LáGoon - Bury Me Where I Drop

 

 

LáGoon - Bury Me Where I Drop
Forbidden Place Records/Electric Valley Records - October 2022
Stoner, Garage, Punk, Doom, Proto, Psych
Rated: ****

Prolific Portland fuzz rockers LáGoon return with their seventh release "Bury Me Where I Drop", delivering their patented garage stoner with some tasty new flavors thrown into the mix. The scuzzy fuzz is as ripping as ever, riff after riff overlaid by vocals that drawl and sneer in equal parts to create an atmosphere that's stoned through and through. Opener "I See the Hate in You" is classic LáGoon, dragging itself out of the feedback to lay down rock solid proto-doom, with clattering drums and keening Soundgarden guitars making no bones about their sinister intent. Follow-up "Dead and Gone" proceeds adds some occult vibes to the noise, as winding riffage snakes into blown out chords and a singalong chorus. Things start to shake up on the third track, however, with "Bury Me" (feat. Marlo Kapsa) doling out some old school punk and even a bit of shoegaze, helped along into blissful oblivion by the dreamy, thoroughly stoned guest vocals. The good times don't roll for long, though, as highlight cut "Sharpen It" tears into the tranquility via gnarly surf rock riffs, shredding with abandon while the vocals do a one-eighty and screech with a decidedly punk edge. LáGoon's twists and turns between genres give each track extra oomph, and the final duo of "Face Down" and "Some Nerve" are no different. Contrasting with the hard-hitting "Sharpen It", "Face Down" is an instrumental ecstasy of soaring guitars and beautiful reverb, slowing down the pace with colorful psychedelia and deft, cymbal-happy drumming to add to the epic feel. Finally, the Portland crew go out with a bang in "Some Nerve", recalling the nastiness of "Sharpen It" in the bone-breaking guitar crunch and venom-filled shrieks, a pointed reminder that while LáGoon can deliver a myriad of moods and sounds, they never stop bringing the heavy. "Bury Me Where I Drop" is a confident, unquestionable release by a band who clearly know they deliver the goods and aren't afraid to stretch their wings and experiment while still maintaining their dependably top-notch rock 'n roll.

(Written by Kyle SB / Shastabeast)

Wanna read more about that crazy LáGoon and that quirky Anthony Gaglia?

Go ahead and read this way too long interview...

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Mystery Dudes - Exit Through the Wormhole

 

 

Mystery Dudes - Exit Through the Wormhole
Electric Valley Records - June 2022
Stoner, Psych, Fuzz, Punk
Rated: *****

Cruising in from Oslo, Norway are the Mystery Dudes with their debut LP, "Exit Through the Wormhole". Wielding righteous riffs coated in groove and fuzz to spare, Mystery Dudes deliver a high-octane stoner rock classic across eight tracks. Reminiscent of but standing apart from acts like Fu Manchu and American Sharks, "Exit Through the Wormhole" is a shot of adrenaline that knows how to have fun while melting faces off. Opener "Mountain of Chill" starts thing off full speed with a chainsaw chug of guitars and filthy bass, prime for headbanging and oozing good-times vibes, man. The sneering vocals are a highlight throughout the album, injecting a dose of punk attitude into the fuzz a la Eddie Glass. Follow-up "Evil Blood" is straight grimy, slogging doom, laying down a tumbling riff and fit for the grainiest of VHS music videos. A change of pace is soon at hand, however, with highlight track "Ghost Train" rolling through like its namesake, all gritty guitar and clattering percussion. The bass is particularly gnarly on this locomotive, and the track barrels forward with sinister intent towards a blown-out, sci-fi climax of blazing guitar. The aptly named follow-up track, "Punk" wears its heart on its sleeve and earns the high praise of sounding like a long-lost American Sharks tune. The jagged, uptempo riffage and snotty vocals demand fist-pumping and general smashing of shit, though not without a trick up its sleeve in the form of a smooth, psychedelic second half sans vocals. This gentler side of the Mystery Dudes shows itself again on the instrumental "Nebula", bringing to mind 90s alt rockers Live in its surprising melancholy, before diving back into Sabbath worship with the southern-tinged doomer "Mondo Hopeless". Another highlight, "Witch's Stare", delivers creeping occult vibes and a brick of a riff alongside absolute earworm lyrics. Closing number "Mexican Stand Up" closes the record out by bringing back the early punk energy, throwing grinding riffs at the listener with abandon in a gleeful psychedelic onrush. Mystery Dudes have a golden nug on their hands with "Exit Through the Wormhole", taking the best the stoner rock genre has to offer and elevating it to something immediate and exhilirating. Strap in.

(Written by  Kyle SB / Shasta Beast)

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Stone House On Fire – Waterfall

 

 

Stone House On Fire – Waterfall

Out on Electric Valley Records is the new album Time Is A Razor by Brazilian quartet Stone House On Fire. It stood tall on the January 2022 Doom Charts at position Number 15 and with the new single Waterfall and its lysergic video; we would assume it will reach higher up come February. Cause they channel that heady sixties and sweaty seventies vibe, making it alle extra fuzzy, bluesy and absolutely on fire! 

 

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Stonus – Séance

 

 

Stonus – Séance
Electric Valley Records – 2021
Rock, Stoner, Hardrock,
Rated: *****

The promo arrived at the end of January. After which the new Stonus EP Séance quickly made its way onto the digital carrier we take with us everywhere. It remained a high favorite and whenever the device had gone full circle we loved hearing those three Stonus tracks again. And again. And again… We just forgot to write a few nice words about them and give the boys some real credit. For they highly deserve every bit of attention we can give them! For the three tracks are damn fine executed hard rocking, full trucking, stoner efforts. With their guitars on a dirty tuneage, the groove is mighty and the fuzz is filthy. With some spacey effects the drive is forward, ever forward towards that desert horizon. If you happen to get a few flashbacks of some great Monster Magnet moments somewhere along the line, you are not wrong. It’s the composition and the instrumentation along with that wide vista they create that just might do such a thing. And of course there are also the vocals to take into account, even only vaguely reminiscent of the Wyndorf maestro, it does hit that right, intensely sweet spot every time again. As three track EP’s go; you simply can’t do better! You might even conclude that you simply can't do better than Stonus!

(Written by JK)

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