Tyrants of The Ancient Law – Demo

Tyrants of The Ancient Law – Demo
Self released – 2008
Rock/Stoner/Punk/Space
Waardering: ***

In March of this year it has come to pass that an incredible drummer named Thierry ‘Chaos’ Bellaire passed away. A monument of a skin-hitter and one who played the part of rhythm-master in many of Nijmegen's rockcity bands. We name a Sixteen Stiches Iscariot, Love Kills, Maximum Bob, Ultimate Sabotage and last but certainly not least the Tyrants of The Ancient Law. A very promising trio of which there is hardly any music to be found. The no-nonsense-let’s-Rock approach of the threesome gets help of lingering memories of Hawkwind, The Damned and Brant Bjork. But its mostly their own sound that makes one long for more; lovely empty and bold riffs and extremely tight drums. Unfortunately the loss of such a drummer will spell the end of the Tyrants…. If they wish to continue on without him is unknown… And will never be the same…

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Viberider – The Big Show

Viberider – The Big Show
PsychoSchq / Rough Trade – 2010
Rock/Stonerpop
Waardering: ***

Viberider hails from Holland and treated many a stonerlover in 2006 to an extraordinary album called Evolve The Long Lead. That those same heads will enjoy the new album The Big Show to the same extent remains to be seen. The four years of silence have transformed the band into a stonerpopformation with most of the emphasis on pop. The diversity of the music has risen and improved; but the raw, wild and rough edge has been smoothed down to a very large extent. We are now left with a Viberider that approaches grunge with caution, often sounds like a powerpop band gone astray and at all times seem to insist on not being labeled as stonerrock. Then again; the tendency to produce strong melodies and mix them with sweet sugared choruses has always been present in Viberider. But in this case a bit more black coffee would make the album stronger and more importantly tastier…

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The Von Durden Party Project – Death Discotheque

The Von Durden Party Project – Death Discotheque
Bang – 2008
Rock/Stonerpop
Waardering: ***

Hailing from the ‘still’ Belgian French side of things; The Von Durden Party Project started out in 2007 with five heads but has now been reduced to a core of three. The name has also been shortened to just Von Durden and a second album called Dandy Animals is in the works and will soon see the light of day. Which pointed me to the fact that their first one: Death Discotheque has received extreme little attention. Even though the album contains a dozen damn fine songs that fit perfectly in the stream of stonerpop bands that have seen the light of day in recent years. They hold their own in the middle of Arctic Monkeys, De Staat and the Eagles of Death Metal; and all of that interspersed with a nice dose of disco! Energetic rockmusic that either stirs or moves your bones; but usually leaves you jumping like a madman. Or if you will; polished stonerpop with an extremely moveable rhythm that still on occasion lets that sexy raw sound shine through… Allez; donnez-moi quelques nouveaux battements!

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Mastodon – Jonah Hex

Mastodon – Jonah Hex
Relapse / Reprise – 2010
Metal/Stoner
Waardering: **

Director Jimmy Hayward (Horton Hears a Who, Finding Nemo) was approached for the film-adaptation of the bounty-hunting comic book hero Jonah Hexis. He in turn asked composer John Powell (Bourne series, Hancock) to give the movie its musical face. Unfortunately Powell had to leave the film prematurely, which had to be re-shot over and over again; causing the band contracted to fill in the music to have to start over and over too. And Mastodon was not happy. The guys thought they were busy making the best music they had made in their entire career. Composer Marco Beltrami (Terminator 3, Repo Men) was asked to finish the score and after that Mastodon was again asked to please show that mighty sound you do! The result are four songs and two alternate versions that have little taste and show even less of the glory that is Mastodon. On occasion we hear a little of their magic; but that has disappeared again before you know it. I for one am very curious for the material that did not make this EP…

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Collector Base Emitter – Transis

Collector Base Emitter – Transis
Self Released – 2010
Rock/Ambient/Stoner/Doom/Drone
Waardering: ***

Austrian born Collector Base Emitter started jamming among the three of them around 2008 and later that year turned a demo loose on the world. In 2010 the gentlemen release their first full-force album labeled thingy. The self released Transis albums has three songs on it of which everyone of them lasts for at least ten minutes and the sound-story in total lasts forty minutes. Quiet compositions are exchanged for guitar-explosions and ear-numbing doom. The first two songs are sweet symbioses of tension, intensity and monotony. Of course there are little vocals on the album; which is a pity… Cause our little Austrian friend can definitely hold a tune. Third and last song Minimal Animal puts a tiny little bit more peddle to the metal and most of all combines the best stuff from the first two songs. Let’s hope the band can find a new bass-player quickly; cause I for one am curious where this adventure can lead us…

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Ape Machine – This House Has Been Condemned

Ape Machine – This House Has Been Condemned
Self released – 2010
Rock/Blues/Stoner/Psychedelic/Seventies
Waardering: ****

The American Ape Machine consists of a quintet of members hailing from other bands like Evening Episode, Minmae and Fenix TX. On their first album in this form named This House Has Been Condemned we are treated to a lovely mix of Rock, Blues, Stoner and Psychedelics. It results in an honorary salute to bands like Led Zeppelin and Blue Cheer. Intense melodies and hard driving riffs, combined with the hunting, screaming, wailing and moaning voice of singer Caled Heinze gives the listener an ‘it’s all happening’ feeling. Transported to the seventies and into an outfit comprised of wide corduroy pants and a ditto colorful blouse we drift along the groovy set of eight songs. The rolling riffs build towards great tasting solos and incredible sound explosions. This is warm blues and soulful music like the classics used to make. Give those monkeys another banana!

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91’s – First Blood

91’s – First Blood
Self Released – 2010
Rock/Stoner/Funk/Psychedelica
Waardering: ****

The three honourable gentlemen of 91’s hailing form the dark and bloody grounds of Pensylvania in the United States have been playing together sinds may in the year of our lord 2009 and have played their first ever show in november of that year. And not a year has passed since then; but still we are now treated to a ten track record that stands tall like a midget on a giant’s shoulders. With the album First Blood the trio makes a powerful statement. This is where you need to go for your dosasge of pure rock, of stoner and psychedelics and espescially the kind that looks back to all that wonderful stuff from the seventies without becoming retro. And the freaks never waver a moment to spice things up with some heavy groove or funk. They slacken the guitarsnares to create a calm moment here and there and put some peddle to the metal to have that heavy riding. Add to this a haunting and very delivering singer who in time reminds of a Pete Stahl (Goatsnake / Orquesta Del Desierto) and you know you’ve gotten yer hands on some true quality! But the fans need to be quic cause apparently the record is almost sold out?

“SERIOUSLY only 1 copy left of our album First Blood on www.cdbaby.com. We have about 6 copies left in total. GET IT OR MISS IT!!!”

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Asylum on The Hill – Passage To The Puzzlefactory

Asylum on The Hill – Passage To The Puzzlefactory
Mine’s Bigger Than Yours / Suburban – 2010
Rock/Metal/Stoner
Waardering: ?

Last year we already reported on this; but now it has become reality. We all know hero Dave Angstrom from Hermano and Supafuzz. Besides those bands he has been a part of a multitude of other outfits of which Black Cat Bone, Candy Says and Devil May Care might be the best known. And now before the public is treated to another Hermano album; Dave has decided to conquer the world with his new band: Asylum on The Hill. And why not? Everything worth doing; is worth doing right. Completed by Supafuzz bassplayer Jason Groves, drummer Phil Kring from Jason’s new band Rosie Rose who in his turn used to play in a band called Lennon. Where he used to play together with axe-man JD Garner whom you might also know from The Dead Hours or all his guest-work with a truckload of other artists. The four of them have worked like animals to produce a beast of a record. And now; it is done. And somewhere in October the world will be blown away by monster bass-lines, devilish drums and almost unimaginable guitar-beauty. But until that time comes, until that magic moment in October we will have to make due with the trio of tracks provided to us as promo through their website. A solemn promise of the rock-anthems that are coming our way!

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Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Blood & Fire

Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Blood & Fire
Black Records / No Death - 2010
Rock/Punk
Waardering: *****

Out of sight, out of mind. Something very true uttered about a lovely band called Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. At one point they jumped into my eye thanks to their record The Royal Society recorded in 2004 with the help of none-other then Chris Goss in the incredible Rancho De La Luna studio in Palm Desert. Not their best record to that date though. Their new and third official album Blood & Fire is! A perfect hit and a rock ’n roll battering ram, which cannot mean anything else, but a glorious return to the front and a well-deserved breakthrough for the band. With pounding drums, swirling guitars and riffs that can blues the hell out of you but also sting you in the gut the band launch their attack. Add to this: a singer named Guy McKnight who conquered some of his drug-demons and sounds like a manic and savage wild man out to get even. And the result is a gothic, psychotic, rock noir, and punk album with an everlasting mystical atmosphere, which comes close to perfection. Woohaa!

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We're back...

After a two-week bacchanal on some deserted island we have returned from the wilderness. After being hunted by the island resident who envisioned us as the fulfillment of some weird and ancient prophecy; we could only barely escape by jumping on a mirror and beads laden ship heading for the cultured coast. With most of our hair and toenails still present we have now returned… And we are ready for action!

Holiday

Downtime... Holiday time... A truckload of Rum... You get the idea... Seeya in two weeks...

Mondo Generator – Dog Food

Mondo Generator – Dog Food
Impedance – 2010
Rock/Punk
Waardering: ****

Nick Oliveri will always remain that highly unpredictable (often naked) bass-player who was a member of Kyuss and an important part of Queens of The Stone Age. But besides that he had his own projects of which Mondo Generator has always been his first love. Ideas and songs of that project were also used for Queens of The Stone Age as if it was his very own Desert Sessions. And now; in a prelude to the upcoming album Time To Destroy, we are treated to the EP Dog Food. Mostly filled with cover versions of songs by Iggy Pop, Turbonegro, Roky Erickson, Ramones and Kyuss. Most of which are featured in his notorious Death Acoustic style. Half or complete acoustic versions of hardrock songs signed with his own chaotic and screaming signature. The most important given of the entire EP is that on the track Dog Food we can hear The Fresh Prince of Darkness of The Dwarves, Happy Tom from Turbonegro, Michelle Madde of Tourettes and most alluring of all, giving hope for future generations, Dave Grohl as drummer! Who know what the future may bring… Who knows…?

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KOMATSU

Members of Borehole, Repomen, The Good’s and SQY created a new monster!

Be afraid; be very afraid!!

KOMATSU !!!

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