From Huonville, a town along the Huon River in Tasmania, Australia, comes MEKIGAH, an ambient industrial doom project of guitarist Richard Ziltch and various collaborators, now five albums deep into the experience and taking us on a disturbing, quasi-mystical journey deeper down the strange rabbit hole of brain-wracking technological acceleration corresponding with social, cultural, environmental, and spiritual decline.

Their forthcoming six-tracker is aptly named: ‘To Hold Onto A Heartless Heart’ (2024). As the album opens (“Collapsing Under”), there are samples of various mechanical sounds. I found myself turning down my volume to check and see whether those weed eaters were coming from my own neighborhood or not. They don’t last long, and soon we escape the suburban morass into a world of surreal sounds that seem to comment on the mad zoo of isolation and vanity that human existence has become. You can feel these unsettling rumblings in the track that follows (“Broken Rhythm Pressure”).

Before us is the album’s second single, “Away Drifting,” of which Mekigah member Skot tells us this:

“Away Drifting” From was the last track written to complete the album. Having had time to listen back to all the other material numerous times it made it much more clear to me what sort of track/sound was missing. The idea of what almost seemed like a throwback to earlier Mekigah, starting with a more folk-inspired melodic riff, drawn out more flowing mid to doom paced, less chaotic drums and crushing chords, quickly transformed as soon as I handed over the initial recordings to Richard Ziltch. RZ took a fairly leading role on this song in particular, adding layers of psychedelic, swarming and claustrophobic guitars.

As well as these layers that can be heard as both guitar and any number of other things, he also played a strong hand in mixing all his and my parts before Leigh and Sova Locus added to it further and I last added vocals.

Vocals were split into two sessions and two ways of thinking. There is a brooding, wordless, mournful choir,relaxed and breathing slowly. Then an unhinged explosive schizophrenic outburst of pain, confusion and bitterness.

It has a pretty straight forward structure compared to other tracks on this album but is no less noisy, chaotic & overwhelming sonically in its own way. There was an intention to create something a bit more beautiful and ambient with this track which slowly got taken down and drowned in a swamp of unforgiving frequencies, unforgiving emotions and negative psychedelic attributes.

We go, leave, are away, drifting from people, out of our mind, knowing or caring about what’s going on in society, drifting away from places, from memories, physically, mentally.

Drifting through time, through life, through dimensions, through space. Drifting like water, like particles in the wind.

Mekigah’s To Hold Onto a Heartless Heart is an immersive, often terrifying, contemplation into the bizarre landscape of our present reality. Out in August on the Aesthetic Death record label (get it here).

SOME BUZZ

The fifth MEKIGAH full length album is a purposely designed ugly, drawn out, raw, awkward journey.

There’s no attempt or desire to either embrace the slow slow doom, to aggressively technically impress or to build upon previous motifs. Everything is caught between worlds, as MEKIGAH itself is caught between worlds.

Nothing is where it belongs as things are uncomfortably forced together through the sheer necessity of only gaining satisfaction via sonic self sabotage and harm, creating audial-mazes to which they then have to delicately navigate through.

“I trade in uncertainty and superstition and cant. I invent dark visions of impossible situations that can never be resolved” - Ralph Steadman

Heavily driven by basslines along with industrial, sparse, neanderthal drums. Guitars are featured heavily, but infrequently as riffs, more as screeching, wailing, floating walls of high frequency pain that are meshed with discordant piano lines – all this amidst the brief, but demented, freestyle vocal stabs and incoherent mournful chants. Neither the gothic metal, nor the noise doom of previous releases, yet having slight nods to both in fleeting moments.

“To Hold Onto A Heartless Heart” can feel immensely detached & cold but somehow personal & emotional too. This is MEKIGAH evolving, following his own heart and creative vision.

More challenging than catchy or entertaining in any shape or form. Layers of sound to discover and uncover in detail on repeated listens. At other times there feels to be claustrophobic walls of noise that are impassable, impossible to make sense of but for the hope and glimpses of reason that are seen through the minimalist riffs and beats - simplistic, repetitive and drilled into your skull over and over again.

“What it’s all about”….. is far more dictated by however any individual interprets the music, or how it makes them feel.

With any lyrical content, words & voice serving far more as an instrument or sound than expressing a storyline or emotion. Words on this album are minimal yet the confusion & loss that inspired them were huge.

Once again featuring long time collaborator guitarist Richard Ziltch and this time joined by Tasmanian underground metal legends Leigh Ritson (Disseminate, Thrall, Ruins) & Alex Pope (Ruins, Evil Dead) along with local experimental noise-mates Sova Locus, Primal Regression Therapy, Sydney Punk/Noise stalwart Con BCTW (Blurters, Milat, Impact Statement) and local arborist Sammy.

Mastered by Greg Chandler and once again Aesthetic Death is honoured to be working together with MEKIGAH to release this on digi CD.

Doom is alive and well on planet earth with Western Australia’s KING ZOG. Stand in the throes of its thundering court and you’ll be readily convinced. Their name perhaps taken ironically from the insane dictator King Zog of Albania, this Perth-based four-piece follows in the legacy of Black Sabbath infused with ‘90s-influenced heavy rock, presenting to us something extraordinary on its own terms.

'Second Dawn’ (2024) is now King Zog’s sophomore LP and I took to its power immediately. “A new line-up, a new feel,” the band says. “Gongs, mellotron and synths add a textural layer to this thunderously heavy fresh platter of Zog music.” It follows their eponymous full-length entrance in 2017, which we reviewed in these pages in some depth.

Every song on the new venture is seriously strong, beginning with a commanding intro “Scelestic Dust” (scelestic being a rare word for something abominous, formidable, evil). Plenty of weighty thuds from the drums (William Macfarlan on this recording, Sean Ryan in the stage line-up) and pure glitz from lead guitarist Martin Gonzalez, who’s found an excellent tone for his instrument. I can see this being an effective show starter, and get the impression King Zog wanted the album to carry the dynamic of a live experience.

“Rat King” is the first song proper and the second longest of the album at 7:13, as most fall between 4.5 and 6 six minutes. Plenty of time for effective songcraft, and there are some interesting compositional developments along the way. Here we have a damning Sabbath-style groove and misty vocal harmonies anchored in the neighborhood of Chevelle, 3 Doors Down, and Phantom Hound. At 5:36 Martin Gonzalez’s bass builds up to a bittersweet guitar melody that provides a fitting end to this unnerving story.

“Hollow Man Blues” dwells in the phrygian mode of Black Pyramid and Reverend Bizarre, a haunting confrontation of the “stranger in the mirror” lost in a mad fit of pleasure-seeking. Like the previous track, this one has a dramatic Sabbath-style B-section close. Where most songs might end with the music fading, this one gives an emphatic last word.

“Creep On” has similarly gritty lyrics, about someone a clod who’s really creepy and doesn’t quite get it, a sex pest among other things. He’s best summed up by the lines:

Some came to snigger
some came to blame
We heard the ‘timber!’
and down you came

“Madagascar Tree” exudes a dark, macabre flavor that Beastmaker fans will admire, a beautiful fusion of doom and grunge in this bizarre legend of a man-eating tree, the Yateveo.

“Brute Beast” comes out with all the aggressive crunch and grind of that great first album by Stone Temple Pilots, and makes fine company with cosmic doom bands like Domkraft and Forming the Void. It’s a compelling rhythmic headbanger, evolving into a second section which gets surreal and psychedelic, and then rallies a determined beat and downtuned chords with plenty of sway in the final minutes.

“Aruna, Sunmonger” is dramatic spoken word, serving to introduce the title track and record closer “Second Dawn,” which goes on for Slomatics heights of vocal glory, later trailing off in a Sleep-like hypnotic gaze toward some unknown destiny. Yeah, the living dead again, to quote from 1973’s Psychomania.

Look for King Zog’s Second Dawn to see release on vinyl, CD, and digital format this Wednesday, July 31st via Rue Morgue Records (get it here). Stick it on a playlist with Aleph Null, Troll, Sons of Arrakis, Under, and Fuzztoads.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

King Zog’s 2017 debut album inducted a new titan into the underworld of doom – earning unilateral fandom and critical praise for its devotional offering to the gods of metal. Songs like “Temple’s Temple,” “Man-sized Rotisserie” and “Witchsmoker” sounded the way Dominic Sohor’s iconic album artwork looked – fiery and ferocious.

Since the arrival of this musical leviathan, King Zog have worked on a tireless mission. The line-up of Daniel Durack (vocals/guitar), Connor Pitts-West (guitar), Martin Gonzalez (bass) and Sean Ryan (drums) haven’t wasted a single day – hunkering down to write album number two during the pandemic and performing relentlessly once the lockdowns lifted.

The reward for their toil is soon to be unveiled, with “Second Dawn” due for release mid-2024. Bigger, heavier and doomier than its predecessor, King Zog’s second album is everything fans want it to be: a rampaging bull of Iommic riffs, seismic bottom-end and thundering rhythms. Downtuned and distorted, the crushing weight of “Second Dawn”’s music is raised up by undiluted, unadulterated vocal hooks.

Like the eternal journey of Sisyphus up the mountain, “Second Dawn” is a show of otherworldly strength – each song ascending in sheer force before thudding back to Earth, ready to start anew. From its blistering opener “Scelestic Dusk” to its closing title track, “Second Dawn” is a voyage through cyclonic seas… introducing fans to instant doom classics like “Rat King” and “Brute Beast”, whose names do well to serve their ghoulish nature.

Now the go-to doom band in their Western Australian hometown of Perth, King Zog are looking out to the horizon as they ready to set sail in support of “Second Dawn.”

From headlining sold-out shows, to touring the east coast of the sunburnt country, to tearing the roof off every heavy music festival that blows into town – King Zog have become the monster their debut album promised them to be. Now they begin to ink the next chapter in their continuing odyssey… now is the time of their Second Dawn.

With a name like ROCKY’S PRIDE AND JOY, I wasn’t sure what to expect. A folk band? A dive bar rocker? More like wicked, fuzzy, downtuned doom, with siren vocals, a driving heartbeat, and devastating low-end from the heart of Adelaide. The song before us opens their forthcoming album, ‘All the Colours of Darkness’ (2023) and is straight-up maniacal riff worship of the highest order.

Once again, hails to Electric Valley Records for continuing to mark out a distinctive heavy sound, with plenty of surprises along the way. You can pre-order the new album starting June 29th via Electric Valley Records, and it will ultimately be released September 29th. Stick it on a playlist with Windand, Electric Wizard, Witchfinder, Demon Lung, and Aluna.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Rocky’s Pride and Joy began in a cursed railway cottage in the western suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia, in mid-2020. Unexplained appearances of handprints, falling candles, disquieting sounds in the night, and vivid dreams of a tortured previous tenant haunted the residence for 12 months while the band wrote their first collection of songs, including “Crawl” and “Times Up.”

With a friendship formed between vocalist/guitarist Brenton Wilson, drummer Jessi Tilbrook, and bassist Dominic Ventra at Jessi’s rock ‘n roll club night, the trio’s unbridled love for doom and fuzz led them to explore their collective vision and bring their first live performance to life at the end of 2020.

Now in 2023, after a slew of live shows, the release of “Times Up” and “Future Self,” and months of writing and recording, Rocky’s Pride and Joy is ready with their debut full-length, All the Colours of Darkness. The group from down under continued their exploration of the dark side of life on this eight-track LP, filled with tales of occult rituals, parasites, paranormal encounters, and cold hard revenge. Through nasty, fuzz-saturated riffs, heavy pounding drums, and window-rattling bass, Rocky’s Pride and Joy are putting their stamp on doom.

We asked Melbourne doom metallers LAMASSU to give us the low-down on their 2nd album, ‘Made of Dust’ (2023) – just released this week. Frontman Chris Fisher generously obliged with the following in-depth breakdown! (Editor)

Creative Process

All of the songs from Made of Dust were written music first with the lyrics coming much later in the process, with the exception of “White Pills” and “Something Else” (we’ll come back to these two).

In most cases, Matt or myself will come up with an idea, either fully formed sections or at least an intro/verse riff, chorus and give them a working title. The working title will often reflect either the feel of the song, the inspiration behind the riff or as is often the case a joke. For example, ‘Shit Town, Misery’ had the working title of ‘Yazz’ right up until late 2022 when I finally wrote the lyrics for it. ‘Yazz’ is taken from the movie “Anchorman” and refers to his character playing “Yazz flute”. Matt presented this new song to us which begins on an A# Minor 9 Jazz chord and then continues to anchor on that chord throughout the song. Matt loves Jazz so its totally him to come up with this heavy and weird track that starts on a Jazz chord, gets heavy as and has a totally insane middle section.

Recording

We recorded all of the instrument tracks in a week-long session in April 2021 at The Aviary Studios here in Melbourne. We demoed everything in January, reviewed, made changes and then rehearsed multiple times a week for about 6 weeks before heading into the studio. We track everything live with only solo’s, additional parts and alternate instruments over dubbed so we had to be tight.

BATTLE CRY

The foundation of the music for Battle Cry was brought to the band by Matt with the lyrics coming together late 2022 from Chris. It’s slow building, musically dark with really interesting chords and progressions. A really fun track to play live.

Lyrically, I tried to match its musical darkness with an end of the world, us versus them type story. It’s basically my frustration with Governments and Corporations choosing money and handouts for their rich mates over protecting the environment and our most vulnerable communities. You either end up being one of them or against them, hence Battle Cry. The trickle down economy being the poison flowing down through generations of people in charge who control the wealth.

WASHED AWAY

Another track where the foundation of the music was written by Matt. A very cool intro riff and a hooky odd time signature chorus riff, exploring some different and at times dissonant chords, it was always a prime candidate to be the first single.

Lyrically this one is darker than the song perhaps sounds, themed around anxiety, death and the impending doom of the world, it’s a real cheery number.

SHIT TOWN, MISERY

This will always be called ‘Yazz’ to me. Opening on an A# Minor #9 and repeatedly anchoring on that chord, a jazz chord of all things, this track pumps along fast (for us) and is a pretty heavy number which features a totally insane middle section. Again Matt is responsible for the core musical ideas and I wrote the words, we developed the arrangement jamming it with the band.

Lyrically it’s me being pissed off with governments locking people up who are fleeing unspeakable terrors in other countries, forcing them to suffer, wither and die in custody here and celebrating it as a political achievement.

INTERLUDE I

I came up with this one day and loved the chord progression. It never felt like it was meant to be a full song but I have always loved albums with quirky fade in’s and outs and thought this would be a perfect chapter marker on Made of Dust. In the studio we just hit record and jammed on this for a while, ending up with a track over 7 minutes. We selected this 30 second snippet as it feels right in this section of the album.

THE FOG

Myself, Matt and Nick, our drummer, had a songwriting weekend away in the country a few years back. We actually took over Nick’s parents house while they were away, setting up our gear in their big country house lounge room. We jammed heaps, drank and smoked and generally had a great time. Al couldn’t join us that weekend so Matt jumped on the bass and came up with what would end up being the main progression and the chorus. By the end of the weekend we had a pretty good framework of what became ‘The Fog.’

In the studio there was an old Fender Rhodes which Matt used to add a nice underlying layer to the main progression, which added to the ethereal sound of this track. A funny memory was that the sustain pedal was broken and Nick ended up on the floor holding it together while Matt tracked the part! Lyrically it’s about someone battling with their demons. Dark thoughts, depression and anxiety, violent responses, and how these things hold them back in life. I would say it’s the sequel to ‘Chokehold Companion’ from our first album, ‘Into the Empty.’

SORROW OF THE CHILDREN

It’s no secret that I love buying guitars. Some might call it a habit, some might call it a problem, either way I tend to come up with new songs shortly after I get one so surely that’s a good thing right?! I wrote the main riff for ‘Sorrow’ shortly after buying a beautiful Olympic white Strat with a Rosewood fretboard. I was messing about running it through fuzz pedals and that riff appeared.

With the working title ‘Fuzz Kill’ we started jamming the riffs with the band. Matt came up with the awesome intro / outro guitar harmonies over the melody Chris wrote, and counter melodies to the verse vocals, Al came up with the middle section breakdown riff which ended up becoming the guitar solo section where Matt does his best completely unhinged Kim Thayil impression with a ripping solo.

Lyrically is about corporate greed and the world we’re leaving behind for future generations…yeah I’m sensing a theme too.

SOMETHING ELSE

This is a track Matt wrote years ago that never really fit his previous bands. He shared an early drop-D demo version he recorded of himself playing all instruments and singing and I suggested we try it in our tuning (drop A#) and it worked really well.

Matt wrote the lyrics for this track and I believe it is touching on extraterrestrial/UFO and top secret themes. Matt also put down some Mellotron and Rhodes layers in the background that really glued this track together.

MADE OF DUST

The music for ‘Made of Dust’ is another composition Matt brought to the band. He said he wanted to write something slow, heavy and sludgy. I believe he was inspired by Soundgarden’s ‘4th of July’ crossed with ‘Mailman’, which are band favourites. There’s some interesting guitar counter melodies to the vocal lines throughout and it is a great driving track.

Lyrically, it’s about the toil of life, of unfulfilled dreams, death and the memories we carry of those we lost too soon.

INTERLUDE II

Same as Interlude I, we chose a 30 second section that captured the mood of the album in this spot. This 30 second snippet sounds and feels quite different to Interlude I, it has a sense of coming to a resolve.

WHITE PILLS

I wrote this for my old band Field. We played it a couple of times live but it felt unfinished and was never recorded before we disbanded. I thought it would make for a good Lamassu track, played slower and heavier with a second guitar. Matt came up with the guitar harmonies and Al and Nick did their things resulting in what we have now. The lyrics are about a period of time I went through a number of years ago.

TIN MAN

This track is one of our favourites to play, an absolute epic beast. The core musical ideas were brought to the band by Matt and we jammed it for a while to develop the arrangement and refine our individual parts. It’s also the last track I wrote lyrics for before recording them late last year (2022). The lyrics are basically saying hey the clock’s ticking, get living, start doing the shit you want to do because you’ll be old or dead before you know it! This track really encapsulates a lot of the musical elements that represent the sound of Lamassu.

From Melbourne, Australia, a colossus of sound returns with a brand new album. LAMASSU formed in 2018 and, like the hybrid human-bird-lion deity the quartet is named after, drew its members from giants of the Oz heavy underground like Field, Olmeg, and Motherslug.

Last heard, Lamassu gave us ‘Into the Empty’ (2019), which can certainly be heralded as a contemporary classic of the doom scene. Now we’re counting down the days to the band’s sophomore effort, 'Made of Dust’ (2023).

Today, Doomed & Stoned is bringing you a first listen to the second track, “Washed Away,” here revealed as a music video. Reached for comment, frontman Chris Fisher tells us:

“Washed Away” explores the frailty of life, that at any moment life as we know it can change. Whether that be illness, relationships, mental health, or work, most people have or will at some point in their life go through something that will be forever changing. Through these upheavals we learn and grow, adjust our course, while still knowing we have little control of the future, so we should just try and enjoy the ride.

The track begins with a dissonant and bluesy riff that repeats throughout, painting a sonority of weary wistfulness. The opening verses ease us further into the song, which is slowly hammering out its sharp, jagged metallic edges. “I’ve been expecting rain for as long as you’ve been here Falling down and out I’ve been, then it rains again.” As we’ve come to expect and appreciate from Lamassu, the lyrics are thoughtful and poignant. Then the chorus hits and the vocal harmonies are soothing, as it builds towards strong inner resolve. For the music video, Erin O'Rourke joins as an interpretive dancer, adding another remarkable dimension to the experience.

Look for the single on May 16th (USA), May 17th (AUS) on all major platforms, with Lamassu’s Made of Dust coming out on June 21st.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Exploring themes of death, loneliness, failure and redemption, ‘Made of Dust’ traverses genres and will take you on a wild ride from the first track until the last — strap yourself in!

The album is sonically vast; from deep, heavy riffs, to moments of quiet introspection and soaring vocal harmonies, all complemented by the brooding lyricism of lead vocalist Chris Fisher.

Known for their distinct, melodic sound in the heavy music scene, Lamassu formed in 2018 with members Chris Fisher (Field), Matt Dawkins (Olmeg), Nick Rad (Motherslug) and Ant Smith (Borrachero). Following the release of their acclaimed debut, ‘Into the Empty’ in September 2019, Ant departed and Al Cooke (Field) joined on bass to round out the current lineup.

The first single ‘Washed Away’ launches 17 May on all major streaming platforms and will be accompanied by a music video filmed by Luke Ray, who also directed the video for their standalone single ‘Know Your Gods’, released October 2022.

This Melbourne crew has a sound that looms large, like a mighty shadow engulfing your senses, full of fiery beats, fearsome roars, witchy riffs, and grim atmosphere. A sound that can best be summed up by the rarely used (but quite fitting) tag extreme doom. Behold, MAMMON’S THRONE!

“Who is Mammon?” you may be wondering. Only one of the seven crown princes of Hell! The word came into popular use following Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, which warns about the dangerous trap of greed. You know, that thing about the love of money being the root of all evil. Mammon also played a role in the Spawn comic books and the DC universe, so there’s that.

Now we return to Mammon’s Throne for yet another profane offering of damning downtuned devastation. Following 2020’s Forward Unto Flame, which came out during peak pandemic panic, we have five songs crafted during the turbulent years that followed. Today, Doomed & Stoned premieres the opening track off Mammon’s Throne. The band had this to say about it:

We wrote “Return us to The Stars” to tell the tale of a ritual being performed. We set it amidst the backdrop of a desolate desert, largely devoid of life and water, where the only seas are the endless sands that lay before weary emissaries of ancient, forgotten gods.

Every song on the album is about some sort of ending. Be it the end of a life, a kingdom, humanity, or an entire world, and “Return us to the Stars” is a last ditch and terrible ritual to ancient gods in the hope to ascend to the stars and leave a dying world.

We structured the song to slowly build from a somber funeral march towards the blackened ferocity of the final eldritch and chaotic moments of the ritual. The interlude where clean guitars take focus and the rhythm section stops, symbolizes the eerie moments of being in the eye of a great and powerful storm of energy.

Out April 1st on Brilliant Emperor Records, Mammon’s Throne is a wicked genre melter, with elements of funeral doom, death, black, and post-metal in the vein of Serpentine Path, Graves at Sea, and Unearthly Trance (pre-order here). I recommend mixing it up on a playlist with the band’s Australian compatriots Motherslug, Lucifungus, Holy Serpent, Potion, and Lamassu.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Melbourne extreme doom metal band Mammon’s Throne return heavier and darker with their second, self-titled full-length album.

After relentless touring following the success of their 2020 debut album ‘Forward Unto Flame,’ released on vinyl through Black Farm Records, Mammon’s Throne have established themselves as a force to be reckoned within the Australian live music scene.

On their latest offering, haunting funeral doom melodies meet crushing sludge and death grooves before taking flight in searing blackened crescendos all accompanied by a chilling and diverse range of vocal styles and a furious drumming assault.

The album is slated for an April 2023 release through Brilliant Emperor Records on multiple formats and has been mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Mastering Studio.

Mammon’s Throne is: Matthew Miller (Vocals), Amesh Perera (Guitars), Sam Talbot-Canon (Bass) & Nick Boschan (Drums)

Our age-old pull towards religious thinking & behavior doesn’t simply disappear in a secular humanistic age. In the midst of what I like to call the attention-based economy, the urge to worship is most often lavished upon people who garner wealth, infamy, and likes. Acolytes cluster into groups of like mind to celebrate these new gods, then go to war with those who oppose them.

Just as our ancient forbearers bowed before the sun and idols of ivory and gold, we bow before the wonder of expertise and officiality, the allure of bloody dollars, the infallible glory of mass recognition, but most cherished of all is the great god me, myself, and I.

Pray to suns and gods of trees
For your dead souls of greed
Your beastly needs, your dignity

LAMASSU invite us to “Know Your Gods” in their single. Chris Fisher, frontman of the Melbourne heavy grunge doom band, speaks to the song’s sardonic theme and hints of new material on the way.

In the lead up to our new album currently slated for late 2022, we wanted to release a standalone single “Know Your Gods,” which started life as an outtake from the ‘Into The Empty’ (2019) sessions, along with our first video clip directed and filmed by Luke Ray.

Lyrically the song is a tongue-in-cheek take on the impact of social media and how people shape their “reality” to be viewed a certain way by others.

Like many artists, we have a lot of new material that’s been building up over the last couple of years and has been delayed & delayed due to the pandemic, but now we are excited to finally begin releasing some of this to you.

The mood is murky, like swampland stuck in the haze of a fall morning’s fog. But Lamassu, determined to cross this fetid bog and stomp out a defiant beat with the combined force of guitars, bass, and drums. As you’re trudging on, it’s good to keep of sense of humor and the song is not without its own:

You’re staring down the sun
you’re staring down the gun
you’re holding the wrong end

Just as there was skepticism towards the ancient pantheon of gods in the midst of war and instability, Lamassu directs skepticism toward the gods of modernity. “I won’t believe,” Fisher croons, with pipes that remind me of the late Chris Cornell. I’ve always been impressed by his ability to take his vocal game sky high (see my review of their first LP).

“Know Your Gods” is nothing short of massive. The sound is crisp and the message timely. You can get a hold of the single and lyrics here. Stick this on a playlist with All Souls, Soundgarden, of course Lamassu’s Into The Empty. This is Doomed & Stoned’s world premiere of the music video.

Give ear…

Get ready for a big sound from two massive bands from Down Under sharing the same cylinder for a two-way split as ‘Turned To Stone: Chapter V’ (2022) brings you DUNEEATER and PLANET OF THE 8s! The Ripple Music series has had some terrific pairings over the years, but this volume is absolutely brilliant. I hope you’re listening with a good pair of headphones, or at least have your car stereo system ready for a long, loud drive into oblivion, because this record is indeed a smooth ride down to the Highway to Hell.

Tires peel out for “Twin Voyager,” which makes for a big opener after the short but arresting, “Dusk Part 2,” which is a real cruiser. The band did music video for “Pleather Sex,” and its desert rockin’ vibes make it a swell playlist pal with Kyuss, Truckfighters, Dozer, and Mountains of Madness.

“C.O.B.R.A.” is a badass stoner-blues romper that makes me wonder whether these guys grew up with the same G.I. Joe comics I did, fighting as they did with their eternal enemy Cobra Commander and his henchmen of doom. The song’s got a lot of bounce, and it rumbles and tumbles along until I’m irresistibly pulled into headbanging mode as we drive towards “Dawn Part I” (aka “Devil Dodgers”). It’s a real asphalt-ripper.

Planet of the 8s carries the vibe along into “Dawn Part 2” on the record’s flip-side. The smooth delivery of the lyrics, in sync with a groovy rhythm, reminds me of Depeche Mode for some reason (that’s always a good thing). The vocal harmonies are quite effective (at times approaching worshipful), supported by deep musicianship, beautiful melodic instincts, and a grungy, bittersweet guitar solo.

“Raised By Night” is a rainy number, with bombastic drums and melancholy riffmaking. The smooth vocals contrast so well with the groovy rhythm, leading up to one of those great choruses you’ll find yourself singing along with (perhaps unconsciously). The climax is one of those exalted moments in rock that you want to freeze and revisit over and over.

After another convincing track (“Gravity”), the record closes on “Dusk Part I” – and just like that we’re back to start, in a kind of time loop. It’s a good hint to listen to it all again on repeat. Believe me, you will want to get lost in this record. Not hard to see why both these bands are on the rise.

Turned to Stone, Chapter V is a powerful collaboration from two of the heavy rock scene’s most extraordinary artists. Look for its release this Friday, August 8th, on Ripple Music – dropping in digital as well as several variants of vinyl (pre-order here).

Give ear…

I became a devoted listener to Melbourne rockers FOOT since I gave a deep listen to 2020’s The Balance of Nature Shifted. That was in fact not their first album, but their third, and given the fresh nature of their sound (wistful grunge meets stirring desert rock) I was excited to learn of a pending fourth, ‘You Are Weightless’ (2022).

Something about that title strongly resonates with me. I wonder how many people in the world have gone through the wringing cycle of paranoia, fear, isolation, trust-mistrust-distrust, exhaustion, and burn out these past several pandemic years. I wonder how many more are ready to experience release from the cruel grip of anxiety and dread. Freedom is hard-earned, but I know it starts by being still and taking a good look at what’s going on around you, without judgment, just taking notes, like you’re Mother Nature’s eyes gathering data to report on the state of things.

Maybe that’s what I like, deep down inside, about Foot’s new record – it’s taking notice of what’s going on right here, right now on space station Earth. Call it a divine test, a winding down clock, or a simulation; dumb luck or a cosmic joke, we’re stuck here. Might as well have a good soundtrack.

Foot’s score to the human dilemma begins with “Bitter,” a thumping, up-tempo number with sardonic guitar licks and singing that’s clean and cool – like '90s “Whatever, dude” kind of cool. In the closing minutes, the song breaks down into a groovy jam, with deep bass groans and the addition of keys.

“Caged Animal” follows; a warm, yet melancholic track. “I haven’t failed, I’ve just found 1000 ways that don’t work” Paul Holden sings in stirring, chorus-like fashion. Perhaps this is the philosophical antidote to the dismal (but wholly relatable) sentiment of King Buffalo’s “Hebetation,” which confesses: “Every night I dream a million different ways for me to die.” There’s a delicious breakdown in those last few minutes, then fading vocals and acoustic guitar escort us out.

This brings us to the song Doomed & Stoned is premiering today: “Fire Dance.” The song opens with an emphatic, rumbling beat that had me thinking of a captive tiger menacing his surroundings, circling restlessly 'round and 'round, and looking for a way of escape. The song talks about lighting a fire without a plan, which sometimes feels like it would be a great thing to do, but will most likely leave us without a safety net.

Well, that’s one interpretation. You listen and tell me. What is undeniable is the way the band captivates us as the song moves along, past the “radio friendly” 3-minute mark, when bass, percussion, and then keyboard morphs the fabric of the song into something more, perhaps a new reality. As it ends, we’re left standing in the air of burning embers and quiet reflection, having tasted the flame, now ready to start living again.

There are four more songs, each of which merit multiple listens and for me grew fonder with every play. Lyrically, Foot’s You Are Weightless is the first compelling post-pandemic album I’ve heard so far this year. Mark June the 10th on your calendar, when it releases through Copper Feast Records (pre-order here). Until then, let’s take a leap of faith into the floating void with the record’s second single, “Fire Dance.” Stick it on a playlist with Hazemaze, Elephant Tree, Comet Control, Alice in Chains, and Chevelle.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

For fans and followers firmly in the know, FOOT – the venerable and utterly spellbinding Melbourne-based stoner rock quartet – are back with their eagerly awaited fourth album; You Are Weightless, on Copper Feast Records.

Helmed by guitarist, vocalist and creative constant, Paul Holden, and backed by an ever-changing cast of close confidants, Foot has proven themselves time and time again to be an integral part of the burgeoning Oz psych/stoner rock scene, since the release of their debut in 2016.

Following on from last year’s lockdown masterpiece, The Balance of Nature Shifted, the band return this June with the sonic equivalent of a heavily wrought, fuzz-lined straitjacket in new album, You Are Weightless. Channeling the dynamic spirit of acts like Queens of the Stone Age and Alice in Chains, they envelope their music with social commentary and grand visions that help tip the scales in favour of the heavier, more visceral cradle of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a sight and sound to behold and make no mistake, Holden, along with his band of merry sessioners, have quite possibly crafted their boldest and most revelatory album to date.

Teaming up once again with the Sydney-based Foot-Appreciation Society Copper Feast Records, You Are Weightless will receive an official worldwide release on 10th June 2022

Emerging from the heavy underground of Australia comes a grim new act out of Adelaide: GRAVES FOR GODS. I confess knowing little about the members of the band, but their preamble got me curious:

Your path into the beyond. Through ruins of ancient ceremony. Hymns echoed off stone, beneath grey skies. Monuments to those once worshiped. Now lost like tears to the rain. Their stories revived on a platform of the Peaceville 3 and all things doom. This is Graves for Gods!

Tracing their musical lineage to Anathema, My Dying Bride, and Paradise Lost, the Graves for Gods sound is funeral and bleak, to be sure. “Embalmed Embrace,” the first single from the band’s forthcoming full-length debut, saunters at an adagio’s pace, with grave, gruff vocals and stinging, emotive guitar leads.

January 21st is the watch date for ‘The Oldest Gods’ (2022) on Sleeping Church Records, available soon for pre-order here. It’s the same French label that brought us that excellent spin The Life And Works of Death by Carcolh (which Doomed & Stoned introduced to you earlier this year).

Today being one of the coldest, crispest days of the season thus far in Oregon, Graves for Gods has been in regular rotation keeping me company as I soldier through the bleakness of sunless days and long dark nights. Somber and overcast, yet deeply expressive and atmospheric, The Oldest Gods is as effective a debut as one could ask for.

Give ear…

The tail end of May saw the release of a several albums that are just fantastic. First, there was the new Mothman and the Thunderbirds album, ‘Into the Hollow’ (2021), which I reviewed for this very site. Second, and the reason we’re all here today, was the release of 'I’m a Stupid Moron with an Ugly Face and a Big Butt and My Butt Smells’ (2021) by Australian Simpsons-inspired stoner-doom group DR. COLOSSUS.

The Simpsons have been a cultural icon since they first debuted on December 17th, 1989. The diverse, zany cast of characters were an instant hit because they were hilarious and added in realistic problems, situations, and insanity. The show has also influenced people from across the globe, including at least two musical groups – the aforementioned Dr. Colossus and Okilly Dokilly, a band based on Ned Flanders. Both acts are great and have even toured together in Australia.

Admittedly, I’m one of those people that lost touch with the show when Family Guy came out, so I’m not up to date on some of the lyrical content on this amazing spin, a record that many are already claiming as a contender for Album Of The Year. I shall, however, do my best to talk about the lyrics of each song covered in this review.

For lack of a better starting point, we’ll begin on the first track, a massive tune that goes by the name of “Sex Cauldron.” Right from the very beginning, we find the band conjuring Mastodon vibes, but with a bit of Motörhead mixed in. An even better comparison would be Hyborian, which is a band I really dig. It turns out Krusty the Clown serves as lyrical fodder for this one.

“Once respected TV host
The finest of talk shows
Shadow of my former self I slowly decompose”

“Pickabar” is up next, and a quick Google search has informed me that this song is about the time Homer couldn’t remember what he was supposed to do as he sat soaking in the bathtub.

“I forgot…
What am I supposed to do?
I’m On My Way
But the message won’t get through”

As he sits, his mind is going, “Pick up Bart, Pick Up Bart, Pick up Bart”, and he says out loud, “What the hell is Pickabar?” Musically, this is one bad mother! The riffs are super catchy, the vocals are expertly executed, and the lyrics are well written homages to Dr. Colossus’ preferred television show.

“Hummingbird of Bengal” is a tribute to the owner of the Quickie Mart, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon. The first thing you’ll notice is a heavy, groove filled riff, and this groove may change throughout the track, but it never let’s up for even a moment. I love it when the chorus hits and the vocals get higher as they sing, “Apuuuuuuu, I’m the Hummingbird of Bengal!” They’re only high for the “Apuuu,” but it’s the perfect compliment to the rest of the singing.

The other tracks on this album are also amazing, but I’ll leave those for you to experience without my thoughts on them creating expectations. For a group that loves to riff on Simpsons insanity, Dr. Colossus surely take their music seriously, and here it really pays off. Album of the Year? You decide. For many fans (and critics) it truly is that good (currently ranked #6 on the Doom Charts). Enjoy!

I don’t think there have ever been so many doom and stoner releases as in recent years. Modern technology is undoubtedly to thank for that. Nowadays you no longer need expensive studio time to record something that sounds professional, a good computer and the right software is sufficient. You also no longer have to experiment days at a time to find that right sound. One YouTube search is usually enough to find out how your favourite band gets their guitar sound.

While this is wonderful, of course, it also generates a tonne of bands that sound exactly like Electric Wizard, Fu Manchu and Kyuss. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, let me get that straight. Some of them are really good and evolve into something bigger. Also, I speak from experience when I say that local bands are a great way to delve into the magical world of doom and stoner. That being said, I’m also very happy with DIRTY PAGANS’ debut record ‘The Family’ (2021), because these Australians deliver something completely different.

The first couple of seconds of “Edge of Glory” made me look around in bewilderment, as to figure out who stepped on Tim “Ripper” Owens’ foot. That had to be the only explanation for that high pitched wail. Luckily, the Ripper didn’t invade my house, but it was vocalist Matty Dee showing what he has in store. The cover turns out to be quite misleading, because “Edge of Glory” is some top notch heavy metal in the vein of 3 Inches of Blood and old Judas Priest.

“Pagan’s Blood” is a more down tempo track, but no less impressive. The track is slow, almost sludgy, but with melodic guitar overlays that would make many an epic doom metal band blush. Dee’s vocals are quite a bit lower here, for which the neighbour’s dog would like to thank him. Just when you’re in the flow of the track, the punching chorus, including almost barking vocals, drops in to put you back where you belong.

While the vocals are a clear selling point on The Family, tracks like “Gypsy’s Breath,” and “Live Forever” give the rest of the band, Gregory 'Francisco’ Challis (guitars), James Russo (bass) and Jarradeesha Taylor (drums), plenty of time to show us what they’ve got. The band moves perfectly between heavy metal and stoner rock, sometimes with Sabbathian flair, sometimes chugging away to let you train your neck muscles. The impressive part is that they manage to put it all in the same song, without it sounding forced at all. On “Searching”, the band even takes this to its extreme, going from stoner rock, to thrash to sludge.

“Sun,” on the other hand, stands out because it’s such a straight-forward hard rock track, complete with sing-along chorus and twin guitar solo. At least, that’s before Dee channels his inner King Diamond in the last minute. The guy’s a good singer, but he really managed to impress me there. “Open Up,” while a solid stoner metal track, feels a bit bland after that. It’s also the only song that doesn’t really stick. “Valhalla” is another track that gets your blood pumping with it’s steamroller drums and epic guitar work, working towards an absolutely crushing finish.

Of course, there’s only one way to start off a track called “The Family,” and that’s with a Charles Manson quote. The track starts off as a solid doom track, but halfway through the track picks up pace and grows about as big as Manson’s ego. With almost Ghost-like flair the final minutes of the record are filled with epic solo’s and vocals, where the only thing missing is a choir to make them even bigger.

In a year where there’s still not much to do and very little to look forward to, The Family is the perfect form of escapism. It’s fun and exciting, and even though it’s stylistically all over the place, it works really well. Dirty Pagans prove that in a world where it’s easier than ever to sound like whoever you want, you can still be unique.

As you might have noticed from my previous review, the whole COVID situation is starting to get to me. Sadly this mini depression led to a writer’s block, even though there were so many great releases I wanted to talk about. I really wanted to, but I just ended up staring at a blank page for an hour before giving up. And then, about an hour before I started typing this, the magic came back. And you’ve got the Australian duo Ohm Rune and their debut full length ‘Gargantua’ (2020) to thank for that.

You might know Ohm Rune from their contribution to our Doomed & Stoned in Australia compilation. The band, consisting of bassist/vocalist Alex and drummer Justin, has been around for five years now and have released a single and an EP before. I missed both of them, so there’s not much I can tell about that. Not that it matters much, since Gargantua tells me everything I need to know. Ohm Rune is one of those duos that make more noise than some bands with five or more members.

Naming your record “Gargantua” shapes expectations. Those expectations are already met after the first notes of “Temple” smash their way into your skull. The band plays stoner rock, but with an early Sabbath-y doom vibe and a fair amount of dirt. I put the record on without reading up on it and was surprised to find out that I was dealing with a duo. Even though it’s just the two of them, they produce a full sound, courtesy of Alex’ loop and pitch shifter pedals. This gives them the ability to sound like a full band, guitar solos and everything.

Another thing that made the band stand out for me, is Alex’ vocals. The guy sounds like the bastard lovechild of an '80s thrash vocalist and an '80s Saturday morning cartoon villain. The high pitched rasp might take some getting used to, but for some reason it fits the music quite well.

After “Temple” became your gateway drug to this band, we’re treated to one high quality track after the other. I was thinking about saying something about each track, but I just keep banging my head while listening to this beast of a record.

There are, however, some tracks I have to mention. First of all, there’s “Swarm,” on which the band takes the speed down a notch and moves into near sludge territory, with Alex resorting to grunts, while crunching out some of the heaviest riffs to be found on the record.

Then there’s “Star Destroyer,” which features the unique feat of harmonics produced by a bass guitar, followed by 'Ether’, which finishes up the album. The track starts off with organ sounds and clean guitars, both undoubtedly courtesy of Alex’s (probably) extensive pedal board.

If you’re looking for a record to get you headbanging and ready to party, Gargantua is all you need. It’s a highly dynamic stoner doom record which ticks all the boxes. You’ve got you fast riffs, your slow riffs. Your melodic solos, your noisy solos. Your fuzz, your clean sound, your headbang inducing drumming, your frantic drumming. Everything you could ask for, it’s in these 45 minutes. The fact that it’s just two guys making all this noise, just makes this record even more impressive.