Category: Reviews – Audio

Smoulder’s debut album, Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring, was one of the breakout doom-metal releases of 2019. Critically acclaimed across the internet, it quickly sold out its initial run and is now on its third vinyl pressing. Thus, with the band in high demand, old-fashioned industry dynamics are coming into play in the…

Nick Oliveri and company are back with their first new album in eight years. Now featuring former members of Nebula and John Garcia’s Band of Gold, Mondo Generator packs 14 tracks into 43+ minutes on this double-middle-finger-adorned record. Opening salvo “Nowhere Man” opens with a pretty decent desert-rock groove, though it picks up the pace…

For nearly 20 years, Lowrider was considered one of, if not the greatest one-album wonders in stoner rock history. While their 1999 split with Nebula on MeteorCity helped put the band on the map, 2000’s full-length Ode to Io was their defining moment, a record that arguably did for Swedish heavy rock what Blues for…

Sludge metal, as an art form, certainly doesn’t ooze happiness. It often comes from dark places, depicting harsh realities. Rather than indulging in stoner/doom escapism (“Ride the dragon toward the crimson eye…”), it confronts you with unpleasant scenarios – and often, through this confrontation, catharsis can be found. It is only fitting, then, that No…

Toronto sludge trio Pale Mare has been making a name for themselves over the past three years, both locally and internationally. I’ve personally seen ‘em open for Windhand, Weedeater, Eyehategod and COC, and they’re even playing this year’s Psycho Smokeout in Los Angeles. With that said, the band still doesn’t have an album out –…