Commanding an intoxicating blend of high energy riff rock, with punky grit, downtuned power, and sinister doom metal touches, PEGZILLA is rebellious and unabashed as ever in their wild new single, “Bootlicker.”

You may have encountered the self-described thrusting stoner-doom trio during the pandemic with their EP, ‘Giver’ (2022) or the stand-alone track “Eyes of Phthonos” that followed. Now, as the band gears up for their debut full-length record Disobedience, their sound has ripened and ready to burst.

PEGZILLA’s “Bootlicker” is an anti-fascist anthem, a call to resist; a reminder to stay awake, stay angry and stay sensitized to this crucial moment in time. It’s lead singer and guitarist Olivia Saperstein’s direct response to events currently taking place in the United States.

As you might expect, bands in our scene have a lot to say about the state of the world and these days politics touches all of life, so it’s hard to avoid an opinion altogether. This is nothing new for rock and metal, as it has been notoriously outspoken and anti-authoritarian for many generations (that’s especially true here on the West Coast), and remains one of the most powerful forms of free expression today. “Bootlicker” has got some real kick to it and I look forward to savoring the rest of the album in months to come.

Survivors of this year’s devastating fires in Southern California, Pegzilla are emboldened and ready to stir the cauldron. See them live as they premiere the new single on December 4th in Los Angeles at The Goldfish performing with Ben Katzman and Lord Friday the 13th (get tix here). You can grab “Bootlocker” right here, out December 4th, which Doomed & Stoned is premiering today as an honest-to-goodness, real life music video.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

If Sabbath got hexed by a riot grrrl and dragged through the desert at midnight, you’d get PEGZILLA. The three piece heavy rock band out of Los Angeles California features Olivia Saperstein on vocals and guitars, Juan Barsse on bass, and Ryan Swain on drums. With hints of doom metal, psych and even punk rock it’s hard to fit this rowdy trio into a tidy box. Instead label them one thing: LOUD.

For their first release since reforming and losing their Altadena home in the Eaton Canyon Fires, PEGZILLA is back with “Bootlicker”, the first single from their forthcoming debut album “Disobedience”. The song is a direct response to the current U.S. administration and its inhumane practices. “It’s a call to wake up, speak up for what’s right and resist,” says lead vocalist and guitarist Olivia Saperstein.

The powerful, riff heavy track is accompanied by a blood splattered music video, directed by Monica Moore Suriyage. The video was shot in Altadena at the Pasadena Waldorf School. Connected by Altadena Musicians, the band was proud to shoot in a town they formerly called home. “It was mutually beneficial for both the school, and local Altadena musicians,” says Saperstein, “So shooting there was so perfect.”

The video features campers who kill off their visiting co-eds and dance in their blood. With cameos from members of local LA bands Moonfuzz, Broken Baby, Lord Friday the 13th, and The Holy Cuts, the piece feels like a true community affair.

“Bootlicker” will be released on all music platforms on December 4th of this year, along with the video premiere. The band is set to celebrate their release at the Goldfish LA on 12/04, alongside Ben Katzman and Lord Friday the 13th. Limited 7” vinyl will also be available at the release party!

Houston, Texas powerhouse STONE NOMADS are coming out with a brand new one on Ripple Music today (get it here). To mark this wrecking ball of a release, the band is sharing a new music video, the title track to ‘Empires of Stone’ (2025). The video, featuring live footage, shows how monstrous their sound and presence is on the stage, ranking them up there with bands like Conan in terms of devastating heft and earth-shaking chug.

Been a fan of these guys for quite a number of years and their t-shirt is still in my regular rotation, along with that fantastic cover they did of Trouble’s “The Tempter,” which we featured on The Doomed & Stoned Show. They’ve really upped the ante this time, though (just wait’ll you hear “Mount Aras”).

Empires of Stone will shake up your space. There’s pure metal magic happening here. Vocals are beastly, but can be exaltant like Slomatics. Their sound is sludgy, with a bitter weet sadness like Gates of Slumber, but also gives us a southern touch like Down. Their rhythms are sometimes plodding like Candlemass, but are rampant and unstoppable too, ala Howling Giant.

For all these touchpoints of comparison, however, Stone Nomads have emerged from the scene as a voice to be reckoned with on its own terms. You could definitely point them out of a line-up and say, “These are my guys.”

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

From the heavy heart of Houston, TX, Stone Nomads charts a monolithic path through the darker realms of doom and sludge. The power trio, formed in 2021 by Jon Cosky (Guitar/Vocals) and Jude Sisk (Bass/Vocals), explores the weighty concepts of life and death through a lens of pummeling riffs and a progressive sludge sensibility.

Their sound is a tectonic blend, drawing equally from the classic doom of Sabbath or Trouble and the savage, sludge-laden attack of High On Fire, Crowbar and Obituary. This evolving vision has been captured on two Doom Charts-approved monoliths Fields of Doom (2022) and …At the Gates of Solitude (2023), building towards the imminent release of their crushingly heavy third album, 'Empires of Stone’ (2025) on international heavy powerhouse Ripple Music.

Known for a live show that is both energetic and utterly immersive, Stone Nomads have carved their name across the Texas scene and southern US on stages shared with the likes of Crowbar, Soulfly, The Obsessed, Eyehategod, Elder, Khemmis, as well as on three multi-region headline and co-headline tours, establishing themselves as a formidable and essential live force within the heavy underground scene.

The product of a turbulent era marked by personal tragedy, their forthcoming third full-length “Empires of Stone” channels its raw emotion into both its music and lyrics, exploring themes of fear, societal struggle, and mortality. While showcasing the power trio’s devastatingly heavy evolution, the album also reveals a deeper, progressive side — brooding and expansive.

“It was crafted as a full album experience, with each song fitting in its respective placement to take the listener on a deep, progressive and metallic sonic journey,” says the trio. “Empires of Stone” will be released on classic and limited vinyl editions, CD digipack and digital formats on November 21st through Ripple Music.

As much as I love when heavy music explores realms of fantasy with swords, sorcerers, and goblins, real life is just so much heavier, though admittedly not as fantastic. Life is beset by doubts, fears, imperfections, and human frailty and forgetfulness.

It seems to me a medium as powerful as metal is uniquely equipped to explore this tangled web of complexity. In its latest concept-driven EP, ‘Unwell’ (2025), Wisconsin’s LIMINAL SPIRIT isn’t bashful about facing end of life issues in all its banality, bewilderment, and indignity.

The as now one-man project written, recorded and mixed by Jerry Hauppa does so through jagged powerful, jagged chordal monoliths and angular, jutting rhythms reminiscent of Meshuggah. All of this surrounded by a tangled blackberry vine of dissonance, and marinated in a swirling fog of mournful, groaning guitar ambience that seems to reflect the ongoing decline of humanity, trapped as we are in ghostly boxes of isolation and loneliness dotting endless, flat expanses of asphalt and concrete, awash in artificial light, noise, and pollution.

Dismal as it may sound, let’s be brave and confront reality – our reality – for what it is, shaken awake from the dream state that technological escape has (temporarily) provided. Perhaps we will find the individual and collective gumption to do better, perhaps not. Liminal Spirit invites us to face our demons and find out.

Give ear…

About The Record

Liminal Spirit is a solo project by Milwaukee-based multi-instrumentalist Jerry Hauppa (also known for his work with Deorbit), known for his progressive doom/avant-garde metal and “seance music” designed to channel spiritual passage. He returns in 2025 with his third EP since his self-titled debut in 2023.

Titled “Unwell,” this five-track EP delves into haunting themes of memory, guilt, and spiritual confrontation. By blending progressive doom metal with experimental storytelling, Hauppa conjures what he calls “seance music”, a boundary-pushing sonic ritual designed to evoke shifts between spiritual dimensions. Enhancing its spectral and unsettling aura, three of the tracks feature microtonal guitar work, imbuing the EP with a unique dissonance and ghostly resonance.

“My goal with this record is to explore ideas that represent some of my greatest fears. Having worked in nursing homes, I’ve seen firsthand how miserable they can be. The thought of losing my faculties and facing spiritual judgment terrifies me—and that’s what I wanted to capture,” says Hauppa.

For fans of Skepticism, Jesu, Confessor, Cynic, and Anata, “Unwell” will be available on all major streaming platforms on October 31st, 2025.

Track By Track:

The album starts with the main character, Phillip, being admitted into a nursing home by his two children, Jonathon and Madeline. Phillip is aware that his memory and body are failing, and hopes he was a good enough man to have a rewarding afterlife. He is haunted by the spirits of two children who claim he murdered them years ago. Phillip recalls nothing of the events and doesn’t believe he could do such a thing. During the climax of the record, Phillip is killed by the vengeful spirits, then is cast into hell in the epilogue of the record. The music on the record reflects the uncertainty and horror Phillip feels along the way, and there are multiple calls back to an old song, “Welcome to My World,” by Jim Reeves, that anchor the themes of possession felt through the release.

1. “Admittance” - Phillip is admitted into the nursing home by his children, Jonathon and Madeline. The song feels clean and jazz-inspired, then ends with Jonathon playing Phillip’s favorite song, “Welcome to My World,” to comfort him.

2. “Unwell” - Phillip ruminates on his own character and loneliness, not knowing who he is or what events contributed to his life. The music is disjointed to reflect his mental state, composed on microtonal guitars to create an alien feeling. The sound is more distorted than on “Admittance,” and the level of distortion increases with each subsequent track, leading to the album’s climax and epilogue.

3. “Visiting Day” - Phillip longs for a visit from his children, who checked him into the nursing home, but instead is visited by the ghosts of two children who claim that he was responsible for their deaths years ago. The music shifts to reflect a sinister presence. They tell him they will return in three days and that he is to repent in the meantime, but he has no recollections of the actions of which they speak.

4. “EOLC” - The vengeful ghosts return after three days and make Phillip relive the events of their deaths at his hands. He is physically tortured and killed by them, as the music becomes more sinister and violent.

5. “A Better Place” - Phillip passes into a purgatory where he is judged for his actions, and ultimately cast into hell. The music shifts to reflect the environment as evil, oppressive, and hopeless. The descent into hell is mimicked with a chromatic descending passage.

The marriage of heavy rock and doom metal comes alive in RITUAL ARCANA, aptly dubbed by the band supernatural hard rock. Every element of this record is electrically charged, thoughtfully appointed, and powerful, driven by the combined talents of SharLee LuckyFree on bass & vocals (former Moth), Scott “Wino” Weinrich on guitar (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan), and Oakley Munson on drums (The Black Lips).

Wino is perhaps the most well known in this scene and will be a definite draw for Doomed & Stoned readers, and for good reason. His riffs are undeniably magnetic. There are elements that will take you back to his early Saint Vitus records (the tracks “Road Burnt” and “Subtle Fruits”) which are trademark Wino doom through and through. Others (such as “Occluded”) have that headbanging chug with an ominous low-end that The Obsessed is famous for, and of course the solos that manage to sing in a language all their own – at times soulful and sorrowful, at others maniacal and possessed.

As much as I like Wino’s singing, having SharLee on vox is simply the Midas touch. Her singing is dark, foreboding, and authoritative, perfect for the medium of doom, and she can really soar in frightening and enchanting ways.

Oakley Munson’s drumming is on point. Never sluggish, always keeping the urgency of each song front and center. There’s tangible rhythmic heartbeat to every song.

Ritual Arcana may be my favorite collaboration of the year, issued just in time for the Halloween season. Today, we reveal the title and opening track “Ritual Arcana” in a brand new music video, which will give you a feel for the vibrant nature of the band’s debut. Out January 23rd of 2026 on Heavy Psych Sounds.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Ritual Arcana is the debut self titled full length record manifested by the power of three. A cauldron of doom, hard rock, and the supernatural, this breakthrough album is a ritual, a descent, a death, a resurrection, and a cosmic awakening.

With dark moon above, the candles are lit, and from the depths rises Ritual Arcana. A 3-piece sonic force featuring the high priestess SharLee LuckyFree on bass & vocals (formerly of Moth), the legendary godfather of doom Scott Wino Weinrich on guitar (The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan), and the pirate timekeeper Oakley Munson on drums (The Black Lips).

Ancient gates of destiny open by virtue of key, sword, and feather, as Ritual Arcana unleashes their debut album this January on Heavy Psych Sounds. By the power of supernatural hard rock, the ritual begins, and we set ourselves free.

Six full-lengths, two EPs, strong and steady since 2008. Dang. What keeps North Carolina trio AITTALA going? Sheer compulsion for music making is my guess. There’s nothing like the experience of the real thing, despite the obscene ease and seductive sophistication of AI fakery. To hear and feel heavy music live from their minds and voices and hands of real human beings just like you – well, there’s just nothing like it. Bands with stubborn longevity like Aittala serve as an inspiration to the scene. Pick up an instrument, get to jamming, let your voice be heard.

If this is your first encounter with the band, perhaps “Isolation” is as good an introduction as any. Mysterious strumming, powerful emphatic chords, and wall-shaking disruption clears the path for soulful, soaring guitar soloing and somber Gothic intonations.

The words are relatable to everyone who has felt isolation in the wake of family breakdown, fallen idols, and the loss of true community. We are increasingly siloed into a lonely, virtual existence, housed conveniently in cages of wood and plastic and concrete, subsisting on artificial, processed, and packaged goods churned out by humanless factories. It’s a nightmare that H.G. Wells, Orwell, and Huxley hinted at but could have scarcely envisioned in its nihilistic, nightmarish reality.

Lyrics are stained with regret, lamenting a life devoid of meaning, where technology has eclipsed talent. The machine has been slowly replacing us all for generations, now accelerating humanity into the unknown. With little to believe in and reality on a shakey basis, more and more people are wondering, “What’s the point?” and losing themselves in a soul-crushing death spiral of drugs, alcohol, greed, violence, debauchery, and inevitable madness.

Born with an expiration date
Blessed with the curse you cannot escape
The taste is so bitter sweet
When you learn you’ve become obsolete

Aittala sees clearly in these desperate times, which makes their sound all the more compelling. Witness the gravity and might of “Isolation” now, as Doomed & Stoned brings you its world premiere. It comes from their new EP, “Ill-Gotten Gains’ (2025), available soon on Exitus Stratagem Records (get it here).

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Genre-blurring metal duo AITTALA returns with their latest and second EP of 2025, "Ill-Gotten Gains,” dropping November 21, 2025, via Exitus Stratagem Records. The EP’s lead single, “Isolation,” is accompanied by a gripping music video that captures the emotional weight and sonic depth of the track.

“Isolation” sets the tone for the EP with its doomy atmosphere, heavy guitars, and unexpected time signature shifts. Lyrically, it explores the consequences of past decisions, a theme that runs throughout the entire release.

The music of AITTALA (pronounced ‘EYE-tah-la’) crosses many metal genres; it’s hard to put it into just one category. The sound infuses elements of classic heavy metal, doom, progressive, power, thrash, and hard rock with lyrics drawing inspiration from the darker side of the human condition. The AITTALA sound has been cited for being unique, which is no easy feat in the metal genre.

The first incarnation of AITTALA was formed in 1991 while Eric was living in the Netherlands. With fellow American Tim on vocals and Dutch bandmates Ed (drums) and Jon (bass), the band became a staple of the Dutch metal scene.

With the release of the 3-song EP 'Selling Heaven’ in the summer of 1993, AITTALA opened for such bands as THE GATHERING and SADIST. Unfortunately, as the demo started to create a buzz in the underground European metal scene, Eric had to return to the US and disbanded AITTALA.

In 2008, the time was right to resurrect AITTALA. From 2009 to 2022, AITTALA released 6 full-length albums: 'Bed of Thorns’ (2009), 'Haunt Your Flesh’ (2011), 'Effigy’ (2014), 'American Nightmare’ (2016), 'False Pretenses’ (2019), 'Live to Regret (2022) & Machines (EP 2025). Each release showcases a natural progression of songwriting and lyrical content but retaining the core AITTALA sound and evolving it.

The current lineup of AITTALA consists of Eric Aittala on guitars/vocals and Gary 'Zeus’ Smith (THE FIFTH, ex-MR BLACKWELL) on drums. They continue to write, record and tour to bring AITTALA to the masses.

LACERTILIA are about to bring full-blooded rhythmic energy to your weekend with a brand new music video. Their new album, ‘Transcend’ (2025) is heavy rock at its lustiest, and more than that really: a trip for mind and body.

As with the other songs on the new album, “Weird Scenes,” delves into thought-provoking sonic spaces. Says the band:

Imagine living your life over and over again, learning from your mistakes as you go, spiritually evolving over countless eons and eventually ascending to the higher astral plains, only to be kidnapped by outer dimensional soul snatchers as soon as you got there? Imagine that this was in fact a short snippet from an infinite series of nightmare scenarios conjured up by a malfunctioning artificial intelligence? Imagine that the singularity has already happened, life isn’t real and you are actually trapped inside a simulation?

Strap yourselves in for “Weird Scenes,” a fuzz and wah drenched, garage rock stomper from Lacertilia’s forthcoming album 'Transcend’. With nods to '60s psychedelia and '70s riff rock, this track is far-out, fun filled, heavy, trippy and groovy.

'Weird Scenes’ is the second single taken from our third album 'Transcend’ due out on 24/10 via Majestic Mountain Records. Taken from live footage of Lacertilia’s 10th Anniversary Show at The Globe in Cardiff, captured and edited by Dan Donnelly at Bewt Studios.

This record is one wild ride folks, so hold onto something steady!

Give ear…

Some Buzz

Lacertilia stand out as a fearless blend of psychedelic soul and heavy riff warfare, rooted in their Welsh stoner rock identity but unafraid to draw from cosmic textures, primal energy, and punk-inspired vigour. For the past decade, the Cardiff-based quintet has been a formidable force in the UK’s heavy psychedelic sphere, forging a reputation as purveyors of high-energy, cosmic rock. They have seamlessly bridged the worlds of underground punk, metal, and stoner rock, delivering their high-energy cosmic sermons everywhere from DIY stages to hallowed European festival grounds like Hellfest in France, Freak Valley in Germany, Desertfest London and their biggest headline show to date: the 10th anniversary show in Cardiff in 2024.

Their recorded journey maps this evolution: from the explosive arrival of their 2015 debut EP “Crashing Into The Future” through their 2016 LP “We’re Already Inside Your Mind” and the raw power of the “Live at Hellfest” EP, to the lockdown-forged introspection of their 2020 sophomore album, “Calling The Quarters”.

Their sonic evolution culminates in their forthcoming third album and Majestic Mountain Records debut “Transcend”, which sees the five-piece refining their explosive sound, merging the massive riffs and spacey explorations they are revered for with darker, more intricate textures of folk, prog and post-rock. The result is a heavier, more dynamic listen that charts a course through themes of profound personal growth and transformation, grappling with the nature of reality, existential dread, the breakdown of relationships, and the future of mankind.

Coming on October 24th, “Transcend” is the culmination of a decade of growth — a mind-altering sonic statement from one of the UK’s most compelling underground rock acts.

Lacertilia is:
*Matt Fry – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
*Lucas Zalunski – Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
*Michael Young-Temple – Electric Guitar, Djembe
*Ed Hughes – Bass
*Carl Richards – Drums

You can just tell when a band has chemistry. DUSTED ANGEL has the raw energy of Helmet and all the brash, in your face attitude of Mudhoney. Not a new band, by any means, jamming since 2008, but now landing on so esteemed a label as Heavy Psych Sounds, the band is finding their way to many new ears in the heavy underground.

The Santa Cruz, California band (made up of Clifford Dinsmore on vox, guitar slingers Eric Fieber and Eddie Gregor, bassist Elliot Young, and drummer Steve Ilse), are riding the crest of a comeback wave following their last album in 2010. All the more remarkable and heartening, considering the many trials they have fought through to get to this moment. Now on the other side of COVID’s nightmares, Dusted Angel brings us their second full-length ‘This Side of the Dirt’ (2025), 8 tracks in all.

It’s stoner doom as it’s meant to be, with lead-heavy chords you can feel right inside your chest and a defiant punk ethos. Rage Against The Machine comes to mind, but Dusted Angel has more of a rubber meets the road chug – the kind of rhythm that makes you wanna break 55 every time you drive.

They’ve held their own on stages throughout the years with the best of them, paired with bands like Fu Manchu, High on Fire, and Melvins. Good rough 'n’ tumble company, for sure. With this fiery vibe, you can’t help but get caught up in the punchy surge and defiant electricity of songs like “Kiss of Shame,” their first single “Death Crushes Hope,” and the music video we’re premiering today: “Plastic People.”

Look for Dusted Angel’s This Side of the Dirt, out September 19th on vinyl and digipak via Heavy Psych Sounds (pre-order here).

Give ear…

Dusted Angel’s journey is one of passion, perseverance, and reinvention. Fifteen years after their debut LP “Earth-Sick Mind”, the sleeping giant awakens to delight the masses with their bulldozer-like blend of heavy rock, punk rock, metal and desert riff worship, topped with Dunsmore’s commanding vocals. Whether slow-burning or full-throttle, their music is built for volume, leaving audiences battered, blissed-out, and begging for more. The fiery quintet is back and ready to sweep everything away in its path, and you’re more than welcome to hop aboard this crazy party train!

Lead singer Clifford Dinsmore shares the origins of the band:

“At the end of 2008, when I first heard that Bill Torgerson (who I’d played with for years in Bl'ast!), Eric Dog Feiber, Elliot Young and Scott Stevens were jamming I was instantly curious. When mutual friend Kieth Meek told me they wanted me to join I had to see what this is all about. Hearing The Thorn and Seeking The Dawn for the first time blew my mind and I was all about being a part of this project. After I wrote a song called Dusted Angel, we mutually agreed that would be the name of the band.

"We were very active in the first couple years, playing live constantly. We released a 7” and our full length, Earthsick Mind. When we lost Bill Torgerson, it was a severe blow to the band because he is such an irreplaceable drummer. In my mind there was only one strand of hope and one man for the job: Steve Ilse! When I approached Steve, he was busy and extremely hesitant. When I told him he was the only person that could ever replace Bill, he reluctantly joined on a part time basis. When Scotty began to have severe problems with nerves in his arm and hands we began our descent into obscurity.

“We were still playing a few great shows a year with the likes of Fu Manchu, High on fire, Melvins, Red Fang, Radio Moscow, Chrom, and other friends bands that would momentarily resuscitate the motivation. I never lost interest in Dusted Angel, and always dreamed of the day we could be more than a side project. After I had survived two different kinds of cancer and Scotty left the band, our friend Donny Champion sat in for a brief period on second guitar. Then the whole COVID-19 nightmare happened and I did a year of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.

"When I came out of the fog and was able to function again we began doing limited shows with one guitar. We decided we wanted to dedicate more time to Dusted Angel and our search for a second guitar player began. Eddie Gregor was an old friend and was always around, blowing our minds with his guitar playing. When I asked, "What about Eddie?” Everyone just assumed he was too busy. When I finally asked him what he thought about being in the band, he said he had recently pictured playing with us while watching us perform. When he decided to give it a shot, things instantly gelled.

“The rest is history and for the first time in years we were able to feel like a real band again. Since his induction, it’s been non stop momentum. Incredible live shows, recording the new record, signing with HPS, and the opportunity to finally take Dusted Angel around the world. We look forward to whatever happens next!”

First of all, can we just give a lot of overdue appreciation to the fact that there are still hard-gigging bands out there that play with the kind of urgency as IVY GARDENS. You can damn AI music straight to fiery pits of hell; this is where the real sound and fury is at.

Another thing I appreciate about Ivy Gardens is all the dark humor. You see it in their new music video, with its Red Fangish tongue-in-cheek adventure. This one features a vintage style videotaped car chase, which would play well off a viewing of V/H/S/94. …Fake blood ahead…

We’re arrested right away by the powerful strumming of the guitar as “Eye Witness” opens. Drumming is crazy, a frenetic attack of Animal from The Muppets, chasing that beat all over the place. “This is a piece we kept cramming with ideas until it was one of the most dense pieces of music on the record,” the band says, noting its intricate rhythms.

Of course, the classic organ-sound of the keyboards adds a certain kind of spookiness to it all, which can be at once cheeky, mysterious, and cool. I myself love this send-back to ‘60s rock, while respecting that Ivy Gardens brings us a sound that clearly feels “now.”

Detach from your cybernetic tethers and experience these sounds in real life, real time, and full body as Ivy Gardens presents its Live or Die tour. Kicking off late August through October, the band stretches their travels from shore to shore across Canada (dates/locations below) – including a beautiful city I recently visited, Halifax. Ivy Gardens is one of many great touring bands up there we’ve covered in these pages over the years.

Look for the band’s second LP, 'Death of Don Valley’ (2025), out in full August 29th on Paper Cut Recordings (get it here).

Give ear…

Ivy Gardens - Live or Die Tour

Aug 29 - St. Catharines, ON - Warehouse Concert Hall
Aug 30 - Toronto, ON - Monarch Tavern
Sept 5 - Kitchener, ON - The Golden Apple Sept 11 - London, ON - TBA
Sept 12 - Windsor, ON - Phog Lounge
Sept 13 - Sarnia, ON - AJs Bar
Sept 18 - Halifax, NS - Radstorm
Sept 19 - Sydney, NS - Daniels Ale House
Sept 20 - Charlottetown, PEI - Babas Lounge
Sept 21 - Moncton, NB - TBA
Sept 25 - Woodstock, NB - Montieth Manor
Sept 26 - Montreal, QC - Turbo Haus
Sept 27 - Quebec City, QC - Sonum
Oct 9 - Barrie, ON - CW Coops
Oct 10 - Sudbury, ON - Townhouse Tavern
Oct 11 - Thunder Bay, ON - Black Pirate
Oct 12 - Winnipeg, MB - Bulldog Event Center
Oct 16 - Regina, SK - The Cure Kitchen and Bar
Oct 17 - Saskatoon, SK - The Black Cat
Oct 18 - Calgary, AB - Palomino
Oct 19 - Edmonton, AB - Blak Bar
Oct 23 - Kelowna, BC - Dunnenzies
Oct 24 - Vancouver, BC - Black Alley
Oct 25 - Victoria, BC - Fernwood Community Center

SOME BUZZ

Ivy Gardens, the experimental sludge metal band from Niagara Falls, Canada, has announced the release of their sophomore album, “Death of Don Valley”, set to drop on August 29th, 2025, via Paper Cut Recordings. The record marks a bold new chapter in the band’s sound, with more complex compositions, darker themes, and a shift into a more experimental and atmospheric direction.

Formed in the parking lot of Princess Auto, Ivy Gardens’ journey began with a mutual love for covering Rush instrumentals and an obsession with heavy, sludge-infused sound. From those humble beginnings, the band’s unique chemistry and vision have led to the creation of their most ambitious and thematically focused album yet.

“Death of Don Valley” is a concept album, exploring the themes of death, decay, and the unstoppable erosion of life and the environment. The concept is rooted in the history of the Don Valley River, a once-thriving waterway now plagued by pollution and degradation. The album’s artwork reflects this with the haunting image of a corpse between the banks of the flooded river, anthropomorphizing the water itself as it becomes a symbol of death and decay.

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the music is really heating up lately. It’s not just my imagination. There’s a mood in the air so thick you can cut it with a knife and doom provides the perfect soundtrack. The album that’s got me feeling the dankness of summer right now is ‘Strung Out In Hell’ (2025) by Birmingham, UK three-piece MARGARITA WITCH CULT. I swear the band gets better and better with each release.

Scott Abbott’s vocals are as on point as his deadly guitar licks, starting with opener “Crawl Home To Your Coffin,” with that death chant of a chorus. Throughout the album the rhythm remains infectious, with Jim Thing and George Casual festering up a firestorm on bass and drums.

The record even boasts of a Billy Idol cover (“White Wedding” as you’ve never heard it before). Those stomping doom chords are absolutely dominating, and the guitar attack here and throughout the album does not disappoint.

“Witches’ Candle” is the second single and music video, which Doomed & Stoned is revealing today. It’s got a robust NWOBHM beat with elements of stoner rock and dark psychedelia woven deftly throughout, for one of the tightest tracks on the new 9-songer. The guitar screeches like a siren as the two-and-a-half minute pulse-pounder comes to a close, leaving us wanting even more.

You won’t have to wait long. Margarita Witch Cult’s Strung Out In Hell comes out July 18th on Heavy Psych Sounds (pre-order here). It’s pure rocking doom all the way from this power trio. Stick it on a playlist with The Watchers, Hippie Death Cult, Warlung, Uncle Acid and the deadbeats, and Reagers-era Saint Vitus.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Hailing from the home of metal, Birmingham UK, Margarita Witch Cult are the Sabbath City’s newest heirs to the throne of darkness- serving a merciless concoction of stoned sludge, demented thrash, and proto-metal weirdness.

Having released their lo-fi cassette demo ‘Witchfinder’ in early 2022 to international acclaim- being booked for Desertfest London and signing with HPS- the self-proclaimed “disciples of the riff” having been tearing up venues across the UK and leaving audiences aghast in their wake-sinking their claws into all who dare offer up their ears and eyes to their unholy din.

Formed of Scott Abbott (vocals & guitar), George Casual (drums), and Jim Thing (bass), the power-trio are especially stoked to be working with HPS internationally, telling “It’s a stone cold honour to sign with Heavy Psych Sounds, they’re a vital part of the scene and have great fuckin’ taste!”

Margarita Witch Cult captured lightning in a bottle with their 2023 debut- a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it behemoth that saw the band thrash and burn through Europe and the UK, picking up legions of fans and touring with the likes of Cancer Bats, Monster Magnet and Nebula. Now, the Birmingham trio are set to pick their teeth with the bones of their own past- as their second LP ‘Strung Out In Hell’ takes everything that was so compelling about their debut and turns the knob up to 11; rips off the knob; throws the knob into the fires of hell and cackles maniacally in the wake of its demoniacal glory.

From top-to-tail, ‘Strung Out In Hell’ is a cloven hoof to the chest; a dizzying descent through infernus. It will caress you only to chew you up and spit you out. It is the soundtrack to the afterparty of all life on earth. Succumb to its sordid siren song. Bolder, stranger, and downright more mean, there’s no better time to jump on the Margarita Witch Cult train- and it’s going straight down, fast.

Bouncy, insatiable groove meets biting lyrics in the new single/music video from CRYSTAL SPIDERS. In today’s tense and turbulent times, here’s some music you can really cut loose to. A romping, heart-pounding beat sets off opening track “Torche,” one of seven livewires on the new album ‘Metanoia’ (2025).

Metanoia alludes to the changes that come about in a person’s life with some kind of spiritual 180. “The tracks explore personal and collective change, often through tumultuous experiences that lead to growth and new transformation,” says the band.

Today Doomed & Stoned premieres the opening number, “Torche,” which the sets the tone for the album “with its visceral depiction of primal struggle, using fire and light as symbols of both conflict and illumination.” The primal lyrical force is underscored by the fantastic visceral energy of longtime music video maker Chariot Of Black Moth.

Build a tower out of bone and gristle
Rip the nerves right outta the neck
Light em up, raze this town
Bear down 'til you crack their backs

Brenna Leath’s vocals are captured with wildcat ferocity on this recording, produced at Volume 11 Studios by scene legend Mike Dean. The exuberance of this bluesy southern stoner trio, rounded out by Reid Rogers on guitar and Aaron Willis on drums, is simply irresistible. There’s some humid, syrupy doom to be had on the album as well, so when you get the album be sure to check out closing track “O.S.”

Get ready to raise horns, band your head, and feel good! Metanoia by Crystal Spiders is slated for a Ripple Music release on May 23rd (pre-orders available soon here). Stick it on a playlist with Down, Corrosion of Conformity, Motörhead, and Witch Mountain.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Known for their alchemical blend of heavy metal and psychedelic soundscapes, Crystal Spiders delves deeper into the abyss, exploring themes of transcendentalism and expansion in a collection of tracks that is both gritty and beautiful. The band originally emerged in 2019 in Raleigh, NC as the brainchild of bassist and vocalist Brenna Leath, who wanted to explore a new creative path after years performing with Lightning Born. Quickly establishing themselves as pioneers of a new breed of heavy rock and stoner doom, their first self-recorded demo secured them a spot on The Obelisk’s yearly ranking of short releases, followed up shortly by a debut album release with Ripple Music.

Good things come in threes - and the third album from heavy stoner rock trio Crystal Spiders is no exception. For METANOIA, bassist Brenna Leath (Lightning Born) is joined by Aaron Willis on drums (The Hell No, Few Good Things) and Reid Rogers on guitar (Cerebus, Knightmare).

NWOBHM fans will be delighted by Rogers’ blistering solos and hooks paired alongside Leaths’ powerhouse bluesy vocals and Willis’ driving drumlines, and southern, stoner, doom, and sludge fans will appreciate the classic production at the skilled hands of producer Mike Dean, of Corrosion of Conformity.

What is real and what is illusion? It’s a weird question to ask in a world where religion and superstition are relegated to the dusty relics of the past, swapped in favor of seemingly more concrete answers from science, industry, and technology. Yet here we are in this strange hall of mirrors where nothing is what it seems, as AI takes over more and more of the online space (now even music and visual media), making it increasingly difficult to scope out what’s real from what’s not – from the news to relationships. Add ubiquitous mind-altering chemicals into the mix and humanity finds itself drowning in a world of illusions.

They’re taking everything you’ve got
They’re taking your damn pride

Kelowna, British Columbia band SWEETBEAST urges us to “wake up from this Illusion” in their sweeping new single. Undergirding the song, which concludes a powerful new album of the same name, is a dire heart-gripping dirge which sounds ominous as hell. Some of you may prefer the familiar standby description badass, because it totally is – especially when you turn up those speakers with full bass. Some real riff worship here. A slow headbanger you’ll want to experience live.

“The closing track, ‘Illusion,’ serves as a wake-up call to awareness,” says the band. “It encourages listeners to confront the deceptive nature of their realities and societal constructs. The repeated urging to 'wake up’ reinforces the theme of breaking free from illusions that cloud perception. The imagery of ghosts and whispers suggests a yearning for truth amidst confusion, creating a sense of urgency to reclaim one’s identity.”

At 3:29 the band breaks its rusty cage and runs through the dense damp forests, seeing red all around as dizzying panic ensues. Then a return to the damning depths of those downtuned guitars as a coven of acolytes vows to burn the witch.

Grungy heavy rock with fuzzy psychedelic twists win the day in 'Illusions’ (2025), tapping a similar vein to bands like Queens Of The Stone Age, Stone Temple Pilots, All Them Witches, Kyuss, and Alice In Chains. While standing distinctly on their own turf, SweetBeast dishes out addictive grooves and punchy lyrical moments. Out February 21st on Humalien Records pre-order here. You can read more details about the album and this track below.

Now get your get on, as Doomed & Stoned brings you the world premiere of the SweetBeast’s music video “Illusions.”

SOME BUZZ

Hailing from Canada’s Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, BC, SweetBeast is gearing up to make its debut full-length “Illusions” heard by the masses this coming February 2025. Unshackling the first single “Dream Eater” this past November, they are offering the next glimpse into their pressurized sludgy psychedelic stoner rock with their new music video for “Illusion”, which features vocal harmonies done by the lovely ladies of Vancouver trio Space Queen.

SweetBeast’s first studio album “Illusions” is a sonic exploration of shifting realities, blending heavy, distorted riffs with introspective lyrics. It invites listeners to journey inward and outward, reflecting the complex relationship between mind, sound, and reality. The record leans heavily on low-tuned guitars, swirling effects, and a tight rhythm section that creates a dense, atmospheric sound. There’s a hypnotic groove throughout, with moments of psychedelic exploration, where riffs evolve into mind-bending progressions. The songs fluctuate between creative riffs and light, airy melodies that offer a contrast, pushing the boundaries of stoner rock.

The album’s closing track, “Illusion” captures the essence of awakening and self-discovery, with fuzzed-out guitars and emotional guitar solos that drive the message home. Space Queen’s vocal harmonies elevate the song to new heights, creating a rich tapestry of sound that invites listeners to explore the depths of their realities. With its haunting lyrics and dynamic instrumentation, “Illusion” serves as both a rallying cry and a moment of introspection.

The band comments on the making of the song:

“We laid down this entire album, live off the floor, in just 2 days. Now of course there were a few overdubs that we plugged in during that weekend but by the end of the 2 days, all that was left was the mixing and mastering. We also added some special treats post-production that made the songs really pop, like vocal harmonies in the song “Illusion” done by our friends in Space Queen, and a few studio effects for added flavor. When we told the studio what we had planned to accomplish that weekend they thought we were crazy, and said it’s usually at least a week of studio time to get all those songs laid out. But we got it done and couldn’t be happier with the results.”

Cali stoner metal vets DEAR DECEASED stretch back into those exciting experimental days of the early 1990s, when they band broke away from a stereotypical corporate sound and got, well, grungy.. Everything got heavier, it seemed, and much, much more down to earth.

Active in the San Jose area, Dear Deceased members went on to be involved in influential acts of the day. George Rice (rhythm guitar, bass) was the original bassist for High on Fire, for example, and Mitchell French (bass) fronted Operator Generator. Rounding out the group: the husky vocals of Erik Kliever, commanding guitarist Ryan Landes, and bulwark drumming from Chris Musgrave.

Recently, the group announced the special reissue of their early material as part of Ripple Music’s Beneath The Desert Floor vinyl series. The band’s forthcoming full-length is a brawny collection of 8 tracks, a mix of grunge, blues, and some thumping low end. It captures the spirit of an era, with a sound that’s big, sweeping, and audacious, as you’ll hear from the lumbering new single we’re premiering today, opening number “Traffic.”

Look for ‘Beneath the Desert Floor: Chapter 7 - Dear Deceased’ (2024) on Ripple Music, with the album dropping December 9th (pre-order here). A must for fans of Nirvana, Godsmack, Temple of the Dog, and Core-era Stone Temple Pilots.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Californian 90s stoner metal veterans DEAR DECEASED (with former High On Fire, Operator Generator members) are set to issue their early recordings for the first time on vinyl and digital this December 9th, as part of Ripple Music’s “Beneath The Desert Floor” special series.

Dear Deceased formed in San Jose, CA, in 1990. Their heavy, rhythmic sound and complex arrangements took form out of the ashes bands whose members were influenced by everything from West Coast crossover thrash to post-punk, glam rock, industrial, grunge, British heavy metal and especially, Black Sabbath.

The material flowed from the quartet, but they lacked a frontman. So the band continued to play instrumentally until one pivotal show when the audience got a surprise. Nobody in the crowd knew Dear Deceased had invited a vocalist to join them onstage to have a go at singing live. Emerging from the audience, clutching the mic, the unknown singer belted out a song. His soaring vocals meshed perfectly with the band’s angular riffs and pummeling rhythm section. They now had their vocalist.

With the lineup complete, Dear Deceased immediately booked a recording session at House of Faith, the Bay Area studio known for punk and metal run by the masterful Bart Thurber. Initially distributed as cassettes, these recordings soon became coveted cult items among fans. Before long, the band was selling out shows with their intense, live performances. Dear Deceased’s remarkable sound soon caught the attention of record labels. Yet despite the interest, the band dissolved before a label deal could materialize. Lacking the widespread distribution of the pre-streaming era, the music faded into relative obscurity.

Fast forward to years later, when Thurber came across the master tape in his archives. This find led to a revival of Dear Deceased’s music, with Ripple Music stepping in to give the songs a proper release. A new rendition of the band’s art, has been re-drawn by long-time friend Rob Klem in keeping with the band’s original vision and includes an insert with archival photos by Brandy Bennet Jordan.

“Dear Deceased” is the seventh chapter of Californian music label Ripple Music’s “Beneath The Desert Floor” series, which unearths long-lost treasures from the golden days of stoner and desert rock, such as releases from Fireball Ministry, The Awesome Machine, Glitter Wizard, Witch White Canyon, Rollerball and the Sabians.

There’s no denying the deep, groovy, doomy heavy rock vibe of WARLUNG on their new music video, airing the first single from their upcoming 5th studio album, ‘The Poison Touch’ (2025). Lyrics draw upon moments from the original Planet of the Apes movie (I’m talking the one from way back in '68), scripted by classic Twilight Zone writer Rod Serling:

Beware the beast man, for he is the devil’s pawn. Alone among God’s primates, he kills for sport or lust or greed. Ye, he will murder his brother to possess his brother’s land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him. Drive him back into his jungle lair. For he is the harbinger of death.

This screed was preserved in the Apes’ sacred scripture, “29th Scroll 6th Verse,” which is the title of this album-closer. Its truth is self-evident, generation after generation, bringing chills when you hear the words: “No way out…”

“This is an ode to classic sci-fi,” the band explains. “The song warns against the destructiveness of human nature. It’s an interpretation of the Law Giver’s sacred scriptures from The Planet of the Apes lore.”

Warlung’s forthcoming 8-tracker is bursting with energy, made immediately recognizable by the distinctive two-vocalist approach of axemen George Baba and Philip Bennet that deliver some truly effective choruses, with delicious guitar harmonies, hell-yeah solos, and poignant riffs, backed by the stalwart and inventive rhythm section of Chris Tamez (bass) and Ethan Tamaz (drums). These two brothers bring dramatic punch to “29th Scroll, 6th Verse,” making its message all the more gripping.

You can pre-order The Poison Touch starting today on Heavy Psych Sounds, with the release date slated for February 14th on multiple variants of vinyl as well as compact disc and digital (get it here). Mixed and mastered by Travis Weatherred of fellow Houston band Fostermother, whose recent album Echo Manor was lauded in these pages.

Warlung’s tight, highly-charged sound and earnest vocals possess the stage, making them a must-see live, and I know Europe will be pumped to see them in the new year.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Warlung is a Texas band formed by longtime friends and brothers in 2016. Their sound is an ode to classic rock and modern metal, mixing heavy riffs and catchy melodies with a psychedelic twist.

After self-releasing their debut album “Sleepwalker” in 2017, they quickly gained a cult following around Texas, opening for bands like Wo Fat and Dead Meadow. The band seemed to accept that they don’t have to stick to traditional themes and goes for more epic storytelling, helping to further expand their sound.

They wasted no time and returned to the studio to release “Immortal Portal” in 2019, becoming a local favorite to support bands such as High Reeper and King Buffalo. The band promoted their unique sound. playing notable festivals End Hip End It Fest, SXSW, Stoner Jam, Lone Star Unleashed and Ripplefest. They are renowned for their pneumonic rage, utilizing elements of true doom, stoner rock and occult-driven blues.

After signing with Heavy Psych Sounds to release “Optical Delusions” in 2020 and “Vulture’s Paradise” in 2022, they embarked on their first European tour in early 2023. Their wicked riffs, dream-like vocals and sinful solos subdue the listener into a deep state of fantasia. Touring sporadically, they continued to be included on lineups of Desert Rock Fest, Seismic Summer, and Heavy Psych Sounds Fest, sharing the stage with High on Fire, Truckfighters, Bongzilla, Weedeater, Windhand, and Brant Bjork.

Warlung is set to release their fifth studio album entitled, “The Poison Touch” and preparing for another European tour in early 2025.

'The Poison Touch’ (2025) delves deeper into atmosphere while maintaining the gritty undertone that defines us. From start to finish, the listener is blasted with in-your-face raw energy while simultaneously feeling like a hauntingly beautiful experience. This record captures the essence of our live sound while exploring new realms, serving as both a continuation and evolution of our style.

Enter PRAETORIAN, a pummeling sludge quartet from Stevenage, in Hertfordshire, about 27 miles north of London. The band has been at it since 2015, with three EPs to their name, the most recent being A Deluge of Bad Faith in 2022. Now gearing up for their debut LP, Doomed & Stoned is bringing you a first listen to a song from the upcoming Molotov.

In “Fear & Loathing in Stevenage,” the band captures a rotting slice of life. A portrait of bleakness and despair in contemporary England. Misery, isolation, confusion, hatred. It’s a tale told that is increasingly relatable to the world around, as the concrete jungle and all the trappings of artificiality engulf us, removing us more and more from nature, community, and purpose. Plunging us into social, economic, and technological hamster cages not chosen, but inherited. We seem helpless to escape or change our surroundings.

Here I dwell
Drunk with sour
Endlessly
High on strife
Desolate
Hanging Loose
Needlessly
Begging for life

The words resonate, even if you live outside this particular version of reality. There is no compromise in the brutality of the sound, either. This music nails the words emphatically with bloody hammers.

And this is how you do a music video, folks. Pangaksama’s editing and juxtaposition of imagery shows a lot of thought, syncing poignant moments in the song (lyrically and musically) with visceral tableau and searing visual effects.

Recently signed to APF Records (whose roster we’ve featured many times in these pages), Praetorian are slated to drop their debut full length ‘Pylon Cult’ on January 31st, 2025. It’ll be a rude awakening to another new year on space station Earth, but a welcome release for those whose eyes are opened to the comic tragedy of it all. This is a band that commands savagery.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Taking homage from author Hunter S. Thompson’s classic novel of gonzo journalism gone bad, Praetorian have adapted this drug fuelled mania towards the horrors of living in modern day Britain. Showcasing their sharp eye for pitch black humour, lyrics such as “Way to get stabbed outside the Primark” give the song a distinct Englishness… Or perhaps it’s just a typical day in Stevenage!?

The music video matches Praetorian’s violent sound to a tee, a rapid fire stock footage compilation of death, drugs, destruction, decay, disease and maximum dis-ease! 'Fear & Loathing In Stevenage’ boasts acid tongued riffage, maniacal screams and furious drums. The song takes a real turn halfway through, marked with a monstrous breakdown that transitions from thrashy mayhem into ugly, filthy sludge, sounding as if the earth has engulfed you painfully and slowly. Both the song and video are NOT for the faint of heart!

'Fear & Loathing In Stevenage’ was recorded at Bear Bites Horse Studio in London by celebrated heavy music producer Wayne Adams (of Petbrick, Big Lad and Wasted Death). This studio has produced celebrated records from the likes of TORPOR, Green Lung, Wallowing, Kulk, Opium Lord and many more.

From Los Angeles hails the fearsome new foursome GIGANTUM, with seasoned area musicians Mia X (lead vocals, bass) and Blare N Bitch (guitar, vocals) from Betty Blowtorch, Mark Lüntzel (guitar, vocals) from Deathkings, and Chase Manhattan (drums) from Behold! The Monolith. Their new 40-minute self-titled record is an up-tempo blend of psychedelic and punk rock influences with definite doom overtones.

It begins with “Monkey King” and this great climbing bass groove and big drums (inspired by a monkey that ate the sun), and a killer stoner riff at 1:00 and a soulful second guitar. I wish it’d gone on longer, but it is interrupted by Sun Wukong and a return to the punky intro. There is a switch between rhythms and styles done with seamless skill, and Gigantum makes us believers in their sound as a result.

Today Doomed & Stoned is bringing you the lyric video “For All My Friends,” which speaks of the fragility of friendships in this current age. “This is for my friends dead or gone,” Mia X muses with jagged tones. “I may wish you well or nothing at all.” The rhythm feels like someone angrily pacing as they fume about the whereabouts of someone who was once meaningfully present to them.

“Is more poppy with a bit of anger behind it,” explain Nia and Blaire. “It jams out all the emotion. It’s about losing friends either purposely or through misunderstanding or death and the complicated feelings that go along with that.”

“Are you hanging on?” she sings in a way that we can feel her pain. “I try to forget you.” The closing two minutes are a cathartic stretch where no words are needed, just the purifying force of a good ‘70s-style psychedelic proto metal jam. The bass at 4:14 is the kind that you can really feel in your gut with the right speakers, it’s tuned just right.

“Forever Dreaming” has an absorbing rocker that transforms into something radically different, but convincing. There are vocal moments not to be missed in the third minute of the song. I’ll bet this would be downright haunting to experience live. After an interlude that almost becomes timeless, there is an eruption of powerful and emphatic psychedelic rhythms.

“Brain Haze” follows and it came about, Mia says, “when Blare and I were talking about how the mind’s pathways are affected when the brain is on the fritz. Having consciousness during a really hard time, it becomes like a dream where you are disassociated and know what is happening, but you are a passenger in your own life.”

It’s a solid doomer that begins with a banger of a drum intro and big, resounding beats that once again come out really well over a good pair of car or home speakers. “Brain Haze” is a psychedelic fuzz frenzy with a jazzy beat that ushers us into dark rock realms with a dangerous sounding low-end riff. I could hear every instrument distinctly in this mix and with great presence thanks to Charlie Waymire at Ultimate Studios (mastered by Ernesto Homeyer). After four minutes of sinister doom rock, we are transported into something more meditative and entrancing, taking us to a place of calm and assurance deep within our crowded heads, aided by wistful and enchanting blues guitar.

There’s no denying the band’s verve on “Rock Box,” the penultimate track, with its rapid fire percussion from Chase Manhattan (who personally owns 8 drum sets and 80+ snare drums). “Musically,” he says, “it’s our ode to punk rock Gigantum style going 100mph.” This one really rattles with a verve that proves to me why rock 'n’ roll will never die, especially as the planet becomes more paved over. It’s just the kind of vibe people need to let out their steam in this hotbox zoo of 2024. And yes, you get to yell “hey, hey, hey, hey!” to this one which is always fun.

Record closer “Necron 99” is the longest (just 12 seconds longer than “Brain Haze”). It features a solemnly stated intro with wavy hypnotic groove and whispers of “wizards,” inspired the band says by 1977’s WIZARDS, an animated film brought to much of the scene’s attention by Electric Wizard with their own “Wizard in Black.” It’s one of the best songs on the album, with its angry chants juxtaposed with Mia’s wild, unhampered vocals.

The lyrics are not solely fantasy and have a subtext for our world. The song turns into doom 'n’ roll after a freak-out psychedelic solo, followed by a wicked riffing low-end groove, the lead guitar still drunk with psychedelic energy. It was a big, pleasant surprise at the end of this tour de force (listen for the spirited yelp of relief after those titanic closing beats).

It’s wide ranging heavy music odyssey that spans six hefty heavy rock tracks on 'Gigantum’ (2024), and you can get it digitally right here with the wide release date scheduled for September 6th.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Gigantum, a fresh rock band from Los Angeles, USA is ready to show the scene their unique flavor as they release their debut self-titled album on September 6, 2024.

They are now proudly presenting their third single “For All My Friends”, which is another showcase of the band’s ability to blend personal stories with innovative music. Bassist and primary lyricist, Mia X reflects on the song’s creation:

“I love to write. I like hearing what everyone is thinking or feeling and then coming up with a story for it. I need to hear the music and feel it to know what I’m going to say. The instruments always tell a story. Is more poppy with a bit of anger behind it. It jams out all the emotion. It’s about losing friends either purposely or through misunderstanding or death and the complicated feelings that go along with that.”

The band further explains that each of them brings ideas from different musical backgrounds, but with the cohesiveness of having played together previously for a decade. This leads to heartfelt and complex rock n’ roll that is engaging, catchy, and will shake the foundations of all the venues it’s experienced live in.

“For All My Friends” is groovy, foot-tapping fun, and also a “Dear John” letter for anyone that you left or has left you. It is recommended for fans of Iron Blanket, Black Sabbath, and Clutch.