Red Fang – Deep Cuts

 

 

Red Fang – Deep Cuts
Relapse Records – 2025
Rock, Metal, Stoner, Sludge
Rated: *****

Love me some Temple Fang! Oh wait, that was yesterday! Errr, I mean Red Fang! And wow, they have been sludging around for twenty years now! Had not realized they were around for so many years before that wild first self-titled album released in that magical year of 2009. 2009, what a great year, wink wink, nudge nudge. Well, to celebrate their twentieth anniversary, they’ve released a Deep Cuts album. Collecting all those b-sides, covers, rarities and non-album tracks. A feast for the ears and a romp through everything Red Fang is and always will be about. Punk energy and gritty stoner all mixed with sludge tones and rough metal. For even though their sound developed over the years, the core sound was always there. They themselves felt like it might have morphed a bit too much, and with this collection, and their revisiting, it all came full circle again. Which might mean an even louder, wilder and nastier studio album might follow in the near future. So many highlights on this Deep Cuts album. Great demo versions, the Murder The Mountains song and every cover version they did. There aren’t that many compilations that warrant a five star rating, but this is definitely one of them!

(Written by JK)

Homepage

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

Murder The Mountains Review

Murder The Mountains Number 5 on the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown of 2011

Whales and Leeches Review

Whales And Leeches Number 7 on the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdow of 2013

Only Ghosts Review

Number 15

 

 

Number 15

 

Number 15 is up today! An album we must confess we had not completely expected to make the Top 20 Countdown. Not because it isn’t good, hell no, it’s fucking awesome! And we even mentioned it when it was released back in May. But mostly because you crazy followers out there tend to vote more for Hardrock, Psychedelic, Progressive, Stoner and pure Doom albums. This one swings the balance the other way and rips your soul in two with Sludge, Metal and Hardcore! So, we jump, twenty-four points from Early Moods on Number 16 to reach Number 15. Where we find a band that has been around since 1995 and for a moment their 2019 album seemed like it might be the last one, due to the horrible events, the terrible loss of the bass-player, a year prior. But they drafted a new one and decided to move forward. Heavy, harsh, and full of unbridled aggression the album sees only a few very limited moments of cessation. A few moments where the listener might take a breath of air and enjoy that small ray of sunlight. The title track is one of those moments; slower, calmer, and melodic it might be viewed as one of those tracks that sets an album apart. Cause for the most part the album is a hardcore, mothersludge approach to metal that will flatten everything in its path…  On Number 15 we find!

 

Cave In – Heavy Pendulum

 

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

Out on Relapse Records

On to Number 14!

Cave In – Heavy Pendulum

 

 

Cave In – Heavy Pendulum
Relapse – 2022
Metal, Sludge, Stoner, Hardcore
Rated: ****

Formed in 1995, American metalcore formation Cave In has seen quite a few members come and go; as is often the case with all music outfits. But the incarnation featuring bassist and vocalist Caleb Scofield seemed to be the version of Cave In that would be in it for the long haul. Unfortunately, tragedy struck and he had fatal car accident back in 2018. The already recorded songs were finished and released as the Final Transmission album in 2019, which could have been the swan song for the grief-stricken band. But with the drafting of Nate Newton the band has found a way to move forward. And forward they go on Heavy Pendulum. Heavy, harsh, and full of unbridled aggression the album sees only a few moments of cessation. A few moments where the listener might take a breath of air and enjoy that small ray of sunlight. Title track Heavy Pendulum is one of those moments; slower, calmer, and melodic it might be viewed as one of those tracks that sets an album apart. Cause for the most part the album is a hardcore, mothersludge approach to metal that will flatten everything in its path…  

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

Valkyrie – Fear

Valkyrie – Fear

Relapse Records – 2020

Rock, Hard, Metal, Proto, Prog

Rated: ****

I only briefly listened to the new Valkyrie album Fear before the July Doom Charts rolled around. The honorable John Gist then stated that the Number One spot was well deserved and the only possible one for this month; and that sealed the deal. We had to dive deep into the sound of the new Valkyrie. Hugo Hulleman of course already did the deed for the Doom Charts mentioning the Baroness link, the mix of proto-metal, stoner and classic rock and paying homage to their riffage. So, we continue on and begin to hear all of those comparisons made. The Thin Lizzy, the Blue Oyster Cult, the Pentagram, the Uncle Acid and of course the Sabbath love. But then we start hearing those more eighties influences, some Killing Joke or post gothic edge; giving an eerie feeling of loss during the chorus and then going all seventies hardrock afterwards, pulling on the emotional thread. Cause there is depth here. Melancholy and sadness taking center stage for the most part. Offset by wild guitar playing, absolutely stunning bass and riveting drum-work. We had little time to listen before the July Doom Charts rolled around; it then took some time to grab hold; but now it just keeps on spinning!

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Facebook

Instagram

16 – Dream Squasher

16 – Dream Squasher

Relapse Records – 2020

Rock, Metal, Sludge, Doom

Rated: ****

I recently noticed Leanne Ridgeway, fellow contributor to the Doom Charts, the dark haired princess from Mettle Media PR and Riff Relevant listening to 16 and suddenly remembered, shit, I still have Dream Squasher laying around and have forgotten to get back to listening to it. I had it on a couple of times and then different stuff got in the way, which is almost an insult for these pioneers of the doom and sludge metal scene. They’ve been around for thirty years and even though they always take their breaks between albums every one of them always seems to hit even harder than the one before. And Dream Squasher is no different! With their slow and determined approach to translate their anger and frustration to something kinetic and aggressive, they managed once again to deliver their mountainous sound. A few fast-paced metal tracks interspersed throughout the album give it that much needed diversion of what we already knew for the past thirty years, 16 are masters of the doom and sludge metal universe!

(Written by JK)

Bandcamp

Facebook

Number 6

Number 6

And now for the lift off! We come to the big jumps in points! For the Top 6 positions seem to be in a league of their own. We jump almost 150 points after The Devil And The Almighty Blues on Number 7 reach Number 6. Indeed, Number 6 stands tall above all that came before and the rest as we shall see, even taller. But even so, we can all find comfort in the fact that even though these albums all got way more votes then the other albums, those other albums still got a lot of votes or a few votes, making them all good, great or amazing in the eye of the beholder. And that is the only eye that counts. Right?  But as we arrive on Number 6 we can look back at the times these cats made the Top 20 Countdown before. Reaching Number 14 in 2014 and Number 2 in 2017. Can we compare thee to a summers day? Or the new album, released on Relapse Records in September, to those earlier two? Ofcourse we can. But should we? It was the honorable Bucky Brown that has always been pretty vocal about his lack of understanding why everyone was so smitten with this trio’s sound, that stated what perhaps means the fans are divided on this one. He stated that this was the first album he truly dug and could perhaps even love. And we heard that mentioned by others that were never on board with these cats. Which means it is a step in another direction for the low, slow, yet crushingly loud and fuzz-laden doom of the three. Where the build and the break and the pound and the push was always key on earlier albums, this has more emphasis on melody, while still retaining their colossal side. And still retaining that immense boom these cats create! Oh yes, there shall be no comfort when Number 6 gets loud!

Monolord - No Comfort

Bandcamp

Facebook

Torche – Admission

Torche – Admission

Relapse – 2019

Rock, Stoner, Sludge, Metal

Rated: ****

Four years has passed since their last album Restarter. And what a grand Torche album that was! Admission is their fifth full-sized record and sees them, once again, changing everything up! Not just musically, but also in line-up. But Steve Brook is still there and is without a doubt once again responsible for most of the typical Torche sound. Which is still as allusive as ever, but is always so freaking catchy and ear-pleasing. It still moves through the stoner landscape, the sludge scenery, the metal vistas but it takes on a journey through so much more. There is so much and yet they manage to simplify it and condense it to low, robust and effective. Effective by default it immediately shows where they went berserk themselves, like for instance on Infierno, which is without doubt the most savage animal on the album. Eleven songs and all of them equally inspired and thrilling…

(Written by JK)

Homepage

Bandcamp

Facebook

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

Stoner HiVe’s

Top 5 artists listened to last week…

Superseed

Windhand

Satan’s Satyrs

Spirit Division

Sundrifter

And once again a day late. But we all know the deal. Work, life, shit, whatever it might be, gets in the way. But here it is anyway, those Five Most Listened to Albums of Last Week. Superseed’s self-titled debut is a fast-paced heavy rock race through grunge, punk and garage. It’s rowdy and it’s raw and most of all it feels like a freaky fun cannonball! Eternal Return, the new Windhand, out on Relapse Records will definitely end up high on many a last once again. And rightfully so. A bit heavier, a bit swampier, a bit grungier; but every bit as enchanting! Loving it! Satan’s Satyrs released The Lucky Ones through Bad Omen Records. Punky, Sleazy, Groovy, Glamy and Fuzzy. Check’m out and feel the pure energy and tasty weirdness. Dance with them! Back on rotation once again is Forgotten Planet by Spirit Division. Sometimes you just need to visit those alien worlds and bask in the glory of the bronzed sound there. Yes, Spirit Division knows how to transport your soul! Sundrifter and their Visitations album came out early this year. But after returning from Portugal we were definitely in the mood to some sun-soaked desert tinted stoner and groovy fuzz. And the vinyl will be out soon on Small Stone Records. The limited clear vinyl edition is almost gone. So, if ya dig it, you’d better hurry and get yer greasy hands on it! Check’m out! Check’m all out! 

Yob – Our Raw Heart

Yob – Our Raw Heart

Relapse Records – 2018

Doom, Rock, Metal, Sludge

Rated: ****

The record that came before, Clearing The Path To Ascend, was so freakin beautiful it became an instant doom metal classic. It reached the Number 2 position of the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown of that year and everyone longed for more of Mike Scheidt and his Yob buddies. But life happens… A severe intestinal illness had Sir Scheidt dancing on a tightrope, which could have ended on the wrong end of the wire. But luckily a hugely fat grey cat came to him as spirit animal and helped him survive. All that angst, feat and worry is now translated into what became Our Raw Heart. It is perhaps not another instant classic, but with Beauty In Falling Leaves, they do have another majestic track on their hands. It will be choking you with emotion and harrowing visions. It will be pummeling you raw with pounding riffs and grate your soul with a bone chilling voice. And that is how Our Raw Heart grabs you and sits you down, it will speak to you and philosophize about it all. And that resounds in their music. Oppressive and suffocating on one hand and expansive and progressive on the other end. And with that Yob continues along a their very own Path…

(Written by JK)

Homepage

Bandcamp

Facebook

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

Stoner HiVe’s

Top 5 artists listened to last week…

Phe

Zeke

Weird Tales

The Blackwater Fever

Lord Ellis

We hope to return with some fine HiVe action on Thursday. Till then we are still swamped with work. Loads of uninteresting stuff and one squeaky fun assignment which we are preparing for right now. And as we switch our listening program, in preparation for an interview, to everything Johnny Rotten ever produced, we look back to what we listened to last week. The awesome Phe is back on rotation, since the boys are gearing up for some shows in the Netherlands. Zeke’s damn fine new Hellbender album out on Relapse Records was on heavy rotation as is Weird Tales and their The Fall album. Which we shall write something more about soon. The Blackwater Fever record Delusions got spun and I guess we all need to order the vinyl through Diggers Factory and Lord Ellis and their Mouth of The Mad record. Which you should read about on Desert Psychlist! And ofcourse, you should listen to them as well. And the other ones as well! You need to check’m out! Check’m all out!