Spirit Adrift/Curse Of Conception/20 Buck Spin/2017 CD Review

  Spirit  Adrift  are  a  band  from  Arizona  that  plays  a  psychedelic form  of  desert  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Curse  Of  Conception"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  20 Buck  Spin.

  Acoustic  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  doom  metal  riffs  and  melodic  guitar  leads  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  along  with  the  vocals  being  done  in  more  of  a  traditional  and  epic  doom  metal  style.

  A  great  portion  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  also  has  atmospheric  sounds  in  the  background  at  times  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing  and  the  music  also  mixes  in  a  decent  amount of  psychedelic  elements  and  acoustic  guitars  are  also  used  on  some  of  the  later  tracks  and  as  the  album  progresses  mid  tempo  sections  are  also  added  onto  some  of  the  songs  and  one  song  is  alos  an  instrumental.

  Spirit  Adrift  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  traditional  epic  doom metal  while  also  mixing  in  some  of  the  more  modern  psychedelic  style  to  create  something  different,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.  


  In  my  opinion  Spirit  Adrift  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic  doom  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Earthbound"  "Graveside  Invocation"  and  "Onward,  Inward".  8  out  of  10.
  

Omotai/A Ruined Oak/Tofu Carnage/2017 Double LP Review

  Omatai  are  a  band  from  Houston,  Texas  that  plays  a  musical  style  that  mixes  sludge,  doom,  thrash  metal,  hardcore  punk  and  post  rock  together  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  double  2017  album  "A  Ruined  Oak"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Tofu  Carnage  Records.

  Distorted  reverb  starts  off  the  album before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier  hardcore  punk  direction  along  with  some  melodies  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  very  aggressive  shouting  fashion  along  with  a  few  screams  and  the  music  also  has  a  lot  of  80's  and  90's  hardcore  and  extreme  metal  influences.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  dark  yet  melodic  fashion  along  with  the  riffs  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  vocals  also  mix  in  a  semi  melodic  tone  at  times.

  When  the  music  speeds up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  thrash  elements  can  be  heard  while  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  and  there  is  also  a  brief  use  of  clean  playing  along  with  a  couple  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length,  a  couple  of  the  songs  also  adds  in  a   small  amount  of  female  vocals  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts.

  Omatai  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge,  doom  and  thrash  metal  and  mixes  it  with  hardcore  punk  and  post  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Omatai  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  doom,  thrash  metal,  hardcore  punk  and  post  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Ruined  Oak"  "Blackjaw"  "The  Savage  Sky"  and  "Tusk  Aurora".  8 out  of  10.

    

Loincloth/Pslam Of The Morbid Whore/Southern Lord Records/2017 CD Review

  Loincloth  are  a  band  with  members  from  both  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  that  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  sludge  and  progressive  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album "Psalm  Of  The  Morbid  Whore"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Southern  Lord  Records.

  A  very  heavy  sludge  metal  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  grooves  and  melodies  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all  of  the  music  is  an  instrumental  direction.

  When  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  direction  while  a  great  amount  of  prog  metal  elements  can  be  heard  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  along  with  a  brief  use  of  drones  and  the  music  always  sticks  to a  heavier  direction  and  the  last  track  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  Loincloth  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  the  heavier  side  of  prog  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own  while  also keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Loincloth  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  prog  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Necro  Fucking  Satanae"  Morbid  Whore"  "Sigil  Ov  Five  Horns"  and  "Ibex(To  Burn  In  Hell  Is  To  Refine)".  8  out  of  10.

Rig Time! Interview

1.Can you give us an ­update on what has be­en going on with the ­band since the record­ing of the new album?

"After we hit the studio last June, our time has been spent on a lot of practice, prepping for tours and getting all the details figured out for the album release. Less than a week after recording, we hit the eastern US for a 10 day tour and we're currently Day 13 into a 17 day tour. It's been a constant train of events of band life and homelife. It's been fun though."

2.You have a new albu­m coming out in Octob­er, how would you des­cribe the musical sou­nd that is presented ­on the recording and ­also how does it diff­er from the stuff you­ have released in the­ past?

"We started RIG TIME! with the only guarantee of sound being that we'll always be heavy. Under that umbrella, we're fans of industrial, black metal, old school hardcore punk, nu-metal, 90's metalcore, a lot newer heavy hardcore peers, etc. We draw a lot of inspiration from many different sects of heavy music. I can say that "WAR" is definitely fierce and very aggressive. In comparison to previous releases, it's much more focused and direct album. We have always focused on the groove in our songs. It has to feel right, and nothing is forced. If something doesn't feel natural to us, and we can't get into the vibe of it, we rework it until it is just right. "WAR" is a solid 10 songs of strong, deep, heavy, angry grooves that represent what we feel at this time. It's human, raw and feels almost tribal at points."

3.What are some of th­e lyrical topics and ­subjects the band exp­lores with the newer ­music?

"The album is a concept of being at war with everything around you. There is a lot of deep meaning that is hard to explain in ways other than already written in the lyrics. Songs like "Garbage" and "Blister" address the constant flood of negative attitudes and hatred around us at all times. Naive and impulsive word vomiting without any remorse or factual knowledge on what they're really saying. "Deserve" is a blunt description of our country and the poor situations, we as citizens, get drug into on behalf of our government and their lack of care for the people. It's about accepting that we will all suffer as a result of our government getting they deserve. Other songs like "Discomposure" are more personal, and about a specific war and hatred of myself that I suffer with, and "Vengeance" is about letting the built up, constant anger i feel about humanity and the world out, without filter. I am a very angry person, but I use the lyrics as way to release the feelings to stay calm and come out positive and optimistic in the end. In "Succumb", our bassist, Mark, wrote the lyrics as a reminder and anthem for us, and anyone really, to stay true to who they are. "

4.What is the meaning­ and inspiration behi­nd the name 'Rig Time­!'?

"Long story short, it came from a memory all three of us share from being on the road in a previous band. It is an odd name, but when the band came together, it gives a whole new meaning. We didn't want a typical tough name. Gorrilla Biscuits, KoRn, and Weekend Nachos are weird names, but it worked out for them...and yes, it's capital R I G, capital T I M E, exclamation point. You've gotta scream it. (Laughs)"

5.What are some of th­e best shows that the­ band has played over­ the years and also h­ow would you describe­ your stage performan­ce?

"We've played some amazing places across the country and some awesome shows. We always loved playing Wichita when we started out. Cincinnati is our second home for sure. We have many great friends there, and the Cinci hardcore scene is very welcoming. Our hometown shows at the Warehouse in La Crosse, WI are always getting more and more wild. As for specific shows, it's hard to narrow them down. Our stage show has been described many times as "terrifying" in the past (laughs). We usually play with only red backlighting, and used to use tons of haze to get everything disoriented. We try to create a vibe and atmosphere of the sound we create. The lighting was also meant to encourage less focus on the band on stage, and more of the music coming out the PA. Close your eyes, let go and feel the music.   I'm told we're pretty intense and passionate live. We have had a lot of people say we're very aggressive."


6.Do you have any tou­ring or show plans fo­r the future?

"We have tons of dates always coming in. After this tour with Death Card and Barren, we'll be playing Wisconsin Hardcore Fest II in La Crosse on September 22. Then, we have a tour from October 8 to October 14 in the center of the US. We leave again Oct 24 to November 15 for an east coast tour. After that, we have plans for December, January, February, March and April being figured out as we speak. We plan to keep hitting the road as much as we can."

7.The new album is co­ming out on 'Innerst­rength Records', are ­you happy with the su­pport that they have ­given you so far?

"Yes, very happy. Innerstrength Records is a great label for a band like us. We are still a very DIY, hard working band and this label is a tool that we can use to keeping working hard, but with their support and equal effort along side of us. The roster is some of the best current bands right now, and we're honored to be listed along side of them."

8.On a worldwide leve­l how has the feedbac­k been to your music ­by fans of sludge, po­wer violence and hard­core?

"We've had some genuine, and amazing responses. The best compliment we can receive is when people say that they can't quite compare us to other bands. We hope our music comes out fresh, but familiar. We can play metal shows, hardcore shows, and even have played emo shows that yielded positive responses. I think our ability to be open, raw and emotional live transcends to a lot of audiences."

9.Where do you see th­e band heading into m­usically during the f­uture?

"We'll always stay a heavy band, but we'll always keep playing with new ideas. We've been wanting to incorporate industrial elements, drone, and different layers to our songs for awhile. Originally, "WAR" was planned in a different musical direction, but that's not what we were feeling at the time. No matter what, we'll stay true to what we feel."

10.What are some of t­he bands or musical s­tyles that have had a­n influence on your m­usic and also what ar­e you listening to no­wadays?

"We are a ridiculously eclectic band. Mark listens to a lot of darkwave, industrial, The Smiths, Drab Majesty, goth and fast crust/anarcho punk. Rebecca really digs The Dillinger Escape Plan, The Ongoing Concept, a lot of groovy hardcore but still jams pop radio. Bryan is all over the place. From a lot of 50's/60's era cool jazz, to 90's R&B, to Darkthrone, The Locust, Deftones, Chromeo, Black Flag, Ramones, etc. Collectively, our favorite band would be The Greenery from Long Beach. That band has been one of the biggest influences, although you may not heat it musically. We draw influence from how a band makes us feel, rather than their sound. We want to create the same feeling they gives. Bands like Dystopia, The Acacia Strain, Incendiary, old Korn, etc. We listen to Debbie Gibson "Electric Youth" on cassette in the van a lot. We make no sense (laughs)."

11.What are some of y­our non musical inter­ests?

"All of us love sweet tea, wings, BBQ, and visiting parks and museums on tour. We scope on gas stations on tour and talk about how cool they are in comparison (laughs). Mark likes to play a lot of Pokemon and World of Warcraft. Rebecca likes to sleep a lot (laughs) and Bryan watches old sitcoms too often."

12.Before we wrap up ­this interview, do yo­u have any final word­s or thoughts?

We're really proud of "WAR" and thankful for the opportunity to share it with so many people. We've been touring for a couple years now, spreading the word of the importance of all ages shows, and pushing it mostly DIY. When we started, we were focused on our goals from the beginning, and we will stay that way. We encourage anyone with a dream to make it happen.

https:// innerstrengthrecords.bandcamp. com/album/rig-time-war

http://www.rig-time.com/

Twingiant/Blood Feud/Argonauta Records/2017 CD Review

  Phoenix,  Arizona's  Twingiant  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  which  is  in  more  of  a   mixture  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Blood  Feud"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Argonauta  Records.

  Drum  beats  and  heavy  stoner  riffing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  having  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  very  rough  sludge  style  while  still  having  a  semi  melodic  tone  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody.

  Elements  of  southern  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  the  music  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  give  the  songs  more  of  a  retro  vibe  without  losing  its  modern  edge  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  whispered  vocals  and  acoustic  guitars.

  Twingiant  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  stoner,  doom  and  sludge  metal  mixture  of  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  space,  hobos  and  monster  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from  Twingiant  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  stoner,  sludge  and  doom  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Poison  Control  Party  Line"  "Shadow  Of  South  Mountain"  and  "Last  Man  Standing".  8  out  of  10.

Wyatt E/Exile To Beyn Neharot/Shalosh Cult/2017 Full Length Review

  Wyatt  E  are  a  band  originally  from  Israel  but  now  re  located  to  Belgium  and  plays  a  mixture  of  drone,  doom  and  post  metal  with  elements  of  Oriental  music  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Exile  To  Beyn  Neharot"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Shalosh  Cult.

  Power  sounding  bass  guitars  along  with  some  nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  which  also  gives  the  music  more  of  a  tribal  feeling  and  drones  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  ambient  style  synths  are  added  into  the  music  and  all  of t he  songs  are  instrumental.

  Both  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and epic  in  length  while  a  great  amount  of  Oriental  folk  music  elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  along  with  the  riffs  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  they  also  add  in  elements  of  post  rock  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction.

  Wyatt  E  plays  a  musical  style t hat  mixes  doom  metal,  drone,  post  rock  and  Oriental  music  together  to  create  something  very  original  while  also  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  Wyatt  E  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  oriental  music,  drone,  doom  metal  and  post  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Ode  To  Ishtar".  8  out  of  10.

  

Ufomammut/8/Neurot Recordings/2017 CD Review

  Italy's  Ufomammut  have  returned  with  a  new  recording  that  continues  their  psychedelic  mixture  of  stone r and  doom  metal  from  previous  recordings  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "8"  which  will b em released  in September  by  Neurot  Recordings.

  Atmospheric sounding  drones  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  a  few  seconds later  while  guitar  noises  and  psychedelic  elements  are  also  utilized  at  times  and  after  awhile  powerful sounding  bass  guitars  start  to  make  their presence  known  and  a  great  portion  of t he  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length.


  When  vocals  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  aggressive  yet  melodic  style  along  with  a  touch  of  hardcore  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  with  the  guitar  riffing  and  elements  of  post  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times,  synths  also  add  in  a  touch  of  ambient  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  Ufomammut  creates  another  recording  that  remains  true  to  the  psychedelic  mixture  of  stoner  and  doom  metal  from  previous  releases,  the  production  sounds  very  professional while  the  lyrics  cover  mythology  and  esoteric  themes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  great  sounding  recording  from Ufomammut  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  band,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Babel"  "Fatum"  and  "Psyrcle".  8 out of  10.    
 

  

Rig Time!/War/Innerstrength Records/2017 CD Review

   Rig  Time!  are  a  band  from  La  Crosse,  Wisconsin  that  plays a   mixture  of  sludge  metal,  power  violence  and  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "War"  which  will  be  released  in  October  by  Innerstrength  Records.

  Drones  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  starts  off  the  album  while  melodies  are  also  used  at  times  along  with  the  riffing  also  mixing  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them,  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  an  aggressive  hardcore  style.

  A  great  amount  of  power  violence  elements  can  be  heard  quite  a  bit  throughout  the  recording  while  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  along  with  the  songs  also  bringing  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast parts  and  a  touch  of  death  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times.

  Rig  Time!  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  hardcore,  power  violence  and  sludge metal  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  violent  and  angry  themes.

  In   my  opinion  Rig  Time!  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  hardcore,  power  violence  and  sludge  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Garbage"  "Deserve"  "Discompose"  and  "Vengeance".  8  out  of  10.      

Killing Suzy/Everybody Dies, Darling/2017 CD Review

  Killing  Suzy  are  a  band  from  Germany  that  plays  a  mixture  of  gothic  metal  and dark  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of t heir  self  released  2017  album  "Everybody  Dies,  Darling'.

  Atmospheric  keyboards  starts  off  the  album  and  also  mix  in  with t he  heavier  side  of t he  music  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  a  decent  amount  of blast  beats  while  the  vocals  are  female  goth  metal  vocals  and  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them.

  Clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of t he  recording  while  a  lot  of  the  music  is  very  heavily  rooted  in  the  90's    along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  starts  getting more  symphonic  and  on  some  tracks  the keyboards  add  in  prog  rock  elements  and  male  vocals  can  also  be  heard  briefly.  

  Killing  Suzy  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  90's  era  gothic  metal and  mixes  it  with  dark  rock  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark,  depressive  and  mythological themes.

  In  my  opinion  Killing  Suzy  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  gothic  metal  and  dark  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sisters" "Pain  Makes  Me  Stronger"  "Nail  In  My  Flesh"  and "Atlantis".  8 out  of  10.     

Kitchen Witch/Self Titled/Kozmik Artifactz/2017 FUll Length Review

  Kitchen Witch  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a  mixture  of  stoner  and  blues  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  released  2017  album  which  was  released  by  Kozmik  Artifactz.

  A  very  heard  and  heavy  stoner  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  female  vocals  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  add  elements  of  blues  onto  the  recording  while t he  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  along  with  a  great  amount  of  70's  influences  but  done  with  a  more  modern  touch.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  elements  of  doom  metal  can  be  heard  in  the  slower  riffing  along  with  the  solos  and  leads  remaining  very  true  to  a stoner  rock  tradition  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  One  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  also  introduces  psychedelic  elements  onto  the  recording  and  the  music  also  speeds  up  briefly  and  adds  in  the  energy  of  punk  rock  along  with  a  few  blast  beats  while  the  main  focus  is  on  either  a  slow  or  mid  based  musical  direction  and  one  track  also  adds  in  back  up  gang  shouts.

  Kitchen  Witch  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  stoner  and  blues  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  metaphysical  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Kitchen  Witch  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  stoner  and  blues  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Third  Eye"  "Smoking"  and  "Don't  Waste  Your  Time".  8  out  of  10.

Descarado/Odd/Oak Island/2017 FullLength Review

  Descarado  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Odd"  which  was  released  by Oak Island.

  Blues  rock  style  guitar  leads  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  heavy  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a   very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  the  riffs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  clean  stoner  style.

  A  lot  of  90's  influences  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  also  sounding  very  modern  at  the  same  time  along  with  some  of  the  riffing  also  adding  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal  as  well  as  mixing  in  the  energy  of  punk  at  times,  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  as  well  as  having  clean  playing  also  be  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  later  track  also  brings  in  a  small  amount  of  acoustic  guitars.

  Descarado  plays  a  style  of  stoner  rock  that  is  very  hard,  heavy  and  aggressive  sounding  along  with  a  great  amount  of  energy,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Descarado  are  a  very  great  sounding  stoner  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Cirko  Mamuno"  "Domus"  and  "Cactus  Wine".  8  out  of  10. 

King Zog/Self Titled/2017 Full Length Review

  King  Zog  are  a  band  from  Australia  that  plays  a mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  self  titled  and  self  released  2017  album.

  Nature  sounds  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  melodic  riffing  a  few  seconds  later  which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  doom  metal  direction  along  with  the  vocals  also  giving  the  songs  more  of  a  70's  metal  vibe  while  the  solos  and  leads  also  stick  to  a  very  retro  musical  style.

   While  a  lot  of  the  influences  are  from  the  past  the  music  still  sounds  very  modern  along  with  some  psychedelic  elements  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  riffing  also  mixes  in  the  heaviness  of  sludge and  a  couple  of  the  tracks  are  long  and  epic  in  length,  all  of  the  musical  instruments  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  a  very  slow  musical  direction.

  King  Zog  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  traditional  form  of  doom  metal  and  mixes  it  with  the  heaviness  of  sludge  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and  occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  King  Zog  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Lost  At  Sea"  "Hexagram"  "Bitter  Wisdom"  and  "Season  In  Hell".  8  out  of  10.     

Lamina/Lilith/Raging Planet/2017 CD Review

 Lamina  are  a  band  from  Portugal  that  plays  a  psychedelic  mixture  of  stoner  rock  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Lilith"  which  was  released  by  Raging  Planet.

  Drum  beats  starts  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  harder  direction  where  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording  while  the  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  70's  hard  rock/metal  style  along  with  the  riffs  also  bringing in  a  great  amount  of  melody.

  At times  the  music  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal while  the  solos  and  leads  remain  true  to a  stoner  rock  style  along  with  a  great  amount  of  psychedelic  elements  being  utilized  and  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  tempo  direction  and  while  their  is  a  great amount  of  retro  elements  the  music  still  sounds  very  modern  and  some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  in  epic  in  length,  as  the  album  progresses  acoustic  guitars  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly.

  Lamina  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  a  psychedelic  form  of  stoner  rock  and  mixes  it  in  with t he  heaviness  of  doom  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Lamina  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic  mixture  of  stoner  rock  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS INCLUDE  "Cold  Blood"  "Evil  Rising"  and  "In  The  Warmth  Of  Lilith".  8  out  of 10.  

The Great Discord/The Rabbit Hole/The Sign Records/2017 CD Review

  The  Great  Discord  are  a  band  from  Sweden  that  plays  a  musical  style  they  describe  as  being  progressive  death  pop  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Rabbit  Hole" which  will  be  released  in  October  by  The  Sign  Records.

  Atmospheric  sounding  synths  and  melodic  female  vocals  start  off  the  album  and  after  the intro  clean  playing  is  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  all  of the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful  which  also  leads  up  to  a  heavier  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  prog  elements.

  Vocals  are  mostly  clean  singing  with  a  touch  of  power  metal  while  prog  rock  style  keyboards  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  along  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  elements  of  djent  and  aggressive  screams  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  clean  playing  also  makes  a  return  on  some  of  the  later  tracks.

   The  riffs  also  bring  in  a  great  amount  of  melody  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  fashion  and  when  the  music  speeds  up  a  decent  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard  and  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  great  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  also  adding  in  a  symphonic  edge.

  The  Great  Discord  plays  a  musical  style  that  is  mostly  rooted  in  progressive  metal  while  also  adding  in  the  heaviness  of  djent  and  a  touch  of  death  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  adding  an  alternate  story  to  Lewis  Carrol's  Alice  tumbling  down  the  rabbit  hole.

  In  my  opinion  The  Great  Discord  are  a  very  great  sounding  progressive  death  pop  band  and  if  you  are  looking  for  something  that  is  very  different,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Noire"  "Tell  Tale  Heart"  "Neon  Draming"  and  "Persona".  8  out  of  10.

Squalus/The Great Fish/Translation Loss Records/2017 CD Review

  Squalis  are  a  band  from  Northern  California  that  plays  a mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal,  punk,  synthwave  and  post  hardcore  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Great  Fish"  which  will  be  released  in  September  by  Translation  Loss  Records.

  Clean  playing  along  with  some  atmospheric  synths  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  grim  yet  melodic  vocals  while  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sound  very  powerful  and  they  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music  and  at  times  the  vocals  bring  in  more  of  an  aggressive  sludge  approach.

  Elements  of  post  hardcore  can  also  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  at  times  while  some  songs  also  bring  in  psychedelic  touches  and  when  the  music  gets  more  mid  tempo  it  brings  in  the  raw  energy  of  punk  rock  along  with  the  faster  sections  of  the  songs  bringing  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  and  some  tracks  also  bring  in  a  small  amount  of  spoken  word  samples  and  as  the  album  progresses  the  music  gets  more  avant  garde  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in length.

  Squalis  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  sludge,  doom metal,  post  hardcore,  synthwave  and  avant  garde  music  and  mixes  them  together to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark themes.

  In  my  opinion  Squalis  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  sludge,  doom  metal,  punk,  synthwave  and  post  hardcore  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Flesh,  Bone  And  Rubber"  "Jack  The  Ripper"  "The  Orca"  and  "He  Ate  The  Light".  8  out  of  10.
    

Gin Lady Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?
-Not very much to be honest. Or it depends on how you see it. We recorded the main part of the album during four busy days at Gothenburg Radiophonic Workshop in September last year. A few overdubs after that and then mixing with Frans "The Wiz" Hägglund in Stockholm. The writing part with this band is always a on going progress so what we have done after the recording of 'Electric Earth' is writing more material. I guess we could hit the studio today and record another album. That's the sweet part of having a band with four songwriters that can cooperate. So far at least sure hope it will stay that way!

2.You have a new album coming out in September, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
-If you have heard our earlier records I think you can tell that it's pretty obvious that we have a certain hang up for "not so very modern rock music" so to say and it's not in any way different with 'Electric Earth'.When we record we do it really simple. Some good microphones and preamps, flat eq, no nothing and straight onto tape and then  The Wiz add some candy and magic when mixing. We started out working that way on our debut, main reason being lack of time, and found out that it was the way to do it for us. We’ve been doing it that way on all four albums. I guess the sound is similar on all the albums but the songs differ quite a bit more. We’ve been adding more air and dynamics and also turned down the aggressive nob a bit especially if you compare with our first album.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
-Well, I guess the lyrics tend to deal with topics that concern us on a personal level, for example friends, love, our society today. On this album however there’s also a “dreamy quality” to the lyrics that I guess roots itself in the fact that we all like to escape reality every now and again, only this time we wanted to take the listener on that journey as well. So dream away…

4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Gin Lady'?
-The actual meaning is super sad and depressing you know. You could easily walk into a Gin Lady in England in the mid eighteenth century that couldn't resist Mother's Ruin. Just another weird band name I guess. Me and Joakim was in a band called Gin Lady in the late 90s and we kind of recycled that name.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage eprformance?
-I have to be honest with you. 'Electric Earth' is our fourth album and we have only done three proper shows. I know, it's insane and I have no good answer why we haven't done more shows. We get offers from clubs and festivals quite frequently but I guess the fact that we are spread out all over Sweden is the major issue. But can I promise you that we’re going to do a lot more shows this time around!

6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?
-We do have touring plans. We gonna meet up for rehearsals very soon and start touring this fall.

7.The new album is coming out on 'Kozmik Artifactz', are you happy with the support that the label has giving you so far?
-Very happy indeed. They are true music lovers that work really hard to spread great rock music to the masses. As we all know it's hard these days but they are doing it great. They are super serious about their vinyl releases and don't miss out on any detail. When you get a 'Kozmik Artifacts' release in your hand it makes you happy. Good sounding vinyl and beautiful prints on thick foldout covers, none of this toilet paper covers that we are used to these days.


8.On a worldwide elvel how has the feedback been to your recordings by fans of hard music?
-Good I guess. I mean we’re not a stoner or a doom band but I haven't heard any complaints and I take that as a good sign. We'll see what the feedback will be on 'Electric Earth'.


9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
-The main reason we are doing this is to make music that we really like. Albums that you want to find in your own collection. No compromises. The kind of music we are making is the kind that we have been listening to the last 30 years or so, since we were little boys. We are the same boys today just a bit bigger, slower and smellier so I would be surprised if the next album is very different. But you never know.

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an infleunce on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
-We all listen to a lot of different music and we all have different favourite bands but for some reason we found our sound and song writing immediately when we got together. We never really talked about what we wanted to sound like and I think that's the beautiful part with it. What we all have in common though is the love for rock music from the 60s and 70s. I don't think that came as a surprise.

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
-I don't know if we have any other interests actually. We all play with other bands as well so there is a lot of music in our lives. Some of us are into long distance running. Some of us are family fathers.

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
-Well, you always hope that people will like the new album but hey if not, no need to worry; there is tons of great music out there.

Rescue Rangers Interview

1.Can you gve us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording of the new album?

Well I had to get another line-up: I know play with my friends Julien and Manu Martinez on the rhythm section, and Nicolas Tchakamian on second guitar, who recorded and mixed the album. We joined Helmet on tour this past February, after which we started working on the release of this new album.


2.Ypu have a new album coming out in September, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have releaed in the past?

The new album is really raw and in your face, with big guitars, natural sounding drums but without sacrificing melody - and all these songs could be played on an acoustic guitar and work by themselves! It's still a change with what we did before as the tempos are much higher, giving the album a hardcore/punk vibe and probably adding more energy to our music. Actually, some of the older songs are being rearranged to match the new ones live.

3.The band has been around since 2007 but has only put out 3 albums, can you tell us a little bit more about the gap in between releases?

I'd say it's really due to miscommunication between the band-members on the one hand, and also not understanding how things work in the world of music.When you make a record it's something really near and dear to you. Each time I've wanted to wait for the right time to put them out, so as not to "waste" them. I can't say I've really succeeded in that, but having had to go through major line-up changes, I took the time to regroup and find the right partners. When you start from nothing, not knowing what to do, it takes time. and sadly, time flies.


4.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?

It's really about frustration: the feeling of fuckin up every time, working shit jobs to pay for living, not being able to find your way around, people bragging but not backin it up, idiotic political choices... I don't know in what measure all that will come through to the listener. However, this whole record should be taken as a whole, with the sound, the way we've played, and the artwork. Ultimately it's like a wake-up call to myself, and I hope people will see this as a shot of energy.

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage perfromance?

Off the top of my head three shows come to mind:

- Paris with Hermano in 2008 at Le Trabendo : fantastic crowd, great energy on stage, really an explosive night. I thought  we'd taken things a step up, that this particular night would be our break. It was not.

- London at the Camden Unicorn in 2012 : again great crowd, great club, and people were really receptive to our music. It felt like we were playing right where we should be playing.

- more recently in Marseilles at Le Poste à Galène in May: first show as a 4 piece with the new line-up, I think the best in all of the history of the band. Now I just wish for the band to play gigs like every day!

Also our tours with Nick Oliveri & Mondo Generator as well as the tour alongside Helmet this past February have been great achievements of sorts.

There's nothing fancy in our stage performances; just the band playing honest. We're the same on stage than we're in everyday life - although people keep saying they don't recognize me as I seem so calm out of the stage. It's probably just cause I'm tall.


6.Do you have any touring or show plans once the new album is released?

That's the next move. There's so much work with the release and it's tough to manage all these things at once. So far we only have shows book in France but the next move is to plan and go out on tour anywhere we can throughout Europe first, and then try US and Canada if the opportunity arises.

7.The new album is coming out on F200, can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

This is the label I started to put out the record, with the help of Cargo Records UK. I had been toying with the idea of starting my own thing, that way if I were to be upset, I could only blame myself for it. With no label willing to help at this point, I started this, backed by my friends in the band, and it's a great venture really. I'm considering signing other acts to the label at some point, but first let's wait and see how we manage with that first release.

8.Page Hamilton produced the new album, what was it like working with this legendary musixian?

That was the best thing I've done in my life. It made me grow musically, I was able to explore new vocal ranges and also see guitar playing under a different light. Moreover, it impacted a lot of the other aspects of life. I should add that we had a great laugh too. It was nothing like "we're not worthy". However legendary and respected he may be, he made sure everyone felt comfortable so we could be productive; we really were "on the same page" if I may say so. I have learned a lot about arranging songs, about what works and why; on the other hand, he helped me cultivate my instinct and get straight to the point with regards to songs structures.


9.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of metal, punk and hard rock?

It's really hard to say as there's so many quality bands roaming through the mist of the inter webs. It's hard for music to reach the proper ears without a solid team. But with this new record we're getting a good amount of positive feedback from UK, Germany, Italy and Spain but also the States and South America. All that, in turn, has generated some more interest for our music in France. Let's hope this keeps growing!


10.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

We're working on new songs, and it's picking up where we left things off with Page. Since he'll be working on the next record again, I'm excited to see where we'll land. So far rhythm is the main thing, and the interaction between guitars and drums; it'll have a bit more edge overall, but will still feature melodies.


11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I'd like to split this into two categories: influences (up to 18 years old) and inspirations (from college onwards). I grew up with what is commonly referred to as "Grunge", and then "Britpop" (that saves me the bandname dropping that people would hastily refer us to). But the main thing in my life, that's the Beatles - from Rubber Soul to Abbey Road. Feels like I have learned everything from playing to their records as a teenager, and I could listen to them all day. It never ends, you always hear something new, a certain guitar lick will touch you in a different way, a Harrison's song will reveal itself all of a sudden, and Lennon's voice will tear your heart out. Ringo, no one can play like him, you just can't. And Paul McCartney, he keeps putting out awesome records...

After that I'd say there's been a lot of inspirations, from the first three QOTSA to James Brown to Sixteen Horsepower and Wovenhand to the classics: Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett, Zeppelin, Sabbath, The Who, the Rolling Stones... The last band that blew me away was Sleaford mods - seems like a breath of fresh air. Saw them live two years ago, it's like the hooligan version of James Brown! Other than that I'm rediscovering some classics from the 90s: Frank black's solo stuff, Ride, Fugazi...and I need my daily dose of Stranglers - from Rattus to Feline, even some of the later stuff as the songwriting is still ace.

12.What are some of yuor non musical interests?

Pizza, cats, conspiracy theory, clothes, travels, History, Italy and the Basque Country.

13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

I really like Pizza, it's a genuine craft that needs to be mastered. And thanks so much for this interview, it was a real pleasure to talk about the band and the music we play. Hopefully we'll come play in a place near you!

The Judge Interview

1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new album?
Well the record has been done for some time now, and between recording and releasing the album, we have been playing locally as well as working on the third album. We plan to tour soon as well while we're working on the next album. (Evan - Drummer) We've been extremely active promoting the album. We've also been planning a few big shows, putting together some merch campaigns, and just getting the word out about the band. (Tyler - Singer)

2.Recently you have released a new album, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
The musical sound is definitely a heavier sound, in terms of lyrical content and how the music is presented. Live shows are really the best way to experience the album correctly, but it's really an attempt to move away from the cookie cutter "70s classic rock" sound. We were trying different things on this album, specifically recording styles, and that is probably the biggest difference compared to our past releases. The music will continue to progress as we develop our own identity.

3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
I think this album reflects a lot of abuse that happens in our lives and other people's lives. We explored the route of drug addiction, invasion of sorts, emotional trauma, and family neglect. It was a treat to write some of these songs cause in one way or another has touched our lives on a deep level.


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'The Judge'?
The Pontiac GTO Judge. Lolz (Evan) Originally we were named after the GTO Judge from the movie Sex Drive. But then people started making courtroom puns. Then we slowly started using and actual judge as the logo and it stuck. (Kevin - Bassist)

5.What are some of the best shows that the band has played over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Opening up for Jackyl and our tour kickoff show in our hometown are probably our favorite shows. We try to be high energy, heavy rock and roll. Really, we are very loud and if you enjoy that, then get ready to rock your socks off!

6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the new album?
Yes, in the future. At the moment I (Evan) am in school and Tyler has some things to take care of, but we definitely want to tour VERY soon. (Evan) We play a lot locally in St. Louis, but our best shows are when we can get out of town. We did a weekender to Chicago and Indianapolis recently, and we met some really cool people. (Tyler)

7.The new album was released on 'Ripple Music', are you happy with the support that they have given you so far?
Absolutely. Todd is an amazing guy and really supports every single band on the label. It makes being part of this label family so much more worth it. (Evan)

8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of metal and rock?
We have gotten lots of support for our music in Europe specifically. Because we are so local still, it's hard to get a name out to places like Finland, UK, Sweden, Germany, etc. However, we still have had many complements for the music and support to tour in Europe. (Evan) Yes, the metal scene is a very loyal one. We got lucky signing with Ripple and it's been downhill ever since! (Kevin)

9.Where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
We're always trying progress in one way or another. What comes out is how we sound, but I can't really put a name on what we will sound like. Heavy progressive psychedelic? Who knows haha. (Evan)

10.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
Well we've gotta give props to the bands that influenced us from the ground up: Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Deep Purple, Hendrix Experience, for me, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson. As of now, Graveyard, Kadavar, Radio Moscow, Red Fang, The Shrine, lots of other "smaller" bands like Slow Season, Cloud Catcher, our good friends Spacetrucker. We're always looking for new music and influences. (Evan) I'm the type of guy that listens to everything, and I draw techniques that I like from all of it. I draw from R&B and folk specifically for vocals, in addition to all the obvious zeppliny sabbathy stuff that our band takes after. (Tyler)

11.What are some of your non musical interests?
I am a incredibly huge hockey fan. I follow basically all that's going on in hockey and I try to watch baseball when I can as well. I like making sketch comedy and editing thing on the computer. Photoshop has always been one of my favorite programs to use for fun. (Evan) I have a wife and two kids. For money I'm a freelance audio engineer and a metal worker, but I spend most of what little free time I have with the family. I like music and camping and beer. (Tyler)

12.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
We'd like to thank everyone for their support of our music, as well as their support for other local bands like us. The business has changed so much since the 60s and 70s, and the only way we are able to do any of this is because of people who genuinely love music and support it fully. (Evan) We just want to thank everyone from our parents to ripple, to the sound guys that deal with our constant monitor tweaking. The heart of rock n roll is still beating, and from what I can tell I believe 'em. (Kevin) Thanks to all the promoters and fellow bands that help nourish this sweet network we have going! (Tyler)

Humulus/Reverently Heading Into Nowhere/Oak Island Records/2017 EPReview

  Humulus  are  a  band  from  Italy  that  plays  a  very  psychedelic  form  of  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  ep  "Heading Into  Nowhere"  which  was  released  by Oak  Island  Records.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  ep  and  they  also  give  the  songs  a  70's  metal  feeling  along  with  some  heavy  and  melodic  riffs  a  few  seconds  later  and  after  awhile  clean  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  acoustic  guitars  also  being  added  into  certain sections  of  the  recording.

  While  the  music  has  a  lot  of  retro  influences  it  still  sounds  very  modern  at  the  same  time  and  the  solos  and  leads  also  remain  very  true  to  a  70's  rock  style  and  elements  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  and  clean  guitars  are  also utilized  at  times  and  as  the  ep  progresses  the  music  gets  more  psychedelic  along  with  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow or  mid  paced  direction,

  Humulus  plays  a  style  of  stoner  rock  that  is  very  heavy  and  psychedelic  sounding  as  well  as  mixing  both  the  70's  and  modern  styles  together,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the lyrics  cover  dark  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Humulus  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic  stoner  rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  ep.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Catskull"  and  "The  Great  Hunt".  8  out  of  10.

The Re-Stoned/Analog/Oak Island Records/2017 Vinyl Review

  The  Re-Stoned  are  a  band  from  Moscow,  Russia  that  plays  an  instrumental  mixture  of  psychedelic,  stoner,  hard  rock  and  doom  metal  and  this  is  a  review of  their  2017  album  "Analog"  which  was  released  by  Oak  Island  Records.

  Clean  blues  rock  style  guitar  playing  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  and  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  before  adding  in  heavier  yet  melodic  riffing    while  the  solos  and  leads  bring  in  more  of  a  stoner  rock  style  while  the  music  also  brings  in  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal.

  Some  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  music  has  no  vocals  or  lyrics  and  after  awhile  psychedelic  elements  are  added  onto  the  recording  while also  mixing  in  an  improv  feeling  at times  as  well  as  adding  in  some  classic  rock  influences  and  all  of  the  music  sticks  to  a  very  slow  direction.

  The  Re-Stoned  plays  a  musical  style  that takes  psychedelic,  stoner,  and hard  rock  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  heaviness  of  doom  metal  while  also  keeping  everything  instrumental  and  the  production  sounds  very  professional.

  In  my  opinion  the  Re-Stoned  are  a  very  great  sounding  instrumental  mixture  of  psychedelic,  stoner,  hard  rock  and  doom  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Northern  Lights"  and  "Crystal".  8  out  of  10.

    

The Black Capes/All These Monsters/Dark Tunes/2017 CD Review

  The  Black  Capes  are  a  band  from  Athens,  Greece  that  plays  a  mixture  of  dark  rock  and  gothic  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "All  These Monsters"  which  was  released  by  Dark  Tunes.

  Thunder  sounds  along  with  horror  movie  samples  from  the  60's  start  off  the  album  before  going  into  more  of  a  heavier and  melodic  goth  metal  direction  while t he  vocals  are  done  in  more  of  a  traditional  goth  rock  style  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  A  great  amount  of  80's  goth  and  90's  metal  influences  can  be  heard  in  the  bands  musical  style  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of t he  recording  along  with  a  decent  amount  of  synths and  some  of  the  songs  also  bring  in  a  decent  amount  of  clean  playing  and  when  guitar  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a very  melodic  fashion  and  all  of  the  songs  stick  to  either  a  slow  or  mid  paced musical  direction.

  The  Black  Capes  plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  goth  rock  and  mixes  it  in  with  the  heaviness  of  melodic  metal  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness  and occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  The  Black  Capes  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  dark  rock  and  goth  metal  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Sarah  The  Witch"  "The  Black  Capes"  and "All  These  Monsters".  8  out  of  10.   

Geezer/Psychoriffadelia/Kozmik Artifactz/2017 CD Review

  Geezer are  a  band  from  New  York  that  plays  a  musical  style  they  describe  as  being  cosmic  stoner  blues  with  touches  of  psychedelic  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Psychoriffadelia"  which  was  released  by  Kozmik  Artifactz.

  Powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  start  off  the  album  along  with  some  hard  and  heavy  riffs  a  few  seconds  later  and  the  first  track  is  a  cover  of  Nazareth's  "Hair  Of  The  Dog"  and  the  vocals  are  done  in  a  clean  stoner  style  and  while  the  music  is  rooted  in  the  70;s  it  still  sounds  very  modern  at  the  same  time.

  When  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  retro  and  melodic  style  while  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  the  music  also  incorporates  a  great  amount  of  psychedelic  and  blues  rock  elements  and  one  of  the  tracks  is  very  long  and  epic  in  length  and  one  song  is  all  instrumental  and  most  of  the  music  sticks  to  either  a  slow  or mid  paced  musical  direction  and  slide  guitars  can  also  be  heard  briefly.

  Geezer  plays  a  musical style  that takes  psychedelic,  blues  and  stoner  rock  and  mixes  them  together  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Geezer  are  a  very  great  sounding  psychedelic  mixture  of  blues  and  stoner  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Stressknots"  and  "Dirty  Penny".  8  out  of  10.  

DemonAuta/Tierra Del Fuego/Kozmik Artifactz/2017 Vinyl Review

  DemonAuta  are  a  band  from  Chile  that  plays  a  desert  style  of  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "Tierra  Del  Fuego"  which  was  released  by  Kozmik  Artifactz.

  A  very  distorted  and  fuzzy  sound  starts  off  the  album  along  with  some  drum  beats  and  powerful  sounding  bass  guitars  and  after  awhile  clean  stoner  style  vocals  are  added  onto  the  recording  while  the  music  also  mixes  in  elements  of  70's  metal/rock  in  with  a  more  modern  musical  style.

  Touches  of  doom  metal  can  also  be  heard  at  times  while  the  solos  and  leads  stick  to  a  very  retro  rock  and  proto  metal  style  along  with  clean  playing  and  psychedelic  elements  also  being  utilized  at  times  and  they  also  add  in  influences  from  the  90's  to  modern  times  along  with  a couple  of  the  tracks  being  instrumentals  and  as  the  album  progresses  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  some  of  the  tracks  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  DemonAuta  plays  a  style   of  stoner  rock  that  adds  in  more  of  a  desert  and  psychedelic  atmosphere,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  written  in  a  mixture  of  Spanish  and  English  and  cover  metaphysical  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  DemonAuta  are  a  very  great  sounding  desert  style  stoner rock  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE "Into  The  Darkness"  "Astro  II"  and  "Psiconauta".  8  out  of  10.

Domadora/The Violet Mystical Sukuma/Kozmik Artifactz Records/2017 Vinyl Review

  Domadora  are  a  band  from  France  that  plays  a  shamanistic  mixture  of  psychedelic  and  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "The  Violet  Mystical  Sukuma"  which  was  released  by  Kozmik  Artifactz  Records.

  Distorted  amp  sounds  and  drum  beats  start  off  the  album  which  also  leads  up  to  the  music  getting  more  psychedelic  as  well  as  adding  in  some  hard  and  heavy  riffing  while t he  solos  and  leads  are  done  in  more  of  a  70's  hard  rock  tradition  and  you  can  also  hear  all  of  the  musical  instruments  that  are  present  on  the  recording.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  bring  in  elements  of  proto  metal  along  with  an  improv  feeling  at  times  and  clean  playing  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  as  well  as  a  a  great  portion  of  the  songs  being  instrumentals  and  the  vocals  are  done  in   a  very  melodic  yet  retro  style.  and  at  times  the  music  speeds  up  a  little  bit  and  spoken  word  parts  are  also  used  briefly  and  one  track  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats.

  Domadora  plays  a  style  of  stoner  rock  that  is  very  heavy  and  psychedelic  while  also  mixing  in  more  of  a  shamanistic  atmosphere  to  create  a  sound  of  their  own,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  darkness,  shamanism,  and  real  life  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Domadora  are  a  very  great  sounding  shamanistic  mixture  of  psychedelic  and  stoner  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Indian  Depression"  and  "Jack  Tripping".  8  out  of  10.

Hair Of The Dog/This World Turns/Kozmik Artifactz/Bilocation Records/2017 Full Length Review

  Hair  Of  The  Dog  are  a  trio  from  Scotland  that  plays a   mixture  of  psychedelic,  retro  and  stoner  rock  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2017  album  "This  World  Turns"  which  was  released  as  a  joint  effort  between  Kozmik  Artifactz  and  Bilocation  Records.

  A  very  hard  and  heavy  70's  influenced  rock  sound  starts  off  the  album  while  mixing  it  in  with  some  modern  stoner  elements  as  well  as  the  riffs  also  using  a  great  amount  of  melody  and  the  vocals  give  the  songs  more  of  a  proto  metal  feeling  along  with  all  of  the  musical  instruments  sounding  very  powerful.

  Most  of  the  tracks  are  very  long  and  epic  in  length  while  the  riffs  also  add  in  a  touch  of  doom  metal  at  times  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  more  of  a  retro  rock  fashion  and  as  the  album  progresses  elements  of  blues  rock  can  also  be  heard  in  certain  sections  of  the  recording  and  a  couple  of  tracks  also  adds  in  a  small  amount  of  clean  playing,  psychedelic  synths  and acoustic  guitars  along  with  all  of  the  tracks  sticking  to  either  a  slow or  mid  paced  musical  direction.

  Hair  Of  The  Dog plays  a  musical  style  that  takes  psychedelic  and  70's  metal  and  mixes  it  in  with  a  modern  stoner  rock  sound  to  create  something  different,  the  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  real  life  themes.  

  In  my  opinion  Hair  Of  The  Dog  are  a  very  great  sounding  mixture  of  psychedelic,  retro  and  stoner  rock  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  those  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  this  band.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "Keep  Watching  Over  The  Night"  and  "4AM".  8  out  of  10.