Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s 
Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…

Brant Bjork Trio
Lorquin’s Admiral
King Buffalo
The Machine
Motorpsycho
Magic Pie
Master Charger
Monteceneri
Killiad
Mantar

It’s hot over here. We had somewhere around 32 to 34 degrees in the city. Tomorrow, probably 37 or 38. That’s not a good temperature for the Netherlands. But it’s only a few days, so I guess we can live with it. And we know, there are way worse stuff happening across the globe… Plus, we returned from another mini break to the lovely town of Deventer, where we saw a stunning gig at Burgerweeshuis by The Machine, Brant Bjork Trio and King Buffalo. The Machine sounding denser and murkier than before, giving you no time to breathe and searing the sky with their riffs. Brant Bjork, Mario Lalli and Mike Amster grooving away as tight as possible, standing there as if they still wanted to prove something. So intense, so in your face and so fast! They even surprised themselves they still had time left for another song at the end. And another amazing gig by King Buffalo, with a starting salvo of songs that put something like a mean grin into their sound, more power and grit that made them sound even grander. Almost otherworldly good. It’s good Sean started to sing the wrong song at one point, showing us all that they were human after all. Amazing night! Can’t wait to see all three again. That was Friday, the same day we published that long form interview with Dawn and Dandy Brown about Lorquin’s Admiral. Which we also reviewed. And we mentioned that amazing Lifers – The Movie documentary, brought to you by Matt Hartnett from Seismic Sounds and One Palm Productions. A must see! This week. Not sure what we can do, but we also hope to bring you some heat… Some molten riffs and some songs that burn like lava! 

The Spotify Playlist for...

Stoner HiVe's Weekly Top 10 Most Listened

Week 26

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…

Manic Street Preachers
High Desert Queen
Plasticdrop
Acid Magus
Brant Bjork Trio
Pentagram
Warlung
Lorquin’s Admiral
Mouth
Tumbleweed Dealer

And I wish you the best of weeks once again! It’s Monday, my start of the week. Lots of work to be done. So, not sure how many updates we can get out. But there will be some! And if not, there is always that list above for you to check out, the posts from last week and the playlist below. As you can see from the list, the new Manic Street Preachers album has been on heavy rotation, not really heavy underground material of course, but we’ve got an interview with them coming up. And the rest of that list is made up out of last year and new year material! And all awesome!

The Spotify Playlist for...

Stoner HiVe's Weekly Top 10 Most Listened

Week 4

Full Tone Generator – Refuge of Sinners

 

 

Full Tone Generator – Refuge of Sinners
Golden Robot Records / Iron Head Records / Hurricane Music – 2024
Rock, Stoner, Desert, Sludge, Hard, Punk
Rated: *****

As you few crazies that follow the HiVe probably know, we have a gigantic obsession with everything Rancho De La Luna. We even did a Rancho De La Luna Month early on in our little existence. And even though the main man behind Full Tone Generator hails from Melbourne, Australia, the band has close ties to everything Rancho. The first album Valley Of The Universe featured none other than Brant Bjork on drums, their Never To Return live-album had Nick Oliveri on bass and their new one, out since a week, is called Refuge of Sinners and was recorded in the fabled desert hideaway recording studio. Yes sir, a studio in the desert and a true Refuge of Sinners. Produced by the band and master chef Dave Catching, Refuge of Sinners sports nine tracks that all exhume that magical Rancho vibe, the desert punk attitude and that stoner rocking sound of yore. Indeed, the Kyuss low hanging groove here, Mondo Generator speediness there and a whole lotta love for the good and heavy stuff. This is what happens when you put four good ol’ boys from Australia with a penchant for the Palm Desert sound into their most longed for environment and studio. And we should leave them there, so they can produce more of this wild and wonderful ruckus. Kenny, starting the show with that dark and uncanny tone, languidly traversing through a noisy and overdriven landscape, the coyote like guitar howling. Take Me, pushing the needle down, that wild beginning, the rumbling drums, producing a smash and grab attitude, before the guitars kick in and those vocals bring it all home. With a spirit and attitude that hangs somewhere between Garcia and Oliveri, those vocals make this two-minutes-and-twenty-seconds-long rocker, that perfect ripper, that banging almost road rage inducing driving song. Single Juan Carlos has been your go to atavistic stonerrock tune since June 2023 right? It has been for me! For it gives you, out of this world pure and unadulterated generator party heaviness. Fourth track The Snake Charmer can perhaps best be seen as a one minute interlude with those atmospheric Rancho sounds. It does set the scene nicely for middle track and longest cut, Find Out. A mighty flow, that slowly builds through as much of the stoner and desert rock you experience before this track arrived; but also incorporating that seventies touch. Bluesy by default, this track will not bring you down, but will make you fly, soar through endless starry sky. Following Don’t Even Know You continues in that vein, Yeah Hey delivers fight music for the fight after which we come to Dark Eyes. A thoughtful song that sports more emotional singing, almost going off the rails even and a second line of female vocals. Would love to know who the guest vocalist on this track is, but for now, that’s still a mystery. They finish the album by reprising it for one and half minute, painting a deep and reflective atmosphere, which turns into a fitting ending for this beautiful little refuge of an album..

(Written by JK)

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Golden Robot Records

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week…

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week…


King Buffalo
Boris
Druids
Brant Bjork
Samán
Obiat
Psychlona
Somnus Throne
Volt Ritual
Leonard

 

As mentioned before, we've got two to three more weeks ahead of us that are totally hectic and completely full. So, even though we've got a few more mentions ready to go... We're not sure how much and when we can put it all online... But all those albums we mentioned so far deserve to be spun over and over and over anyway! So, get crackin! Enjoy your week!

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week…

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week…

King Buffalo
Torpedo Torpedo
Volt Ritual
Iron & Stone
Astronoid
Brant Bjork
Man In The Woods
Abraham
Blues Weiser
Cormano

Yes, we know, this little list always goes up on Monday… But due to the Krach Am Bach Festival and other assignments we could not get it up before now… And the next three weeks will be extremely hectic, so, updates might be a little sparse…

Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week…

 

 

Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Albums Last Week…

Dope Default
Children of The Sün
Temple of Deimos
Cosmic Debris
Di’Aul
Emily Jane White
Purple Dawn
Stöner
Stone Axe
Chivo

The Hawk Messengers – Scifi-Wifi

 

 

The Hawk Messengers – Scifi-Wifi
Self released – 2021
Rock, Desert, Kraut, Alternative, Psych
Rated: ****

Okay, so perhaps, not everyone was hooked on that self-titled Drug album back when it came out in 2017. But I found that alternative and experimental high desert sound pretty intoxicating! They worked with Brant Bjork's wife and artist Zaina Alwan and recorded a Jam In The Van segment at Brant’s Jalamanta Studio before slowly settling into that Drug sound. Or did they? Cause, well, they now stared a new outfit named The Hawk Messengers. And on their first release Scifi-Wifi they sound less experimental and even more addictive. Championed by Dave Catching and everything Rancho De La Luna, The Hawk Messengers now sound like pure alchemic gold. Taped loops as a fourth member and entirely spaced out rhythms create an enormous vista for you to get lost in. Inspired by a kraut rock approach and a psychedelic universe it will trip you up and send you tumbling down the hole, waiting for the (gram) rabbit to follow you down. There is something very special lurking in these six tracks, something hard to define, something electric and something triumphant. It’s that desert thing, and it seems to epitomize the air that seems to flow like water over there… Let’s swim… Are you ready to take the dive?

(Written by JK)

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Mooch – Hounds

Mooch – Hounds

Self released – 2020

Rock, Stoner, Desert, Blues

Rated: *****

Hounds is the debut full-sized album by Mooch, a heavy rock outfit from Montreal. It was recorded in their hometown Segpop Studios and at the Jalamanta Studio with productional aid from Brant Bjork. And it’s audible; there is this intense sun dried vibe going on and the guitar crackles with shimmering heat. It’s a powerful desert fueled, blues inspired sound. Add to this all the Jim Morrison colored voice of guitarist Ben Cornel and you’ve got something classic on your hands. A record that might even go on to become something very mythical in the near future. There is so much to enjoy here, a fantastic groove, impressive compositions and a closing track that will leave you longing for so much more. Cause the build-up, the different tracks you hear on this album while you approach that title-track closer of Hounds is already damn amazing. As we already mentioned, fuzzy stoner, gritty desert, lo end grunge, seventies love and diesel blues. It’s all there! And then to close it all off with what might be the best track of the record is just a pristine and wild idea! The Hounds are loose!

(Written by JK)

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Stoner HiVe’s Top 10 Most Listened To Albums Last Month…

Stoner HiVe’s

Top 10 Most Listened To Albums Last Month…

Phe

I Saw The Deep

Huntsmen

Millionaire

The Goners

Jegulja

Lord Loud

Wor Pigs

Brant Bjork

Siena Root

 

Stoner HiVe’s Top 5 Most Listened To Albums Last Week…

Stoner HiVe’s

Top 5 Most Listened To Albums Last Week…

Huntsmen

Brant Bjork

Nick Oliveri

Slift

Galactic Tyrannosaur

Sometimes we have a few minutes left before heading out the door to do a sort of telegram style, tam tam, smoke signals view of that Top 5 Most Listened To Albums list of the Last Week. And today is such a day! A good start of the week after a great weekend; that started with the Sense Of Gravity album release by An Evening With Knives in de Effenaar. The trio rocked the house and showed once again the amazing amount of progress the three have gone through. Good to begin with back when they started back around 2014; but now damn freaking great! A must see band; should they come around to your neighborhood! But before that start of the weekend Mandala Of Fear by Huntsmen got the most spins by far. Out on Prosthetic Records the record boasts 13 metal tracks that all maneuver expertly between stoner, doom and sludge. But what’s sets these guy apart is their use of Americana influences, intense atmospheric elements and all the maximum diversity you can need! One king hell of a record! The new self-titled Brant Bjork album is much needed return to form! To his old form even! Cause we loved the reissue of Jalamanta, but couldn’t do much with Jacoozzi. Out on Heavy Psych Sounds this is the sound we love from Brant! And with all the re-releases of earlier albums to come; it’s gonna be one kick ass Brant year! We’ve been seeing new Oliveri releases the past few months. Fuck It! Pretty decent. Shooters Bible, new versions of Hell Comes To Your Heart songs, not really necessary? And then there’s N.O. Hits At All Vol.666; a new compilation of tracks the man participated with. All out on Heavy Psych Sounds, and all needed for the collection if you love that bald freak as much as we do! And how about that Ummon album by Slift? Out on Stolen Body Records it seems to possess the perfect combination of heavy psychedelic rock with kraut and space elements. And then it just continues to conquer more cosmic territory, crossing into all sorts of genres just to get a foothold in. Amazing album from start to finish! And we’ve listened to an amazing albums more but the one holding the lantern at Number 5 is Galactic Tyrannosaur and their Voyager album. Doom metal from Kentucky that shines a light on a different side of the cosmic side, the cosmic noise! Instrumental, atmospheric, sludgy, doomy and one hell of an adventure! We’ll keep spinning all these a lot! This, week, next week and the for the rest of time! 

Check’m out! Check’m all out!

The Number One album of 2014

The Number One album of 2014

Before we start the Countdown of 2019 we look back at those past 10 years of Stoner HiVe. Indeed, we celebrate 10 years. 10 years of heavy riffs, romps and stomps! 10 years of heavy magic! That all started back in 2009 when the blog started, just so we would have a vehicle to count down the best 20 albums of 2009. The edition of 2014 had 86 lists to tally which of course made the outcome even more valid then when we started back in 2009. That list, deduced out of the lists sent in by 86 heavy music fiends,  started with Salem's Pot - …Lurar Ut Dig På Prärien on Number 20. It featured Brant Bjork and his Black Flower Power album on Number 3 and the amazing Clearing The Path To Ascend album by YOB on Number 2. For the entire Top 20, visit the Countdown So Far post on Stoner HiVe… But what album ended up on the Number One position back in 2014... Well, that’s when we wrote:

“We jump 90 points from YOB’s majestic album Clearing The Path to Ascend to reach the gold medal of this year’s Stoner HiVe top 20 countdown. Produced by a band that has made the countdown with almost every release the past years. Reaching Number 8 in 2009 and Number 13 in 2012. A band that inspired honorable Madman Tony to write a love letter this year and inspired so many more to vote for this band as the number one release or among the top of their favorites in 2014. And the groove is indeed strong in this band. They know how to stoner and they know how to metal. With a distinct swagger and luscious riffs that call for a spittoon looking container in the manner of stomping drums; they manage to control and evoke that late night blues feeling that flows underneath all that heavy rock. It will be that trusty companion that you will turn to whenever you need something summoned or awoken. Something swinging, with distorted fuzz, molasses sludge and hypnotic bass work. It is the voodoo they do so well! And we all know these three cats will deliver and keep delivering… Don’t mess with Texas…”

Some albums wither away with time and some age like fine wine… And we were honored to have the Original Guru, Doktor420 revisit the album and write down his findings… “ OK, I thought, that will be easy, when Joop asked for a re-review for one of our old Number Ones. I picked Wo Fat - The Conjuring because it had been one of my favorite albums in 2014. I love their Fuzz groove with the epic jam-parts, paired with enough heavy Blues and Boogie-Woogie. This time it didn't ignite. I needed several attempts to find back into it. The album has all the elements I dig: Psychedelic-Sludge-Stoner-Doom-Fatness – It’s just, well, my personal juju is low. But even so, I think  I can state: Wo-Fat is still very high.”

Wo Fat - The Conjuring  

(For the rest of the Top 20 of 2014, visit the Countdown So Far post on the blog...)

The Number One album of 2013

The Number One album of 2013

Before we start the Countdown of 2019 we look back at those past 10 years of Stoner HiVe. We know it is now the eleventh edition of the Countdown. But we celebrate 10 years! 10 years of heavy riffs, romps and stomps! 10 years of heavy magic! That all started back in 2009 when the blog started, just so we would have a vehicle to count down the best 20 albums of 2009. The edition of 2013 had 61 lists to tally which of course made the outcome even more valid then when we started back in 2009. That list, deduced out of the lists sent in by 61 heavy music fiends,  started with American Sharks – American Sharks on Number 20. It featured Windhand and their Soma album on Number 3 and the amazing Earth Rocker album by Clutch on Number 2. For the entire Top 20, visit the Countdown So Far post on Stoner HiVe… But what album ended up on the Number One position back in 2013... Well, that’s when we wrote:

“In a last ditch effort, after Clutch held the Number 1 position for days on end, this one surpassed it during the final two days. It now has the Gold Medal firm in its grasp. With eight points more. It is of course the album that was highly anticipated for quite some time. One that was meant to be released earlier; but due to legal issues which arose (thanks to the one that did not partake) after their initial successful reunion run (minus one), they had to change name and lots of bass players that were also there in the very beginning decided to call it quits at that point. For the band that started it all, the band that forever will be known as the godfathers of stoner and the flag carriers of the desert sound was brought to life in 2010 thanks to the vocalist. After which the original drummer joined and plans for the future were brewing at the start of 2011. As mentioned before the project grinded to halt due to multiple legal complications and fans feared the worst. But all good things take time and will always come to pass. For it was definitely worth the wait. The album is a throwback to the good ol’ days; and that lo desert sound that we all love so dearly. But with a more loose, bluesy and perhaps even jazzy sound; you can hear the boys matured and discovered their inner soul and recognized its beauty. The vocalist sounds better than ever, the grooves are there, the riffs are damn fine and the drummer is so magnificent that he alone would have deserved a top spot this year. All that’s left to do is to poor another beer, put on the album and dream away under the starry sky as the fireworks explode above… Peace…”

Some albums wither away with time and some age like fine wine… And we were honored to have Madman Tony Maim revisit the album and scream out his words of wisdom… “Is there an opposite of rose tinted glasses? Shit tinted glasses? Because I remember thinking what is all the fuss about when this came out. Kyuss had imploded and John Garcia had started touring as “Kyuss Lives!” Various lawsuits later they changed their name to Vista Chino and released “Peace”. I thought “meh”. 7 years later I think “woah fuck” what have I missed! Comparisons were inevitable but this is a band who have a past but are also finding their own identity. It’s got a driving groove running through everything which lifts all the songs up. Fuzzed solos are stabbed through the intertwined twin vocals with wild abandon. There is a freedom to the compositions which hint at jams. This is still a great album.”

Vista Chino – Peace

(For the rest of the Top 20 of 2013, that very first one, visit the Countdown So Far post on the blog...)

Stoner HiVe's Top 10 Most Listened To Last Month

Stoner HiVe's

Top 10 Most Listened To Last Month...

Boogie Beasts

Quaker City Night Hawks

Saint Agnes

Flux Amuck

Grinderman

Matra

Mark Deutrom

Neon Desert

Brant Bjork

Almanegra

Right before we get to go wild with a new Doom Charts, here’s the March rundown of the Top 10 Most Listened To Artists…

Komatsu – New Horizon

Komatsu – New Horizon

Argonauta – 2018

Metal, Sludge, Stoner

Rated: ****

We’ve been spinning this cracker for a while now and we’ve been digging the Komatsu sound ever since they came out swinging back in 2010. Oh yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Komatsu crazies have already been building their own stoner and sludge metal legacy for eight years now. Albums like Manu Armata from 2013 and Recipe For Murder One from 2016 were well received and with those notches on their belt they toured Europe alongside John Garcia and Nick Oliveri. And they also played pre-shows for Brant Bjork, Alfredo Hernandez’s Avon, and Josh Homme’s Queens Of The Stone Age. So, they’ve managed to play for most of the Kyuss members. Lucky bastards! Currently returning from touring South America for a second time, they’ve steamrolled through every one of the venues they played at and I’m pretty sure the Brasilian crowd has been digging the hell out of it! Cause the New Horizon record adds even more depth to the supermassive sludge machine that is Komatsu. With the ever-present gargantuan groove, intense riffs and fierce tones their stoner and sludge gets a hefty dose of atmospheric elements. Adding not just depth but a lot of width to their compositions. Ominous on some moments and almost spacey at others. The ten songs drag you along towards an endless Komatsu horizon. There’s simply no way around the fact that Komatsu has produced a record that will leave every metal lover breathless…

(Written by JK)

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Stoner HiVe's Top 10 artists listened to last month...

Stoner HiVe's

Top 10 artists listened to last month...

All Them Witches

Brant Bjork

Mudfinger

David Bowie

Hetouht

Kadavar

Skooma

Hyperwülff

La Chinga

Brimstone Coven