Shepherd – First Hand

 

 

Shepherd – First Hand
Destruent Records – 2020
Metal, Alternative, Sludge, Stoner, Doom
Rated: ****

It came out digitally around the end of November last year and got lost in the huge amount of releases sent our way every day. Being the end of November and of course December does this even more to us because of our focus on the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown at the end of every year. But we do revisit that huge pile whenever we have a chance and this time around we found something damn freaking good. It’s Shepherd and their debut release First Hand! Mentioning bands like Deftones, Mastodon, Alice in Chains, and Torche in the press release will definitely get ones attention once you start looking back through all those releases and they aren’t wrong in mentioning them although some of those bands are perhaps only heard in a detail or two. The trio from Denver, Colorado has the ability to really craft out headbanging atmoshpheres and atmospheres, their sludge metal incorporates just enough doom and stoner influences to set it apart from other bands. Making it all come together in mythos and with mythical inspiration. With a flawless separation between clean and distorted tones, gritty and delicate guitar colors the composition excel in those mid-tempo trudges, using the drums to stomp on the terra like a gigantic beast. Shepherd knows how to guide us through the wasteland. Cause they’ve experienced it First Hand… Damn good!

(Written by JK)

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Phantom Druid - Stages of Twilight

 

 

Phantom Druid - Stages of Twilight
Off The Record Label - February 2021
Doom, sludge
Rated: ****

Tjeerd de Jong is a one-man Dutch doom machine, spitting out classic, grimy doom as Phantom Druid. "Stages of Twilight" is his second full-length to date, and the doom is as potent as ever. The distinctive buzzsaw guitar tone immediately cuts through in opener "Far Beyond Oblivion", chugging along relentlessly with evil intent. De Jong's Ozzy-inspired vocals seal the deal, and the atmosphere is pure danger and gloom. Buried in the gravelly guitar and low end is also an unnameable weird factor in the vein of Cathedral, elevating the album to even creepier heights. Sounding fuller and somehow even heavier than previous releases, "Stages of Twilight" is a hulking step forward in weight and range. Case in point, the stomp of "Far Beyond Oblivion" is followed by the murky, slow as molasses "The Ultimate Grim". Complete with gothic strings and keening riffs, the track is simply epic. This diversity in de Jong's take on traditional doom is a running theme throughout the album, from the smooth and bluesy interlude "Shadow Tree Cross Roads" to the furious, whiplash-inducing second half of "Third Eye Sacrifice". Finale "Black Clouds, Silver Wings" brings it to a close with a bang, delivering a decidedly up-tempo, rocking number paying tribute to the Prince of Darkness's flashier days. De Jong has yet again raised the bar for what one man can do with doom, forging a woefully heavy sound rooted in the classics while carving it's own dark path.

(Written by Shastabeast)

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Dali’s Llama – Dune Lung EP

 

 

Dali’s Llama – Dune Lung EP
Dali’s Llama Records – 2021
Rock, Stoner, Desert
Rated: ****

Part of the SoCal, Palm Desert scene, the Rancho de la Luna family and the entire magic boom that came from the desert: it’s Zach Huskey, his wife Erica and their outfit Dali’s Llama. DIY from the get-go, they’ve been around in one form or another for almost thirty years and their new EP Dune Lung is their fifteenth release. And whatever direction they’re heading on with each of their releases there is always a connection with the desert. This one however seems to be four tracks of unadulterated desert rock and stoner punk; giving us fuzzy grooves, sundried guitar tones and everything warm, windswept and dusty. Indeed, if you are in need of something truly desert then look no further than Dali’s Llama’s new EP. It’s only four tracks; but those four tracks will give you the perfect amount of that heavy goodness you all went out into the desert for in the first place. No exaggeration. None at all. Dune Lung EP is everything you love about the desert. It is the desert. And you know the desert. And there are spiders out there and they know us.

(Written by JK)

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Soothsayer Orchestra – Soothsayer Orchestra

 

 

Soothsayer Orchestra – Soothsayer Orchestra
Lay Bare Recordings – 2021
Rock, Noir, Americana, Blues, Gothic
Rated: ****

Bandleader, augur, director, diviner, conductor, prophet, ringmaster and the man behind everything surrounding Soothsayer Orchestra is Pieter Hendriks. The name might ring a bell and you might know him from bands like Reaching Forward, Close Second, Born From Pain, The Orange Blossom Special and Black Bottle Riot. He left the comforts of hometown Eindhoven, his home and his musical buddies behind and travelled to a little caravan in the dark forests of the Eiffel, Germany to write this magnus opus. The dark, the loneliness and the ominous atmosphere is easily found on the nine tracks that make up this recordings. Dark stuff indeed. Rock noir, southern gothic and Americana filled with echoes of Nick Cave, David Eugene Edwards and Mark Lanegan. Clammy and oppressive atmospherics compliment the highly cinematic composition, making you envisions all sorts of dark movies and twisted scenes without ever knowing what film it might turn out to be. The songs would do just as well performed with a full orchestra in a worn down theatre, a dubious burlesque venue, a ruined colosseum or by the man himself in a ramshackle and smokey watering hole. Cause it sounds paradoxically enough complete, full, detailed and yet very barren and intimate. Hats off to maestro Pieter and his Soothsayer Orchestra…

(Written by JK)

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Demon Head – Viscera

 

 

Demon Head – Viscera
Metal Blade Records – 2021
Rock, Doom, Occult, Proto, Gothic, Noir
Rated: ****

Demon Head has been making the Doom Charts with many of their releases and we’ve loved them all. So we quickly jumped at the honor to write the little blurb for their newest release Viscera. Those first Demon Head releases were much more lo-fi, occult and proto sounding. But don’t worry, the new album Viscera still retains some of that old Demon Head sound. But slower, much more intense and with a much grander arc and grandiose gestures. The atmospheric qualities have risen to cathedral proportions and the result is an unhurried, gothic, rock noir album with an everlasting mystical ambiance. There are some that might be taken aback with the new sound the Demon Head quintet seems to implore; but given time this new direction will surely captivate even the most reluctant diabolical soul. This is a showcase of atmospheric rock and moody doom; one that will slowly seep into your entrails and infect your blood and guts…

(Written by JK)

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Number 21 on the February Doom Charts

Amorf – Sirens of Salvation

 

 

Amorf – Sirens of Salvation
Self-released – 2021
Rock, Metal, Alternative, Stoner, Prog
Rated: ***

There’s six of them! Amorf features no less than three guitarists and of course the three other usual suspects. On their debut effort, Sirens Of Salvation the six German crazies move through the alternative metal landscape with incredibly diversity of speed and vocal style before slowly turning into something a bit more stoner and a lot more prog. Heavy pronounced segments emphasize those parts they love playing and will probably get every venue rocking; but during the slower and restrained parts we hear more of what Amorf can accomplish with the right amount of breathing room. It turns certain parts almost orchestral and symphonic, just listen to the seven and a half minute long track Mistreats and feel the band grow and balloon to gigantic proportions. And even with that touch of bombastic and grandiose it still sounds unpretentious. Shit, it’s simply put a very entertaining and admirable metal record.

(Written by JK)

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Pale Keeper – Pale Keeper

 

 

Pale Keeper – Pale Keeper
Self-released – 2021
Doom, Stoner
Rated: ****

Russia's Doom scene is a sprawling, myriad array of diverse bands, styles, regional flavours and accents (as recently showcased by the Doomed & Stoned in Russia compilation) and Moscow Doom trio Pale Keeper turn back the clock and wrench us back to the Old School proto-Doom of yore. Hefty doses of Sabbathian riffage tinder-spark the opener, "Tower Lord": A straight-up, no-messing up-tempo Blues bruiser with a real vintage guitar tone chugging relentlessly. "Sylvian", however, changes the mood entirely: Low-key, atmospherics and a funereal beat usher in a simple, repetitive refrain that serves as an intro to "Getting High" - a slow, menacing Iommian riff and slow bluesy solo turns into another mid-tempo Doomer - sharp, clear vocals cutting swathes through the grime and directing its power, finishing up with a fierce solo from Davydov on the kill-strings. "Emerald Grave" continues the slow, agonized Doom tempo, again with huge walls of Riff and THAT guitar tone commanding attention, weaving a melodic, melancholic journey into your mind. The aptly-titled "Placid" brings a blessed, calming finale to a work of great power and attention to sound. Pale Keeper have announced themselves on the Underground scene in great style!

(Written by Reek of STOOM)

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Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s 

Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week...

Black Hatch
Lords Of The Opium Church
Demon Head
Grande Fox
Melvins
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
Alice Cooper
Holy Monitor
Jumping Jack
Soothsayer Orchestra

Holy Monitor – Southern Lights

 

 

Holy Monitor – Southern Lights
Blackspin / Primitive Music – 2021
Rock, Psych, Kraut, Prog, Space, Ambient
Rated: *****

Greek five-piece Holy Monitor have been around since 2015 and delivers yet another brightly colored psychedelic nugget! It’s called Southern Lights and it shines like every crazy diamond you ever loved before. They make it sound like it’s all happening once again; that perfect era in music history; that lovely sixties and seventies vibe. The restrained virtuosity gleams with every casual ripple of sound. And only when listened more and often does the subtle brilliance open itself complete to your ears and to your heart. The worldwide influences breeze through every song like a warm draught. Turning a shiver in your bones into a reassuring warmth. Stunningly crafted compositions all turn into this mystical and magical journey that every time again seems to become this pure miracle of sunrise. Cause without the right amount of attention you might not notice how special this all is. Indeed, this makes me entirely and completely happy.

(Written by JK)

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Number 7 on the February Doom Charts!

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s Quick Fire Friday

Another week has passed and we have time for another Quick Fire Friday round. Biggest news of the week? King Buffalo is set to release three new full-sized albums! Now here’s a band that really made the most of the pandemic year! Well done! Three hooray’s! And I really can’t wait to hear all three! But until that time and for now we just have to move on with this thing called Quick Fire Friday. Cause we just want to get the word out on as much of it as possible and we do not have the time to do things in better way. Cause we know, we know, the albums and bands deserve more than the few words we will jot down here. More attention and more of our time! But there is so much out there and we just simply cannot ever do it all justice. So here it is. The Stoner HiVe Quick Fire Friday! And its burns hot like molten lava!

Yo No Se – Black Door

In a week or two the new title track single and video will land for the Terraform album by Bristol grunge trio Yo No Se. And trust us, that single is just as awesome as the Black Door single released two weeks ago. And trust us, so is the rest of the album! Which was mastered by Jack Endino.

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Stolen Body Records

The Dev – Shameless Life

I’ll bite! And I hope Nikollaj Leshi does as well! Hottdamn! The new The Dev single Shameless Life sports a shameless glamorous video and some wild drum work! Female fronted metal from dead center Florida, which has an LA edge and something extremely poppy vocals floating over some intense riffage. Sweet and sour all mixed into one perfect cocktail!

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MVK Music Group

Barbason – Demo

Wanna hear something extremely cool? Go check out the two track demo by new Dutch stoner metal outfit Barbason. Comprised out of members from Thammuz, Black Valley, Stone In Egypt and Black Burned Blimp there something highly atavistic yet cosmic to the two track available on the Bandcamp site and even more so to that studio jam on the youtube video. Dang! Can’t wait to hear more!

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LMI / Vulturepeak – Split album

We still spin the shit out of the Excess Subconscious album, that L.M.I album released through Handstand Records and Maniyax Records back around June 2020. But the crazies just released a new split album with another insanely heavy outfit called Vulturepeak. Punk, hardcore, stoner, sludge, noise and screamo all nicely rolled into one package. One package that will pummel you senseless!

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Cross This Bridge – In Between

Cross This Bridge is a band based in Bratislava, Slovakia, but is a truly international cooperation with members from Slovakia, Italy and Switzerland. In Between is the first single for their first five track EP. Metal with a measured amount of epic, very open and very dynamic. Very charming indeed!

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Black Hatch – One More Bite

 

 

Black Hatch – One More Bite
King Pizza Records – 2021
Rock, Punk, Garage, Stoner
Rated: ****

Scuzzy, fuzzy, crunchy and you’ve got the munchies, I guess you need One More Bite! It’s the fast paced, high energy, extreme voltage, 11-track record by New Hampshire quartet Black Hatch. It’s a frenzied punk assault on your senses, a feverish garage raid on your soul and a furious stoner invasion into your heart. Cause these cats whirl you around with insane speed and make it all go off like a frag grenade. Fractured but whole you will scramble around looking for your arse and your elbow and jump and dance and windmill around like an insaniac! Some will have a psychotic reaction listening to these 27 minutes of rattling noise; and those that don’t will be freaking jealous! Ravenously enthusiastic and ferociously fine! One More Bite is all it takes to make you doing Black Hatch main line!

(Written by JK)

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The Doom Chart for February 2021

 

 

Doom Charts

For most of us this time last year we were getting our first taste of the COVID blues. Fast forward to 2021, and it appears there is some light at the end of the tunnel. In many areas live music is making its way back on track, cases seem to be trailing off and we’re beginning to ease into a sense of normalcy. That said, the music continues to blow our minds and has remained a staple while everything else around us seemed more like pandamonium. 

February features a tight race at the top with many albums clearly influencing the listeners. Several records from January hang on for another round this month seeing 21 new entries dominating the charts as per usual, with a total of 279 unique albums voted upon.

No quote this month. Nobody knows why. But we don’t need quotes, we need music! And there she goes! The wait is over... The all new February edition of the Doom Charts went live on March 1! Featuring no less than 21 new enties and a new Number One! Will be running through all of those amazing albums once again today. There are even a few I haven't had the chance to listen to yet! Incredible! Zålomon Grass for instance! Can't wait to hear that one!  Personal votes went out to From The Ages, Kabbalah, Mos Generator, VOKONIS, Demon Head, Electric Mother, Komatsu, Rostro Del Sol, Holy Monitor, Indica Blues, Void Commander & Spelljammer… 

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 February 2021

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Month

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s 

Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Month

Soothsayer Orchestra
Lizzard
Holy Monitor
Dog Chasing Sun
Little Hole Filled
Electric Mother
Black Pistol Fire
Black Spell
DevElephant
Hortzak