If You Go Down To The Bar Today...

Barbears - Doombar EP (2012)

Bit of Hungarian space rock/metal fusion for you guys here! Yeah, bet you didn't expect to hear that sentence today eh?
This hard working bunch of beer lovers have been working their asses off since 2008 cracking out some sweet tunes that kind of merge that gap between space rock and classic metal. A sort of collision of the fury and heaviness of Goatsnake and the occasionally trippy and almost desert rock like riffs of Dozer. But y'  know, with a Hungarian accent. It's a pretty unique mix and one that you only really seem to get from bands in countries that aren't inherently English speaking. It's a weird anomaly I know.
Anyway the chaps are dying to get touring outside their native land so show some love and hit up their pages and download the EP. Hell, they're giving it to you for free so you really have no bloody excuse not to!

For Fans Of; Alabama Thunder Pussy, Clutch, King Hobo, The Foreign Objects, Daredevils

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Doombar (320kbp)

There's Something In The Air...

Windhand - Self Titled (2012)

Just a flying visit today as I'm have a few technical issues. But fear not, this is a little cracker!
Doomy, gloomy and chock full of slow crushing grooves, it's Virginias Windhand with the follow up to their well loved 2010 demo...

For Fans Of; Electric Wizard, Sleep, Mountain Goat, Eternal Elysium, Elder 

Facebook • Bandcamp • Big Cartel

Windhand (320kbps)

News...

Yeah... between being pretty strapped for time at the moment, fending off various attacks and having a barrage of technical issues for the next week or two the 'reviews' are going to be more of a barebones kind of update. You'll still be getting regular updates, albeit possibly delayed sometimes so keep checking back. When we can we will be backtracking and update the entries with proper reviews so many apologies to any bands who were awaiting a more substantial entry!... Fear not, it will be on its way!

- Jay  

Clash Of The Titans...

Dopefight/Gurt - Split EP (2012)

Any of you lot that have been visiting this site for a while will know all about our friends Dopefight and Gurt. But if you're a newbie then this is as good a place to get acquainted with two of the UK's best stoner/sludge acts today as any.
All of you who downloaded our end of 2011 review triple cd - Riding With The Devil, Vol. 1 got an exclusive first listen to Dopefight's opening dirty monolith of a track Stonk. I know, we totally spoil you right? Well as of yesterday its time to get the full treatment. Hit up each of the bands Bandcamp pages to download their respective tracks or do what you should be doing and head over to their merch pages and pick up a copy of this awesome EP on lovely 'sludge' coloured wax!

Label - DIY
Pressing Info - 500 on 'sludge' coloured vinyl
Price - £5/$8

For Fans Of; Iron Monkey, Soilent Green, Sleep, Carcass, Eyehategod

Dopefight - Facebook • Myspace • Bandcamp • Youtube • Big Cartel

Gurt - Facebook • Myspace • Bandcamp • Youtube • Big Cartel

Dopefight Split EP Side A (320kbps) • Gurt Split EP Side B (320kbps)

Low Blow...

Dickkicker - The End (2012)

You've gotta love a genius band name and they rarely come more genius'er that this (yeah I'm aware thats not a word. I'll be keeping this a bit on the short side today, so heres the deal... Ever wondered what would happen if you combined a stoner doom melody with a hardcore vocalist?... We'll here's Dickkicker to shed some light on the matter...

For Fans Of; Doomriders, Black Cobra, Suicidal Tendencies, Integrity, Converge

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The End (320kbps)

Savage Scousers...

The Bendal Interlude - Odourama EP (2012)

I know I know, this update has been a little later than usual, settle down. I had a balls up with my Mac and ended up having to wipe the thing and start from scratch. It's been one of those weeks.
Anyway, better late than never and besides I come baring gifts in the form of heavy a sin Liverpudlian sludge. Now for those of you who are in various countries other than our own, Liverpudlian refers to Liverpool, UK. Yup, where the Beatles came from. But fear not, this is about as far from another Beatles tribute act as you could possibly get. Unless you maybe combined dubstep with under ground Japanese hip hop or something. But enough with the geography lesson, no, these fellas bring it dirty and fast. Much like Soilent Green, Nasum or your mother.
Each of the 4 tracks has those essential elements of furious speed and anger but unlike so many simular acts they dont loose the ability to hold onto the groove amongst a wash of screaming and machine gun drum beats, and to be fair thats pretty bloody hard to pull off. Hell, we all love the ferocity and violence, but if you look at all the bands of likeminded genres that have carved their way to the forefront they all have one thing in common - groove laden riffs/licks. Take this element away and you're left with something more akin to the likes of Converge or Integrity. Dont get me wrong, they're great in their own right but its just not the same, for me at least. So you've got two sort of sides that really sit under the umbrella of 'hardcore', but anything that falls short of the mark on either side ends up half way and ultimately that never seems to work out. This is exactly where TBI have seemed to avoid tripping up. Picking out aspects of both sides and managing to mix it up without becoming convoluted or just generally unlistenable. Much like the late great Johnny Morrows post Monkey projects. All that same sludgy anger but with a picked up tempo, like a diehard hardcore fan playing stoner metal... But in this case with some great use of third party samples. It's a little familiar yet somewhat different and unique. Either way they've managed to thrash out a winner of an EP and I reckon y'all love it.
The EP's not out quite yet, but we'll keep you posted. In the mean time hit up their bandcamp page for 3 free EP's and demos...

For Fans Of; Iron Monkey, Crowbar, Murder One, Raging Speedhorn, Dopefight

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Trip To Spain...

Domo - Self Titled (2011)

Right, I'm feeling a little less like death warmed up so back to normal operation, hopefully.

Today we're back in Spain for some more fantastically executed rock from the lads in Domo. I actually half discovered this band when their CD-R found its way to my house in between a stack of other demos and some vinyl last year. It got put ripped to my iTunes but sadly got a little over looked by myself. Luckily the chaps got wind of the update on fellow country men Piñata we did earlier this week and dropped me a message. Bloody good job they did too as this, their 2011 debut is ridiculously awesome and has really left me kicking myself that I've missed out on it for the last year or so. Still, here we are now so shut up and listen, especially if you love your space rock because this is possibly the quintessential album of the genre. It really is the most perfect example, with its brilliantly eerie synth laden harmonic seascapes, haunting use of wah wah, reverb and distortion and those drawn out build ups to whaling guitar solos it ticks all the right boxes. But they didn't just stop and settle with the usual elements and churn out something repetitive, oh no. Instead that text book space rock sound is intertwined with a sweet progressive feel and occasional post rock sort of composition. Anyone who's had a listen to Hendrix's various outtakes and studio jams will be familiar with this kinda sound - laid back and slightly trippy psych with a distinctive sci fi undertone. The sort of sound that makes it exceptionally hard to describe without coming across like a completely stoned hippy. Either way, if you already dig this/these particular genre(s) then the chances are you'll have a good idea what I'm getting at. If not, well you should just scoot along to their bandcamp and download the album and give it a listen yourself. Either way, it's bloody great.

For Fans Of; Jimi Hendrix, Brant Bjork, Yawning Man, Dozer, The :Egocentrics,

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Domo 320kbps

Shock To The System...

Shock Absorber - Promo (2007)

Their economy may be going down the drain but that sure as hell didnt dent their music scene. Yup, more cracking fast and angry stoner metal from the deep dark depths of Greece courtesy of Shock Absorber. The guys have got a brand new album out now, but this is their first from back in 07' and it wont cost you a penny!

For Fans Of; Black Label Society, Super Joint Ritual, Crowbar, Entombed, Black Cobra

Facebook • Bandcamp

Promo (320kbps)

Beating It...

Piñata - Demo (2012)

I will apologise in advance here for the length of the next few entries. I'm currently dying from man flu so they'll be only a few sentences. Normal operations should resume when I'm better.... If I survive.

This maybe nigh on two years old but its some belting Spanish desert rock... with a little touch of space about it. Enjoy!

For Fans Of; Dozer, Nebula, Acid King, Causa Sui, Sungrazer

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Demo (320kbps)

Return To Aus...

No Anchor - Rope/Pussyfootin' EP (2012)

As you know we here at the blog love this little Aussie trio. Last year they they gave us an absolutely blinding record in the form of Real Pain Supernova, that went straight into out top choices and remained there for the rest of the year. So not being ones to rest on their laurels they've hit the studio once again and returned with yet more brand new material to wet your taste buds until the next full length album rears its head. Once again the guys are also kind enough to chuck it up on their Bandcamp page for a price that you choose (God, they're good to us) and once again they've also scraped the cash together and got the thing pressed on two limited 7 inches!
True to form the chaps have once again produced some top notch progressive-post-metal-doom. Granted in its entirety it barely sneaks past the 4:30 minute mark (the download version at least). But dammit man its about quality not quantity, and fortunately enough they're more than aware of this. As what it may lack in run time it more than makes up for in its content and most notably its presentation. When it comes to getting off your arse and DIY projects No Anchor are really second to none. Just like the pressing of Real Pain Supernova, where the covers were screen printed, hand cut and individually numbered. The deluxe version (which I am still biblically gutted that I missed out on) even came with an additional limited cover print. New new 7" goes that little bit further, once again hand numbered but with two differing covers and a really cool opaque printed wrap... You really cant say Alex, Donnie and Ian dont put the effort in.

Label - DIY
Pressing Info - 250 copies. 150 Black, 100 Blue
Price - £5/$8

For Fans Of; Isis, Torche, Boris, Sunn O))), House Of Low Culture

Website • Facebook • Myspace • Bandcamp • Last FM

Rope/Pussyfootin' EP (320kbps)

No Rest For The Wicked...

Dimaension X - Light At The End Of The Tunnel (2009)

On the back of the great feedback I had with Judd Madden post I thought I'd bring you something else of a simular ilk. Beginning its life back in 1991, Dimaension X is the brain child of Massachusetts resident and all round disgustingly multi talented musician Dave Lanciani. Now the thing about Dave is he's evidently one of fortunate bastards that can pick up pretty much anything and get a tune out of it, and he does just that. But it does kinda make it hard to review his body of work without writing whats basically a dissertation. Playing everything himself, from guitar to the double bass drumming to the synth and even more recently, picking the some brass, Dave has managed to carve out a pretty impressive resumé which is as diverse as it it vast. Hell, just check out the mans discography... Ranging from dark harmonic Vangelis style futuristic jazz to all out traditional heavy metal and industrial feel with a hint of an early Metallica influences. And this album is my pick of the plethora of choices I had to choose from, mainly because it manages to plant one foot directly in both of these niches. A predominantly post rock style affair its still not short of its fair share of thumping drum lines and catchy riffs. Failing that, he's actually remixed and reinvented the Doom II video game soundtrack... Sorry, but thats genius.

I swear this guy must live in a studio because if Dimaension X doesn't do it for you he has no less than 3 other acts for you to wrap your ears around!...
Burn Without Me  - Progressive grindcore with ambient undertones.
Moroghor - Psychedelic black metal
Deadside Manor - Classic kick ass rock/metal

I know! Does this guy not sleep!?

For Fans Of; Slayer, Omega Massif, Karma To Burn, Kilimanjaro Dark Jazz Ensamble, Russian Circles 

Website • Soundcloud

Light At The End Of The Tunnel (320kbps)