Stoner HiVe

zaterdag 16 mei 2020

Rrrags – High Protein

Lay Bare Recordings – 2020

Rock, Hard, Blues, Psych, Seventies

Rated: ****

Two Rob’s and a Ron! That’s RRRags for ya! The delivered their self-titled six track debut back in 2018 and now their back with follow-up High Protein! That sound, that color, that bronzed atmosphere! Holy hell! But of course, the fact that we’re listening to pure gold again becomes pretty logical when you realize it’s bassist Rob Zim from Lords Of Altamont, drummer vocalist Rob Martin from Bliksem and guitarist Ron van Herpen from Astrosoniq/The Devil’s Blood. It’s retro, it’s seventies and it’s got so much groove it will have your bell bottoms go apeshit. Impossible to stand still when The Fridge opens up this can of High Protein rock! Grand Funk inspired, Graveyard colored goodness that exhumes this amazing cloudy soul and intense energy. Most of the record has this otherworldly up tempo boogie happening, except for the eight minute Dark Is The Day. This slower, psychedelic track opens up the album and seems to break it into two pieces together with closing track Window. Together they seem to serve as two devious bookends, splitting the record into bite size portions of High Protein! If anything prevents this record of being a masterpiece is the fact that High Protein gives you a truckload of energy but the music runs out before you have managed to get rid of it all. Sure, Window will tone it down and make you able to sit again, but the rest was so addictive and so full of energy, you will want more! More and more!

(Written by JK)

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vrijdag 15 mei 2020

War Cloud – Earhammer Sessions

Ripple Music – 2020

Rock, Metal

Rated: ****

There are a few record labels out there who just seem to put out gold after gold after pure freakin gold. Perhaps because they know exactly what kind of rock fits their bill and what kind of stoner they should throw in the pond to make it ripple perfectly outwards. Yes, I was referring to Ripple Music. They never stray to far from the hardrock or stoner influenced goodness. And I guess War Cloud may be the furthest to the metal side they go to? But it once again pure freakin gold! NWOBHM gold in fact! War Cloud’s new release Earhammer Sessions has Iron Maiden and Motörhead as their guides and then goes full power through their repertoire. Their own repertoire, their own take on those giants! Eight tracks that whip you into a frenzied state of excitement and will turn even the most lazy indie rocker into a beer guzzling, moshpit diving, mud sliding metalhead! Oh, man, flashbacks to festival there, very dangerous during this pandemic now that everything is cancelled. But that will surely happen when you listen to Earhammer Sessions by War Cloud, you, envisioning, all the good metal times you had and surely will have again!

(Written by JK)

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donderdag 14 mei 2020

Alligator Wine – Demons Of The Mind

Century Media – 2020

Rock, Kraut, Psych

Rated: ****

Named after a Screamin’ Jay Hawkins song this duo has decided to not use any guitar whatsoever! What!? You scream! Indeed, we have a drummer and an organ player that both sing and add extra bits of instrumentation here and there, but no guitar. But then why even talk about Alligator Wine’s new release Demons Of The Mind you ask? Well, cause it’s heavy in a totally different way! Heavy in a kraut way, in a psych way and in an upbeat way that has you envisioning grooving crowds a plenty. Oh, yes, cause I definitely long to see this duo live one day. The kraut is danceable, the psych is catchy and all round rock vibe will surely have you moving along with the rhythm. Will this be for everyone? Probably not, but it deserves to be heard and it deserves your time. If only once… Or, for the long haul and in every dark cellar and festival tent in the future, where we shall go crazy till the sweat drips from the ceiling…

(Written by JK)

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dinsdag 12 mei 2020

Sorge - EP

Self released - 2020

Doom, sludge, gothic, psych

Rated: *****

Hailing from the capital swamp of Washington, DC, five-piece Sorge unleash a storm of epic, enigmatic doom on their debut EP. Composed of four tracks over six minutes each, Sorge's unique sound melds a wide range of influences and styles together seamlessly, drawing from gothic doom, sludge, occult, and psych to create a haunting and affecting release. Opener "Faith of a Heretic" draws the listener in with eerie synths and powerful, tortured vocals that steal the show whenever their wail is brought out in full force. The pounding drums and tectonic low end slowly build the mournful and mysterious atmosphere, eventually pierced by painfully slow, keening guitar that cuts through the noise like a knife. The low and slow trudge then turns into a crushing, gravelly distorted roll complete with yet more emotive guitar work in a soaring solo. Such a mind blowing first cut sets the bar ambitiously high, and is confidently passed with ease on following track and album highlight "A Horse in Turin". A nightmarish soundscape is painted with lamenting vocals and grandiose keys, taken straight from the organs of some massive church hall. It all slowly rises to a nearly overwhelming climax, as screams of "oblivion" usher in crashing, thundering drums and rumbling guitars. Blastbeats soon combine with synths to create a hair-raising finale, and that's only the halfway point of the album. Remaining tracks "Argent" and "Astral Burnout" further flesh out the previous cuts' themes and experiment with even more, including drone, spaced out keys, and even some up-tempo stoner riffage. Sorge's debut EP is an epic slab of doom completely on its own weird, dark wavelength, thick with unsettling, occultic atmosphere while pummeling with raw emotion and titanic riffs. Without question, a contender for debut of the year.

(Written by Shasta Beast)

zondag 10 mei 2020

Dryland - Dances With Waves

Self released - April 2020

Stoner, Doom, Hardcore

Rated: ****

The Pacific Northwest has yet another heavy treasure in Washington's Dryland, whose sophomore effort Dances With Waves is a rip-roaring trek through fantastic tales in a grand mix stoner, doom, and hardcore. The impressive variety of sounds at play is made immediately apparent on first track "No Celestial Hope", whose fiery opening lead quickly shifts to a steady stomping chug as the vocals' raw punk energy kicks in. The hardcore styled singing is clear and confident, making for a commanding narration of Dryland's magical sagas with more than an edge of danger. The vocals are all the more fitting as the midtempo chugging accelerates to vibrant Sword-esque riffs, emphasized by full fisted drums dealing out blinding fills. Second track "Exalted Mystics" initially reins it in with a dark and flowing bassy groove, keeping you on your toes before pushing you off the cliff with an abrupt and neck-breaking riff that's almost sludge in its intensity. A final noise assault over wild drums brings the track to a frantic and crushing end, and leads into the final two epics of the EP. Dryland save the best for last, firing off twin guitar salvos between the bleak, low and slow tale of war in "The Sound A Sword Adores". The impressive storytelling is then upped even more on closer "Between The Testaments", seething with energy in its slowed intro of keening guitars and primal drums. The bottomless low-end gut punch makes good on the threat, alongside anthemic cries of love and doom. Dryland then gallops off with high energy riffs of pure rock fury, bringing Dances With Waves to a properly heroic end. In Dryland's ambitious take on stoner rock and heavy metal, harrowing emotion combines with instrumental twists and turns to result in one of the year's most exciting and diverse releases yet.

(Written by Shasta Beast)

Dool – Summerland

Prophecy – 2020

Rock, Doom, Stoner, Metal

Rated: *****

The sound of that first album Here Now There Then has been distilled, condensed and expanded for their new record Summerland. Dool knows how to perfectly capture the duality of life, the different sides of human concepts like life, death, love, sex, sins, morality in both music and lyrics. I dug that first album, we definitely did, but it wasn’t until we saw them live on Graspop that it really and truly clicked for me. And that click becomes even bigger with their new record. The different layers of guitar, that sweet airy sound, almost modest but very precise, those wide compositions and that almost catchy vibe. It all sounds so crisp and crystal clear; which offset to the different emotions and atmospheres the tracks evoke make for one huge trip through melancholy landscapes, mysterious labyrinths and huge expanses of despair but also hope. It quickly becomes an almost religious experience listening to Dool. Lifting you up and letting you go, letting you soar and lifting the curtain so you can see just a tiny bit of what lies beyond. Summerland is waiting for you!

(Written by JK)

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened To Albums Last Week…

Stoner HiVe’s

Top 10 Most Listened To Albums Last Week…

As you might have noticed... Due to work we took on during the pandemic, listening time and HiVe time has unfortunately been very limited. Hence, we’ll keep posting the Top 10 of last week. Because once again we listened to a lot of different albums, but had limited time to really dive into them. We also listened to some more podcasts than usual. Like the Doomed & Stoned one… Season 6, Episode 9 featuring Todd Severin from Ripple Music, John Gist of Vegas Rock Revolution and ofcourse Billy Goate himself. And you know our very own Reek of STOOM has been going podcast crazy on his own Podomatic site! Go check it out… And check out all them bands above! Yes! All of it and all of them!

zondag 3 mei 2020

Without Light - All The Kings Must Burn

Weed Cabinet Records - May 2020

Sludge, doom, horror, concept

Rated: *****

All too timely, Chicago's heralds of the end times Without Light bring the full weight and horror of the apocalypse on their brilliant upcoming sophomore effort, All The Kings Must Burn. A concept album chronicling the rise of a Lovecraftian wurm from the abyss, and the resulting fiery fall of man, this is cosmic horror given audio form. After the cryptic intro "4543" preaching alien numerology, Without Light launch into a crushing sludge assault across five epic long cuts. "To The Bottom Of The Abyss" begins the journey with slow and creeping doom over shuffling kitwork, eventually revealing massive riffs that grind and churn with paint peeling distortion and wild, rumbling drums. Seismic low end adds serious weight to the nodding grooves, and the death-leaning vocals fit the atmosphere perfectly. The sci-fi horror is then amped up more than a few levels in following cut "Larval Baptism", whose uneasy start of warped bass and effects somehow brings to life the track's namesake ritual, like some forgotten Event Horizon sequel. Answering the calls to "rise up, destroy", harsh stop-start guitars disorient in an angular, unrelenting attack. The album takes a doomier turn in the two-part "Wretched Ascent", building with eerie retro synths and wash straight from outer space, before a swaying earworm groove is laid down with kit-smashing drums. The sonic themes are continued in part two, rising in intensity in anticipation of the world-razing finale "The Wurm Triumphant". Not to give too much away, but it's a fitting soundtrack to Without Light's tale of apocalypse, razing all with walls of sound and furious drumming at High On Fire-levels of intensity. All The Kings Must Burn is a terrifyingly heavy tale of cosmic doom, and as both a sludge and concept album masterpiece is an all-consuming listening experience.

(Written by Shasta Beast)

Sorcia – Sorcia

Self released / Mettle Media PR – 2020

Rock, Metal, Sludge, Stoner, Doom

Rated: *****

It’s been out for over a month now, the self-titled debut by powertrio Sorcia! With productional help from both Tad Doyle and Jack Endino the Seattle three have produced seven track of outright heavy pounders. They stomp on the terra like a big lumbering beast ready for the attack. Drenched in bluesy roots it is the sludge and doom metal that prevail, that take you on an heavy adventure towards the borderlands. You know what I’m talking about. That place where anything is possible. Where the amount of influences from everything across those borders leave you breathless at the differential beauty. Sorcia does not limit itself one bit and know that they’re ability to change things up is their power and strength. From chugging doom to stoner trucking and everything in between. From guttural vocals to a more clenched blues take by guitarist Neal de Atlay; which offset by the female voice of bassist Jessica Brasch often produce highlights of the album. Heavy on all fronts there is still enough to breath, for the instruments, the vocals and most importantly the compositions. This is one hell of a debut!

(Written by JK)

zaterdag 2 mei 2020

Wolfhand – The Devil Arrives

Self released – 2020

Rock, Doom, Post, Instrumental, Western, Americana

Rated: ****

Sometimes you need a dream. Not one of those big ones, that might change the course of human history. Not the ones where you imagine yourself a millionaire or the ones where you hop and run through a field of flowers. Sometimes you need a dream. One that will have you envisioning mountains and a group of outlaws doing a variety of things. Not just the looting of corpses or the robbing of stagecoaches. But also the wood chopping, the hours of fishing, the slow trek through the last pieces of green terrain before the desert starts. Or the ominous feeling of those evil enemies following your trail. Sometimes. Shit, all the time! Here’s where the new album The Devil Arrives comes in. It’s already been qualified as a western themed instrumental doom album by the Wolfhand five-piece themselves and it is without any doubt a brilliant qualification. It would go great with a book like Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy, if you are a reader. Or Red Dead Redemption II if you’re a game enthusiast. It carries so much atmosphere with it, it will not only make you dream, it will transport you to another time and place altogether. This really is a soundtrack for a movie yet to be made. What a ride!What a dream!

(Written by JK)

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1000Mods – Youth of Dissent

Ouga Booga and The Mighty Oug Recordings – 2020

Rock, Stoner, Alternative, Nineties, Doom, Psych

Rated: *****

Those mad and crazy Doom Chart Contributors always seem to amaze each other with their finds, choice and Number One picks. But as you can see from the published amount of points each album received, a few rose even higher than the rest. And my guess is that the new Youth Of Dissent album by 1000Mods has not peaked yet. My guess is that not all of my fellow heavy music fiends had the chance to listen to it yet. Cause it is so freaking fine again. A first track to lead you astray and have you thinking, okay, what’s happening here. I can dig it, but is this the route the boys are going the entire record? Cause I’m not sure about that? And then. BOOM! The second track stomps that opener into dust. And really almost every track that follows keeps on being better than the one before. Which seems impossible, but well, these crazy Greek kings are able to do just that…

Their steady growth and rise towards an amazing level of craftmanship took a massive jump when Repeated Exposure To… was released in 2016. And now the 1000Mods quartet returns with a follow-up to that absolute beauty of a record. Youth Of Dissent moves ever forward towards the top of the heavy pyramid but with a sound that moves back towards the nineties. No less than eleven tracks filled to the brim with those amazing riffs and hooks, interspersed here and there with some psychedelic freak outs, bluesy solos or droning guitars. Add to this the wild bass work and intense drumming and we have yet another legendary album in the making. They are still Gods alright, still the kings of nowhere… And we will worship them as they rightfully should be… By everyone!

(Written by JK)

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vrijdag 1 mei 2020

The Doom Chart for April 2020

Doom Charts

“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

The Doom Charts is all about consensus from a wide variety of individuals, each with their own personal tastes and proclivities. Whichever genre suits your tastes, we aim to bring you our opinions about what is hot right now. But they are only our opinions. Music is the great unexplored country and the beauty of all new discoveries is in the exploration. We each find our own paths: sometimes they converge finding kinship and accord, most times they are about self-exploration: both are equal and valid.

That sharp little intro this month is courteousy of our very own Reek of STOOM. Sharp, to the point and exactly right. Cause there is so much more out there and we continue to amaze each other with what we find and what we think is the best album out there that month. Rarely do we all agree; but since we started publishing the amount of points they got by voting you can see for yourself. Elephant Tree’s new album Habits really did something special for most of the Doom Chart Contributors. But you should really check out all of the 30 published albums, cause you will probably dig most of them and one of them might just be the new soundtrack to your life!

Welcome to Doom Charts, representing some of the finest bloggers, journalists, radio, podcasters and album reviewers from the heavy underground around the globe. Each month, our critics submit their picks for the best new doom, sludge metal, stoner-psychedelic and heavy rock albums. The results are compiled and tabulated into the chart below. This is a one-stop shop for the best new albums in the world…

The Doom Chart for April 2020