Tag: heavy rock
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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,…
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Lung Flower – Effigy
Once more, an independent band puts higher profile bands to shame. Lung Flower play seriously heavy groove metal in the vein of Pantera and Black Label Society. The packaging and art for this CD shows a commendable commitment to the physical product of music, and for that they should be applauded. The production is clear…
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Pyreship – The Liars Bend Low
Now, the name of this Houston outfit had me hoping for some sort of cross between Toronto post-sludge squad Pyres and Mothership, one of my favourite heavy-rock bands going. And actually, that’s not too far from the case here… well okay, they’re probably much closer to the former. Pyreship‘s self-described “blend [of] post metal and…
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Steak – No God to Save
Mmm, Steak… These heavy rockers from the desert plains of London have returned with their second album on the always tasty Ripple Music. Don’t let the Dischargey album title fool ya—these guys play ‘r low ‘n slow, and like it done medium rare. “Overthrow” opens the album, a seven-minute slab of rifftastic stoner rock. The…
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Zedi Forder – Zedi Forder
Zedi Forder is a UK heavy rock/alt-metal trio on the verge of releasing their first studio album, a self-titled offering. I would compare this band to a bright-eyed college student. An individual who, after a semester of heavy studying and lecture time, is asked to write that final paper as a culmination of what they…
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Radio Free Universe – Casa Del Diablo
Firstly, kudos to the splendidly named Radio Free Universe (inspired by World War 2’s ‘Radio Free Europe’) for their commitment to the physical format of music, this is one excellently designed CD. In a fair world, Radio Free Universe would be the next Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam or Soundgarden, not because they sound like those…
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Moonbow – War Bear
What do you get when you cross a BMX racer with Hank III, Valley of the Sun and Steve Earle? (No, not that Steve Earle…) In this case, you get Moonbow, an outfit formed by singer/biker Matt Bischoff and Hank III axeslinger David McElfresh. This is actually album number three from said ensemble, albeit with…
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Familiars – This Water That is Warm (I Will Join Soon)
Though they’re actually from a small town somewhere north of the city, I’ve had the chance to see Familiars open for a whole buncha heavy/stoner rock bands in Toronto these past few years. The semi-local trio plays a brand of heavy psych somewhat reminiscent of local legends Quest For Fire, though in the live setting,…
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Alastor – Black Magic
There are actually eight different metal bands called Alastor—without counting Lord Alastor or Sauts Alastor—so finding information on this specific outfit can be a bit of a challenge. This particular Alastor hails from Sweden, and are made more mysterious by the fact that each band member goes by a single initial. Not sure if I…
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The Second Coming of Heavy Chapter 5 – Desert Suns/Chiefs split
I know I’ve reviewed the last couple of these Ripple Music compilations, and as long as they keep ‘em coming, I’ll keep listening. The fifth installment of The Second Coming of Heavy features a couple California outfits in Desert Suns and Chiefs, both from San Diego. As opposed to the third coming, which combined a…