Keeping it low and slow, doomy duo CITIZEND has an eclectic style that echoes familiar ‘90s giants Neurosis, Alice in Chains, and Nine Inch Nails; while singer/guitarist Emil Gustavsson’s heavy-toned vocals invoke the depth and texture of Mark Lanegan and Tom Waits. Gustavsson and instrumentalist/producer Otto Nilsson collaborated with Mika Häkki (Monolord), Mattias Hagström (Sarah Klang), and Oliver Knowles (Snow Ghosts) to create Citizend’s “noirmericana” debut EP “The Spiral,” a gravitating auditory descent into humanity’s endgame, out on Majestic Mountain Records December 6th.

Today, slip into the depths of “The Spiral” through a conversational Q&A between Emil Gustavsson and contributor Doob Solo, check out our favorite singles, and pre-order the EP from Majestic Mountain Records!

Greetings Emil! First I need to ask, where does the name “Citizend” come from? And how is it pronounced?

Citizend is basically a play with words combining the word “Citizen” and “End”. So basically, it means “The end of humanity”, or something similar to that. It is pronounced as Citizen but with a hard D at the end.

Citizend is yourself and Otto Nilsson, and guest musicians on the album include Mika Häkki (Monolord), Mattias Hagström (Sarah Klang), and Oliver Knowles (Snow Ghosts). What was it like to work with these talented contributors?

This has truly been a fun and developing project from the start. The writing process for this EP started with me having rough demos of the tracks, inspired by everything from black-metal to stoner and folk. And when I showed my ideas to Otto he did his magic by carefully and respectfully unveiling, adding and removing bits from the songs, creating the big picture that is the EP today. Mika, Mattias and Oliver really blew us away adding their great musicianship and personalities to the tracks. I have such big respect for the creative process, and I wanted this project to be fun and evolving. And I believe we managed to do that, together. Where everyone involved, from musicians to designers, photographers and film makers really added their touch to the big picture.

The fact that you are a self-taught musician amazes me. When did you first begin playing music and what was your first instrument?

Hmmmm. I think it was when I was about 13 years old and suddenly all of my friends started to play instruments. And one of my oldest friends (Oskar, who also plays in a band called Wormwood today) taught me to play some Nirvana, Green Day and Blink 182 songs on the guitar, and that was the start of it all. Me being self-taught really means that I can’t read music and don’t have any theoretical background. And I think that is one of my strengths. I do things how I do things. And although I’m sometimes limited by that, it also makes me sound the way I do.

What kind of guitar did you start with, and what are you playing now? What kind of pedals, cabs, and amps are you using?

I started with a really crappy Kingston Stratocaster that I bought (together with an amp) for 30 USD and a McFlurry Ice Cream. The first night I took it home, I dropped it to the floor so the neck broke. Fortunately my father was a carpenter, so he glued it together making it work. Since then I have been on a journey for the perfect sound, really nerding out on equipment and gear. So today I use a boutique Fano Alt De Facto JM6 as my main guitar, a matching Victory head and cabinet and a big pedalboard where I like to stack distortions and fuzzes with reverbs and delays to create atmospheric landscapes.

Your method of learning and creating music does not appear to have dampened the quality of your sounds nor the soul behind them. Do you have any desire to learn to read music or learn music theory?

I see myself as a team player that works best with other people, so that I can use my qualities in the way that suits the project at hand. And when it comes to music, I think my drive and directness is my strongest tool. Of course, I would like to learn more theory and production, but I don’t know if it would improve my music. And now when I am working with Otto I really want to give him the place he deserves in the music, cause he makes anything into magic.

Certainly, he does! And your vocals are quite hypnotic. When did you begin singing, and at what point did you realize you wanted to sing on a record?

I did some vocal recordings with my former band, but this is the first time I am the lead singer in a project. That makes me both terrified, humbled and excited at the same time. In recent years I’ve been exploring my voice more, and the main thing about it is that I feel good when I sing. From the beginning I have always heard that I can’t sing, and my voice is too deep etc. But early on in Citizend we agreed to try and create music that plays to the strengths of my voice and style of singing. This approach resonates in me and pushes me to keep exploring it.

How did your vision for The Spiral begin, and how did it evolve as you were making the record?

Both me and Otto are thinking a lot in terms of themes and concepts. That is the thing that unites us and makes our creative process thrive. We both want something to guide us through the process being a central piece of the vision. Being able to conceptually stand on common ground makes it easier to “find” the right lyrics and sounds. The concept behind the Spiral was quite instant, I think. We saw directly that the songs were tied together in a common story line that was following a person’s life from birth to the inevitable end of things. And of course, the concept has been evolving with Arjen Kunnens beautiful artwork, Richard Bloom’s photos and Amanda & Emblas videos but they all go back to the core of the concept.

Your previous band Orochen created music under the cloud of capitalist dystopian realism, and The Spiral was catalyzed for Citizend by John Fogerty’s ominous song “Bad Moon Rising”. What do you hope to provoke in your listeners by emphasizing dark, portentous themes?

For me it is mostly about putting words and music to my own feelings, and in a sense it is therapeutic. It forces me to share my inner demons and thoughts about the world. If I can make one person reflect about the society or inspire someone to pick up an instrument or starting singing, I am more than happy.

The Spiral is about humanity’s ultimate doom: The end of the world as we know it. Its lyrics tell stories through brilliant literary devices, and its brooding music is sweetened with lush melodies. Is that a reflection of our human drive to find light (meaning and beauty) in darkness (tragedy and death)?

I feel that strong emotion lies in contrasts. Something won’t be truly ugly until it is placed beside something beautiful. Old shut down factories in small towns overgrown by nature, or the old cranes looming in the beautiful skylight of Gothenburg. It is the contrast that makes things live and become vivid. And to be truly honest – I think we human beings are hiding all the dust and the darkness with shiny new things, not avoid thinking about what the world really is and needs.

I have had the privilege of listening to the full EP and I love the way it is arranged. What brought you to the decision to release the EP song-by-song, out-of-order before its full release?

Foremost, thank you for all your support. All the songs on The Spiral are tied together closely in a story line, where each song serves as a chapter in one person’s life. So, for us it was natural to mix genres and soundscapes to paint smaller parts of a larger picture that is that person’s life. Releasing it song-by-song lets you zoom in to each of the smaller pieces before seeing the whole thing, kind of like how different phases of your life can feel sometimes.

Each part of this project is closely interconnected, but do you think you can identify a specific song or section of music that resonates most strongly with you?

My personal favourite song (at the moment) is Drowning. I think we really did manage to find something unique when it comes to the sound and mixes of genres on that one. And I also think the lyrics came out quite nice. But since we have been living with the songs for such a long time it is constantly changing, and it is also hard to put perspective to them.

My favorite track is “End of the World” and I understand you used a unique approach to creating the lyrics. Will you describe the process and intentions behind your “futuristic” method?

Haha, yes. I knew what I wanted to say with that song at once, but my brain froze and I couldn’t find the right words for it. We decided to write the lyrics for the song as a poem to the extinct human race written by a lonely machine left in a post-apocalyptic world. So out of curiosity I tried asking Chat GPT to “write me a poem for the end of the world,” and the answer just made my spine shiver.

We used the AI’s “poem” as inspiration for the concept more than for the actual words. However, a lot of the phrasing made it feel a bit less human which fit the vision for the song, so we kept some of it. As a world-ending theme, this really spoke to us and felt true to the times we live in. All from an AI basically telling us with poetic words that we’re doomed and it’s all our own fault.

So, the voice telling the story in “End of the World” is meant to be the voice of an intelligent machine?

Yes, it can be interpreted like that.

Do you intend to use Chat GPT or other AI for future Citizend projects, or was that a creative choice specifically for this project?

It was very specific for that song. You never know where creativity leads, but I don’t think we will. Mainly because the reaction that the AI gave me the first time won’t happen again.

The amount of thought and effort that went into creating The Spiral is apparent. How will we see your refined aesthetic and attention to detail presented in the physical releases?

With the physical release we have really been given an opportunity by Majestic Mountain Records to follow our dream to the fullest. So, everything about the physical release has been carefully put together. All the way from the pictures to the artwork and the setting of the design – down to the placing of fonts and texts. The vinyl comes in three different editions and colors that are named from the concept. We are very excited to release this! We also need to mention our friend Daniel Johansson who really listened to us and helped with putting our vision and designs together.

And we have already started working on our upcoming debut album, and this time we have gone even further into this concept world. The scene is set after the end of the world, in a post-apocalyptic western landscape where we are following a character’s journey through a western desolate city. But more about that later.

That is exciting news! Have you and Otto found any collaborators at this time?

We don’t know all the answers here now, so we will see where this journey takes us – but I hope that we can use the same team and musicians that were involved for the Spiral in the future as well. ‘Cause they are all amazing.

Do you see the possibility of Citizend performing live concerts in the future?

We will actually have our first show and release event for the EP at Pustervik (a legendary concert hall in Gothenburg) on December 13. And for that show all of the musicians and artists that contributed to The Spiral will be a part of the show (except for Oliver who is doing a European tour with his band Sex Swing).

I’m very excited to keep my eyes and ears open for future news from Citizend! Thank you, Emil, for pulling us into The Spiral!

Thank you for really welcoming us to the scene and taking in our music to the fullest. It means a lot.

SOME BUZZ

Marco Berg, maestro at Majestic Mountain Records says:

From the moment I first heard the band’s first demo song, it was clear that MMR would be thrilled to work with them. Their unique blend of post-rock and Americana Noir, combined with a compelling vision for their music, ensures that everything about this release feels like smooth sailing.

Mika Häkki, Citizend collaborator and Monolord bassist shares:

It was a fun experience to work with Emil and Otto. They originally asked me to come play bass on one song on the album. But it ended up being a fun and creative session so they asked me to come back. I had only known Emil for a year or so before, but he’s such a genuine music lover and an open person that I wanted to do something with them.

Their motto is: “Nifty, gritty and fast rock ‘n’ roll from the mighty town of sea gods…” Here is an act makes no bones about stirring up super-charged mayhem, dubbed action rock. Appropriate for a band calling themselves UPPLOPPET, that is “the riot.”

Indeed, one might have to quell their own urge to play mosh in the living room or cubicle while taking in the Swedish quintet’s latest live clip of recent single “Golden Eyes.” This rhythmically-driven anthem speaks of a confrontation between the singer (whose eyes appear steely blue) and those with staunch opinions about what he should do with his life (the golden eyes).

Says the band:

The song is somehow flirting with all subgenres of rock music with everything from pop rock to fast punk rock with a nice chorus to sing along with even if you don’t really know the lyrics! The song is about buttering up to people to try to earn something you don’t deserve. But in the end you end up with nothing and everything is taken away from you. It’s somewhat a request to people to be real and honest about themselves. Hope you enjoy this garage session that we rocked this banger out for you!

It should not only give a big boost to your day, but get you thirsty to see the band do their thing on the big stage (ironically, their last record was titled, You Wish This Was Live). Look for more to come from these Swedish mayhem makers on The Sign Records.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Upploppet is the latest addition to the scandirock Mount Rushmore, with influences hailing from titans such as Gluecifer, MC5, Union Carbide Productions and many more. This just goes to show you that this band stomps all over rock n’ roll history with its own twist. The music represents the dangerous side of rock. With no prisoners being held, a raw attitude and a live show like no other, Upploppet is pulling the torch from the fists of the old geezer’s that once held it.

The band has already gone through the DIY process, recording several EP’s in their rehearsal space in the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden. Their latest DYI release 'You Wish This Was Live’ (mixed by Tomas Skogsberg) put them on the face of the rock scene in their city.

Without having to put out a full length LP, the band has already visited the outer parts of Europe and are now planning their next step to conquer the earth. UPPLOPPET have previously released a bunch of raw digital singles and a split 7" with Scumbag Millionaires.

With their latest single “Golden Eyes” (recorded and mixed in Welfare Studios) the band shows once again that they are evolving and getting stronger as a unit. The Sign Records noticed when other oblivious labels were kept in the dark, so they took Upploppet under their wings and released their single.

Upploppet is now in the making of their debut album in Welfare Sounds, which surely is a recipe for total destruction on the music scene. Everyone, put your seatbelts on and stay tuned.

We’ve previously looked to Sweden for its endless stream of inspiration in stoner, psychedelic fuzz and retro rock. This month, there is a sea change for the rapacious sounds of doom and death metal as GRAND CADAVAR makes its presence known in a big way with the single, “Grim Eternal.” I must have listened to it on repeat 4 or 5 times on my first hearing. Its death-doom textures and bloodthirsty growls dominate the imagination during the three-and-a-half minute runtime, making us instinctively crave more.

The song follows the band’s impressive February EP, ‘Madness Comes’ (2021), and the recent 7" single, “Reign Through Fire,” as our first taste of the rolling, grinding, gritty sound we can expect from the Gothenburg team, which finds fitting moments to mix doom and groove into its death metal recipe.

Notes guitarist Stefan Lagergren: “We wanted to create a death metal song so massive you can feel the sonic weight in your eardrums, while at the same time make it catchy and direct. It was recorded in a very raw and honest way since we waNted a sound that was simply, 'What You Hear Is What You Get!’ Five musicians live in a room. 'Rigorous and Merciless. The Epitome of Pain’!”

Grand Cadavar’s sound is indeed massive and unrelenting, at times reminding me of the rawness and intensity Entombed, Bloodbath, and HeavyDeath, while striking a tone of menace comporable to Mitch-era Suicide Silence. The command of this veteran handful is not surprising, as we have here ex-members of Katatonia, Transport League, Tiamat, and In Flames, and some currently attached to bands like Dark Tranquility, Novarupta, Pagandom, Disrupted, and V (to name but a few of their blessed entanglements).

This makes us anxious to bear witness to the band’s debut LP, Into The Maw of Death (out the last week in October), so consider this a foretaste of the devastation to come this Fall.

Give ear…

Some Buzz

?Hot on the heels of last year’s critically acclaimed debut EP, Madness Comes, Swedish death metal assembly, Grand Cadaver, return with a brand-new single and update on their debut album.

Featuring guitarists Stefan Lagergren (The Grifted/ex. Treblinka/Expulsion) and Alex Stjernfeldt (Novarupta/Let Them Hang), drummer Daniel Liljekvist (Disrupted/ex. Katatonia), Pagandom bassist Christian Jansson, and vocals from Dark Tranquillity’s Mikael Stanne, the band draws together some of the finest musicians the Swedish metal scene has to offer.

“I heard two songs from an early demo, and I just knew I had to work with them,” explains Majestic Mountain Records’ Marco Berg. “I was blown away! Grand Cadaver honours old-school death metal but put their own spin on it and the production is some of the heaviest I have heard in years.”

Their last single ‘Reign Through Fire’ was a sprawling death metal dirge driven deftly around the historic circuitry of Marshall stacks and HM-2s. Where traditional thrash metal meets Stockholm Death Metal, consuming doom and progressive rock along the way, Grand Cadaver was established to celebrate the legacy of extreme music, while seizing the moment to hang out, drink beers and share riffs and great music with friends and close allies.

Their scorching new single ‘Grim Eternal’ will be officially released on 3rd September, with their debut LP, Into the Maw of Death arriving on 29th October via Majestic Mountain Records.

There’s something ferocious afoot. From the opening howls of ‘Chaos Reigns’ (2021) that precede the wicked guitars we know we’re in for a vicious ride. These wolves have blood in their eyes. “I will drag you down. You are doomed to follow.”

We last visited WOLVES IN HAZE in these pages whilst giving you a first look and listen to the music video, “Green River Speaks”. It also happens to be the perfect launch for the band’s new sophomore album, filled with ire and menace.

“Way in Haze” follows suit with a raw, distorted buzzsaw of a riff that recalls Black Cobra, though the mood of the album’s second single quickly turns punkish, leading to the malicious chorus: “Ooooooh, let them burn!” The who of that dreadful declaration is left entirely to your imagination.

If you’ve been curious about how the rest of the album fares, you’ll be pleased to know that Chaos Reigns does not let up its hail of brimstone. “In Fire” is a maelstrom of riffage that would pair wonderfully with most any High on Fire romp. The howling vocals (clean, yet somehow very, very dirty in spirit) seal this as a most fearsome number indeed.

“The Night Stalker” brings us more of that death 'n’ roll spirit, a flood of hard beaten rhythm, and stinging guitar play. By this point in the album, I’m coming to relish in the apocalyptic grandiosity of its choruses. After “Green River Speaks” I don’t think we have to guess too hard as to what “The Night Stalker” is about.

The vocal reverb on “Tormentor” conjures images of an echoing horde marading their way over the hills, closer and closer to you. In fact, the first thing I thought of was how the coyotes would seize the night, their unhinged yelps darting about from hither and thither, keeping us kids trembling in our beds. In the morning we’d awake to find one or two of our chickens mysteriously missing who’d managed to evade curfew in their pens.

“My Destroyer” is the sixth track, presumably ending the A-side of the record (I’ve not had a chance to consult the vinyl layout for confirmation, it just feels like it should hold that place). A quieter song, the band’s namesake haze pervades the atmosphere conjured by an acoustic guitar, keyboard, and surreal, dreamlike crooning.

“Beyond Perception” returns to the bloodlust of its predecessors, and this is feeling more and more like Halloween territory, as we transition from High Summer to Autumn — joining the great company of menacing bands like Venom, Mountain Tamer, R.I.P. and Acid Witch. The keyboard noticeably plays a more prominent role than in the A-side songs, but you’ll get no complaints from me here, as it suits its purpose quite well in evoking a “chilling” spirit .

“Into The Grave” is another rebellious romper, with rhythm 'n’ riffs that honestly reminds me of the feeling I had at age 13 hearing Appetite for Destruction for the first time. “Heat of the Moment” follows in this same tenor and I’m also more convinced than ever that Chaos Reigns would make a bitchin’ soundtrack to some contemporary horror film. It feels very much in the vein of the wispy Erlkönig by Franz Schubert (a strange point of comparison, I know, but there you have it).

“Breath in the Night,” the penultimate track, is a dark, blood-curdling adventure, making us feel as if we’re madly thrashing about with the pack, our voices unleashed upon both moon and stars. The whole album up to this point makes for a great commute to school or work in the morning, as it’s got that “Wake up! Life begins now!” kind of essence about it.

“Chaos Reigns” is the strange 11th number, which takes the pace down a few notches. Here, I envision the dawn on the horizon, cue for these Wolves in Haze to return to their hovels with satiated appetites, ready to collapse in sleep after a night of terror and revelry.

Today, Doomed & Stoned is delighted to bring you a first-hearing of Chaos Reigns, which releases digitally this Friday, September 3rd, with a vinyl release on Majestic Mountain Records (pre-order here). A welcome expression to add to a handful of outstanding releases we’ve had in this, another year on pandemic planet.

Give ear…

Formed in 2014, Gothenburg-based WOLVES IN HAZE have been circling the pit of ferociously filthy, deviously dirty death metal infused rock and bloody roll since the release of their self-titled debut in 2016, and though it’s been two years since their roiling follow up, a two song 7” ‘All Or Nothing’ (2019), the wolf pack certainly haven’t been hibernating.

The brazenly explosive four-piece Manne (guitar, vox), Olle (guitar), Emil (bass), and Kalle (drums) have shared the stage with the likes of Black Tusk, Skraeckoedlan, and Vokonis, and have been cranking up bawdy bedlam to reach critical mass, which is set to detonate with the release of their single, “Green River Speaks.” A potent omen of what we can expect from their upcoming full-length album, ‘Chaos Reigns’ (2021) which is scheduled for release this September on Sweden’s swiftly ascending heavy rock roster, Majestic Mountain Records in collaboration with Tvåvakt Records.

Wolves In Haze take no prisoners on their gargantuan single “Green River Speaks,” which kicks like a mule from the get-go with an ominous guttural growl. With a blindingly no-bullshit blend of speeding swagger and deviously virulent death boogie to get our motors running, their hard driving sound shamelessly shoves our faces into a seedy underbelly of gloriously sinister thrash rock hell.

Throughout the track we’re absolutely pummeled with a relentlessly crushing heft and razor-sharp riffing which pull tight like rusting barbed wire around stout, crunchy fenceposts of impactful chug, pounding and rhythm and searing riff sequences while masterfully gloomy grit is wielded like a finely sharpened blade in the foreboding vocals which sneer defiantly through barbarous braggadocio.

With cavernously huge yet clear and concise production we feel the raging superpower of Wolves In Haze, which is evident in their super charged, relentlessly catchy and hard-hitting hooks.

The Wolf pack says: “You can call it whatever you want, we call it the mother of heavy dirty rock.” They go on to describe “Green River Speaks” as “The bastard love child of HM2 erotica à la 1989 meets Gary Ridgway. It’s the dirty, missing link between Heavy metal, Punk, Thrash and Doom.”

Uncompromising and unforgettable, Wolves In Haze are going straight for the jugular and are hungry for blood. Get ready to howl at the moon with the wolf pack and don’t miss the worldwide premiere with Doomed & Stoned. “Once it drags you down, you are doomed to follow.”

Chaos Reigns, the brand new, full-length LP by Wolves In Haze will be released in September 2021 on Majestic Mountain Records in conjunction with Tvåvakt Records. Pre-Sale and order information to come.

When it comes to Swedish heavy music, most people think of its distinctive style of death metal, but the Scandinavian country’s hard rock scene is not to be underestimated. Next to glam bands like Hardcore Superstar, Backyard Babies, and of course Europe, there are also a lot of bands that prefer rough edges to their sound, such as The Hellacopters, The Hawkins, and Grande Royale. Plenty of those bands can be found in the roster of The Sign Records. For the past six years or so, the label has been releasing one great Swedish hard rock album after the other.

I try to keep up with their releases as much as possible, but one of their releases I initially missed was the 2019 self-titled debut EP by HOT BREATH. I first heard the record sometime last year, but I was immediately engrossed by the no-nonsense sound of the quartet, featuring members of Honeymoon Disease and Hypnos. One of the benefits of discovering a record late is that you don’t have to wait long for a follow-up, which has now come in the form of ‘Rubbery Lips’ (2021 - The Sign Records).

Hot Breath’s debut offered us a 20-minute burst of rock that echoed the venom and the urgency of late-'60s Detroit bands like The Stooges and MC5. When you press play on Rubbery Lips, the same raw power bursts from your speakers in the form of “Right Time.” There’s no need for fancy intros or subtle keyboards here – this is rock in its most primal form. Anton Frick Kallmin (bass) and Jimi Karlsson (drums) create a thundering base, while Karl Edfeldt and vocalist Jennifer Israelsson unleash one neck-breaking riff after the other. Israelsson pretty much screams out her lyrics, without losing any sense of melody.

During the next half-hour, Hot Breath blasts out another nine tracks of rock 'n’ roll fury. What really stands out is that the band really developed in their sense of melody, resulting in songs that are far more catchy than before. I found myself singing along to tracks like “Magnetic”, “Turn Your Back” and the worst offender, “Bad Feeling,” after my first time listening to the record.

Halfway through Rubbery Lips, the band hits the brakes for a bit on “Who’s the One.” It’s the only track to clock in over five minutes, but every second is used to build up an excellent song. More often than not ooooh-oh-oh choirs make a song tacky, but it works well in this case. The psychedelic toned guitar gets a lot of room to breathe, while the drums and bass drive the song forward to a conclusion that would fit in perfectly on many an occult record.

Hot Breath also take the time to pay tribute to one of their clear inspirations, by covering the '80s Rolling Stones track, “One Hit (To The Body).” Usually it’s quite a challenge to rough up a Stones track, but Hot Breath throw some of their punk ferocity in the mix to spice the track up some more.

If you like your hard rock deeply rooted in the late '60s and early '70s, but with some more punch, you’ll find a lot to love on Hot Breath’s first full-length. At certain moments, you might wonder where you’ve heard a specific riff or fill before, but that doesn’t matter much. This record sounds so authentic and fun that you’ll play it again anyhow.

And now, Doomed & Stoned is pleased to bring you the world premiere of 'Rubbery Lips’ (2021) by Hot Breath, out Friday, April 9th via The Sign Records on CD, several varients of vinyl, and digital format (pre-order here), but streaming today c/o Doomed & Stoned!

Give ear…

Formed just two years ago, it didn’t take long for the potential of the proggy doom trio OCKRA to be recognized. Recently, Alex Spielhaupter (bass, vox), Jonas Nyström (drums, backing vox), and Erik Björnlinger (guitar) inked a deal with Argonauta Records for the global release of their inaugural EP, ‘Infinite Patterns’ (2020).

Today, Doomed & Stoned has the second single from that record in our hot little hands and we’re eager to share it with you! But first, some buzz:

The band, who has its roots in western Sweden and southern Germany, plays a mixture of doom metal and progressive rock with a great devotion to dramatic melodies, big riffs, and catchy vocal arrangements.

While the members have a history of several other bands and gigging in their portfolio, which covers a range from Swedish punk to psychedelic, doom and stoner rock sounds (EPA, Det stora Tågrånet and Sulphur Dreams), OCKRA evolved out of their musical backgrounds.

The band’s first output showcases the heaviness of a doom steamroller crushing ears and minds into a diverse blend of a progressive and heavy rock vibe.

'Infinite Patterns’ was produced by the trio itself, mixed by Peter Voigtmann (The Ocean Collective, Heads.) at Die Mühle studio in Hamburg, Germany. Female guest singer, Ammy Olofsson from Swedish punk bands Lastkaj14 and EPA, gives all of these four tracks a unique, punkish attitude.

OCKRA’s Infinite Patterns unwraps on March 20th and you can pre-order it through Argonauta Records. Having given us a taste of the opening number, “In A Dream,” the band now brings us the evocative third track, “Ruins.”

It’s a bit tricky to draw a direct comparison between OCKRA and other acts. After all, it’s not often we hear a band attempt blending progressive rock with doom metal! Thus you’ll pick up on elements of Pallbearer, High Priest, and Wolf Blood in “Ruins,” but “In A Dream” catch rhythms more akin to the eccentric Mr. Bungle. The give-and-take contrast in vocal harmonies also reminds me of Worm Ouroboros.

A common denominator grounding all the songs on OCKRA’s new EP, however, is that the sound is quite moving. Be assured, this will elicit an emotional response. With that in mind, I think we’re ready to take this one out for a spin, don’t you?

Give ear…

The Swedish power trio MONOLORD released their new album on September 20th. That album, called ‘No Comfort’ (2019), contains six tracks of sludgy, doom-inspired heaviness. It also marks their debut for Relapse Records.

The vinyl version of this comes in an edition of three records, each with two tracks on them, and comes in a few color variations. It was also released on cassette, compact disc, and the normal digital formats. I thought the three-record edition sounded cool, and, even though I didn’t get it on vinyl, I talked about it as if it was that version during this review.

Record A starts the album off with the utterly heavy use of slower tempo riff work. The track, “Bastard Son”, shows off a sound that will absolutely crush you. The guitars are just brutal in terms of enormous sounding tone, and that slow tempo makes everything sound so huge. “Bastard Son” was the only track I’d heard even a little bit of before buying it, but what I heard was good enough to make me order a physical copy on CD; this is definitely the standout track of Record A.

My favorite track on No Comfort is called “Larvae.” Within this nine-and-a-half minute journey one will find everything they love about Monolord. The down-tuned sludge riffs, a bit of psychedelia, drumming that is perfect for their sound, and the always great vocal work we’ve come to expect from this band. This track is the highlight of Record B, so let’s move on to the high point of Record C, a song called “Alone Together.”

As I listened to the beautiful parts of “Alone Together” I felt a wave of melancholy sweep over me. Goosebumps arose on my arms, my heart sped up, and my eyes began to feel the wetness that is a prelude to tears. At the same time I was blown away by the utter beauty of the guitars. From the slightly overdriven tone during the intro, to the clean acoustic of the verses – it was almost too much for me. That’s not even mentioning Thomas’ fantastic vocal performance. This may tie “Larvae” in terms of my favorite track.

Monolord created a fantastic record with No Comfort, one that is worth buying in any format you prefer. Do yourselves the favor of giving this great record repeated listens, you’ll be glad that you did. Enjoy!

There’s something extraordinary to me about one-man projects, whether we’re talking the singer-songwriter experience, a mastermind who assembles a crew to carry out his vision, or just one dude doing it all. Gothenburg-based creator Alex Stjernfeldt brings all three elements together in his project NOVARUPTA. Formerly of great Swedish post-metal behemoth The Moth Gatherer (which he co-founded), the new album ‘Disillusioned Fire’ (2019) features numerous collaborations, as well.

While his earlier work explored themes of striving for hope amidst darkness, Novarupta is unafraid to explore the depths of darkness itself. The band’s name in Latin means “newly erupted,” and may also bear reference to the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. It happened just a hair over 100 years ago in the Alaskan Peninsula and was far and away a fiercer blow than Mount St. Helens.

Certainly, the urgent sound Novarupta proffers is an eruption of sorts (song titles even reflect a volcanic event, see: “Pyroclastic Flows”), spewing pent-up toxic gas comprised of confusion, regret, and sorrow mingled with rage. This sludgy mix is juxtaposed with the post-metal tranquility of an unspoken sky above, an unforgiving wilderness below.

Each song in the six-track epic Disillusioned Fire ratchets up the intensity (“Ourang Medan”), torque upon torque (“Stones”) pulling the listener irresistibly into Novarupta’s paradigm of pain (“Mare Tranquillitatis”). Not that this is a torturous listen, but one that has a way of empathetically drawing you closer to the dimly lit flame to appreciate its linger warmth and protect its light against the howling winds of fate, fear, and self-doubt.

Given Novarupta’s backstory (see below), I couldn’t help but find affection for Alex’s project, as someone who often wrestles the bear of depression and frequently finds myself turning nihilistic in the face of a world gone mad.

Novarupta’s Disillusioned Fire will be released on April 29th on CD, vinyl, and digital format c/o Suicide Records (get it). Today, you can hear it all via Doomed & Stoned. Brace yourself and…

…give ear.

Some Buzz

“When the fire fades, the world is a canvas to paint with something new, using the ashes of what used to be.” (Novarupta)

The main constant in Novarupta is Alex Stjernfeldt. In his broken past he has played in bands like The Moth Gatherer and Mr. Death, which both have critical acclaim in the international press. He has also collaborated with Terra Tenebrosa on their album The Reverses. When he left The Moth Gatherer, Stjernfeldt stood disillusioned while facing an uncertain and bleak future. Fueled by depression and frustration and a need to explore a deeper and darker musical direction while also returning to the roots from which he came, the foundation of Novarupta was born.

Blurring the lines between band and project, collective and art, the composing of the debut was a cooperative effort between old and new friends, coming together in an open and creative forum, contributing to what was to become the fittingly titled 'Disillusioned Fire’ (2019).

The record features a host of notable vocalists including Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity), Jörgen Sandström (Krux, ex-Entombed, ex-Grave), Martin Wegeland (Domkraft), Tomas Liljedahl (ex-Breach, The Old Wind), Claudio Marino (Tid), Joel Segerstedt (The Open Up And Bleeds), Jonas A. Holmberg (This Gift Is A Curse), and Ossian Reynolds (Lola Zaza), each adding his own dark tinge to a record wrought with deep, dismal emotion.

Disillusioned Fire was mixed by Kristoffer Folin (Domkraft), mastered by Karl Daniel Lidén (Terra Tenebrosa, Greenleaf, Crippled Black Phoenix) and comes swathed in the cover renderings of Arjen Kunnen (Amenra).

Notes Stjernfeldt of the offering, “To me, this album is the painful beauty that shines through the prisms of imperfections of mankind in a world on the verge of collapse, a journey into the dark parts of the soul and mind, but also a journey of survival, realizing that it is ok to feel this way, that you are stronger than you think. The music is drawn from these places where the esoteric oppression thrives on your psyche. The world took me for a freak, so I used that to create a frequency.”

We’ve witnessed so much incredible music coming out of Sweden over the course of the last few decades – this past year, especially. I was curious about the etymology of the country’s name and, without putting anyone to sleep with an academic lecture, the word “Sweden” can be translated as “One’s Own.” Certainly, that is an apt description of the independent spirit underlying the musical climate of the land where bands like Graveyard, Dozer, Truckfighters, Asteroid, and Witchcraft have made a name for themselves. You may soon be adding EARTH MESSIAH to that esteemed roster.

Today, Doomed & Stoned gives you your first listen to the Gothenburg threesome of Mathias Helgesson (guitar, vocals), Patrik Orrmén (drums), and Marcus Hedkvist (bass), who last year recorded their ‘Nocturnal Thoughtgrinder’ (2017) demo. Their raucous swagger, fuzz-drenched sound, and growling vocals set Earth Messiah apart as a distinct voice in the ever-growing scene and they were signed to Gero Argonauta’s label within short order. Their debut album 'Ouroboros’ (2019) is slated for release on March 1st and we’re about to whet your appetite with the single, “In The Darkness,” which aptly showcases the take-no-prisoners style of this promising band.

Asked for comment, Earth Messiah told us this about the track:

“The song 'In The Darkness’ is about how you sometimes achieve great things under difficult circumstances, like how you sometimes write a killer riff on a guitar that only has three strings or how your depression led you to paint that fabulous painting of yours, how crippling anxiety can be turned to a force forward if you give me a bass guitar and some fuzz”

That I can absolutely get behind!

Give ear…

Some Buzz

Earth Messiah, your next favorite stoner rock band hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, have finally revealed the first details about their upcoming debut album! Titled 'Ouroboros’, the power rock trio’s first full-length has been set for a release on the 1st of March, 2019 with Argonauta Records.

While formed in 2017 by Mathias Helgesson (Unhealth, Ex Lawgiver) and Patrik Orrmén (ex Fuzztrated, ex Rhubarb Blues Band), things hit off directly, the band’s first and heavily fuzzy tracks seemed to come naturally as soon as the two started playing together. With Mathias’ strong songwriting skills and the pounding drive of Patrik’s drums in place, the search began for more band members who would share their mutual vision. In early 2018 they met up with bass wizard Marcus Hedkvist (From Soil, ex Eskatologia) and it was fuzz at first sight, thus completing the trio while Mathias took over the microphone.

Their two track demo 'Nocturnal Thoughtgrinder’ was recorded in late 2017, and rendered in lots of positive feedback and interest in the band, followed by a worldwide deal with Italy’s ever growing label Argonauta Records. Today, Earth Messiah are finally sharing the details about their debut album 'Ouroboros’ and reveal the album cover and tracklist, but also unleashing upon us a first track, 'In The Darkness,’ taken from their upcoming debut.

Says the band: “When we sat down to choose the first single from the Ouroboros-album we really had the luxury problem of having too many single-worthy songs to pick from. Lots of effort, blood sweat and tears had gone into the recording and mixing; and the tracks had grown very dear to us. In the end it fell upon 'In The Darkness,’ track five from the album. It’s the shortest song of the lot, but we felt that it really captured that raw power and impossible groove that we were striving for in the production of this record. And with the listeners of today’s limited attention span, we figured a short song was more likely to be listened to from start to finish. Hope you guys like it as much as we do. There’s going to be a video for it early 2019!”

Summer may be over, but the good times are still waiting to be had and the call the open road is eternal. So put on the new album by HYPNOS and get your ass off the couch. It’s time to get your party on. Set Fire To The Sky is the latest from the lightning-in-a-bottle Gothenburg rockers. You cannot listen to this album without feeling good! Hell, the songs make you wanna dance, even if you are a fumbling, uncoordinated white dude like me. Fans of Danava will dig the wicked hooks and playful vibe.

The vocals are trve metal, while the musicianship tears a page right out of the KISS party rock manual and gobbles it up. “Get Out” is the perfect fuel for getting just about anything done and dig the dual guitar play in “Ain’t No Fuel.” I heaped generous praise on the Swedish axemn in my review of ‘GBG Sessions’ (2018) and I’m doubly impressed by the effort before us. “Set Fire To The Sky” is the perfect late night jam and the epic “Deadline” conjures the spirit of the mighty Dio!

“Time Is Running out” has a spaghetti western vibe to it that makes me pine for the early morning desert sunrises of Arizona and New Mexico. The atmosphere couldn’t be more potent. “Caught In The Night” was debuted as a single by our friend JJ over at The Obelisk and perhaps it’s where many of you got first acquainted with Hypnos. The band’s penchant for storytelling is just magic, something that’s also apparent in the bittersweet and personal song, “Tell Me Goodbye” in a similar vein as “Send Me An Angel” by Scorpions.

The album’s heartbeat quickens yet again for “Looking Out,” a frenetic, adrenaline-spiking number that makes me think of some young romeo frantically dressing and looking for his keys so he can boogie on out before his lover’s hubby gets home. This leads us to the album finale “Slutet,” which means something completely different in Swedish than you might suppose. Basically it’s about something coming to an end – “closed,” as it were. It’s the perfect sunset to the album with its jazzy psychedelic picking set against soft synth tones. But this is Hypnos, so you know the finisher has to be emphatic, and in the track’s last two minutes the band tears loose, pulling out all the stops to make this a song for the ages.

With Set Fire To The Sky the Hypnos star continues to rise and The Sign Records have a bonafide classic of the genre on their hands. Look for its release this Friday, September 28th in digital, CD, and vinyl formats (you can pre-order it right here).

World, this is your wake-up call…

…give ear.

Some Buzz

Hypnos blast off with their new album ”Set Fire To The Sky”. A more high flying and dynamic album that hits Mach 3 on the band’s career. Nine loud rock tracks that hold a playful and vigorous vibe. On their third album, Hypnos have refined their sound together with producer Ola Ersfjord (Tribulation, Primordial, Honeymoon Disease). Stronger songwriting, catchier hooks, together with a groovy rhythm section makes ”Set Fire To The Sky” Hypnos strongest album to this day. Hypnos are establishing their sound. It’s clear that ”Set Fire To The Sky” is the launchpad for the band’s future. The new album is released on The Sign Records on the 28th of September.

It’s hard to mistake the Gothenburg based band’s Swedish roots. The intensity of their approach to music, and how their influences are cherry-picked out of the best of rock history. The pumping bass and epic solos side by side with Linus Johansson’s powerful vocals creates a modern take on classic rock in 2018. The songs were written during the short time frame of two months and show a re-born band on fire. There is both the raw energy that comes with something new and the wisdom from an experienced band on the album. ”Set Fire To The Sky” was recorded during nine days at Studio Ganymeden.

GRAVEYARD has been a favorite of mine since 2011, when I hit up their hometown of Göteborg, Sweden for a few days before settling into Sunderland, England. I was heading overseas to live while working on a degree, though I’d ultimately find gainful employment as a bud tender in Portland – who’d have thought a college boy would find a career selling legal weed? Anyways, while visiting Sweden, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see Iron Maiden, because Iron Maiden is the greatest band of all time (c'mon, people, you know it’s true). They were in the midst of The Final Frontier World Tour and I was going to meet up with a buddy of mine there, Stu. I’d gotten to know Stu through an Iron Maiden fan club and discovered he also lived in Newcastle, so we were practically going to be UK neighbors.

Stu is the one who got me to listen to Graveyard for the first time. Several months before our rendezvous at Ullevi Stadium, he sent me a link to the track, “Lost In Confusion.” “This is the band opening the Maiden show,” he wrote, “Check 'em out!” 'Hisingen Blues’ (2011) was still awaiting release at that time, but I got ahold of the band’s self-titled debut and fell in love. 'Graveyard’ (2007) was so steeped in the seventies sound that it virtually oozed reefer through the speakers. The vintage tube and reel-to-reel sound really played to my soul. I pre-ordered Hisingen Blues straight away, the 18-year old me thinking, “This band is the closest I’m gonna get to seeing someone like Zeppelin.” I had no idea about the explosive growth in store for the stoner-psych scene in years to come.

Now, fast-forward to the morning of September 23rd, 2016. It my last three days managing a month-long tour for Graveyard label mates Mantar and I was preparing my mind for another brutal 8-hour drive. Awakening on the couch of another stranger-made-friend on my 24th birthday, I glanced at my phone to the realization that one of my favorite bands had called it splitsville. “Due to the all so classic reason 'differences within the band’ the Graveyard is as of today officially closed,” the band posted.   Well, Happy Birthday to me! Now get your ass on the road and drive from Minneapolis to Kansas City.   That was a weird day, but lucky for me Mantar gladly obliged my Graveyard listening binge for the entire stretch.

Lyrically, Graveyard always seems to know exactly where I’m at in life’s twisted journey – a phenomenon that’s remained consistent with each new album. Whether I’m jamming “I Ain’t Fit To Live Here” while getting high gazing upon fields of nothingness in the backroads along the Black Hills of South Dakota, on a “Slow Motion Countdown” boarding a plane to cross the Atlantic, or working my ass off in a job and “Longing” for that overdue raise, Graveyard’s songs have been there to sing me the blues. 'Lights Out’ (2012), especially, had this uncanny knack for expressing exactly what I was thinking and feeling in any given situation. I suspect many a fan relates to Graveyard for just the same reason. Here’s a band that really gets it.

Not long after announcing their indefinite hiatus, Graveyard piped up on social media in early 2017 to lay some more heavy new upon us: they would be parting ways with drummer Axel Sjöberg. It felt like a real blow to the gut for those of us who’d connected with the band live. I mean, the energy Axel brought to the stage was pure insanity! Then again, every band from Sweden I’ve seen live seems to have no trouble attracting top dog musicians and stage performers. Balancing bad news with good, Graveyard also signaled to fans that new material was in the works.

That brings us all to 'Peace’ (2018). Joakim Nilsson (guitar, vocals), Jonathan Ramm (guitar), and Truls Mörck (bass) are back with a new drummer in tow, Oskar Bergenheim. “Please Don’t” was the first track Graveyard shared from the new LP and I was thoroughly impressed. Oskar has much more of a Ringo roll-and-fill style than Axel’s crazy, black metal influenced style of drumming. Change noted, but definitely not hated.

To be honest, longtime fans have to realize Graveyard is now a whole new rhythm section. I haven’t seen Rikard play with Graveyard since Sweden in 2011. He was there to help write Lights Out, but had to put some personal matters that took precedence over playing bass in a band. Truls has been filling bass duties since Graveyard’s tour with The Shrine in 2015, where I first saw him play. Truls and Oskar’s dynamic is much different than Rikard and Axel’s, but the difference opens a lot of interesting possibilities for growth. Plus, Truls has been contributing those hazy, Hendrix-like vocals to some of the latter Graveyard tracks, like “Birds of Paradise” (at least I assume that isn’t Joakim singing – if it is, then I’m stunned at his newfound range).

“It Ain’t Over Yet” is probably my favorite track of the record. I think we can all agree that Graveyard knows how to open an album! They always manage to stir my soul, that’s for sure. With the weight of Peace in the balance, it’s safe to say Graveyard is evolving. I think I was just stoned those many years back when I decided to classify Graveyard as “stoner metal.” It’s clear to me now that they’re much more important than metal. They are Graveyard.

Now it’s time for some music that makes you immediately raise your fist in the air and shout a lusty “Hell, yeah!” to the skies. I mean, I don’t care how grumpy you are today (it’s currently unseasonably cold and gloomy in Oregon as I write), this has got to light a fire in your chest and make your heart beat large and loud. Maybe it’ll even pop out your pecs a little, get those biceps pumping again. Can’t do much for that beer gut, though; but hey, you can’t win ‘em all. One thing is certain: you’ll be ready to join HYPNOS on stage for some very spirited air guitar action!

They’re one of the most infectious acts you’re likely to see live, born of the same enchanted soil that has given us Dozer, Graveyard, Greenleaf, Spiritual Beggars, and the Truckfighters. You can go back further than the contemporary scene, to the band that turned the world onto Sweden’s magic at the height of the '70s: ABBA. I mention them because Hypnos have, in this eight-track live session on The Sign Records, whipped up a cover of ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” to join two brand new songs and five of their best-loved hits from the two albums on their previous label, Crusher Records (2015’s Hypnos and 2016’s Cold Wind).

Hypnos should definitely do the North American tour circuit, perhaps grab a few festival stages while they’re at it, because this is A-grade material that will get crowds of any age whipped into a frenzy. New singer Linus Johansson (also of heavy metal band Trial, signed to Metal Blade Records) belts out each of the standards with power, summoning the collective spirit of the trve metal greats in that mighty opener “Ain’t No Fool” (one of the newer numbers) and continues to wow us next with “Border Patrol.” He’s most convincing in the mid-to-upper vocal range, though perhaps less so in the melodic falsetto passages of “Hands of Evil” – but god damn did he pull it out towards the end! Those pipes were meant to be set loose, baby.

I haven’t said anything about the guitar play up to this point, but it is absolutely on-point. That’s not being fair – it’s downright electrifying, virtuosic even. If you’re a fan of guitar solos that ride the boundaries between powerful '70s riffmaking and '80s power metal, and especially enjoy those gorgeous dueling guitars, this is the album for you. Pick any song. Oskar Karlsson and Fredrik Bäckström absolutely bring it. One of my favorites is the saucy “Nightmares,” with that searing blues guitar lead. You’d be justified in expecting some kind of throwback hair metal ballad from this one, but Hypnos just can’t hold back those adrenaline-fueled rock romps! Love it.

The other newbie is “Looking Out,” the shortest track on the record, and it’s definitely one to dance, boogie, or mosh to as you like. I must not fail to heap high praise upon the rhythmic prowest of bassist Anton Frick Kallmin and drummer Hampus Hansson (who I’m convinced could stand in for Animal in Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem any day of the week). Their skill holds together the longer anthems like “1800” and “Mountain” quite nicely, which allows Linus & friends to shine all the more.

My favorite moment, before the ABBA cover, is when the band laughs and exchanges words in Swedish at the end of “Mountain.” I have no idea what they’re saying, of course, but I’d guess it was something like: “God damn, that was a good time.” As for “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” – well, let’s just say it’s the perfect cherry on top of this rocky road sundae (spoilers: a delightful Randy Rhoads-esque solo surprises in the final minute of the song). I don’t have time to do many reviews and I choose our debuts very carefully, so if it sounds like I’m profuse in my praises it’s simply because I had a really fun time with this record.

GBG Sessions was recorded in Gothenburg at Kungsten Studios by Tom Larsson, who couldn’t have captured the magic of “live” more ideally. Look for the new album to drop this weekend, just in time for some 4/20 action, via The Sign Records. You can get it here. Until then, you get to stream it right here, right now exclusively on Doomed & Stoned, so you’d best…

…give ear.

Gothenburg heavyweights CITIES OF MARS recently blew us away with the release of their Doom Charts ranked release, ‘Temporal Rifts’ (2017 - Argonauta Records). It’s a thrilling, hard-charging album, with plenty to keep even the most jaded doomer enthralled. Imagine a Monolord meets Mastodon by way of Monster Magnet and maybe you get close to describing this far out listening experience.

Nowhere is this better illustrated than the track “Caverns Alive!” – which Doomed & Stoned is debuting for you today. It’s a part of a thrilling sci-fi epic that follows on the heels of the band’s previous EP Celestial Mistress (also illustrated by the stunning visuals of Axel Widén). I’ll not give much away of the plot, as I’d much prefer you drift off into the wide-awake fantasy realm of these tripped-out cosmonauts.

“Lyric-wise,” the band recently shared, “we are digging deep into the origins of our saga, with Doors of Dark Matter Pt 1: Barriers being the starting point of the tale that millennia later leads to the arrival of our cosmonaut Nadia in 1971.” The music video before sets the stage for this journey through time and space as we begin our forbidden journey to the ancient Cities of Mars!