music / Purple Sage PR – 2021
Rock, Desert, Stoner, Prog
Rated: *****

We’ve been floating along the majestic tunes of Sons Of Alpha Centauri, Yawning Man and everything Gary Arce ever produced for quite some time now. So when the new Sky Island album by that most wonderful of collaboration projects called Yawning Sons emerged we could not stop spinning it. Even more so since this time around they invited quite a few other desert magicians along for the ride. Maestro Dandy Brown, Mario Lalli, Scott Reeder and Wendy Rae Fowler all joined the Yawning Sons line-up to help produce an album that will definitely blow every languid prog, laidback desert and dreamy stoner loving fiend’s mind. Imploring mastering aid from John McBain this is once again a stunning release by Yawning Sons. Evoking subtle and little echoes from David Bowie and Chris Goss during a few instances, being lyrical pronunciation or alchemic melody, the eight tracks will transport you to a different plane of existence altogether. And we must confess that those tracks (Low In The Valley, Gravity Underwater) that feature that sweet and blessed voice of Dandy Brown simply take the breath away. The same can be said for Cigarette Footsteps, featuring Mario Lalli. All of them not only excel in vocal delivery, the compositions seem to mirror the sky, with ringing guitar work, pulsating bass and controlled slow moving drums. And it feels extremely unfair to single those out, cause the rest of ‘m, are just as good. Cosmic and yet very earthy, astral and o' so tangible... What an amazing album!

(Written by JK)

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Desert Storm - Omens

Desert Storm - Omens

APF Records / Purple Sage PR - April 2020

Sludge, stoner, progressive, doom

Rated: ****

Since 2008's self-titled LP, Desert Storm have been a national treasure of the UK heavy scene with their thunderous mix of sludge, stoner, and southern rock, and their sixth effort Omens sees them firing on all creative cylinders. Following 2018's crushing "Sentinels", Omens adds even more layers of atmosphere and progressive technicality, and succeeds in the impressive task of balancing raw, touching emotion with unrelenting heaviness. The titular spoken word intro sets the scene with eerie rhymes and occult vibes, and then the gates are blown open with the massive, roiling riffs and venomous bellows of "Black Bile". The low end divebombs in Torche fashion between the twin guitar attack's jarring grooves, all grounded by pulverizing drumwork. It's no small feat to compete with this wall of sound, but the agile vocals prove more than up to the task, taking charge with a wide range of growls, melodic cleans, and sludgy roars that add an emotional weight and element of storytelling to take the music's impact to another level. This is most apparent on following track "Vengeful Gods", a tale of struggle against an ancient evil told over pummeling riffage and atmospheric keys that make the threat feel all too real. The expertly crafted songwriting is maintained throughout the rest of Omens, with passages of slower, haunting melancholy peppered in to offset the band's earth-shaking assault. Desert Storm are at the top of their game on Omens, a powerfully affecting record that sees them continuing to evolve and experiment even after twelve years, to devastating results.

(Written by Shasta Beast)

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