Corrosion of conformity-No cross no crown

Nuclear Blast
2018

 This is the bands first album with vocalist Pepper Keenan since 2005's In the Arms of God and the first to feature this band lineup in nearly 18 years. Right away it's like they are right back where they were during the decade plus that Keenan was singing for the band. There's plenty of distorted riffs flowing while rhythms pound along behind them. Frequently they aren't afraid to reach back and pull 70's inspired hooks to propel the songs forward. The production stays just dull and fuzzy enough to really help the sound retain the sound that they are obviously aiming for. I have to admit that I got into this band in their crossover days in the 80's and loved them then. I have certainly embraced everything they have done since changing their musical style which started with 1991's Blind. However this albums was better than most from their stoner/doom days. I think that helped it the most is that there is a great variety of pace and styles on these tracks than on a number of their other albums. Fans of the band will likely be into this one for sure.

Clamfight -III

Argonauta
2018
New Jersey's Clamfight has their aptly named third studio album album III hitting shelves next month. Gone are the album covers that looked like they were drawn by a middle schooler, but they stay the course with thick and slow slabs of fuzzy heaviness. We get five tracks in all this time around. Most of the songs require some degree of patience from the listener to allow the band to plod away and get to their destination. The music itself leans towards the basic side, but the tones and the bands quest to twist those tones certainly helps their cause. They don't compromise what they are trying to do on any of these songs, but instead hope we will hand in their and ride along on this winding, snail paced trail they lay out. Overall I think each of their studio albums has been better than the one before it and III keeps that trend going. This is likely I'll revisit soon as it's definitely one that needs a few spins to really take effect.

Free Metal Monday: Haze Daze 4/20 EP

Ripple Music
2016

This is the second Free Metal Monday feature of the day and even though it is short (length-wise) this free digital sampler from the wonderful folks over at Ripple Musicit is jam-packed with good music from some great HEAVY rock bands! "Haze Daze 4/20 EP" features one song each from the bands Foghound, Gozu, and The Judge and all three of these cool rock bands have releases that are due out this summer on Ripple Music. Of the three Gozu is probably my favorite, but really you can't go wrong with any of the bands that appear of this highly-recommend digital EP. You can find "Haze Daze 4/20 EP" by heading here and if Ripple Music happens to read this then by all means PLEASE contact me about covering your forthcoming releases! Simply put, "Haze Daze 4/20 EP" is the kind of rock that gets right to me and makes me want to get the fuck down!!!! I'm just saying....

Atala-Shaman's Path of the Serpent

Self-Release/Independent
2016

Atala is a stoner rock/desert rock trio that hails from Twentynine Palms, California and is fronted by guitarist/vocalist Kyle Stratton (Domiculumn, Rise Of The Willing). The forthcoming "Shaman's Path of the Serpent" is Atala's latest release and this "show no mercy" slab of emotionally heavy (and raw as fuck!) rock  was engineered by none other than Billy Anderson (Sleep, Melvins, Mastodon). Bassist John Chavarria (Sons Of Serro) and drummer Jeff Tedtaotao (Forever Came Calling) round things out and for a "simple" power trio this California act sure kicks up a shit ton of dirt and debris! When it comes to this (fuzzed to all fuck!) four-song release it would be best to strap yourself in tightly and prepare yourself for one hell of a deadly sandstorm! Especially seeing as "Shaman's Path of the Serpent" is about as unrelenting as stoner & desert rock gets! 

Free Metal Monday: Acid Western-Rampage

Self-release/Independent
2015

Acid Western is a desert-rock/stoner-rock trio from Paris, France. This three-track (name-your-own-price) digital download is Acid Western's 2nd EP and it can be found here.

Lonely Kamel-Shit City

Napalm Records
2014

Not to be confused with "Sin City", "Shit City" is the new album and destination for Norway's Lonely Kamel. Unlike the album title though "Shit City" is anything but shitty! On album number four Lonely Kamel (sporting one of the coolest monikers out there!) take out rolling paper and have one hell of a "smoke em' if you got 'em lads!" jam feast where "traditional" (as if there is such a thing!) stoner rock get's buried up to it's head before being saturated with the sounds of the seventies. That could mean seventies hard rock as much as it could mean psychedelic rock, doom metal or even raw punk as opener/title cut "Shit City" dictates. Seeing as it's all done in good taste(!) it's all the same in the end right? Yeah, why not. As for the band goes? Let's see you've got Thomas Brenna on vocals & guitar, Lukas Paulsen on guitar & backing vocals, Stian Helle on bass and Espen Nesset drums. And speaking of the band (or at least their lead singer/guitarist), in regards to their fourth effort (jokingly) front-man/ringleader Thomas Brenna say's of "We wanted this record as simple and cheap as possible record". If that's the case then I'd wrangle up these Norwegian desert warriors and find out how they did so much with so little as "Shit City" makes for one bad ass listen! These Norwegians rockers have a rough overcoat that hides some legit talent and as one wonders along the dirty and dusty trails of "Sin City" there is plenty of breathtaking sights to take in! Between the nine tracks offered here you'll partake of not only stoner rock and seventies-infused hard rock (as well as the other tempting treats mentioned previously!), but how about some blues to serve as the night's last round? It's all there and it's been wrapped up nice and neat so that anyone and everyone can partake of the festivities! Thankfully for those folks who are living in the U.S. and/or Canada won't have to wait too long to enjoy all the frills and thrills associated with this new friendship as "Shit City" is due to arrive here around the ninth of September.  As someone who is new to the party that is Lonely Kamel I can honestly say that this upcoming release is a stoner rock smorgasbord and one that I plan to lean-on the next time a "chill out" moment is called for!

https://www.facebook.com/lonelykamel

Season of Arrows-Season of Arrows

The Path Less Traveled Records
2014

Falling somewhere between heavy stoner rock and sludgy (post) heavy metal (with an emphasis in both cases obviously on the heavy part!) we have Nashville-based Season of Arrows and this, their Mikey Allred (Inter Arma, Across Tundras and Yautija) produced debut album. With the smoky voice of lead singer Stormie Wakefield serving as every-bit siren's call, Season of Arrows provides the perfect soundtrack for all your witching hour activities with music that is earthy and decidedly fuzzed-over. Made up of a group of (most-likely given the album's clear approach to song-writing) veteran musicians (some of whom have been in and out of various bands together since 1998!) Season of Arrows has the sound of a much-longer running act then one would normally expect to hear from a debut release. Also featuring the talents of guitarists  Brandon Shepard & David Gates, bass guitarist/backing vocalist  Shawn Van Dusen and drummer Brad Lawson Season of Arrows must be one of Music City's hottest tickets as the band's music is muscular and it pulses with fervent energy! There's not much more that needs to be said about this five-piece band from Tennessee other then to suggest that for those who choose to walk a different path, one under the cover of darkness where the sounds of the night don't so much send chills up your back but invigorate you(!), Season of Arrows would make for a lovely, night-time companion! You can find out more at either of the links below.

Links:
Bandcamp
Facebook  

Helms Alee-Sleepwalking Sailors

Sargent House
2014

It's all been one big lie friends. Ignorance is most assuredly not bliss. You'd have a hard time convincing me otherwise as I tragically unaware of Seattle, Washington's Helms Alee (bassist/vocalist Dana James, guitarist/vocalist Ben Verellen and drummer/vocalist Hozoji Matheson-Margullis) until only just recently. And with "Sleepwalking Sailors", the third full-length album from a band that has had a long history of releasing EPs and splits since only 2007, this is true bliss. As such, how can one claim to experience a feeling of bliss outside of the sounds of Helms Alee? That is a troubling question and one which may never be answered in a satisfactory fashion. Thankfully we can all move on and treat this as a learning experience. For those no sense in drowning in our tears about what could have been, time we might have spent in the comfort of this unheralded trio with shared vocals, female and male, when we can now embrace the expansive collection of textures and sounds that make up this featured full-length attraction! Blessed with an uncanny ability to maneuver emotional material over a vast and ever-expansive sonic landscape, which (somehow) is atmospheric without actually transcending into some sort of  "atmospheric" rock and/or metal sound, the members of Helms Alee carefully mask their own roots/personal desires so that the music at hand beautifully meshes, note for note, into one perfect creation! And that's exactly what amazes me most about "Sleepwalking Sailors". It's truly something how Helms Alee (playfully) goes about stretching rock's boundaries, covering everything from stoner rock, post-grunge, alternative rock and math metal to indie rock, post-punk and even doom metal(!), in a (seemingly) carefree fashion and yet, upon further investigation (over repeated listens which is an essential component of the whole "Sleepwalking Sailors" experience!), the material present on this Seattle rock band's latest is not just technically-sound, but in reality expertly-constructed in order to get the most out of every moment! To say that I was blown away by this recording would be a understatement as "Sleepwalking Sailors" is superb in just about every way that you can imagine! From production to content it's easily to see that everything about this band's third album has been touched up and tweaked. Even so, "Sleepwalking Sailors", is colorful and personal. Helms Alee has graciously extended an offer for each and every listener, one that encourages you to walk alongside this trio as they explore a world of creativity and imagination where anything and everything is possible! I would encourage each and everyone of you who reads this piece to join Helms Alee on this journey of discovery. It's well worth the time. You can find out more about Helms Alee on their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HelmsAlee) while you can hear this remarkable recording for yourself right here:

http://helmsalee.bandcamp.com/album/sleepwalking-sailors 

Pet The Preacher-The Cave & The Sunlight

Napalm Records
2014

Pet The Preacher? There's a novel idea. Not that I actually recommend that anyone go up to and pet a preacher today. Or any day for that matter. No, that might be considered harassment and there might actually be laws against that sort of behavior. Still, I totally dig the name of this Danish act. And yes, I totally dig what this Danish power trio lays down on their second full-length album. Especially given the huge stoner rock riffs and fuzzed over layers of feedback that these three wizards of groove land surf like a wave! The three in question being guitarist/vocalist Christian Hede Madsen, bassist/backing vocalist Torben Wæver Pedersen and drummer Christian Von Larsen and, seeing as "The Cave & The Sunlight" has a homegrown flavor to it (a groovy delicious flavor if that's possible?), these fine gentlemen make you feel right at home thanks to the warm and cozy vibe that their sophomore recording gives off! And here's the thing, if stoner rock riffs and fuzzed out feedback are not enough to wet you're appetite then how about a number like "Remains" where, in grand, garage rock-like fashion, Pet The Preachers rolls out bastardized blues? Tasty doesn't even begin to describe a track like "Remains"! And that's just one of eleven tracks on "The Cave & The Sunlight"! Just one! Just one out of the eleven (all killer and no filler!!!!) "Groovy does it lads!" tracks from Pet The Preacher! Nice....

Jupiter Zeus-On Earth

Magnetic Eye Records
2014

First known as Nebula (under which they released one 1994 demo, "Born Deformed", and the full-length, 1995 album, "Sadness Vs Madness") and originally wowing audiences with their own take on groove-infused death metal before transferring their collective consciousness (guitarist/vocalists Simon Staltari, bass guitarist Jeremy Graham, guitarist Michael Lawson and drummer Aidrian Vudrug) into the art-form that stands before us now, Perth, Western Australia-based Jupiter Zeus are something refreshingly different and yet oddly familiar. Short and sweet this is prime and proper (hypnotic) psychedelic rock. Only here we find a album like "On Earth" awash with heavy grooves (no doubt the one carry-over aspect from Nebula), flashes of melodic sensibility ("Cosmic Rays", "Waiting In Line"), some space rock weirdness (ala Hawkwind), splinters of garage rock and mighty mighty riffs that (on occasion mind you) bear resemblance to something that you'd expect to find from your local (college-age no doubt) stoner rock (hipster) collective and not a potential (radio rock) hit-making crew like this. And that's the real clincher here. As HEAVY as this band is on the rock front (listen to opener "Waves" and then simply follow the flame to "Over" and go from there!) and (even more so with) the psychedelic/groove tendencies there's more then meets the eye with this bunch seeing as Jupiter Zeus are strong contenders on the "pop" side of things. Sure, it's more akin to the craftiness of college rock/alternative rock of old ("Talkback Caller", "Waiting In Line"), but the fact remains that this four-piece (punctuated by the hypnotic performance of Simon Staltari) know how to write music that is catchy and sticks with you for a long time afterwards! No fears though as "On Earth" is still a sick enough slab of stone-cold riffs (see "Psychotic Seeds") so as to offer more then enough material to appeal to followers of all things stoner rock! That's especially true as the HEAVY groove-lines offer a nice little one-two to your eardrums (dig the fat riffs of "Co-Creators"!). Now, as to how this Western Australia bunch has managed to elude stardom so far remains any one's guess? The band's previous release (the well-received EP "Green Mosquito") did set the stage, but now it's time for Jupiter Zeus to actually take to the stage and just let it rip. But they can't do it alone. People need to perk up and listen as well! "On Earth" offers itself as a (sublime) alternative to the daily grind that is (repetitive) rock and/or metal so all you need to do is reach out and take hold of the flame. Easy enough right?

https://magneticeyerecords.bandcamp.com/album/on-earth 

Motorjesus-Electirc Revelation

Drakkar Records
2014

First known as The Shitheadz* from their formation in 1996 until 2006, under which entity three demos were released before the group issued the full-length "Dirty Pounding Gasoline" in 2004 (Re-released in 2011, it now appears under the band's current moniker), Motorjesus are a five-piece which hails from Germany (Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia to be exact!). Fronted by (well-traveled and well-suited) lead vocalist Christoph Birx (ex-Azrael's Tears, ex-The Shitheadz, ex-Battlesword, ex-Divine:Zero, ex-President Evil, ex-Buttweiser, ex-Jadestar, ex-Sybian, ex-Territory, ex-Wasteland), and with the 13-track "Electric Revelation" serving as the group's fourth full-length album since 2004 (if you count "Dirty Pounding Gasoline" that is!), Motorjesus are a hard & heavy outfit with (severe) stoner rock-leanings. From that description you might not expect much as we're not exactly talking about breaking new ground right? Well, that assumption (which I might just have shared prior to being treated to the riff-happy "Electric Revelation"!) would be wrong! One listen to "Electric Revelation" is all that it takes to blow any preconceived expectations/notions right straight out of the water! Hell, you might as well think of them as being blown straight out of this world! Cheesy I know, but man alive if these riffs just don't ooze heavy metal glory! With killer guitar work from the pair of Guido Reuss (rhythm) and Andreas Peters (Lead guitars, which absolutely kick ass and generally fall into the classic hard rock heyday of yesteryear while still reverberating relevance! Also, both of these guys, as with lead singer Chris Birx and hard hitting drummer Oliver Beck, previously performed with The Shitheadz so there's a lot to be said about the consistently of this German hard rockin' and rollin' crew!) Motorjesus (effortlessly mind you!) combines the best parts of hard rock (Velvet Revolver, Guns N' Roses, AC/DC, Kiss, Jackyl, Rose Tatoo, Skid Row), alt. metal/heavy metal/thrash (Rob Zombie/White Zombie, Motörhead, (early) Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Megadeth) and of course stoner rock (Clutch, Fu Manchu, Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Queens of the Stone Age) into one almighty wall of riff-heavy rock/metal! And yes, it's more then a little cool! With (newest member since 2009 or so/bass guitarist) Roman Jasiczak serving up even more thick riffs (yep, more on the riffs but they are crazy wicked folks so who cares!) this is one band that I may not have had any previous experience with, but (thanks in no small part to the suggestion of a friend!) am sure as heck glad that I know about now! For those of you that simply bow and worship the idea of riff-happy, all cards laid out on the table and letting it all hang out like a BRICK-HOUSE(!), hard & heavy JAMS then Motorjesus might just be your new savior! You can find this one online pretty easy so just do a quick Google search and you'll soon enough be on your way to one hell of a wicked good time!

Per the Metal Archives "The band was forced to release their album under the moniker The XHeadz in some countries (USA among others) and thus changed their name to Motorjesus in 2006."

Purveyors Of Fiction-Invisible Ink

Refried Audio
2014

As promised this is the second band/second release from well-traveled musician/versatile lead vocalist Nick Pecone (Burns To The Soul, Carriedbysix, ex-Uptight Sugar, ex-Autumn Awaits, ex-Diablo Mojo, ex-The Bentreys, ex-The Decoys and ex-Vrede Hemel) to be covered here at Heavy Metal Time Machine. The previous act, as some of you may recall (ie: the handful of loyal readers that I have who remain under lock and key at the various prisons and mental help facilities across this great land of ours), was Ohio modern metal/progressive metal band Carriedbysix (http://metalmark.blogspot.com/search?q=Carried+By+Six-Carried+By+Six+) who, unlike today's entry, fell squarely into the more "loud and proud" category. But, before we get into what makes this trio tick how about a little bit of history? Here's the "official" bio as sent to me by Nick Pecone (lead vocals & bass) himself. "Nick was drunk at the Agora bitching about how they stole his boxcutters he'd forgotten on him from work. He told Drew* he'd start a band with him because Nick starts bands when he's drinking. Drew thought Nick was a creepy dickhead but he'd suffice until he could find someone new. Drew and Luke were already friends and with Nick they had a full lineup so the band formed. At this point no one has come forward to replace Nick, unfortunately, so he's stuck in the lineup". Got that? Yes? No? Need more help? Alright. So, besides Nick Pecone** of course, Purveyors Of Fiction features guitarist Andrew Minor (Twat Waffle) and drummer Luke Heberle (also the guitarist/lead vocalist of Sails). On their new, just recently-released so it still has that new car smell folks(!), six-track EP, "Invisible Ink", vocalist Nick Pecone and company offer up what they call "stoner blues punk". Of course on their Facebook page Purveyors Of Fiction  is also described as "A Heavy Psychedelic Blues-Punk Trio". Now, if you are like me at all (in which case I truly do feel remorse for you!) you'd probably think of Blue Cheer if you heard the phrase "Heavy Psychedelic Blues-Punk Trio". Or at least something similar. The truth is Purveyors Of Fiction, which lists there influences as being Queens of the Stone Age, The Misfits, Boris. Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Bad Religion and Wisdom In Chains, are all of that (stoner, punk, blues, psychedelic rock) and much, much more! And that's what makes this EP a sure-fire pick-up! These six tracks, which end up clocking in at about 23 minute, really do cover a lot of ground. For example, opener "Veins" is fuzzy, feedback-infused post-rock/grunge (Swans meets The Velvet Underground meets Nirvana perhaps?) while "Darling Darla" (great title!) reminds me of both Blue Cheer and the Butthole Surfers! "Good Man" is blues by way of acid rock and then there's a cut like "Drowning" where, under the cover of night and layers of distortion, this trio trips the light fantastic with some wonderfully diverse groups such as Queens of the Stone Age and Iron Butterfly although honestly there's plenty of love shown to both The Germs and Iggy & The Stooges as well! Closing cut "Gypsy" sounds like Beck being covered by a super-group made up of members of The Melvins, Sonic Youth and Suicide, all of which wraps this EP up in a rather lovely fashion! Length-wise the shortest track here is the dirty punk rocker "Poison Kiss" at 2:46 while the aforementioned "Darling Darla" (again, just love that title!) has a run-time of 4:30. Translated that means that not one of these tracks over-stays it's welcome. Available at a price of $5.00 (for the digital download at least which is linked below), "Invisible Ink" is a worthwhile pick up for punks and bangers alike!

*Otherwise known as Andrew Minor!

**While racking my head trying to figure out who Nick reminded me of in this band (as he really is a versatile front-man as observed in the different delivery he provides here verses Carriedbysix!) I stumbled across this review (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeouLbRXoOc) on YouTube. As I believe in giving due credit where credit is due (sorry, but I couldn't help myself with that little bit!) I want to thank "Master Exploder" (no doubt his Christian name right?) for pointing me in the direction of Wolfmother! Here in Purveyors Of Fiction vocalist/bassist Nick is (at times) almost the spitting mirror image (vocally) of Wolfmother founder/vocalist/guitarist Andrew Stockdale! It would have driven me crazy if not for this helpful hint so I tip my hat in appreciation and offer up a tall cold one to you, Mr. Master Exploder! Thanks!


http://purveyorsoffiction.bandcamp.com/

The Graviators-Motherload

Napalm Records
2014


Sweden's The Graviators, who first formed back in 2009 before releasing their first self-titled full-length release the same year, are another (newish) act that chooses to stretch the boundaries of modern day doom.On their upcoming new album "Motherload", which is the group's forth overall full-length album and first in two years (the last one being 2012's "Evil Deeds"), the band takes up the challenge of giving doom metal a proper once-over and, thanks to the addition of stoner rock and classic rock/seventies hard rock, they do a pretty fly job at it one must say! Fronted by one Niklas Sjöberg(also of Swedish stoner metal outfit NYMF) the band could best be described as a loose and easy Black Sabbath/Trouble hybrid attempting to spread their magical wings and fly away!  Aside from the questionable lyrical-content (more occult and witchcraft silliness) this band does it right with Martin Fairbanks (also of NYMF and ex-Clandestine) providing post-Tony Iommi leads and a HEAVY rhythm section of Johan Holm (bass) and Henrik Bergman (drums, formerly of High in Fungoid Void) drawing to mind not only Black Sabbath's famous bass & drum duo, but also the back-beat of the band Iron Man! Alongside great new material like "Leifs Last Breath / Dance of the Valkyrie", "Narrow Minded Bastards" and "Tigress of Siberia" (and that's just the opening part of this full-length release!) the band opted to include a special bonus in the form of of a re-recorded "Druid´s Ritual"! Originally released on the group's 2011 limited-edition split with Brutus it's a great way to close out album number four from this doom metal collective!  The Graviators have done well with "Motherload". Whether we're talking about HEAVY doom rockers like "Bed Of Bitches" and "Corpauthority", twisted and evil epic numbers like the 9 minute long "Eagles Rising" (dig the vox on this one!) or a track like "Lost Lord" (where the band inhales everything that early seventies psychedelic rock had to offer!) this is one album that should be on the radar of every doom metal and stoner rock fanatic! As the first The Graviators release that I've heard start to finish I must say that I was more then impressed! Another addition to my best of 2014 list, "Motherload" is already rocking my world and I will most certainly be looking to add a CD copy of this little gem to my personal collection as soon as it is released at the end of this month!

Ogre-The Last Neanderthal

Minotauro Records
2014

Portland, Maine's Ogre are no strangers to all of us here at Heavy Metal Time Time Machine. We've covered their classic debut album, 2003's "Dawn of the Proto-Man" (a real must-buy folks!), and even have an interview with these talented doom rock and rollers buried in our archives! Still, every new release from Ogre is like stepping out into the unknown and "The Last Neanderthal" is no exception! With Ed Cunningham on bass and vocals, Ross Markonishon guitars and synthesizers and Will Broadbent on drums and percussion Ogre waist no time in getting down to busy with instrumental opener "Shadow Earth". When Ed's vocals do kick in on "Nine Princes in Amber" I couldn't help but envision a truly warped (and yet less stoned and much-clearer headed) Ozzy Osbourne, but the track is more indebted to classic rock and seventies heavy metal then Black Sabbath could have ever imagined and even when confronted by the eight minute plus "Bad Trip" (in which Ed really sounds like Ozzy and the HEAVY doom really gets turned up to 11!) it's like Ogre are on an entirely different planet/realm of existence then any mortal power trio out there, past or present! And speaking of HEAVY (and for that matter FAR OUT!) it certainly seems as if a track like "Son of Sisyphus" is Ogre's way of saying "We can be just as HEAVY as FUCK as the next act out!". With Markonishon's guitar solos being among some of the best he's ever laid to tape and Will Broadbent keeping this power trio on task we get excellent numbers like "Warpath" and "The Hermit". Along the way this trio takes a stab at funk with a cover of  "Soulless Woman" by a different Ogre (this one a 70's bar band from the Pacific Northwest!) and even tips their collective hats at country with "White Plume Mountain"! Sporting an almost Neil Young meets Crosby Steels Nash and Young "White Plume Mountain" is the album's second instrumental number and it perfectly ushers in the epic closing number "The Hermit". At ELEVEN minutes in length "The Hermit" is just awesome and Ogre prove once again why they are such a well-respected doom metal/stoner rock band! With the album's many different elements (doom metal, stoner rock, seventies hard rock, classic rock, funk and even country!) "The Last Neanderthal" pushes the envelope as far as what a band like this is capable of achieving and yet it all sounds so remarkably normal and coherent (even on the obscure cover track) that it gels perfectly! So far this is one of the BEST doom release of 2014 and by the end of this year I can't imagine any albums beating it in that regard! This one is a must-own!

Drawers-Drawers

Kaotoxin
2014

Due for release on February 11th, and having been proceeded by a 2012 split with fellow-French noisemakers Hangman's Chair, this eight-track release is apparently a way for Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées-based Drawers to "reinvent themselves". Having never heard this lot prior to receiving the digital files for this self-titled release I can't vouch for where they've been, but I sure can and do appreciate where it is they find themselves at now and where they plan on heading from here! As this is only the group's second full-length affair since forming in 2006, with the first one being 2011's "All Is One" (along with the group's 2008 debut EP, "This Is Oil" that's all she wrote kids!) one would have to suggest that the future looks bright for these down-tuned rockers! "Officially" this is all sludge/stoner metal with (justifiable) comparisons being made in passing to the likes of Mastodon and Baroness, but (truth be told) that seems to bypass the band's own personality and it simply cannot be used as an exclusive tag given all of this album's quirky traits. In much the same way that a body's scars add character, with each one in turn telling a remarkable tale of survival, it's the various jagged edges of "Drawers" that makes it such a compelling listen. Alongside the towering waves of blackened sludge and (implied) doom, which are most-likely left over from the band's early days, you'll find yourself staring right at knuckle-punch garage metal, mean street rock and roll and, shockingly, groove-happy hard rock that's been rolled-up and lite ablaze via some wicked stoner rock riffs! Said gnarly riffs come courtesy of Alexandre Berenguer and Laurent Bringer while it's the pair of Jérémie Ruiz and Olivier Lolmède (bass and drums respectively) that keeps everything from flying of the page! Even so make no mistake about the intentions of Drawers in regards to this new album and their new direction. This is still the sound of a band at their heaviest when it comes right down to it. Recorded live in the studio, which merely adds more fuel to raw rock vibe of Drawers, this eight track LP is still punk through and through. Skipping with the pleasantries Drawers, without ever loosing focus on the goal at hand (one that I would assume would be to deliver knock-out material for those who believe in the power of really loud real music), plows there way over the listener never once stopping to offer anything in the way of an apology. And I for one couldn't be happier with the results! With Niko Bastide on the mic (as we can't leave out his fine contribution to the metal at hand!) and a backing band dead-set of rolling out honest music (warts and all!) this one only gets better with repeated listens! You're going to want this one folks.

Mustasch-Thank You For The Demon

Gain/Sony Music
2014

You know it helps having friends in low places. Case in point: Mustasch. Or rather this Swedish act's latest album "Thank You For The Demon". Despite having formed in the fall of 1998 and having truckloads of other worthy (and highly-praised apparently) material under their wings this is (somehow) the first that I am now hearing about them. That sucks as it sure as hell sounds as if I've been missing out on a LOT! "Thank You For The Demon" is, for all intensive purposes, a dandy little rocker (sent lovingly to me from someone from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away) that finds Mustasch rocking along quite comfortably to a mix/mash-up of tradition heavy metal and hard rock as envisioned by a stone cold groove rock outfit with more then enough knowledge of classic rock and the current rock and roll scene to roll modern radio for the foreseeable future! Lead effortlessly by vocalist/guitarist Ralf Gyllenhammar (rather aptly described, previous to hearing the band for myself that is, as almost Ian Astbury-like in his vocal delivery) and rounded out by David Johannesson (lead guitar), Stam Johansson (bass guitar) and Jejo Perković (drums) this Swedish four-piece sound really be a household name by now! Why they are not one is one of life's most puzzling mysterious! As the follow-up to 2013's "Sounds Like Hell, Looks Like Heavy" (an album that, having now heard some sample tracks from, I will shortly be looking to acquire whether through iTunes or Amazon!) this one shreds the light fantastic and yes, you bet your sweet a**, it will be highlighting my best of 2014 list! Hard rock and roll by way of (riff-happy) heavy metal and ("Lay it all on the line Sucka!") stoner rock has never sounded better my friends. Find this one at all costs and learn to live again!

Solar Halos-Solar Halos

Devouter Records
2014

Chapel Hill's music scene never ceases to amaze me. From punk and hardcore to alternative/college rock (and yes, even heavy metal!) this is one area of America that has given us more great music then you could ever (reasonably) expect to work your way through! It's like you could just shake the trees there or something and cool bands would just fall off like leaves! I could easily devout a week's worth or articles on Chapel Hill's music scene and it wouldn't even begin to scratch the surface of the amazing talent that has come from there! And now we have the band Solar Halos which is made up of current and former members of  Horseback, Caltrop, Fin Fang Foom, and The Curtains of Night. On their soon to released debut album (due out later in January in three different formats-digital, CD and vinyl!) this North Carolina 3-piece effortlessly draws the listener in with their mix of heavy rock, fuzzed-out doom and (melodic) stoner rock all while tiptoeing between the light and dark! Nora Rogers, who handles vocals and guitars, is easily a highlight here as her voice offers the listener equal parts enchantment and dread. With Eddie Sanchez on bass and vocals and John Crouch on drums this is much more then just the latest & greatest band to rock it's way out of Chapel Hill scene. In Solar Halos we find a band that balances heavier riffs with softer drumming and on their debut release, which features 6 tracks that (collectively) total 39 minutes and 39 seconds, the band works hard at giving the listener challenging music that is still easily digestible. When Solar Halos works it's magic just right they achieve the almost impossible by offering up contrasting tones that swirl in and out in perfect sync while still being firmly rooted in natural, garage-approved rock. For fans of heavy, stoner rock and roll (psychedelic doom-style) it won't get much better then this 3-piece or their self-titled debut and yes, I'd like to think that this is one album that would defiantly benefit from have it's fuzzy warm sound laid down on vinyl!

Firelord-Among The Snakes

Self-Release/Independent
2013

With "Among The Snakes" (a remarkably accessible collection of Black Sabbath-inspired heavy "Doom 'n' roll" metal!) Italy's Firelord wins the contest for the coolest album cover of the week, hands down! Tracing their roots back to the doom metal band Saint Judas, which had previously been formed by Firelord guitarist/vocalist Mario E. Bussini, this three piece act was formed in 2007 with "Among The Snakes" being their first full-length debut. Prior to this one, which was just released a little over a week ago!, the group released "The Burning EP". Well, there is that EP hanging around in their past as well as the none-too-shocking admission that here we have another cool band that ended up with all kinds of unfortunate line-up changes. All that shuffling that was going on did pay off as thankfully we are looking at a really respectable trio of musicians here on this freshly-baked batch of stoner rock/doom metal goodness! Filling out the rank and file of Firelord is bass player Mario Pappano and drummer Giulio Buscaglione. For those keeping track at home that makes two different Marios in this Turin-based outfit! Both Mario's are equally talented as far as I am concerned with the meaty riffs on this release sounding as if they have been infused with fire and brimstone! Meanwhile our "odd man out" Giulio might not be a Mario, but he beats his drum set like a crazed tribal warrior and does a kick-ass job of keeping his fellow bandmates in check! Together these three stone cold rockers are as delightfully damning as their cover artwork suggests! With influences also including the likes of like Orange Goblin, Count Raven. Monster Magnet, Candlemass, Karma to Burn  and all things Wino (From his days fronting Saint Vitus to Wino's other adventures in stoner rock it's no secret that this Italian act is as much fans of Scott Weinrich as the rest of us are!) this is one act that can reach out to both sides of the aisle. Whether you choose to light it up or go at it clear-headed this is a splendid release and a must-buy for doom metal and stoner rock fans alike. You can check out Firelord's "Among The Snakes" right below and trust me you'll want to! In addition to their own, very cool material (which rages like King Kong on a coke binge!) these guys do serious justice to Black Sabbath's "Children Of the Grave". I'm almost tempted to say that I prefer Firelord's version to the original, but the last thing I need is a anger mob of crazed Ozzy supporters coming at me with torches and pitchforks! So, I'll just leave it to your imagination folks as to which version is better...

http://firelordoom.bandcamp.com/album/among-the-snakes

Tribune-Tales

Corpse Corrosion Music
2013

Since 2004 Vancouver, British Columbia's Tribune, whose sound is a combination of all things heavy (melodic metal, progressive thrash metal, stoner rock, death metal, modern metal, etc.) have been going at it cranking out their own music that, while it might employee many different styles and sounds, still comes off as fairly original. When I last checked in with the band (2012's "Elder Lore / The Dark Arts") I made the comment that the band seemed as if it had gone through my personal CD and vinyl collection picking out bits of this and pieces of that to custom-assemble (either like a mad scientist or a really bored teenage boy!) their own take on heavy metal. I found the album to be quite effective and powerful so when this latest one dropped in my box I expected either more of the same or, justifiably so, a step up. Before we address that issue it should be noted that the 9-track "Tales" is a concept album "based on the writings of renowned authors, like Lovecraft and Wells". Concept albums to me are neither a good thing or a bad thing as I'm all about the music and how it moves you. Seems legit right? After a year or so of waiting to see what this 5-piece act would pull off with "Tales" it has taken me more then a few spins t get my head around this albums. Having enjoyed Tribune's last full-length album this one didn't really do much for me at first. Sure, it is still heavy and features explosive metal as this band rolls out a concept album with music that recalls everyone from Mastodon to Death. Meanwhile lead vocalist Bryan Baker conveys a lot of emotions and is able to pull off both clean and harsh vocals and, on first listen, this album came of as a really metal beast! But the downside of "Tales" falls within the territory of "too much experimentation and not enough consistency". In an attempt to make "Tales" as varied as possible while still cranking everything all the way up to 11 (oh Spinal Tap how I do love you so much!) the album nearly flies off the tracks! At the rate these Canadian metalheads are throwing everything at you it's like you're stuck on some hastily-assembled carnival ride going nowhere but up in flames. While the ride might start off exciting, even thrilling you and your lovely carnival date, the danger becomes all too real as it strikes you that not as much care was put into this as should be!    
Canada's Tribune sound insane on "Tales" for the first listen. After repeated listens though it was as smooth as previously thought. With that I have to admit that I didn't enjoy "Tales" as much as their previous album. Maybe hardcore fans will be more forgiving, but as for me I think I'll just stick with my copy of 2012's "Elder Lore / The Dark Arts".

Monster Magnet-Last Patrol

Napalm Records

2013

Jersey's Monster Magnet disappeared off of my radar a few years back so I was excited to hear that the band was still around and all set to issue album number nine. When it showed up in the pile of promos awhile back I listened to it once, spent some time away doing other things, came back and listened to it again,  did other stuff, etc. It wasn't for lack of enthusiasm that I held off on writing about the new album, but rather it was the realization that I was kind of stumped on how I wanted to approach this review. Due for release this October, which seems like a good month for a psychedelic album like this one to drop, Monster Magnet left me with a decision. Should I mention their 4th full-length album, 1998's "Powertrip", which changed everything for the band (as they blew up overnight thanks to "Space Lord"!), but also forever pegged them as a "one hit wonder"? Obviously I did bring it up as I think it's fair to say that for most people (other then true fans of this Jersey stoner band) it's "Space Lord" that first pops into their mind when you bring up Monster Magnet. So, I kind of had to mention it, but (and this is a BIG BUT) the band has given it's all in the passing years since then to release killer rock and album number nine is no different! The same group that gave us "Space Lord" in 1998 has tons to offer on "Last Patrol" and, without doing a track by track breakdown, it's almost a given that it's the band's ability to mix things up while playing relentless rock that makes Monster Magnet a easy to appreciate entity. Fans should have no trouble enjoying the group's latest mixture of everything from blues rock to epic metal and of course stone-cold grooves while casual listeners (like me) can get a real sense of  relief (you know, as in releasing all that built-up stress and anxiety) from the tracks found in "Lost Patrol". So, while I might have lost track of everything that has been going on in a band like Jersey's Monster Magnet, it's cool to see that the band is still cracking out their own-brand of psychedelic-flavored stoner rock!