News...

Sorry for the short hiatus everyone!
Between having no internet courtesy of BT, we've been battling with certain bands which have decided to have our uploads on mediafire removed and thusly suspending our account. For the record, ALL uploads put up by us have had permission granted by the bands them selves. All others have been found openly on the net and have nothing to do with this site.

Right. That being said, I am going to endeavour to get the blog updated regularly from now on... If anyone out there would like to join the team and help us with some reviews, any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

~ Jay

Temple(s) Of Doom...

Temples - Temples (2009)

For Fans Of; Electric Wizard, Mountain Witch, Elder, Sleep, Tombs

Website • Myspace • Bandcamp

Temples (320kbps)

All Guns Blazing...

Tank Destroyer - Head Of The Demon (2009)

 

For Fans Of; Iron Monkey, Pig Destroyer, Soilent Green, Weedeater, Church Of Misery

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Head Of The Demon (320kbps)

Poles Apart...

Major Kong - Orogenesis (2011)

Oh it's been a while since we took a trip to Poland, but thankfully the guys from Major Kong dropped me a line and reminded me of their belting 4 track EP from back in April. I say 'reminded' because I've been sitting on this little beauty for about 6 months according to my iTunes. Once again a mysterious little album thats found it way into my possession and not actually been given the air time it rightfully deserves. Shame on me. Still, better late than never so here we go...
I will admit my over sight of this EP has left me pretty reeling. It was a rookie mistake on my part not getting this up earlier as it really is one of the best produced and executed instrumental stoner/doom albums my ears have ever been blessed with.
Starting life as a mere side project to their original band Fifty Foot Woman, the guys set out to produce their own take on the genre, and goddamn they've done just that! Whaling groove seeping riffs to an upbeat tempo just keep the whole EP on the stoner side of that fine line between stoner/doom, yet occasionally tipping a toe over to test the waters. No lyrics to speak of but a subtle and great use of samples give a nice touch to round off the consistency of the recording.
The best analogy my currently intoxicated brain can conjure is; if you were to imagine the genres as a whole with stoner in the middle, doom, sludge etc on one side and psychedelic, space etc on the other. Well Major Kong have one foot firmly in doom the other foot in psych and their balls securely planted in stoner. It's a strange image sure, but you know what? It bloody works.

Check out the guys bandcamp page have a listen to the tracks and pay what you like for the download, or if you're tight, nothing at all. But c'mon, show some love and hurl a few bucks their way. They're currently working on new material for a full length album so I'm sure the cash will come in helpful.

~ Jay

For Fans Of; Karma To Burn, Kamni, Wo Fat, Electric Wizard, Acid King

Myspace • Facebook • Bandcamp

Orogenesis (320kbps)

News...

Apologies for the delays of some of the posts. Between being a bit on the ill side and massively over worked it also appears that I have a prehistoric and frustratingly temperamental internet connection.
I will endeavour to get new posts up (relatively) on time every other day...

Sorry!

~ Jay

Dealers Of Doom...

Witch Hunter Records - The Coven & Neophytes Vol 1 (2011)

Thankfully the guys from Iron Witch brought this little collection to my attention.

UK based Witch Hunter Records have decided to gift us all with this 18 track selection of their prime cuts of stoner, doom, sludge, hardcore, punk and post rock. It's a pretty eclectic collection of tracks to be honest. From the stoner riff heavy rock of Bumsnogger and Mage to the post rock sound scapes of Wiht, with a healthy dose of crusty, sludgy doom courtesy of Iron Witch, Little Sister and Let It Die (to name just a few) thrown into the mix to boot. There's something here for everybody. Give it a listen and have a peruse through Witch Hunters current roster and check out some more of the cracking bands they're currently backing. 

~ Jay

For Fans Of; Eagle Twin, Outlaw Order, Iron Monkey, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Charles Manson

Website • Myspace • Facebook • Bandcamp

The Coven & Neophytes Vol 1 (320kbps)

Doom Is Where The Heart Is...

The Wisdoom - Self Titled (2011)

It seems as though Italy are fast becoming a pretty major player in the old doom/psychedelic/space rock scene, with bands like Blackland, Otehi, Le Scimmie and Ivy Garden Of The Desert all producing some of the best examples of the genre in the last year or so. Well, now we can add the aptly named The Wisdoom to that list too. There really couldn't be a better name for this band, it sums them up to a tee. Combining the pounding of skins similar to that of Black Pyramid, the biblically slow and crushing riffs of Sleep and that distant haunting vocal tone so akin to that of Electric Wizard. With all those key elements in place it's like a big perfectly executed homage to all the trailblazers of the genre.
In typical doom style there are just a trio of tracks but as they are all between about 10 and 17 minutes long  the play time is still close to the 40 min mark. For some thats quite a lot of down tuned doom to be split just three ways and sure, if its all done a bit half arsed then it will end up falling a bit flat. Fortunately the guys have well and truly dodged that bullet. With a combination of ambient space rock style bridges joined by some of the best guitar hooks I've heard this year everything merges together with tight groove that constantly flows through each track keeping it fresh from verse to verse. That may sound like a pretty basic and fundamental element, but its surprising just how many up and coming bands of a similar ilk that just fall short of hitting this important nail on the head.

For Fans Of; Electric Wizard, Dozer, Mountain Witch, Elder, Blackland

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Self Titled (320kbps)

Goin' Back In Time...

The Fellwoods (aka The Moss) - Wulfram (2011)

Damn I love it when I find a new band that sound like they were forged in the early 70's in a cramped smokey basement following an inspiring Zeppelin gig. I swear I was born about 30 years too late.
Sadly I have neither a tweaked DeLoren or some Jean Claude Van Dam Timecop like device, but thanks to The Moss I can feel like I'm reliving an (arguably) better time for music.
Sure, from first glance at the artwork you may think that you should be expecting some doom type affair. No so. Far from it in fact. Expect blues influenced retro rock with break downs worthy of being confused with those in classics like Physical Graffiti or Deep Purple In Rock. Yeah theres a few bands knocking around with clear classic rock influences but none of them really have that true early 70's feel like The Moss do. From the whaling distorted riffs down to the vocals, it the whole album is bathed in that awesome old school tone, even in the few sections that slow down and take on a darker more slightly prog like feel.
I love this album, its such a fantastic breathe of fresh air plus if like me you were brought up listening to you old mans record collection and bow down to the trailblazers from the 60's and 70's then you will seriously love this album too.

The band have been really cool and given me a code for a free download of the album, but c'mon show the guys (and girl) some love and pitch them a few bucks. $7 really aint much for a belting 12 track album. Plus if they can get enough cash hopefully they'll get it pressed on vinyl so we can all listen to it the way it was meant to be.

~ Jay

For Fans Of; Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Elf, Wolfmother, Motorcity Daredevils

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Wulfram (320kbps)

(code - eqn7-7sys)

Givin' It Both Barrels...

XII Boar - Demo (2011)

Apologies are in order. I wrote this entry a while back but I set the date wrong and I never went live when it should have. Bloody technology! Anyway, this is XII Boar, a stoner rock trio from Hampshire, England. They make dirty music for dirty people, and we bloody love it!
Sounding like the bastard child of Spiritual Beggars and Superjoint Ritual this sweet little EP/Demo just bursts with fuzzy grooves and head bobbing riffs one after another. It's like a smörgåsbord of stoner rock goodness, taking a little something from the genre and all its sub genres alike.

If this demo is a good foundation to what we can expect in the future from these guys then good god we're in for a treat...

~ Jay

For Fans Of; Crowbar, Orange Goblin, Red Fang, Winnebago Deal, Gurt

Website • Myspace • Facebook

Demo (320kbps)