I’m a preacher’s kid and I recall my dad was oft fond of telling folks, “If Satan manifested as a human being, he most likely would not appear as a sinister figure with pitchfork in hand. To the contrary, he would appear as a kindly old man that no one would ever suspect of harming a soul.”

Such a personage is perhaps featured on the cover of Sunbeams Curl, where a hermit bathed in the hue of blood red is seen reading or displaying a book, it really depends on your point of view. Is he revealing it or obscuring it from view? Are we looking at the book’s text or its cover? The writing itself is indiscernible. I tried every which way – left to right, right to left, diagonally, horizontally, vertically, and wondered whether there was a message too deeply coded for anyone to break. One thing is for certain: whether priest or heretic, he knows something that you do not.

If there could be a word picture for “occult” this would be it. Don’t let that word frighten you prematurely; it simply means something “hidden” or “obscured” from normal sight. I suppose this thought could be extended to encompass mystery and malediction as we come to the second record from Sweden’s SLEEPWULF.

Resting somewhere in the neighborhood of Pentagram and Rory Erikson and Uriah Heep, The Kristianstad quartet came to our attention in 2019, with the single “Lucifer’s Light,” and this was followed by a full-length release with vinyl issued on Cursed Tongue Records. They’ve now found a fitting home on Heavy Psych Sounds in the company of Hazemaze, Tons, and Sonic Flower, alongside such scene luminaries as Brant Bjork, Nebula, and Kylesa.

Secrets are revealed on Sunbeams Curl, with the first track boldly proclaiming its allegiances. “Satan Is King” is as blatant a song title as any dreamed up by the anti-rock & metal crowd during the Satanic Panic of the 1980s. Question: Are they being facetious or does the band really buy into The Devil’s Reign? The answer could be neither, as the song could plausibly embody the dire, shaken-voiced warning of some demented old villager, perhaps (and this is a stretch) even from the lips of some Medieval warlock.

The chilling air of urban legends and forbidden tales is everywhere, with “Green Man Dead” holding some contemporaneous significance with its talk of smoke stacks, iron lungs, and contaminated soil. Are we living in the End of Days? Or perhaps the End of These Days? Regardless, it’s not far-fetched at all for me to imagine Sleepwulf songs becoming the nursery rhymes of some sunless generation living in fallout and ashes, the new Ring Around The Rosy.

“Sex Magic Manifestation” is the clear standout of the record, and will certainly find delight among fans of dark rockers Castle, Demon Head, and Young Hunter. The song features an effective three-beat chorus that we may well still be humming by year’s end.

Next up: “Stoned Ape.” The bouncy rhythm of the drums is tempered by chill guitar and buoyant organ tones. The song appears to recount what surely was an auspicious moment in the evolution of our brains – that moment when our ancestors first encountered psychedelic weeds, flowers, and fungi. It’s captured in passages like, “Walk on two feet, you’re cunning by Pete, the stars are your new canopy” and then there’s something about becoming “the gods that you will create” (a fantastic lyric, BTW). Thus ends the A-side. There are four more songs on B, but this is where our stop is.

This week, Doomed & Stoned presents the world premiere of the music video “Stoned Ape” by Sleepwulf, which is now the third single to be revealed from the band’s Sunbeams Curl LP. The release sees light on February 18th (pre-order here).

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Sleepwulf are the new wizards on the block of stoner rock. Stemming the forests of Southern Sweden, they have channeled the sultry sounds of old with modern influences to create a heavy sound laden with psychedelic grooves. Fans of bands such as Witchcraft, Black Sabbath, as well as early Pentagram will find plenty to love here. After making waves with their self-released single “Lucifer’s Light” they were quickly signed to Cursed Tongue Records in early 2020. Recently emerging from the studio, their critically acclaimed debut album is a bonfire of riff heavy music that is sure to set alight any crowd.

Fresh off the back of their critically acclaimed debut album, reaching #3 in the global doom charts. The Swedish doom wizards, Sleepwulf have now signed with label giants Heavy Psych Sounds to unleash their highly anticipated second LP.

Written in the dark days of 2020-21, this new journey drips with the seductive sounds of riff rock psychedelic ecological doom and conjures the echoes of bands such as Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull.

Out of this fire, Sleepwulf have summoned songs that ooze with fuzzy riffs, sordid tales and seductive occultism.

From mountain peak to valley deep, Sleepwulf’s new album ‘Sunbeams Curl’ (2022) is a journey that is dripping with the seductive sounds of riff rock psychedelic proto-doom.

Conjuring the sounds of bands such as Black Sabbath and Jethro Tull, Sleepwulf have summoned an album that oozes with fuzzy riffs, sordid tales and seductive occultism. If the first album was about cycles, this one is about breaking them and its consequences.

'Sunbeams Curl’ delves further into the well of ancient mysticism, alchemy and the occult. The underlying thread connecting it all, is the power of words to manifest reality; in both the individual and the collective consciousness. This extends to the album artwork, with hidden optics and codes. Deciphering these will reap their own rewards.

The album was recorded live in their own woodland studio outside Kristianstad, Sweden. To capture a live organic sound everything was done live onto an old tape machine. This new album is both heavier and more dynamic, building upon every aspect of the last. This is an album with hidden secrets which will unravel in the not too distant future.

They say that adversity builds character. If the musical coming-out after a year of pandemic uncertainty, lockdowns, and fear aplenty is any indication, the heavy underground has been evolving some exciting new strains of creative sonic color. No finer example comes to mind than psychedelic-stoner-space rockers KESEM.

Let’s play name roulette and pretend that band names don’t matter. Just taking the new single/music video “When The Stars Cave In” on its own merits, this is a band I believe you’d get one ear-shot of and immediately want to know, “Who are these guys?”

The organ stands out immediately, conjuring a late-sixties vibe, the forlorn guitar and vocal interplay gives the song immediate emotional weight. The Doors would be proud of the legacy they’ve inspired, and one could see Kesem playing equally well with a more contemporary band like Red Fang, then at times the band surprises us with its surreal, worshipful quality and I imagine an even more profound pairing with Uncle Acid & the deadbeats.

Look for the new album ‘Post-Terra’ (2021), out September 24th on Sentient Recordings (pre-order here). In the meanwhile, I can think of no better introduction to the Kesem sound than “When The Stars Cave In.”

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Hailing from Los Angeles, Kesem, originally formed in 2018. Meaning “magic” in Hebrew, the band’s name aptly summarises their sound. Inspired by the progressive and psychedelic, with some added punk rock influences, the resulting soundscape delivers a captivating effect. Their new album, ‘Post-Terra’, follows the release of their self-titled EP in April 2020.

‘Post-Terra’ (2021), Kesem’s first full-length album, was born with the help of the legendary L.A. punk icon Paul Rossler (Screamers/45 Grave/ DC3) to produce and engineer. The writing process for this album was fuelled by frustrations about racial injustice, the 1% ruling all, and the Trump administration. The result is an epic collection of songs about leaving the world behind and starting anew in the depths of space. ‘No Future’ dives straight into an angsty, rebellious punk setting with a twist of space inspired synths and '70s guitar tones. A dystopian mood is constructed through white noise combined with vibes from punk shows with ringing amplifiers.

In contrast, ‘Let Go’ delivers a serene atmosphere with the beautiful rhythm and blues piano melody, and soothing bass line. The build-up of heavier guitars elevates the track by adding further depth and texture, before emerging into tribal drumming and a seductive Oriental inspired soundscape. The progressive nature of their music explores a diverse spectrum of light and dark ideas, all with the intergalactic narrative ever present. The interplay of instruments across the album leaves no tones or textures off limits.

Creativity flows seamlessly from track to track in ‘Post-Terra’, exploring multiple moods and atmospheres whilst retaining a sound that clearly belongs to Kesem. The emotional frustration and desperation from events over the past year has been poured into their art. Thematically the album explores a narrative that is not afraid to delve into the dark and disturbing. And yet, musically, ‘Post-Terra’ is a thrilling exploration not to be missed.

There are moments in your life when you just know something special is happening. One of those moments for me was upon first hearing “Sulphur Giants,” the 12+ minute epic from the 2012 self-titled debut by JESS AND THE ANCIENT ONES. While the Finnish band’s music wasn’t that original — occult rock bands like The Devil’s Blood and Ghost were already making waves — there was something in their triple guitar sound and the way the track was built up that managed to grab me. During the first days of listening to the song, pretty much constantly on repeat, I kept discovering new touches and details that made me listen to the track again and again. It has been my favorite song ever since.

Throughout the years, the Jess and the Ancient Ones sound kept evolving, spiking their ‘70s influenced rock with '60s psychedelics, garage, and even surf rock influences. Although their previous effort, 'The Horse and Other Weird Tales’ (2017 - Svart Records) was essentially a throwback to the 60’s flower power era, JATAO (now reduced to a five-piece) incorporated enough quirky outbursts and metallic undertones in their music to remain interesting and relevant. After a four year wait, we are finally treated to the next chapter in the wondrous adventures of this Scandinavian pentad, entitled 'Vertigo’ (2021 - Svart Records).

The first thing you notice about Vertigo, even before you’ve heard the record, is the cover. Where the covers of previous records were usually colorful collages, filled with occult and mystical symbolism, this tornado adorned cover is dark and almost nihilistic in style. This change reflects the evolution of JATAO’s sound, because Vertigo is what I imagine acts like Janis Joplin or The Doors would sound like if they’d had the chance to exist past the flower power era and see the world through Black Sabbath’s eyes while embracing the rise of early heavy metal.

Does this mean that Jess and the Ancient Ones drastically changed their sound? As the opening track, “Burning of the Velvet Fires,” will show you, not at all. The tempo runs higher than on their previous effort and especially Yussuf’s drumming is more prominent and metal-oriented, but all the elements that make JATAO so unique are still there. The proto-metal sound is also present on tracks like “Talking Board,” featuring some soundbites from William Friedkin’s 1973 film The Exorcist, as it is with the first single, “Summer Tripping Man.”

On the other hand, there are tracks like “World Paranormal” and “What’s on Your Mind” that are lighter, with something of a '60s pop feel to it, but never sounding dated. That is one of the key strengths of this record and this band in general. They create music that reflects sounds of five or more decades ago, but transport it to this day and age – taking the best of both worlds.

One of my personal highlights on the record is “Love Zombi.” On this track all band members get their time to shine. There’s a prominent role for Abraham’s organ playing and synth layers, supported by excellent riffing from Thomas Corpse, but Fast Jake’s Butler-esque bass work also gets the time to shine while Yussuf sounds like he is destroying his drum kit. Of course, all this wouldn’t be complete without Jess’ sensual and soulful vocals.

Another standout track is “Born To Kill.” On this track, the metal roots of some of the band members rise to the surface. For the first time on the record, the gain on the amps is really turned up and all instruments are following the fast beat of the drums. It’s almost as if Jess and the Ancient Ones got their hands on a discarded Motörhead track and made it their own. Not that it sounds anything like the British legends, but it certainly channels a similar energy.

It’s not until the closing track, “Strange Earth Illusion,” that the band returns to the psych-tinged doom of their debut record. While none of the other tracks surpass the 5-minute mark, this one clocks in at more than 11 minutes. Instead of diving into the track head-first, JATAO takes the time to build up the track and explore lengthier, more psychedelic passages.

Vertigo is yet another great addition to the Jess and the Ancient Ones mythos that expands their sound, but stays true to their psychedelic-garage-doom core. It’s the natural successor to The Horse and Other Weird Tales, like Thomas Corpse mentions in the promo piece: “To me this album sounds like a dark horse – a brother to the previous album. There’s a strange ominous feeling that hovers upon the entire album, maybe it’s the feeling of nostalgia that’s arising from the lyrics.” It’s definitely a record that anyone with a heart for occult rock should own.

Doomed & Stoned continues to explore the incredible explosion of doom metal and stoner rock across the globe, with a long overdue chat with Chinese psychedelic rockers RAMBLIN’ ROZE. “Carrying the heaviness and roughness of early Black Sabbath, stealing the free and ease of Lynyrd Skynyrd,” their bio tells us, “Ramblin’ Roze casts those two spirits into a rusted pointer which swings on the classic rock dashboard. With a dose of raw punk blazing combustion to boost, this old-school rock ‘n’ roll diesel machine which is fueled by blues can strike you with a punch of ruthless backward force.” Join us now as we visit with lead guitarist Wake from Beijing’s premiere stoner band!

Wake, hello and thank you so much for your time! Can you introduce us to who all is a part of Ramblin’ Roze and what do they do?

We are a five-piece band, Tone is the lead singer, Nicholas is rhythm guitar, Chenxi Hao is responsible for the bass attack, and Ning Wang is the drummer. I’m the lead guitar.

Your latest release is 'Howl Of the Coomb’ (2020). Tell us more about it.

This is our first full-length album since the band was formed 4 years ago, and it was set to be released by May, but the release was postponed to September because of the Covid-19. It’s been a tortuous process, but we’re still very excited about it.

We’d love to find out more about your home and the music scene there.

Yeah, we all live in Beijing, but none of us are Beijing locals. We are each from different parts of China.

Beijing has the largest number of rock bands in China, and that’s why we came here. There are a lot of venues and different bands playing every week, playing all kinds of styles, from Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and even Stoner and Sludge, so you won’t get bored here. But unfortunately, some venues are closed due to the Covid-19 this year.

Seems you guys really dig the blues.

We all love the blues giants like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. And there are some influences from Dickey Betts and Eric Clapton.

I really like “Swing Song”! Are there Doors guitar parts from “Waiting for the Sun” in there?

I’m glad you like the song! That’s an interesting idea, I went and listened to the song by The Doors and found that it does have a coincidental melody with the solo. This part I settled on just a few days before recording and I’m sure I hadn’t heard the song before, so it’s even more interesting.

What guitars do you use and what kind of gear do you use?

I mainly use a Gibson Flying V and a Les Paul Standard, and my effects are：535Q Wah, Wampler Velvet Fuzz, Fire Red Fuzz, Micro Amp, and Phase 90.

Who are Ramblin’ Roze’s biggest musical influences?

The biggest influence is Black Sabbath, then there are The Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Mountain, The Black Crowes, UFO, Cactus, Graveyard, etc.

“Southern Reaper” is a kick ass song! Tell me what influenced this song.

I had the idea for the riffs and the general framework of the song, and then we all got it out in the rehearsal room in almost one rehearsal. It was the fastest song we ever wrote!

I wanted a rawer and punchier garage punk feel to the song, with a slow middle section inspired by Black Sabbath.

Is rock 'n’ roll as big in China as it has been in the US?

In China, rock music is not as popular as it is in the US, probably because rock music only entered China in the '80s, a relatively late date.

The first wave of bands that became famous in the early '90s like Tang Dynasty and Black Panther, played a style like Hair Metal and Hard Rock, and they became well known to the Chinese public. But after that, there was less coverage of rock music in the mainstream media.

But things are changing for the better now. Whether mainstream or underground, there is a rich number of bands, which may be unknown to the Western media.

Because of the rise of some band-based TV shows and music festivals, young people are now much more receptive to rock and metal than they used to be. Almost every city in China also has its own Live House.

What are some Chinese bands I should check out?

Listen to these bands, they won’t let you down！Dressed to Kil, Never Before, Los Crasher, GT Bitches, andOmnipotent Youth Society

Where are good places in Beijing to see good rock and metal?

Temple Bar in Beijing you must come and see!

How has COVID-19 affected Ramblin’ Roze?

COVID-19 has affected everyone’s lives. It was a very hard time for us. We were forced to delay recording in the studio for six months, and a whole series of plans for the album and tour were disrupted.

But on the bright side, the virus was under better control in China. We are grateful to be able to tour China later this year and to be invited to one of the biggest music festivals in China (Midi X Eastsea Music Festival).

Now these questions are just for fun. First, what are things that make Ramblin’ Roze laugh?

A good show, or a good beer.

What has been an awkward time for Ramblin’ Roze as a band?

In 2017, the band members were unstable and the band stagnated for more than half a year, which was a rather confusing time.

I’m curious, is there good weed in Beijing?

That’s a good question, but we probably can’t answer it. You can ask the Never Before guys.

If you were able to play in the US, would you? Who would you want with you on tour?

Of course, we would be very excited to play in the U.S. You know we all love American rock music and it would be amazing to show our American rock influenced music to the audience over there, we are looking forward to this day!

We want to tour with Clutch or Rival Sons, Radio Moscow, Orchid, that would be cool!

Wake, thank you very much for your time! You are a great guitar player in a kick ass band!

Thank you, Shawn!

Well here’s something totally unexpected. DEVIL’S WITCHES are taking on Xmas with the XXX song “Sugar Plum.” Accompanied by an age-restricted video by edited by @eastlondonblues, who really brought the goods! This retro blast is a veritable feast for the eyes with plenty of clever innuendos and twisted turns.

Look for this wicked Christmas treat to drop December 18th as a free digital download, then as a limited edition, one time pressing only 7" release paired with two vinyl exclusive acoustic demos never before released publicly (one of which comes from the Cherry Napalm writing sessions). Pre-order this treat via Majestic Mountain Records and Charlie Company.

Now, indulge your senses in the downtuned, fuzzed-up holiday single “Sugar Plum” c/o Devil’s Witches!

Give ear…

I’ve lived in Eugene for a number of years. I’s the second largest city in Oregon, though you wouldn’t know it from how relatively quiet it can be. Yes, there is a scene here (after all, it is the hometown of the mighty Yob) and every once in a while, the heavy underground with birth an incredible band seemingly out of nowhere. During my time here, I’ve had the privilege of filming acts like Ninth Moon Black, dirtclodfight, Psyrup, Red Cloud, Paleons, An Empty Room, and White Wail (to name just a few). When I was given the sad news that White Wail – Eugene’s answer to Kadavar and Radio Moscow – was calling it a day, I felt like Ewan McGregor when he lamented, “You were chosen one!”   Who was going to raise the flag of groovy vibes and dirty rock rhythms now?

Enter: SACRED TREES.

David Rivas (vox, guitar), Trevor Berecek (bass guitar), Eric Endsley (drums), and Sophia Resk (tambourine, percussion) assembled in 2016, which as we all know was a time of tumultuous change. It’s reflected in the frenetic pacing of the first two songs off their eponymous full-length, titled appropriately, “Flying High” and “Didn’t Try.” The band tells me they formed with the intention of playing live versions of the lo-fi bedroom demos that Dave had been making and releasing over the years. Finally bringing that dream to fruition, Sacred Trees have been gigging steadily in Eugene and Portland for a couple years while they refined their sound and chipped away at writing new material.

The album before us is a collection of songs the band recorded at Revolver Studios in Portland by Chris Grey (of sci-fi doom act Menin). By the time we reach “High or Die” three tracks in, we’ve encountered the first bonafide hit of the album. Still married to the reverb-rich ‘60s vocal approach as the first two numbers, this one’s got the slowed-down groove of tripped-out '70s psychedelia with the jaded haze of '90s stoner-doom. I bit hard on the hook of this track’s featured riff and it’s been tugging at me hard for a little while.

Midway through, “Last Hole in the Sapling Sky” puts me in an almost dreamlike state. I am a wanderer through this grove of Sacred Trees, living out a long night of acid-tripping adventure (“Lightning), as I shuffle from one colorful room ("Little Shit Boy”) to the next (“Patriot”), first observing (“Cops Can’t Read”) and then participating (“Meat Wave”) in the spectacle. Believe me when I say, there is absolutely never a dull moment in this house of funny mirrors.

The album closes with “Hammsman,” which was the title of Sacred Tree’s previous album. Donning the cover was a dude drinking Hamm’s beer and it conjured fond memories of the day my college roommate and I discovered the cheap, but refreshing, Minnesota beer and started drinking it for the memes (before the term “memeing” became a part of the popular lexicon). The influence of the Pixies is evident in this song, as is the early psychedelic era of Jefferson Airplane and The Doors. The whole song smacks of faded memories, carefree smiles, and the pleasant buzz of good times – perhaps an appropriate way of summing up the record as a whole.

A Chat With Sacred Trees

Sacred Trees, huh? Just who are you guys and where did you come from?

We are four friends who grew up in the Portland area together and have been jamming off and on since high school. We started this band when we were going to college in Eugene, to play shows with songs that our guitarist/singer Dave had been writing and recording at home. Once we started gigging we developed our own sound and started writing more material collectively. That was three years ago, now we’ve all moved back to Portland and finally got around to recording and releasing our first real album.

You seem to really dig heavy psych rock with a retro flair. What were some of the earliest rock 'n’ roll bands you can remember really turning your head in this direction?

We’ve all been really into doom metal and stoner rock music since we were kids and definitely still take a ton of influence from bands like Electric Wizard, Sleep, Black Sabbath, Dead Meadow, and so on. But when we started Sacred Trees, some of the other bands that we were really into included names like the Brian Jonestown Massacre, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Velvet Underground, the Stooges, and MC5 and we really wanted to do a garage-psychedelic rock thing. Now after playing and writing together for a couple years, our sound is kind of a mix of those two styles and we’re still navigating around how to exist in that fuzzy space between doom and psych.

What’s the secret to pulling this high energy sound off in public, which I know can have some amount of improv to it. I imagine jamming in the practice space and jamming in concert are two different beasts?

Yeah, in the practice space we jam a lot. Basically, someone will bring a riff or something to practice and we get stoned and space out jamming and mess around a lot, and then eventually we work on getting it whittled down into something more concise. We, of course, still try to keep the jamming as part of our live set, but to keep things tight live we try to basically have the live songs pretty strictly mapped out with windows for improvisation, but where everyone still knows when it’s going to begin and end.

Give us a virtual tour of your instruments, gear, amps – the works. We wanna know what tools you’re working with.

So our bassist Trevor has been playing through a ‘67 Sunn 200S for a couple years now and he runs it through an Orange 4x12 cab. That bass rig is pretty solid and we basically used it for the whole album and for every live show. Trev also recently got a Rickenbacker bass that we’re all pretty stoked about. It’s definitely an awesome upgrade for us to get that sweet Ricky bass tone. His fuzz pedal is a superfuzz clone, Marshall super bass overdrive, and SVT preamp made by Make Sounds Loudly down in Eugene – all in one handy, dandy housing.

Dave’s guitar live rig is pretty simple: he has a Gibson SG six-string and an Ibanez twelve-string that he plays through a couple pedals into a Fender amp. He recently started using a ‘71 Fender Super 6, it’s this weird amp Fender made during the '70s that’s basically a twin reverb with six speakers in it – it’s crazy. Revolver studios, where we recorded our album, had a ton of great vintage equipment that we heavily used such as a Vox Phantom twelve-string a variety of fuzz pedals and vintage amps. They had this one weird old amp that was made by Gibson, which had the most amazing long atmospheric reverb I’ve ever heard.

Speaking of which, you dropped a new record not too many months back. Can you unpack it for us?

This album was basically a collection of most of the songs that comprised our sets while we were playing a ton of shows in Eugene. By the time we made this album we knew all these songs pretty well, so once we finished tracking we were able to spend more time on the mixing and dubbing. We recorded the album at Revolver Studios in Portland, which is co-owned by Collin Hegna who played in the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Our friend Chris Grey from Portland doom band Menin – definitely check them out – works with the studio and produced the album for us.

As far as lyrics, we don’t really focus on them a huge amount, because we kind of treat the vocals like another instrument to a degree. basically of the lyrics are about getting high except one song “Patriot” that we wrote like the week after Trump was elected, it’s basically a “fuck America” song, so that’s our one “political” song, I suppose. “Last Hole in the Sapling Sky” is one our bassist Trev wrote, and one of our favorite riffs. I think he got the title from that book the Electric Kool Aid Acid Test.

You’ve got a surprisingly “big” sound for a garage-psych band. How did you manage to capture this so well on record?

As I said before, the folks at Revolver Studios had so much amazing gear there. We could have spent so long just fucking around with everything. We kind of had to reel ourselves in at some point because we were spending too much time being stoned and wanting to add more and more instruments and overdubs to the songs. Some of the gear we used there, addition to our own, included a Fender jazz bass and a Vox Spyder IV bass, both of which were run through our Sunn 200S amp with that orange 4x12 cab, and a custom superfuzz bass pedal from Make Sounds Loudly. Guitars included a Gibson SG and a Vox Phantom twelve-string, played through a variety of Fender amps. Pedals were a range of fuzzes, overdrives, phasers, and tremolo including, but not limited to, the Fuzz Face, Big Muff, Small Stone phaser, and a Sonic Boom by Acid Fuzz with tremolo/fuzz. Also used were a variety of tambourines, maracas, harmonicas, and six-string and twelve-string acoustic guitars.

You hoping to gig some more this summer?

Yeah, definitely. We’ve got several shows lined up right now and we’re always booking more. We played Vancouver, Washington, for the first time on May 26th with Gravity Blanket and Mannequins in Cages. Coming up, we’re performing in Portland with this really cool heavy psych band called Possums on June 13th. I believe we’re also playing in Portland with Robots of the Ancient World on June 29th, which Trevor also recently became a member of.

Since we just moved back to Portland, we’ve been meeting and playing with a lot of new great bands. Our plans are just to keep booking shows and meeting new people, and we want to book a small regional tour in a couple months. We’re also playing the Oregon Country Fair this year, which we are a bit surprised about, but we’re definitely excited to be a part of the 50th anniversary fair – and to scare all the hippies for a half-hour!

Right now we’re also working on recording a new EP that will have a lot of the new material we’ve been working on, of which there’s quite a bit. Since this album was released, we’ve mostly been writing a lot, so we’re excited to finally record some of our new songs and get them out there. We’re also still hoping to hook up with a label soon and potentially release this next ep through it. So if anyone reading works with a label and is interested hit us up! (laughs)

The Great Sacred Trees Giveaway!

Download a free digital copy of 'Sacred Trees’ (2018) by redeeming one of the available codes below at this location. Hurry! These will go fast.

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Steve Gilroy was raised in Liverpool and educated in London. Gil was the firebrand guitarist of the Johannesburg band SUCK between late-1970 and early-1971. This iconic heavy metal band started up in the same year Black Sabbath released their seminal album Paranoid and rose quickly to fame, then suddenly disappeared – all within the span of a single year. But, what a year it was!

Suck changed the face of South African music. The outrageous antics of the band won them notoriety throughout the land. They chopped up pianos, set fire to stages, used colourful language on stage, and smashed up everything and anything around them. They were wild and they were banned from playing in every South African city and major town. They were evicted from what was then known as Rhodesia and escorted to the border by the police. Their only album, ‘Time to Suck’ (1970), recorded in less than a dozen hours at EMI Studios in Joburg, was banned from the South African Broadcasting Company and shunned by many radio stations. Every newspaper carried stories about their wiles, however, for if there was one thing that Suck made sure of, it was that they were being sufficiently noticed.

Suck specialized in an infectious style of acid-soaked hard rock and proto-metal, brought to life its four original members:

• Andrew “Andy” Ioannides (vocals, flute)
• Stephen “Gil” Gilroy (guitar)
• Louis “Moose” Forer (bass)
• Savario “Savvy” Grande (drums)

Now, nearly fifty years later, Suck are finally being recognised for their music and the one vinyl album to their name is currently being sold for about R 18,000 (approximately $1,279 USD). The album was pirated in Europe and Japan with a purple record sleeve and many of these still exist. Not until 2009 was it officially released in the United States, two years after Suck’s mention in the Classic Rock article, ‘The Lost Pioneers of Heavy Metal.’

This is their story as best remembered by Gil, whose recollections are being shared for the very first time in the pages of Doomed & Stoned.

Two Rabbits Runnin’ In A Ditch

“I came to South Africa in April 1970 by invitation of the South African Government as a mechanical engineer. The day I landed, I phoned Eddie Eckstein who was the drummer with the Bats. I met Eddie in England when the Bats were touring there and we played on the same gig. We drank a few beers together and he said, 'Wow, man, you’ve got to come to South Africa. It’s great!’ When I called him he said, 'Shit, you’re really here. Did you bring your guitar? Let’s go jamming!’

"That night he took me to some of the big clubs in Joburg: Club Tomorrow, the Black Out, Ciros, and The Underground. I jammed with the top bands, drank a lot of beer, and had fun. I remember Eddie grabbing a bass guitar – a brand new Fender – off a bass player and performing an incredible head-first roll across the stage. The bass player nearly passed out! It was a night to remember, but how it finished I have no recollection.

"About a week later, when the word had spread one of the bands introduced me to ‘Moose’ Forer. He was a really good, aggressive bass player. We had a few beers together and went to jam with a band. We clicked and blew that club away. Clive Calder and Ralph Simon had just started Sagittarius Promotions. They had heard about Moose and I and they saw an opportunity to do something big.”

Season of the Witch

“Savvy (Savario Pasquale Maria Grande) came up from Cape Town and we played together. Shit! What a drummer. We were blown away! Every number we played was a perfectly timed drum solo from start to finish. Savvy was like Keith Moon of The Who, but Savvy was far better. He was a big part of Suck’s big sound. We had the musos, now we needed a vocalist, a real screamer. Andy Ionidies was a real screamer! Now we had a band.

"Before we even started to play together, Clive Calder organised a record deal. We had just three weeks to get material together for an album. There was no time to write new material so we listened to music we liked and gave it the Suck treatment. Moose and I did write ‘The Whip’ during a lunch break and that was the only original number. When we played it live, I had a cat o’ nine tails and whipped Andy while he was singing. The audience went into spasm!

"We recorded the entire album and a few extras in nine hours. Four hours on one late afternoon and five hours the following morning. That was it, most of the album was recorded in one take and then onto the next song. Everything was on a budget – that’s how we did it in those days. None of this 'We’ve spent six months in the studio’ bullshit.”

C'mon and Save Me

“It was the same story with the poster shoot. We had a photographer booked for three hours one afternoon. We were taken to an old, falling apart house with an upstairs fireplace jutting out of a half-demolished wall. Rick Alexander, the photographer, said, 'That would make a great shot. Can you get up there?’ I went up to see if it was safe and the floor collapsed! I fell through the floor, hit the ground floor, went through that and ended up in the cellar. Moose dug me out of the rubble. We did the shoot, blood running down my chest, my carefully combed hair a disaster and Andy holding me up. In those days you just did it.

"The band took me to Joburg General Hospital and a very Afrikaans matron took one look and told me to come back if I started coughing blood. I said, 'If I start coughing blood I’ll be dying.’ She casually looked over her shoulder and sneered, 'Well, you had better hurry then.’ The guys took me back to the flat, leaned me against the wall, knocked on the door and ran like hell. Lin put me in a bath full of Dettol and started cleaning wounds. It was a big job and involved a lot of alcohol one way or another.”

Hear Me Talkin’ Baby

“Suck never really gigged, we went straight into playing packed stadiums and theatres. There was a huge amount of hype around Suck, but the band was plenty good enough to pull it off. Moose and I perfected the art of smoking huge amounts of grass, drinking insane amounts of beer and throwing up out of lots of windows and all whilst playing never-ending chess games.

"Travelling around was hell. Clive found an old Volkswagen panel van that the Singer Sewing Machine company had put out to pasture. Three guys in the front, and two Marshall stacks, a PA system, a drum kit, and one guy squeezing in between the equipment and the roof. We kept the Singer signs on the van because it was much safer than Suck. South Africa was by most standards a very conservative country and Suck came as a bit of a shock to most. There were quite a few confrontations – a typical example was Pietersburg.

"I think there was an Air Force base there and, while we were unloading the van at the hall, about 40 or 50 guys popped into town to inform us that they had come to ‘f*ck us up.’ We got used to this and the usual procedure was to face them off. My weapon of choice was a heavy claw hammer. Moose had an insane f*ck off sized Bowie knife, Andy had a mike stand with a cast iron base, and Savvy would get hold of anything handy. On this occasion it was a fire axe. We would just stand in a line our backs to a wall, cracking jokes between ourselves, and looking tough. It was obvious that our opponents would suffer casualties and sooner or later our aggressors would chicken out and walk away shouting, 'Fok jou.’ It worked every time, I’m delighted to say”

So Many People I Can Be

“The road was hard and shows were always a long way apart. Sagittarius gave us an allowance of R1.00 per day. That was it! We played to big crowds. I seem to remember at Kingsmead Stadium we pulled about 12,000 people, and we lived on R1 per day. It was enough for Viennas, chips, and a slice of bread. We lived on that.

"Clive Calder learned a lot from Suck. We were his first big band and he went on to the USA to produce some of the world’s biggest bands. Suck was promised an American tour, money and more albums, when suddenly nothing happened! We got to the top in South Africa and there was nothing there. It wasn’t going anywhere. I lost interest in music and went back to engineering for a while.

"I started Mame Enterprises – South Africa’s first nudie photo company. All tastefully presented as an aide to budding artists, complete with drawing instructions. We were banned (I was used to getting banned) and we took the case to the Rand Supreme Court and won. So, the government changed the law and, about a year later, a court case in Pretoria resulted in being banned again, this time for all future publications. The 1974 Publications Control Act was written for me, the bastards.

"Later, I started a small printing company that developed into a pharmaceutical printing business and then I decided to follow my passion: beer! In late 2008 Gilroy’s Brewery, Restaurant and Pub opened in Muldersdrift where my band plays Jazz and Blues on most Friday afternoons.

"Sadly, Andy passed away from a gun accident and Moose was taken by cancer. I’ve heard that Savvy is building racing cars in the Cape and I’m at Gilroy’s having a great time. In the old days Moose and I would play for beer – it seems that I’m still doing that but this time it’s Gilroy Beer!

"It was tough but I’m really glad that I did it. That feeling of being on stage playing with top-end musicians to a raving crowd – there is no feeling quite like it.”

The big thaw is over, spring has sprung, it’s high time for Papa Paul to come out from a long hibernation and go out harvest some of the fat riffs and groovy licks that have sprouted from the fertile soil of the heavy underground! Here are some of his finds.

SKUNK

’Strange Vibration’ (2019) is the second album by Bay Area stoners SKUNK, and it’s dropped just in time to accompany your 4/20 weekend celebrations. Their first album was also released 4/20, if my memory serves me correctly, and whereas the first album was bong-smoking wizard rock, Strange Vibration can be characterized as a goblin rock ‘n’ roll orgy. This time around, SKUNK give us nine tracks of fantasy-filled, drug-induced proto-metal, with a good dose of heavy prog to bring this underground seventies monstrosity of hard rock to life.

Opening with the title track, we pick up on a definite early Rush vibe and a whole lot of Budgie going on, with vocals that land somewhere between Geddy Lee and Burke Shelley. For a contemporary comparison, SKUNK’s vox are definitely in league with Portland band PUSHY.

If you listen closely on the second track, “Stand In The Sun,” you’ll pick up on a Sabbath-style “N.I.B.” riff. On “Light and Shade,” the track that follows, there’s a Nugent-style “Stranglehold” riff. Neither is it a copy, but if you’re doing seventies rock properly some memories around bound to be triggered. After back-to-back listens, I’m definitely in the mood to hear some Budgie. Maybe some “Mahogany Rush” after that. As SKUNK’s likes to say, “The past is yet to come.”

SKUNK surfs the wave of the best of the heavy seventies, adding their own special flare to create one of the year’s best releases to date. It’s bands like SKUNK that make the few of us who spent the last few decades living out of extended time in the seventies suddenly feel current and relevant again. For those who never experienced life before the nineties, Strange Vibration offers plenty of hard-driving Sabbath-style riffs, too. Don’t underestimate how heavy this album can be! Get into a “proper state of mind” as “Wizard Bong” off SKUNK’s first album says and feel these strange vibes. Party on with both wizards and goblins! 🤪 A classic 4/20 song if there ever was one.

High Reeper

‘Higher Reeper’ (2019) is the follow-up album to the self-titled debut by Philly-area band HIGH REEPER. The debut was widely-acclaimed and I personally had it at #3 for the year. It was a straight-ahead doom rocker in the vein of Orchid and the heaviest of the seventies underground proto doom bands. Well, with the title Higher Reeper, you expect more of the same but higher – as in “better” or “more.” And that’s exactly what we have here.

The sound remains basically the same, as High Reeper have essentially established a signature sound by now. Hard and sharp riffs, dual lead guitars with short bursts, and a bass guitar rhythm you cannot help but to bang your head to. Justin DiPinto brings the thunder on drums that makes this “higher,” indeed. The vocals of Zach Thomas are some of the most passionate you’ll find. He has definitely become one of my favorite vocalist of the scene. Zach’s delivery is spot on, and if you get a chance to see High Reeper live, do so. He’s an awesome frontman.

The fist-pumping and headbanging is broken up on the fourth track, “Apocalypse Hymn.” It’s a slow, doomy acoustic poem (or “hymn” as they call it) with soft vocals here that are downright hypnotic. The song overall is quite beautiful and psychedelic. The second half of the album starts out with a slow bass solo riff before taking us back to the signature sound, even quite a bit doomier. The first four Sabbath albums come to mind as fitting companions.

There are eight songs in all that I must have played a dozen times from my promo before the official release date. I know it’s only mid-April, but Higher Reeper is on the fast track for my album of the year. It will surely be on many Best Of lists, that’s for sure.

Sacred Monster

'Worship the Weird’ (2019) is the debut full length album by SACRED MONSTER, which we gave you a first taste of back in January. I mean no exaggeration when I tell you this record has completely rocked my world. It is a very unique album, if nothing else.

Musically, the Chicago five-piece traffics in early metal, even proto-metal, replete with cowbell. Then the vocals kick in. I hesitate to describe them as “death metal,” because I usually cannot tolerate that style, but these vocals rule! They’re definitely of a growling persuasion, but mixed with occasional King Diamond style falsetto vocals.

Each of the eight songs is its own horror story, some based on classic works from the likes of Stephen King and the Twilight Zone, others are the band’s own stories. Throughout the album, we are treated to outstanding proto-metal, proto-doom, even NWOBHM classic metal – all expertly executed. I would love this even if it was an instrumental record. But the vocals, the lyrics, the stories, the passion and theatrics put this over the top.

Worship The Weird is as much theatre as it music. You probably have to go back to King Diamond’s Abigail to find an equally theatrical heavy metal album. This is fun, it’s great music, and I keep playing it even though I’m not supposed to like these kind of vocals. There’s something truly “weird” going here, that’s for sure. Go ahead worship the Weird. I dare you!

Older Sun

After dropping a couple of singles, OLDER SUN have released their debut album. A four-piece hailing from San Francisco, the band plays retro hard rock a little differently than many of the bands I’ve reviewed here in past years. But they are as good as any I reviewed, too. Older Sun are not psychedelic, but rather play straight-up hard rock. Basically, good time rock 'n’ roll, but real heavy. I’m constantly reminded of Kiss and Van Halen while listening to Older Sun.

Fret not if you’re worried, because they’re really not commercial at all. This is heavy enough for our Stoner scene. When I say Kiss or Van Halen I’m thinking “God of Thunder” and “Running with the Devil.” Feel better now? Other bands I’m reminded of are ZZ Top, Blackfoot, The Godz, and a little Grand Funk, too. These bands all wrote memorable songs that were heavy, yet catchy. Older Sun are channeling some of that seventies FM radio magic, but in a Way worthy of the heavy underground.

Thundering basslines and intense drumming keep the album grounded. Electrifying guitar bursts, catchy hooks, strong vocals and sing along choruses make Older Sun’s self-titled album both relevant and fun. An excellent way to introduce friends and family to the sound. This is a good, fun listen. Break this album out at the next party and you’ll be the most popular kid there!

Misty Grey

Here’s a late-year release that really shook up my Best Of list. I really scrambled to fit it into the Top Ten, as a matter of fact. When MISTY GREY sprang up into the scene nearly six years ago, I couldn’t praise the band enough. Their first pair of records featured one of the most bizarre singers in doom history. Though opinion was divided on the vocals, the music won near universal praise.

It’s been almost four years since their last release and 'Chapter II’ (2019) is the most fitting title, because with a new vocalist is indeed a new chapter. Bea is a perfect replacement for former the vocalist. She still incorporates the same witchy conjuring, but does so without that “screech” that not everyone could bear. I myself loved her voice and praised it. I hated to see her move on. But Chapter Two is indeed an upgrade. It’s an upgrade in every way imaginable. The riffs, the guitar play, the songcraft – all an upgrade. You can hear the maturity four years have instilled in the band.

The seventies live in this release, although it’s not really a retro album. Only Sabbath, Pentagram, and maybe one or two others have done anything similar to this. Misty Grey take the same classic approach with downtuned riffs and spritely leads, but add their own touch. It is indeed the “tone” of this album that soothes my soul. Juan Antonio and the band may have discovered the perfect doom key and tone on this album.

The lyrics of all seven songs are based on Alfred Hitchcock movies. They are deep, doomy, and scary. Even sick at times. My favorite song is “Frenzy,” which concerns a psychopathic serial rapist-murderer. This is an album I keep on playing almost daily. It’s addictive. There’s not a lot of diversity in the songs, but that somehow ends up being the strength of the album. Misty Grey take you to a place and just leave you there for nearly 40 minutes. 40 minutes of pure doom bliss.

I don’t think the Norwegian heavy scene gets quite enough love, at least not many know the rich diversity of expression that’s waiting to be found just a few steps underground in a small city like Haugesund. It is here that we are reunited with DUNBARROW, who we’ve had a long relationship with, albeit across great distances.

The band has come a long way since the demo days, but the heart and soul of their sound remains bright and recognizable, a unique example of the classic rock stylings that could have only developed in The Land of Fjords, Trolls, and Vikings. I hasten to add to these national distinctives one of my favorite composers, Edvard Grieg, famous for his short character pieces for piano and orchestra. It may be a stretch to try to connect the dots directly to this proud heritage instead of the more obvious comparator a world away, Pentagram, but I can’t help but think of it every time I listen to this incredible quartet.

In many ways ‘Dunbarrow II’ (2018), the brilliant follow-up to 'Dunbarrow’ (2016) expresses itself in a more nuanced fashion than its predecessor. Don’t worry; there is not an unpleasant surprise to be found on the new record. What you will find is increasing care to craftsmanship and the attention to detail that makes each of these nine songs stand out as individual pieces, with a character all their own.

Not only does the band sound tighter than ever, Espen Andersen (vocals), Kenneth Lønning (guitar), Eirik Øvregård (guitar), Pål Gunnar (drums), Sondre Berge Engedal (bass) have worked hard to wed their sound to words that mine the depths of the human experience and collective psyche. Each track bears a tale – at times cryptic, at times tragic – with the lyrical content matching the musical narrative beautifully (see: “On Your Trail”), even magically (as in the closing moments of “The Wolf”).

Today, Doomed & Stoned is premiering the third single from the new album, “On This Night.” Its words will haunt you, the low-fi instrumentation working perfectly to set the mood. Look for the release of Dunbarrow II on vinyl and CD via RidingEasy Records on September 14th, available for pre-order here.

Some Buzz

There’s a hauntingly classic feel to Dunbarrow’s sound that gives it, in the band’s own words, “an eerie rawness.” It’s not raw in a lo-fi or distorted sense — far from it, the production is exceptionally clean and powerful. It’s the vibe to the music that has a dreamlike and ghostly quality, like a mysterious recording imprinted onto an old cassette tape.

Dunbarrow’s pristine, unadorned sound shares the unpretentious brilliance of classic heavy progenitors jamming in basements and barns, before the big budgets and bloated habits diluted hard rock records into an echo chamber awash in reverb and layered in distant, screeching hobbits. “It’s a heavy sounding record without being just tons of over-distorted guitar tracks,” says guitarist Kenneth Lønning. “We’ve never been fascinated by that, and we’re trying to push in the other direction.” Its heft comes from the band’s use of space in their songs.

Without the Haugesund, Norway quintet’s exceptional musicianship, such an intimate sound would be impossible. Drummer Pål Gunnar Dale sets the skeletal core with driving urgency and tastefully punctuating triplet fills, Bassist Sondre Berge Engedal slinks throughout with the limber bounce of John Paul Jones, while Lønning’s and Eirik Øvregård’s guitars weave dark, bluesy tapestries with emphasis on melodic chord structures without burying them in distortion or other effects. Vocalist Espen Andersen ties it all together with his warm, folky delivery that gives it all the feel of a bygone era of storytelling in song.

“Maybe more than the previous record, this one is more vocal driven,” Lønning says. “But it still has those quirky transitions, eerie build ups, folk-inspired parts and the haunting solos.” Many of the album’s poetic lyrics were written by former bassist/vocalist Richard Chappell, whose writing personifies the group. Along with the album’s running theme of love and despair, is that of recognizing one’s own dark sides and developing your shadows into something you can control, inspired of the work by Carl Jung.

Key to the band’s impressive sound is that the singer is also the recording and mixing engineer. Andersen also recorded the band’s excellent 2016 debut (formally released worldwide by RidingEasy in late 2017), now with more studio experience for both Andersen and the band, Dunbarrow II is a truly refined experience. To further perfect their sound, the group teamed up with one of the most prominent producers in Norway, Christer Cederberg (Anathema, Tristania) for the first few days in order to get the sound just right. Then, Espen did the rest. The result is as eponymous and definitive as its title.

Dunbarrow II will be available on LP, CD and download on RidingEasy Records on September 14th, 2018. (RidingEasy Records)

Regular readers have had a chance to get to know a good number of stellar releases that have come out this year and last out on The Sign Records. Whether we’re talking Demon Head, MaidaVale, Hypnos, Svartanatt, Hällas, or Vokonis (who just signed to the label), we’re starting to recognize The Sign Records for a certain sound – predominantly Swedish artists that are grounded in the rich gene pool of classic psychedelic rock and proto-doom, adding a little “punctuated equilibrium” of their own to continue progressively evolving the sound. At the forefront of this infectious vibe is WHEEL IN THE SKY from Uppsala.

Three years ago, David Berlin, Einar Petersson, Carl Norman, and Daniel Uggla cut loose their widely praise first album Heading For The Night, which my pal Bucky Brown from Doom Charts pinned as “unrelenting ‘70s proto riffs, '80s inspired tonality, with modern Swedish grooves. At times, I hear shades of The Who, while at others I’m just astonished with the superb execution each and every song exhibits.”

Of course, one could add the names Thin Lizzy and Journey to the list of favorable comparisons (the band appears to draw inspiration from the '77 single “Wheel in the Sky” from Journey’s album Infinity). This tendency to plant one foot in classic rock’s past and another in the progressive rock scene of the present is especially evident on their new album Beyond The Pale, which is very easy on the ears indeed.

Today, we’re debuting my favorite single from the new record: “The Only Dead Girl In The City.” The melodic opening riff draws you right in, as do the delicious vocal harmonies. The album is slated for release on August 31 via The Sign Records and the single will be available for your playlists here this weekend. Wheel In The Sky ensures that this summer, more than any other, is all about hard rockin’ good times!

Give ear…

Some Buzz

'Beyond The Pale’ is Wheel In The Sky’s sophomore record, where the Swedish band presents a concept album with darkness and death serving as the primary theme. Featuring a sound pallet of psychedelic rock, Wheel In The Sky provides a death-like sensation, with their overflow of melody and a dark gothic energy. Tracks such as “Burn Babylon Burn” and “The Only Dead Girl in the City” holds both epic elements and catchy pop hooks. There is a feel-good vibe and a dense atmosphere over the track “Undead Love” at the same time as the very spaced out song “Far Side of Your Mind” shows the dynamic of the Swedish group.

Not to forget the band’s obsession with mystical and religious imagery, obscured politics and the morbid fascination for immolations and blood sacrifice, trying hard to incorporate it all into a tasteful setting. There is a peaceful sense of death over the album that will be released the 31st of August 2018 via The Sign Records.

Wheel In The Sky includes David Berlin from the hyped Swedish '90s psych alternative rock band Mother Superior. 'Beyond the Pale’ follows the band’s debut album 'Heading for the Night’ that was the first release from The Sign Records. 'Beyond The Pale’ was recorded during a period of four months.

Wheel In The Sky was on an impossible quest to combine polar rock opposites. AOR walk hand in hand with Garage Rock, Mike Oldfield caught in a love triangle with Patti Smith and Stevie Nicks, Joy Division and Sniff’n the Tears stumbling home together in the dead of night. The band is based in Uppsala, Sweden, a city that has provided sincere rock acts as In Solitude, Watain and Misery Loves Co in the past. Wheel In The Sky is the next chapter, zeroing in on death as a case study.   (The Sign Records)

Sometimes all you need to carry on in the face of adversity, to trudge on through the hard times, is a good song – the right song. Copenhagen’s DEMON HEAD have not just one, but two such songs, timed perfectly for the dazed, frustrated, and angry among us watching a generation quickly loose its way. “We must be brave,” they remind us in the new 7" record ‘The Resistance’ (2018), “there’s no time to waste.”

Of course, most reviews will immediately reference the early-Pentagram influence of the Lieblingesque vocals, but there’s so much more at work here. This reminds me of the whole Vietnam protest era of rock 'n’ roll that gifted us with many of our most memorable and culturally significant songs. More importantly, these bands lit a match to a movement that led to a social awakening – what is now referred to as the counterculture. Many say we need another good countercultural movement to shake up the complacent attitudes that have led to so much suffering, violence, and hatred. If one rises again, music like this will once again play a vital role.

Right on the heels of the very successful album, Thunder On The Fields, Demon Head return with a noticeably more somber tone. Yes, you could argue they’ve always struck a gloomy, graveyard rock pose, but this time it’s about real life monsters. The Resistance, the band says, is a “timeless narrative of the struggles and nightmares of an underground, partisan movement in the face of totalitarian power.”

Demon Head affectionately refer to the two-song EP as “our homage to those who defy tyranny.” This Friday, April 20th, The Sign Records will issue The Resistance on a limited vinyl run, along with the full digital release, and both will be available at that time here). Right now? Right now, there’s a message to be heard. Give ear…

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.

HAZEMAZE

The first studio album by HAZEMAZE lives up to all the promise delivered on last year’s Live At Copperfields…and then some. The Stockholm trio’s eponymous full-length is just about as good as it gets for all the groove it’s giving. As the record spins, its hypnotic gaze takes us back through the maze of time, surrounding us in the electrically charged haze of the feel good era. It sounds for all the world like this could be a contemporary of Ozzy and the boys, though it never condescends to full-on Sabbath worship.

No, Hazemaze has found their own way, niching somewhere between the early styles of doom that manifested on both sides of the Atlantic, though I hasten to add “slow, blues-infused hard rock” might be a better descriptor than straight-up “heavy metal.” That is, unless this exciting release had come out in the seventies. Back then, it would have been considered the epitome of heavy metal, just as Zeppelin and Priest were in my teenage years. Capturing this authentic a sound and making it so alive, so vibrant, so now…well, that is no small feat.

Expect a generous helping of slow, slow riffs in league with the song that started it all: “Black Sabbath.” The up-tempo sections never really make it to the eighties, preferring to loiter in that dank, cold sound that dominated so much of seventies doom. I don’t really hear NWOBHM influences that characterize so many bands today that traffic in “traditional” doom. Apart from Sabbath and Pentagram, a few contemporary bands that come to mind while listening to Hazemaze are Lord Mountain, Iron Void, and to some extent Dunbarrow and Witchcraft.

Truly, a standout album, especially if you’re as diehard a fan of old school doom as I am. Fresh artistry is fully on display all over Hazemaze Give any one of these tracks a spin and you’ll see, though you should be warned (in the words of “Black Mamba II”): “One bite and then you are gone.”

Get It.

RIVER CULT

Here’s a band I’m just discovering. I missed the 2016 debut by RIVER CULT and their subsequent WFMU live sesh, so I’ll be checking both of them out soon. This new five-track album, however, has arrested my full attention. Halcyon Daze has something for everyone, most especially you fans of all things heavy psychedelia. While the classic doom vibes are what initially pulled me in, there’s so much more going on to brand this as a retro album. Really, it can’t be pigeonholed. Even if parallels can be drawn to the likes of Pentagram, River Cult ventures into fuzzier landscapes more typical of stoner rock. Just when I thought I was getting a handle on this band as I listened to one track, they’d break into a lengthy improvisational space jam (ala Earthless) in another and my mind would be blown all over again.

Hailing from Brooklyn, the power trio of Sean Forlenza (guitar and vocals), Anthony Mendolia (bass guitar), and Tav Palumbo (drums) have wrapped up the full package of all things doomed and stoned with this release. In fact, I think a new tag is needed to describe them. Let’s go ahead and label it #full package, why don’t we? Much easier than listing off #desert, #stoner, #doom, #space, #improvisation, #psychedelic, #acid, #retro, and #rock. If you’re reading this review, know that there’s something here for you. Pick up the CD or limited run cassette on Blackseed Records. You will not be disappointed.

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SOUL THIEF

You may not have heard of SOUL THIEF before, but they are one of my top bands. They have two previous releases, a 2012 LP called Funk City Revolution and a 2013 EP called Cosmic Woman. Five years later, my ears are graced with hypnotic rhythms, soul-soothing vocals, and that guitar – oh, that guitar!

It is the guitar playing of Marcus Gage that makes Soul Thief an enduring favorite of mine. It all starts with tone, an effect achieved with a judicious and nearly continuous use of wah or some other sort of fuzz pedal. However one would describe it, ‘Fools and Angels’ (2018) contains precisely the tone I’m constantly on the lookout for, though seldom encounter in the hundreds of records I audit year by year. It is reminiscent of such legendary acid rockers such as Wicked Lady, Andromeda, and The Dark.

Another property of the Soul Thief sound is it’s relentless. You’ve read my lamentations in previous reviews of bands with incredible, but all too brief, guitar solos. Gratefully, that is not the case here. Lengthy psychedelic guitar bursts are not only the norm they are, in fact, the essence of these songs. And as with Soul Thief’s previous albums, this approach totally works.

There is more comprising the success of these songs, of course. The hypnotic rhythm section of Stuart Barton (drums) and Robert Matthews (who’s on bass guitar and vocals, which we’ll touch on later), provide exactly the right backdrop for the guitar to shine. The rhythm overall is tight and in complete harmony, but works almost entirely in contrast to the surges of acid guitar. The beat is almost hypnotic. The symbol playing (if you focus on it) I’m convinced could lead to psychosis. So now, you have these mind-altering guitar solos playing over a hypnotic, frenzied rhythm section. You’d think this album would drive you crazy!

That brings us to the vocals I promised you I’d get back to. I may have never heard such a soothing song style as Robert Matthews. His vocal approach is so relaxing you can almost say Fools and Angels is a mellow album. I personally find it extremely relaxing, in spite of the near constant presence of the cymbals keeping time (especially on the title track) and the inevitable acid attack of the guitar.

The overall success of Soul Thief is their discipline. Each musician stays within himself, letting the contrasts build while maintaining a sense of unity and coherence throughout. For forty minutes, we are treated to the blissful contrast of mesmeric beats, searing flare-ups of hyperkinetic guitar play, and those enthrallingly ethereal vocals. I trust you’ll find the overall listening experience extremely satisfying. Hey, maybe the band really will steal your soul.

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SVARTANATT

The Sign Records is to be applauded for the impressive collection of retro rock acts they’ve added to the roster, many of which have come to be distinguished by their effective use of harmony. The latest release is 'Starry Eagle Eye’ (2018) by SVARTANATT, the band’s sophomore album. Their self-titled debut was also issued on The Sign Records and hasn’t left my playlist since. That first album was slow to catch on. I suppose this was due in part to the band’s Swedish name, which takes at least a few times for us native English-speakers to say correctly.

When word did spread, as it will for quality releases, it engendered high praise, leading to great anticipation of Svartanatt’s second album (helped along by some nifty marketing from The Sign Records). This time, the band seems to have settled comfortably into their sound. Not that it was absent on 'Svartanatt’ (2016), but here it seems to be perfected. As Billy noted in Doomed & Stoned’s track reveal for “Wrong Side of Town,” Starry Eagle Eye delivers a timeless rock vibe. Each song is memorable and demands to be played repeatedly. The overall feel is Thin Lizzy with a jazzy organ, making the songs both charming and heavy.

As I listen, there are moments that remind me of label mates Hällas, who we we reintroduced you to in January with our debut of “Star Rider.” This was not so much the case on Svartanatt’s first album, with the exception of the song “Demon” that gave us hints of where the next album was heading.

Here are nine songs, nine solid hits. I suspect fans of the new Crypt Trip album (reviewed in my last Groovy Reviews) will dig this, too. I’m trying to figure out which one I like more and calling it a tie. Crypt Trip is doomier and darker; Svartanatt’s is more catchy (thanks to those captivating harmonies). My solution has simply been to spin them back to back. Each are outstanding examples of the authenticity of this New Wave of Traditional Rock and Heavy Metal.

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Check out Papa Paul’s choice cuts from the current retro revival in That Seventies Compilation and The Enchanter’s Ball, both available on Doomed & Stoned’s Bandcamp page, here.

    From Houston to Florida, Germany to Denmark, Papa Paul has your fix for the New Year, with a collection of tunes that will help you rediscover your mojo in no time!   Give ear…

CRYPT TRIP

Rootstock! What a great title for what is essentially a roots rock record – a real retro seventies-style rocker if there ever was one. This new album by the San Marcos trio Crypt Trip is in good company, too, joining the likes of Siena Root and others I’ve featured in this quarterly series as shining examples of authentic hard rock.

Hard to believe, but it’s nigh three years since I reviewed the debut by the Texas band. I gave ‘Crypt Trip’ (2014) high praise and it remains my listening rotation still. In the interim since their debut LP, the retro rock scene has mushroomed, both in quantity and authenticity – even in originality. It’s quite an exciting movement to witness and we’re proud to play a small part in documenting it here at Doomed & Stoned.

Since their first release, the boys at Crypt Trip have progressed further down ol’ Mother Road, capturing both the overall vibe and the actual spirit that made the music of the seventies so irresistibly electric. This they’ve done while keeping many of the distinct doom-stoner elements that made Crypt Trip so remarkable. With 'Rootstock’ (2018), Ryan Lee (guitar, vox), Sam Bryant (bass guitar), and Cam (drums) have most definitely hit their stride.

I don’t think anyone will notice this isn’t quite as doom-laden as their initial offering, because the bass lines are so robust throughout Rootstock that it always maintains a heavy feel about it. This and the awesome late-sixties, early-seventies fuzz tone of the guitar always keeps us on our toes. I don’t want to leave out the vocals. Ryan Lee seems like he would be right at home covering the Allman Brothers, UFO, Spooky Tooth, The James Gang, and Atomic Rooster if we asked him politely. In fact, if this band wasn’t 40 years removed from the others, Crypt Trip would pair nicely on a tour with any one of them. Among my peers, there seems to be quite a bit of written about the Allman Brothers angle and I’m on board with that comparison, but would add that Rootstock is far more psychedelic.

My first inclination that this album was going to be a special one arrived about two-minutes and thirty-seconds in, with “Heartslave.” It’s very solid up to that point, with its classic meandering introduction, but when the bass line changes, followed by a hearty burst of guitar, it’s take no prisoners time, baby! I love these long, fuzzy guitar solos, man. The fuzz just really gets me, right here (I’m pointing at my heart, people). I didn’t even notice until the third time listening that the vocal section of the song was quite minimal, only about 30 seconds in total. “Heartslave” is a welcome back party for a solid jam band that clearly loves to play together.

The second track, “Boogie #6,” commences with some laid back psychedelic groove joined by some cool vox, before the tempo decides it’s time to earn that boogie name. The riffs definitely remind me Lynyrd Skynyrd. “We’re all gonna die anyway, so why don’t we all boogie all night.” There’s no way the mosh pit doesn’t turn into a dance floor at this point in a Crypt Trip show!

The third song “Aquarian Daydream” has a tortured beginning, with distorted guitar leading us on a Floydian vision and washed out vocals reassuring us, “We can still reach the river,” as we float along effortlessly on our journey’s way. This is anything but a slow jam, however; half-way in Crypt Trip is already breaking into another jam accompanied by what sounds like organ, but could well be just a pedal effect. It wasn’t hard for me to close my eyes and imagine the Texas trio joining the aforementioned Brothers Allman in a live jam on some dusty summer’s eve.

“Rio Vista” is the fourth song is right into feel good territory. This was very typical of the kind of songs I’d be shaking my money maker to as a teenager. Three of the four songs that follow appeared on 'Mabon Songs’ (2016), a three-track release that includes “Natural Child,” which the band donated to 'Doomed & Stoned in Texas’ (2017) – our ongoing fundraiser for the Houston Food Bank.

“Soul Games” is a nice all-around soulful, funky finisher – and quite an exciting one at that, with its fantastic rhythm guitar play and beguiling vocal harmonies. Fans of Crypt Trip have been patiently waiting for an album of this caliber and, all things considered, Rootstock has been worth the wait. My friend FDJ said in a brief review, “Awesome is too small a word for this album,” and I must happily concur.

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Anyone ready for some stoner rock drawn straight from the hot swamps of Florida? Junkyard Blues Society is serving up a feast of riffs, marinated in southern-style rhythm 'n’ blues and cooked the Jacksonville way. Sure to satisfy your appetite for soulful heavy vibes. This post-100 Watt Vipers, whose album I reviewed last May in these pages. I was saddened when I heard that duo called it quits.

Paul Joseph (aka JBS) is the guitarist and composer of 100 Watt Vipers. As is true of most creative souls, Paul just couldn’t keep the music tucked away silently inside him, so he recruited two new members to replace his previous partner. Hey, the show must go on. That’s Marc Myers you’re hearing on drums and Todd Martin with vocals. Together, they continue in the spirit of 100 Watt Vipers.

Life is not easy and there are times listening to I Ain’t’ No Saint that I think to myself, “You know, this is exactly what I needed to hear.” It’s that feeling you get when you’ve had a hearty, home-style dinner after a grueling day working in the dead of winter. Paul Joseph has written some of the heaviest and meanest blues riffs to date. Here are five songs of heavy rock, swampy blues, and heartfelt passion, with authentic lyrics about the struggles of life. Get you some of this while the kitchen is still serving.

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The Weight have chosen their name well. The trio based in Vienna first appeared on the scene in 2015 with an EP that showed great promise. Now, Tobias Jussel (vox, organ), Michael Böbel (guitar), Andreas Vetter (drums), and Patrick Moosbrugger (bass) have made good on that promise with this eponymous full-length.

Released in December, The Weight squeaked in right at the deadline to make my Top 20 of 2017. This album rocks like it’s 1972 all over again, channeling hard rock classics like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Who, and Grand Funk. The sound is not necessarily as underground as I’m normally on the lookout for, but they flat out nail the core principles of hard rock and heavy prog. We’ve seen retro revivals come and go in spurts in previous decades, but I consider this an important album in establishing that the seventies sound is back and here to stay this time. I expect the scene to explode even bigger and the music to get better than ever in the years ahead.

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Let’s get a little obscure here to finish the piece. The second album by De Forbandede is simply put, brilliant. Hailing from Denmark and singing purely in the Danish language, they put out one intense progressive stoner rock record. Historically, the Danish are known for giving the world a spectacular array of acid-laced garage rock and this is quite a fine example of Denmark’s contribution to the medium, adding a very progressive flow.

Is there really such a thing as stoner-prog? I’ll let you decide, which means you have to play this for yourself. The ever-present swirling tones of the keyboard are just one of the elements typical of prog rock and the riff-centric approach makes this quite evidently a stoner rock album. Warning: your head will bang without giving you much advance notice, so steer clear of drywall (you just patched up that last hole from the big New Year’s party) and wear a neck brace if you listen while driving.

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