Gingerpig – Ugly Heart

Gingerpig – Ugly Heart

The lovely Gingerpig, the band around ex-Gorefest gitarist Boudewijn Bonebakker has produced a new song for the new Dutch book Snoep (Candy) by Mark Verver. The track Ugly Heart is downloadable for free on the website of Suburban Records…

Gingerpig – Ugly Heart

Grifter – Grifter

Grifter – Grifter

Ripple Music – 2011

Rock, Southern, Classic, Hard, Seventies, Blues, Stoner

Rated: *****

 

Originally started as a foursome in the horrible and insane year of 2003 they became a trio after their first gig. Eight years on the three amigos are still going strong and they delivered their first full-sized, self-titled album: Grifter. Exploding with simple but enormously fat riffs and a massive groove these booze fueled tunes will push not only the wavering alcoholics but even the most secure renouncers of the drink off the wagon. It is raw passion and a pure love for the riff that propels this album to sheer heights. No intricate or complex structuring, but unmistakable catchy melodies and impressive hooks finished off by tremendous vocals. Good ol’ fashioned rock by them good ol’ boys; bring the good ol’ times for all you good ol’ boozehounds. So poor yerself another tall one and put this record on repeat; for this is iron strong bluesy rock with a Southern sauce that needs to be baptized in some good ol’ bourbon… Gravy!

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Gandhi’s Gunn – The Longer The Beard The Harder The Sound

Gandhi’s Gunn – The Longer The Beard The Harder The Sound

Taxi Driver Records – 2012

Rock, Metal, Stoner, Hard

Rated: *****

Peaceful resistance is a farce, get a gun, grow a beard and get rocking. That’s the way to go! And so we gladly follow the Italian quartet Gandhi’s Gunn into battle. Their debut album Thirthyeahs was already a stalwart work of hard hitting riffs, but their sophomore record The Longer The Beard The Harder The Sound tops that easily. It’s chockfull of incredible riffage, pounding drums and excellent vocals. Leaning heavily on the harder, heavy and grimy side of stoner metal the band also proves it can write long and mesmerizing tracks with Flood and the album closer Hypothesis. Both provide an amazing adventure through different energy currents and waves of psychedelics. But from note number one of the album opener Haywire it’s a full throttle and overwhelming guitar and drum assault by these Italian freaks. And those excellent vocals almost seem possessed at times without ever losing sight of the song. I guess it’s clear that we will have tons of fun with the guys from Gandhi’s Gunn. So let’s hope their conquest takes them across the world in a very near future; cause I love their harder sound and am definitely gonna sport the beard to prove it!

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Dumbsaint – Something That You Feel Will Find Its Own Form

Dumbsaint – Something That You Feel Will Find Its Own Form

Bird’s Robe Records – 2012

Rock, Post, Metal, Prog

Rated: ***

Based out of Sydney, Australia the instrumental three-piece Dumbsaint has just released their debut album Something That You Feel Will Find Its Own Form. Created around 2007 as an extra outlet for their musical imagery the film students use visual effects during their live shows and with it create an entirely new cinematic horizon. As can be seen on their 2009 DVD Perennial 2009. On their first record however they take all the essentials from bands such as Isis and Tool and turn it into their own sound experiment. With only a minimum in atmospheric change throughout the record the songs specialize in bringing together the fragile moments and the heavy explosions. But after a few plays there is that nagging feeling that something is missing or that something overused in the post-rock-progressive-metal scene is ever present. It leaves you wanting more; more of Dumbsaint and of the three-piece that hides below the surface. For their technical and spacious drumming, the emotional and ethereal guitars and the incredible basswork shows clearly that there is brilliance lurking in those murky waters…

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Barbears – Doombar

Barbears – Doombar

Self released – 2012

Rock, Stoner, Metal

Rated: ****

We struggled through the crowd and found two seats at the bar. My buddy ordered two tall glasses of rums, with beer and tequila on the side. We sat there waiting for the inevitable when I suddenly noticed all the weird proceedings that were happening all around us. Right next to me a gigantic bear was gnawing on a woman’s neck and on the other side two strange looking bears were pounding their chest, roaring with laughter and madness in their eyes. I tried to warn my buddy by pulling his shirt and whispering. “We might have stumbled into the wrong doom stricken bar, these are all bears man, and they’re giving booze those these goddamned things. It won’t be long now, before they tear us to shreds…” And then the band starting playing; shredding their guitars and pounding their heavy rhythms, soothing the savage beasts and turning out hearts into loud throbbing engines of lust. They were called the Barbears and since their founding somewhere in Hungary in 2008 they had been the resident players of the Doombar. Striking chords in the hearts of the most reckless with their feral and ferocious mixture of stoner, metal and southern rock. Listening to their amazing tunes filled my head with joy and my guts with pride. Like a Man on the Move, and just sick enough to be totally confident…

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Mocho Diablo – Green

Mocho Diablo – Green

Self released – 2012

Rock, Stoner, Grunge

Rated: ****

Not many rock groups implore the use of a theremin; but I for one have always dug that weird magical little thing. Ever since I saw absolute genius Cato ‘Salsa’ Thomassen use it. I was therefor pleasantly surprised when I heard the Brazilian foursome Mocho Diablo use it on their debut EP called Green. Made up out of three guys from Flaming Moe and a new bassplayer they recorded five straight up rock songs that rub against stoner and borrow some grungy greatness from the big names. Soulful gritty rock with a tasty sharp edge, fascinating structures and a truckload of savory riffs. Add to this the balanced and succulent drums and a lot of room for a sickly steady bass, dueling with the guitar and delivering little funky ditties. You know you’ve got some absolute gold on yer hands! Last but not least we have a vocalist that borders on greatness as well. Mocho Diablo, simply irresistible, absolutely wonderful and green no more!

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William English – Demo

William English – Demo

Self released – 2012

Sludge, Hardcore, Metal, Trash
Rated: ***

They’re currently on a sacred quest to find a bassplayer; but this does not deter the quartet from releasing a first demo. Hailing from Thetford in the United Kingdom, William English started out as a hardcore punk band but now brings forth an unholy mixture of doom and sludge with heavy trash metal parts; although they still keep one eye on their roots. Impressive drums guide the riffs and guitarlines on towards that mountain cliff only to push them off it once they get there. Screaming their way down towards their death. And as they state themselves, which sums it up quite nicely: ‘screams so socially unpopular it makes the cool kids cry…’ And what they might seem to lack in structure, they make up in technical prowess, interesting ideas and sheer power. Only two tracks on this demo; but two that make your bones freeze and your spine shiver with involuntary spasms. Think of what a full album might do to you? Be afraid!

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Hugonaut – Hello Destroyed

Hugonaut – Hello Destroyed

Self released / Red Tentacle – 2012

Rock, Stoner, Grunge, Metal

Rated: ****

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. A lovely little maritime city and a peaceful rural community. Where one could imagine still leaving the backdoor open when you run out to get some last minute groceries. Home to Denny Doherty, Sarah McLachlan and Peter North. And to Hugonaut; which is actually the only thing one should care about. A hard rocking five-some that has just delivered its debut-album called Hello Destroyed. We hear traces of Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Channel Zero and Prong; which means we are treated to some grade a nineties grunge and metal; interspersed with some downtuned stoner and fuzzed out rock. Huge vocals and impressive melodies, tons of gigantic riffs, dueling guitars and colossal drums. Big, that’s the main adjective here. Everything, from rhythms to tones and sound has gone the way of largeness without going over the top. The vocal driven songs grapple their way into your brain with their hooks and become a definite fixture. Innovating? Not really. Tasty? Absofuckinglutely!

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Bear Brawler – Tales of Deadly Addictions

Bear Brawler – Tales of Deadly Addictions

Self released – 2012
Stoner, Doom, Sludge

Rated: ****

From the bloodstained grounds of Normandy, France comes a wild and dangerous trio that already amazed with their first EP Tales From The Putrid Swamp released in 2011 and now continues on down that bleak, dark and twisted path. We are talking about Bear Brawler and their new EP called Tales of Deadly Addictions. They deliver a grimy melting pot of swampy stoner and aggressive doom. Their ponderous riffs are only bested in heaviness by the impressive vocals. They growl, snarl, rage, bawl and grunt with true feeling and enough tonal change to keep them from becoming stale or annoying. Imposing sound eruptions and a majestic collage of rhythms and subtle pitch transitions. Energetic stirring tracks and a singer that seems possessed; a violent force to be reckoned with which will definitely leave a smile on yer face…

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Arenna – Beats of Olarizu

Arenna – Beats of Olarizu

Nasoni – 2011

Rock, Stoner, Space, Doom, Psychedelics

Rated: *****

The Basque five of Arenna delivered a high-powered high eclectic space rock album called Beats Of Olarizu in 2011. Founded in 2005 the five amigos quickly got to work on their own material releasing a demo recording in 2007. Beats Of Olarizu is their official debut and of a totally different level. It starts out as a heavy fuzzed out stoner album that slowly transforms into something more doom orientated and then back again. They seem to have a knack for keeping the repetition simple but fresh and interesting till the very very end. Slowly however that dry desert air is replaced with a fresh and lucious spring feeling that makes you fly along side colorful birds until the kaleidoscopic riff waves roll over you. After which the highly psychedelic and hypnotic adventure becomes an epic experience. And once your trip through the cosmos has finished the dust in your clenched fists will have turned into diamonds thanks to the magical tones of Arenna…

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Levon Helm 26-05-1940 – 19-04-2012

Levon Helm

Where were you when the fun stopped? One of the greatest musicians of our time passed away yesterday afternoon. Drummer and singer Levon Helm from The Band lost his battle with throat cancer. He was one of the founders of Americana and a seminal force within The Band and gave us so many wonderful tunes. He was the true Voice of America. And, after The Band split up, he kept touring, wrote a hilarious memoir, and then started hosting the Midnight Ramble in his barn in upstate New York. With the perfect ability to drag out the beat or to drive it forward and his distinct voice he will sound on forever and into legend. He is high energy; propane propulsion. Sentimental people might call it inspiration, but what they really mean is fuel. And on long nights driving a car with the gas needle on empty the right kind of music will make it run for at least fifty miles more. And with The Weight on repeat or Levon Helm’s steady beat gunning that motor; it will surely make it to yet another twenty… Today we listen to the incredible collection of records left behind by Levon Helm…

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Beitthemeans – Head Held High

Beitthemeans – Head Held High
Ol Elegante Records – 2011
Rock, Southern, Hard, Blues, Stoner
Rated: *****

The Alabama trio Beitthemeans returned to the southern rock front in 2011 with their sophomore effort Head Held High. A masterpiece of swampy tunes, filled with washing riffs, smoky jingles and enough blues to kick Santa off the wagon and get that bearded freak hooked on crack. It’s got that raw and raunchy attitude and a throat that hits you like a kick in the guts and leaves you awestruck and in agonizing pain. The guys had been touring since their foundation was laid in 2003 and recorded their first album Crude Alabama Storytellers in 2008. It shows once more that true musicians learn their craft on the road and not via some lame ass weekly television show. Head Held High shows an ability honed to sheer perfection; whether it be the unparalleled drums, the elegant riffs and lines, the torturing screams, the swaggering vocals or the highly effective basslines. They all border on eerie perfection and sing high that proud southern soulful spirit…

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Sun Eater – Sun Eater

Sun Eater – Sun Eater
Self released – 2012
Rock, Stoner, Psychedelic, Atmospheric
Rated: ***

After the leaves had turned dark red in the autumn of 2011, two guys started jamming in a basement somewhere in Tacoma, Washington, USA. Soon they picked up another stray cat that could hit the skins and together they formed a band whose names and deeds would be retold throughout history; and they called themselves Sun Eater. The trio seems to live inside long and elongated almost fragile compositions that thrive on a hypnotic and steady rhythm and a howling guitar. They take inspirational queues from Colour Haze, Sleep, Earthless and to a lesser extent the guitar freak out bands from the seventies. And apart from a sneaky sudden scream resonating from deep in some dark and dismal hole there is not a note or tone too many. Most importantly they dare to keep it that ‘simple’ and with that honesty make the three songs on their self titled debut EP and profound experience…

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