Tag: stoner metal
-
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…
-
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Noeth Ac Anoeth and Y Proffwyd Dwyll
Noeth Ac Anoeth It is increasingly rare to hear a band with their own unique sound, but the splendidly named Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard are just such a band. Wielding huge doom riffs and drums along with the astonishing vocals of Jessica Ball, they have a superb sound, aided by the sterling work of Conan…
-
Lo-Pan – In Tensions EP
Columbus heavy rock crew Lo-Pan is kicking off 2017 in style with this five-song, 22-minute EP. The grizzled tour veterans head out with “Go West,” a slower, sludgy stomp that kinda reminds me of Torche, especially in the vocal department. “Sink or Swim” is slightly shorter and crunchier, a decent, mid-paced, melodic rocker. The slow,…
-
Gypsy Chief Goliath – Citizens of Nowhere
What makes a new album, anyways? A couple of the tracks on this Southern Ontario outfit’s third effort have been in their live set for years, and previously appeared on their independently-released debut from 2012. But just as Sons of OTIS recycled a chunk of Spacejumbofudge into Temple Ball, Gypsy Chief Goliath is giving songs…
-
Clutch – Psychic Warfare
I have a confession to make: I’m not a super-huge Clutch fan. Mind you, I think I’ve seen ‘em three of the last four times they played here—but only because they were touring with Wino, Motorhead and Orange Goblin, respectively. That said, I always stuck around for the headlining act, and I do like their…
-
Spider Goat Canyon – Always the Heavy
Endearing album title from this Aussie guitar/drums duo, Always the Heavy packs a whopping 13 tracks into 76 minutes that don’t always live up to its moniker; Spider Goat Canyon’s sound is really all over the map. But don’t get me wrong; this ain’t no easy listening. A foghorn effect reverberates all over opening track…
-
Behold! The Monolith – Architects of the Void
Behold one of the few (if not the only one I can think of) “noun the verb” bands that doesn’t play metalcore. Instead, The Monolith deals in stoner/sludge stuff somewhat akin to High on Fire and/or Lord Dying, with song titles (and artwork) that would give The Sword’s J.D. Cronise a hard-on. Actually, not gonna…
-
High on Fire – Lumniferous
Y’know, I kinda wish I hadn’t read that interview with Matt Pike where he says this album’s about saving The Illuminati from aliens before I heard Lumniferous. Evidently, the dude dropped out of life with bong in hand a long time ago. But High on Fire, they still bring it, maaaaaan… This record comes growling…
-
Khemmis – Absolution
After Colorado legalized marijuana, it was only a matter of time before we started hearing about new buzz bands from the Denver stoner scene. I’m not saying the two things are related… but let’s face it, Vancouver has by far the most sludge bands per capita of any city in Canada. Drugs ‘n sludge are…
-
Denizen – Troubled Waters
I was a big fan of this French outfit’s second album, Whispering Wild Stories, which came out over four years ago, back in 2011. Their sound melds the stoner grooves of Fu Manchu with some harsh sludge vocals reminiscent of Eyehategod—and while it sounds like an odd combo at first, it actually works quite nicely. Those…