Stoner HiVe

The Countdown so far...

The Countdown so far...

Since we are about to announce the Numero Uno, the Number One, the Gold Medalist of The Stoner HiVe Top 20 countdown of 2014! The one that beat YOB by 90 points! It must be the right time to run through the countdown so far... Later on today, before the clock strikes twelve and 2015 begins, we will know which album occupies the number one position! And once again, thanks to all you lovely freaky voters out there for making the list more valid with every passing year!

1. . . .

2. YOB – Clearing The Path to Ascend

3. Brant Bjork and The Low Desert Punk Band – Black Flower Power

4. Pallbearer – Foundations Of Burden

5. Blues Pills – Blues Pills

6. Electric Citizen – Sateen

7. Fu Manchu – Gigantoid

8. Truckfighters – Universe

9. Greenleaf – Trails and Passes

10. Orange Goblin – Back From The Abyss

11. Electric Wizard – Time To Die

12. Mos Generator – Electric Mountain Majesty

13. John Garcia – John Garcia

14. Monolord – Empress Rising

15. Jeremy Irons & The Ratgang Malibus – Spirit Knife & Blue Snaggletooth – Beyond Thule

16. Lo Pan – Colossus

17. Witch Mountain – Mobile of Angels

18. Kamchatka – The Search Goes On

19. Serpent Venom – Of Things Seen & Unseen

20. Salem's Pot – ...Lurar ut dig på Prärien

dinsdag 30 december 2014

Number 2

“Part of the first pair of whisky releases from Adnams Distillery in Southwold, Suffolk. Just 10 barrels were used for the original release, which uses three types of grain - wheat, barley and oats - aged for over 3 years in new American oak casks. Nose: This one lures you in with approachable toasty oak, white peach blossom, some spicy grain, the bubblegum in the background this time and cocoa dark chocolate. A little lychee and sugar that’s just catching. A touch of lime. Palate: White pepper and spices, orange and a hint of powdered chocolate. Finish: Quite comforting and almost beer like with a little rich honey and chocolate now.”

The next band leaves maestro Brant Bjork trailing in its dust as we climb fifty points to reach the Number 2 spot of the 2014 Stoner HiVe top 20 countdown. The Silver Medal goes to a band that made it to the Number Eight position with the album that came before. Back in 2011. This year’s release saw it topping many lists all across the globe and we already reckoned it would have a prominent place on the HiVe as well. There is no escaping the fact that the new record is nothing but an instant doom rock classic. They take their time and carefully craft the compelling and stirring arc’s that holds you captive for fifteen minutes per track. Ten ton heavy guitar sounds whirl and twist around you lifting you up with nothing more than a couple of chords but with so much dynamic and variation that you mistake the tornado for a desert storm and the other way around. Throbbing bass work and thundering drums together with the feedback ridden dark and haunting growls or high pitched and eerie screams make this a record that is meant for the ages…

YOB - Clearing The Path to Ascend

Full review

maandag 29 december 2014

Number 3

“Black Crow Original Old American Whiskey, American blended whiskey in Canadian-style low-blend. Faintly vanilla. Strong in alcohol.”

We leave Pallbearer on the 4th position with a jump of 42 points. This year’s Bronze medal goes to another one of the stoner and desert rock legends. A guru in his own right. The man reached the Number 7 position with his former album and this one is a step bigger in every way conceivable. So we are happy to see it rise further up the ladder then the former one did. The guitars and drums are more raw and edgy, and the songs are righteous sheriffs! But is his sandy voice that takes charge and commands. His warm and completely logical utterings proclaim the truth and makes one and all an admirer. He is without a doubt the mythical guru of the laidback stoner and total fuzz!

Brant Bjork and The Low Desert Punk Band – Black Flower Power

Number 4

“This is a very peaty whisky at 60 ppm phenols. It is a single cask, matured exclusively in an ex-bourbon barrel from Maker’s Mark. The E:4 was bottled on 2012-11-02, and the outturn was 300 bottles. Nose: Mild smoke, surprising really – I was expecting a more distinct smokiness from the 60 ppm, but there you go. Well-rounded and mature sweetness. Vanilla, milk chocolate, and butterscotch and caramel. It is also very fruity, bundles of apples and pears. Braunstein has a very fruity and rich new make, and the distillery character shows through here. Taste: OK, here comes the smoke. And it is massive! This whisky certainly packs a punch! I also find milk chocolate, and licorice caramel to slightly temper the punchy peat. Finish: Long finish; rich, fruity, smoky and sweet. ’nuff said!”

The first bigger jump begins now and with an album I had not, to be honest, expected to end up this high on the list. We add 43 points to Blues Pills on Number 5 to reach the next level. Which, even though the sound is incredibly heavy and the themes definitely dark; lead to a record that in its whole does feel warm and begs to be heard over and over again. This is without a doubt masterful doom and metal and shows that the guys want to aim both higher and lower without changing their sound all at the same time. The biggest change in comparison to their amazing debut album from 2012 is perhaps the fact that the vocal melodies have become more important and that the band are changing rhythms and riffs quicker without losing that hypnotizing edge we all love so dearly…

Pallbearer - Foundations Of Burden

zondag 28 december 2014

Number 5

“A pure pot still rye whisky from the innovative Dutch distillers Zuidam, that's made in small batches and aged five years before bottling. A dark golden whisky, with a nose of a sweetness and fruit with hints of grain, honey, wood and vanilla.A taste of notes of wood, spices, honey and citrus. With a dry aftertaste of sweet fruit, honey, vanilla, wood and coconut in the background with something smoky.”

Nine points we jump. A small jump. Before we make the big or even gigantic leaps. So, Electric Citizen was my biggest surprise. And a highly welcomed one. What an album. So what do we find on position Number 5? More female vocals and more psychedelic rock; but this time around we aim more for the seventies and more for the blues. We knew when the album came out that it would be featured on many end year lists. And we are thankful that everyone out there dug it in the same way we did; for the soulful vocals, the classic hard rock, the acid infused coloring and the blissful guitar work are simply stunning. So take the pill and take the ride!

Blues Pills – Blues Pills

zaterdag 27 december 2014

Number 6

“Chapter6, 3 year old Single Malt Whisky. Unpeated whisky, made by Iain Henderson. Matured solely in Bourbon casks. A great reflection on the wonderful work done at the distillery and a real hint of things to come. Unchillfiltered - Natural Colour.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise for me in this year’s Stoner HiVe countdown. As we jump 26 points from Fu Manchu to reach the next band; with a female vocalist. A band and album that for some weird reason completely passed me by before all the votes came pouring in. I had no idea. So we immediately needed to get that fixed. And what a fix it was! Ancient and bronze, vintage and doom. We’re back in the sixties and there is a bright and kaleidoscopic psychedelic edge to everything you hear. Instrumentation that holds its own against so many of those originals and organ sounds that make you lick your fingers. And there’s the vocalist. She has range and dynamic and knows how to pull you close or set you free. Simply wonderful. This kind of copper color music is always welcome, because it is like velvet for your ears…

Electric Citizen – Sateen

donderdag 25 december 2014

Number 7

“The return of a very old brand of blended whisky from one of Canada's former biggest multi-nationals. Nose: Juicy, spicy rye grains, dried apricot, lemon curd, oak and gristy sweetness. Palate: Spicy and creamy, medium-bodied with honey, caramel and coffee. A touch of orange marmalade and panna cotta. Finish: Medium length, spicy and sweet.”

On Number 7 we find the final album that stays in close proximity to the ones that came before. Beating Truckfighters with one simple point these cats have been surfing the desert and stoner waves for a damn long time now and the release this year is their eleventh album. No Swedes this time, but Californian stoners that go big the way of the fuzz and crackling and crunchy when it comes to the punchy riffs. And then there are those punky elements and dreamy moments that make it all come together like a perfect ride. Southern coolness amongst hot and heavy breezes…

Fu Manchu – Gigantoid

woensdag 24 december 2014

Number 8

“Yes. We got our own whisky! An 8 year old blended malt whisky from independent bottler Wemyss, built around Speyside whisky matured in both fresh and refill sherry casks for a rich, sweet and spicy dram with the emphasis on honey, as you might have guessed from the name... And yes, it tastes just as sweet as we from the HiVe do!”

Still a few more albums to go before we reach the point where the jumps become bigger. For yes, this record also has just one point more than the Greenleaf record we found on Number 9. And whaddayaknow. Sweden again. And this time we are talking about the definite frontrunners of fuzz, the future of everything fuzzalicious and those who know their way and how to hang around sizzling hooks and riffs. On their new album they explore and deepen their sound once again without changing much of the recipe and they added up the ante on the production values. It has resulted in a mean album, catchy and exactly what the fans want. And that’s not just because they’ve ended up on Number 8 this year!

Truckfighters – Universe

dinsdag 23 december 2014

Number 9

“Knob Creek is a small batch bourbon produced by Jim Beam, distilled in a more traditional style and aged 9 nine years. It is named for the area in Kentucky where Abraham Lincoln grew up, it is said that the creek nearly claimed his life when he was swimming. The nose is quite spicy and sweet. There are notes of melted salty butter on granary toast, there are notes of toasty oak and a touch of rye with caramel sweetness. The palate is quite peppy and full. There are notes of candy floss and nut oil, a touch of spice and dark chocolate, a little spice and charred oak. The finish is long with a touch of dryness, there are notes of nut oils and vanilla spice.”

One point above Orange Goblin we find yet another band that has been featured in the Stoner HiVe top 20 countdown before. It was that doomed year of 2012 when we were approaching the end of the world and the album was called: Nest Of Vipers. And made it to the 14th position. This is their fifth record and yes, the guys hail from Sweden. Their version of stoner cracks and crackles and sounds age old and vintage; and with enough blues, psych and seventies to level the playing field it is once again a true rite of passage. With new members they have produced a new stamp with which to put their mark on this sweet ass heavy music as they trail blaze across the globe….

Greenleaf - Trails and passes