Tag: fuzz

  • High Reeper – Higher Reeper

    High Reeper – Higher Reeper

    After putting out a smokin’ Sabbath/Saint Vitus-inspired self-titled record about a year and a half ago, Philly’s High Reeper is already back with album number two. Why get high when you can get higher, bro??? The eight-song, 40-minute effort picks up right where its predecessor left off, with “Eternal Leviathan” serving up a solid slice…

  • Windhand – Eternal Return

    Windhand – Eternal Return

    Windhand has consistently been one of my favourite doom bands of the past few years. They’ve shown that “female-fronted doom” isn’t limited to cloaks, capes and songs about Satan while cranking out a string of pretty solid records. But when I heard the initial press describing Eternal Return as a “doom/grunge” album, namedropping the likes…

  • Limb – Saboteurs of the Sun

    Limb – Saboteurs of the Sun

    It’s always great to hear a band progress and grow organically. Limb’s song-writing has improved massively. Saboteurs of the Sun (a fine title by the way) has excellent catchy songs that form a cohesive and complementary whole as an album. Limb have moved to territory previously occupied by Hawkwind, Monster Magnet and Mastodon, displaying imagination and…

  • Conan/Slomatics split (reissue)

    Conan/Slomatics split (reissue)

    Before Conan became the next big thing in volume-shattering sludge, they collaborated with their countrymen Slomatics on this six-song split. First released in 2011, this record was recently reissued on vinyl by Black Bow Records. I dunno guy, but 180-gram might not be heavy enough… Conan takes three tracks on Side A, although the second…

  • Besvärjelsen – Vallmo

    Besvärjelsen – Vallmo

    This Swedish heavy psych outfit, featuring former members of Dozer and Greenleaf, has actually received airplay on Swedish National Radio, proving that rock ‘n roll ain’t dead… provided that you cross the pond. After two previous EPs, Besvärjelsen’s debut album is actually named after the Swedish word for poppy—although in this case, we’re talking about…

  • Blackwülf – Sinister Sides

    Blackwülf – Sinister Sides

    You can tell Blackwülf is from Oakland right from the opening notes of this, their third album—the Bay Area quartet channels local legends like Sleep and Acid King in their stoner doom worship. Speaking of legends, Geof O’Keefe of Pentagram fame plays guest guitar on a cover of the proto-stoner Cream classic “Sunshine of Your…

  • Coffin Torture – Dismal Planet

    Coffin Torture – Dismal Planet

    This South Carolina sludge duo only had three indie EPs and a couple live-off-the-floor albums to their credit, but The Sludgelord liked them so much, they started a label just so they could sign ‘em. So that’s gotta count for something. Dismal Planet offers up seven tracks, most around the seven-minute range, on their full-length…

  • Borracho – Riffography

    Borracho – Riffography

    I’m never quite sure what to expect with these “B sides/demos” comps. I mean, I dig Borracho, but do I really wanna listen to 75 minutes of music that never made it onto an album (often with good reason)? Mind you, most of these songs had already seen the light of day, including a couple…

  • Green Meteor – Consumed by a Dying Sun

    Green Meteor – Consumed by a Dying Sun

    Now, I’m a sucker for that turn-of-the-century stoner/fuzz rock released on labels like Man’s Ruin and MeteorCity, and I’m kinda getting that vibe from this Philly outfit. Recommended for fans of Acid King and Hawkwind? Sounds like Green Meteor is right up my alley… There is certainly a spacey theme throughout the five tracks that make…

  • Woodhawk – Beyond The Sun

    Woodhawk – Beyond The Sun

    This was truly a pleasure to review – songs, musicianship, production, everything is as it should be! Woodhawk have taken some very good influences: Mastodon, Thin Lizzy, Budgie, Hawkwind, Monster Magnet and, of course… Kyuss. (I often think of some alternative universe where Kyuss never broke up…a splendid thought indeed!) Not so much in sound,…