Number 17

 

 

Number 17

After those two albums we found on Number 18 yesterday, we’re moving on to Number 17 today where we find one album. An album that might start as a very mid-seventies prog rock affair, but very quickly becomes this all crushing, all leveling blackened and death like metal album. Brutal and sludgy, the combination of those styles continues on throughout the album. Moments of atmospheric and ambient sounds coloring the crimson horror with a touch of psychedelia. Two sides, made up out of three tracks each, give you six tracks in total. Six exotic compositions that tumble over each other as they strive to wow you with their virtuosity and absolute shock and awe principles. All sorts of minor details and different instrumentation gives this entire album an otherworldly atmosphere. Turning it into an album you can't stop listening to. And you long for home and your headphones quickly, whenever you think about it... But when a band starts using the flute on their death metal, you know you will not only be listenening to it at home... Hell, you will need to listen to this absolutely everywhere…

According to all of your votes, on Number 17 we find:



Blood Incantation - Absolute Elsewhere

 

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

Century Media Records

Lucifer – IV

Lucifer – IV
Century Media Records – 2021
Rock, Hardrock, Occult, Seventies, Doom
Rated: ***

Recently an email arrived from one of you crazy freaks out there actually taking the time to follow the HiVe stating that we should concentrate more on the small, beginning and unknown artists. Which we do for the most part. It arrived after the Mastodon post and I guess in that case, another email might or should follow after we mention Lucifer. Founded in Berlin in 2014 the band now operates out of Stockholm, Sweden, where the band had so much time on their hands that instead of waiting another two years to record a follow-up to their third album they’ve already sent out IV out into the world. Their highly pop-sensible choruses combined with the seventies approach to metal and hardrock will forever be their strongest point. And yes, the voice of vocalist Johanna Platow as well. Cause even though she has a certain lackluster, blasé or indifferent quality to her voice, it does fit the music perfectly. It adds to the atmosphere created, the almost nonchalant guitar color, the almost predictable nature of the solo’s and most importantly: those lyrics. Occult clichés and their unadulterated love for them will surely bring out all the lovers of the dark arts. And even though we know when the killer arrives, the Dark Lord emerges or the moon goes out, it is done so damn good, we cannot help but join the Lucifer church, light them pentagram candles and listen to IV whenever we see the full moon arrive…

(Written by JK)

Homepage

Facebook

Instagram

Wolves In The Throne Room – Primal Chasm (Gift of Fire)

 

 

Wolves In The Throne Room – Primal Chasm (Gift of Fire)

The video was released last week and if there ever was a band that can ‘wow’ with their version of Black Metal, it is and shall forever be Wolves In The Throne Room. The new album Primordial Arcana will be released through Century Media Records on August 20th, but the new single Primal Chasm (Gift Of Fire) has arrived to keep us all warm and inflict a burn or two.

Homepage

Facebook

Instagram

Youtube

Horisont – Sudden Death

Horisont – Sudden Death

Century Media – 2020

Rock, Seventies, Hard

Rated: ***

We’ve been mentioning Horisont on the HiVe ever since they started. Their Second Assault album even made it to the Number 16 position of the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown of 2012, which received 56 votes that year. And we’ve been digging the fact that Horisont has always made the record they wanted to make. Which does lead to the albums being a bit uneven perhaps, throwing their influences and loves around like a rollercoaster ride. Highly entertaining and exciting; but it does lead to a different kind of listening session. Especially in comparison to Horisont live. Cause being thrown around in a packed steamy venue fits the experience, being thrown out of your easy chair isn’t always exactly what one wants… And guess what, on their new album Sudden Death they’ve decided to even up the ante on that one! It is still seventies rock; but every aspect of those seventies come up in what form or another. A little bit of prog here, some folk there or even AOR for a guiding line. But a lot of it just seems to be seventies pop based melody love! And we love those sunny upbeat melodies; but we do miss a bit of that hardrock sound we know Horisont also possesses!

(Written by JK)

Homepage

Facebook

Alligator Wine – Demons Of The Mind

Alligator Wine – Demons Of The Mind

Century Media – 2020

Rock, Kraut, Psych

Rated: ****

Named after a Screamin’ Jay Hawkins song this duo has decided to not use any guitar whatsoever! What!? You scream! Indeed, we have a drummer and an organ player that both sing and add extra bits of instrumentation here and there, but no guitar. But then why even talk about Alligator Wine’s new release Demons Of The Mind you ask? Well, cause it’s heavy in a totally different way! Heavy in a kraut way, in a psych way and in an upbeat way that has you envisioning grooving crowds a plenty. Oh, yes, cause I definitely long to see this duo live one day. The kraut is danceable, the psych is catchy and all round rock vibe will surely have you moving along with the rhythm. Will this be for everyone? Probably not, but it deserves to be heard and it deserves your time. If only once… Or, for the long haul and in every dark cellar and festival tent in the future, where we shall go crazy till the sweat drips from the ceiling…

(Written by JK)

Homepage

Facebook

Death Alley – Superbia

Death Alley – Superbia

Century Media – 2018

Rock, Hard, Punk, Proto, Psych

Rated: *****

We never mentioned the damn righteous Black Magick Boogieland album released by Death Alley in 2015. We did ofcourse mention that awesome live album recorded at Roadburn released last year. It summoned the spirit of The Devils Blood and some of that is still there on the new album Superbia. Which is logical ofcourse, since Oeds Beydals, is still the main axe-slinger. But there is also new blood in the form of drummer Uno Bruniosson (In Solitude/Grave Pleasures) and guitar player Sander Bus (The Blues Junkies). Together with vocalist Douwe Truijens they still bring us grade A psychedelic and proto punk hardrock that is raw and gritty and grinds its way into your soul. No, I said it wrong, they now bring us that tasty good stuff that sounds pure and ancient. And with much more progressive touches and seventies explorations. This is no simple Black Magick Boogieland follow-up, this is taking the Death Alley sound to much higher dimension, mysterious and wild! Awesome and impressive indeed! The groove will give you goosebumps and the songs will become your new soundtrack to every superb night in the gutter!

(Written by JK)

Homepage

Facebook

Stoner HiVe’s Top 5 Artists listened to last week…

Stoner HiVe’s 

Top 5 Artists listened to last week…

Ernst Jansz

Radio Moscow

Chelsea Wolfe

Necromandus

Greenbeard

As mentioned before, we returned from a wedding in Salisbury and a month-long trek through Britain just last week. So, there has been a lot of catching up to do, but also a lot of different stuff to listen to in preparation for a few interviews. Hence, the most listened to artist was Ernst Jansz. A Dutch musical legend and co-founder of CCC Inc and Doe Maar for instance. But even though the man is a bad-ass, the music has little to do with all the heaviness we rock out on over here. Like Radio Moscow’s new album New Beginnings. We’ve been following these cats since first meeting them back around 2009 when they played a dusty little wateringhole in Utrecht. And they still soar high on Cream, Zeppelin and Blue Cheer waves. We love their psychedelic rock and we reckon this one is their best effort yet! New Beginnings is out on Century Media Records and deserves everyone’s full attention! Necromandus, the story of Necromandus. Well, we will need more room for that. So we will mention them later on as well. But I would like to make sure that everyone gives this album released via Mandus Music a spin. Fans of seventies hardrock and CCR, Rush and Black Sabbath in special will immediately dig the hell out of it! I’m sure everyone knows about my obsession with Rancho De La Luna and all the people who ever set foot in there. So, when Troy van Leeuwen contributes to the new Chelsea Wolfe album Hiss Spun (out on Sargent House), you’ve got my attention. Aggressive, passionate and heavy! O’ and it also features Aaron Turner of Isis. Extremely addictive stuff! And we are still riding that majestic dragon called Lödarödböl by Texas trio Greenbeard. Such an amazing record! Blistering stoner riffage with bluesy psychedelia, precision vocal tones and a radiant progression of song craft. Let’s keep an eye on Sailor Records cause they’ve been releasing amazing stuff! 

A first week of great stuff and there is so much more! So much more!