Sky Valley Mistress - Luna Mausoleum (Album Review)

Release Date: January 26th 2026. Record Label: New Heavy Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Luna Mausoleum - Tracklisting

1.An Eagles Epitaph

2.The Exit List

3.Too Many Ghosts 

4.No Sleep

5.House Of The Moon

6.Live Past Life

7.White Night

8.Thundertaker

9.Blue Desert II

Members

Kayley "Hell Kitten" Davies - Full Vocalist / Half Drums

Max "Leather Messiah" Newsome - Full Guitarist / Half Drums

Review

Luna Mausoleum is second full length album from Psych/Garage/Stoner Rockers Sky Valley Mistress who were originally a four piece band before they were about to embark on a tour for their debut album near the start of 2020 COVID Lockdown which was ultimately cancelled. Two members left but Kayley and Max decided to continue as a two piece duo with Luna Mausoleum being their “first” record and the results are brilliantly outrageous from start to finish.

Sky Valley Mistress channels the same heavy sounds of bands such as Black Sabbath, QOTSA, The Hives, Portishead, Sneaker Pimps and Monster Magnet. The whole record offers some of the catchiest, trippiest and coolest sounds to get off 2026 rocking off to a great start with Kayley “Hell Kitten” Davies dynamic vocal performance. The grooves are tinged with Classic Stoner Rock grooves that hark back to the good old days of Nineties Heavy Rock but Sky Valley Mistress add a world-weary Indie Rock swagger to their music with moments of moody experimental beats hidden behind the shadows.

The record is full of catchy choruses, melodic hooks and subtle levels of ROCK AGGRESSION which allows Sky Valley Mistress to move to the more commercial and radio friendly style of Rock & Roll. However, the band keep themselves close to the Heavy Rock underground with the bombastic use of Garage Rock, Shoegaze and Stoner Grooves which does become outrageously METAL the best of times especially within the kick-ass tracks of The Exit List, Too Many Ghosts and No Sleep. The sound moves from QOTSA style instrumental passages before a sudden shift into music that feels like THE HIVES jamming with PORTISHEAD but with Sky Valley Mistress delivering their own great style of music.

The lyrics are feisty and mightily pissed off which gives the album a great destructive energy of its own making. The production values are excellent and offers a stripped back environment for Sky Valley Mistress to wreck havoc with and build everything up again only to repeat the entire creative process that brings some of the freshest and heaviest grooves on the record. 

Other standout tracks include: House Of Moon, Live Past Life, Thundertaker and the thrilling epic final track Blue Desert II. As these tracks allow Sky Valley Mistress to demonstrate new musical themes and ideas whilst offering emotionally charged vocals that you don’t really hear within the current Stoner Rock climate. 

Luna Masoulem is the type of album that’s bound to project Sky Valley Mistress onto bigger and better things. This is one of the first must have albums of 2026 you need to own right now and I have a feeling this will no doubt end up on a few best ALBUMS OF THE YEAR. Perhaps a tad too early but I stand by those words as Sky Valley Mistress have delivered the goods with this superb record.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to For THe LostPR for the promo.

Luna Mausoleum is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via New Heavy Sounds.

Links:

Instagram - @skyvalleymistress
Facebook - @skyvalleymistress
Website - skyvalleymistress.com
Bandcamp - skyvalleymistress.bandcamp.com

CULTOVAR - Forgotten Hymns For Lost Futures

Release Date: December 21st 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Forgotten Hymns for Lost Futures - Tracklisting

1.I 27:24

2.II 22:27

Members

Cursus Elementum: Guitars and Bass

Ustus Terra: Vocals and Keyboards

Lore Ipsum: Vocals and Keyboards

Tempus Urna: Percussion and Piano

Review

CULTOVAR. A doom and synth forward project featuring members of HERON, MENDOZZA, and BORT and they have just released their debut album Forgotten Hymns For Lost Futures. The album is quite a conceptual record dealing in minimal surroundings whilst allowing the heavy Drone/Sludge Metal grooves to dominate the musical landscape. CULTOVAR call themselves a “DOOM AND SYNTH” project but there is so much more to them with areas of Doom, Sludge, Drone, Psych, Ambient and Stoner Metal sounds appearing throughout the whole record.

If you dig bands such as PRIMITIVE MAN, CONAN, HIGH ON FIRE, AUTHOR & PUNISHER and NEUROSIS then CULTOVAR should most definitely be your next musical destination as they bring a fresh musical perspective to the underground world. The music is aggressive, fast-paced and quite demonic with the twin use of harsh and clean vocals appearing on the record. The sound can be quite bleak and violent to listen to but CULTOVAR have a surreal experimental quality with their “DOOM & SYNTH” aspect coming into life at the right moment within the excellent opening track “I”. This propels the song and record to a more outlandish and fantastical setting compared to the opening ten minutes of the track. 

CULTOVAR wisely decides to switch up these musical elements for the remainder of the track which once again leans heavily into the Sludge Metal arena for the most part but there are still intense moments of DRONE and DOOM & GLOOM for people to fully embrace. There are deft touches of Post-Rock appearing within the more quieter aspects of the track but the darkness of CULTOVAR’s music is never too far away.

The second track “II” continues with the dark cinematic journey contained within the opening track and once again CULTOVAR transform into different musical and creative entities which gives their whole music a very brooding and mysterious quality. The record can be PITCH BLACK and wonderfully PROGRESSIVE but also quite tender within the quieter Ambient moments.

Forgotten Hymns For Lost Futures is an exciting and highly inventive debut record which will no doubt allow CULTOVAR to attain a loyal following within the underground scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

LinkTree | BandCamp | Instagram

Hostal Handshake - Stone Oracle (Album Review)

 

Release Date: January 02nd 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Stone Oracle - Tracklisting

1.The Oracle’s Awakening

2.This Is Not a Drill!

3.Smoking a Razor Blade

4.Building 58a

5.The Hostal Protocol

6.Skeletons in the Closet

7.Getting High on the Road 04:05

8.Queen of the Thorn Signal

9.The Lizard Sleeps in Oil 04:52

10.Your Mojo

11.Opium Haze 05:06

12.Throttle the Sun

13.Mirage Burnout

14.Into Morpheus

15.The Oracle’s Scream

16.Cathedral of Rust

Review

Cult Greek Stoner Rockers Hostal Handshake return after a lengthy eighteen year absence with their new album Stone Oracle. The end result is a record that moves throughout the whole Heavy Rock underground spectrum with moments of Doom, Psych, Blues, Grunge, Stoner and Desert Rock where the emphasis is truly on the power of the MIGHTY RIFF.

This is quite a long and spectacular record spread across sixteen tracks with Hostal Handshake having a lot to say against the modern world which gives them a truly outrageous PUNK ROCK spirit at times. The record never waives from musical experimentation with Jazz Rock beats merging with classic Doom Rock energy which comes out from the very start within the opening tracks of The Oracle’s Awakening, This is Not A Drill, Smoking A Razor Blade and Building 58A. There’s influences ranging from the likes of QOTSA, The Hives, Black Sabbath, CLUTCH and Soundgarden with that instantly recognizable Greek Stoner Rock sound making a cool demented appearance. 

Be prepared for a highly aggressive style of different musical melodies and instrumental passages that has a catchy “HIP” and “CLASSIC ROCK” energy especially with the different vocal styles employed throughout the record. Stone Oracle is perhaps stuck in a musical timewarp but that’s one of the album’s main strengths that it amplifies that type of MOOD and creative energy for some best tracks on the album.

Other great tracks to check out are The Hostal Protocol, Skeletons In The Closet and Getting High On The Road to wrap up a spectacular first half of the record. The music is always bouyant, groove orientated with Hostal Handshake never afraid to try something new even with moments of Progressive and Technical passages slowly emerging which becomes part of the musical landscape on the second half of the record.

The second part of the album allows Hostal Handshake to inject darker themes into their music for a more grown up and mature sound whilst keeping everything grounded on tracks such as The Lizard Sleeps In Oil, Your Mojo, Opium Haze, The Oracle’s Scream and Cathedral OF Rust all being dominated by outbursts of Occult Rock and Doom Metal surroundings. 

Hostal Handshake keeps within their Desert/Psych/Stoner Rock mandate for the majority of the record but they have a lot of time to play with as the album runs for around eighty five minutes in length. If you’re happy to put in the work and effort to listen to this album then you’ll be richly rewarded for a stunning tour-de-force of intense Stoner Rock/Metal.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | SoundCloud

In A House Of Heartbeats - Divination Of Dreams (Album Review)

Release Date: January 16th 2026. Record Label: Ripcord Records. Formats: CD/DD

Divination Of Dreams - Tracklisting

1.In A Perpetual State Of Wonder

2.Cambion 09:24

3.Parasomniac

4.Oneiromancy For Beginners 06:46

5.A Head Full Of Ghosts

6.Drift Into Sleep...

7....Perchance To Dream 08:34

Review

Instrumental Post-Metallers In A House Of Heartbeats offer a different cinematic journey for their debut album Divination Of Dreams where they blend areas of Doom, Post-Punk, Goth and Shoegaze into their music. The end result is a mysterious and beautifully heavy mix that draws upon the likes of heavyweights PELICAN, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, MONO, THIS WILL DESTROY YOU and CULT OF LUNA but with a more grounded appeal which is perhaps down to the band’s epic use of Shoegaze soundscapes and world weary Progressive dynamics.

The record weaves different Post-Rock and Post-Metal themes against a muscular backdrop of Post-Sludge attitudes where everything can be wonderfully dark and brooding with a sense of danger that develops within the stunning opening track of In A Perpetual State Of Wonder. This epic slice of CINEMATIC METAL captures a darker side of Post-Metal that Pelican and Russian Circles ruled the airwaves with in their earlier years which In A House Of Heartbeats captures in their own great way. The later stages of the track sees the band employ a style of gloomy and post-apocalyptic mix of Middle Eastern sounds against a backdrop of monolithic sludgy guitars. 

Second track Cambion continues with that style of weird sounding and gloomy Psychedelic energy which results in a thunderous bevy of Atmospheric Sludge and demented Shoegaze passages for the most part of the song.. The whole sound is quite eclectic and experimental but there’s a manic Post-Metal dimension holding everything together but the band always experiment with their music where they feel they’re about ten steps ahead of their nearest rivals. 

Divination Of Dreams does manage to find a harsh Post-Industrial sound within the quieter and refined moments which becomes part of the creative narrative which gives In A House Of Heartbeats their own unique voice within the instrumental Post-Metal realm which is only solidified even further on the tracks of Parasomniac, Oneiromancy For Beginners and A Head Full Of Ghosts. These tracks allow the band take upon a more reflective journey with an intense “LESS IS MORE” approach being developed within the Psychedelic and Ambient surroundings of the whole musical journey.

A House Of Heartbeats continues to play epic and progressive sounding Post-Rock / Post-Metal grooves that have a real sense of meaning, purpose and uplifting quality to them which include areas of GOTHIC momentum when the mood calls for this style of music to appear. This style of music becomes quite convincing on the final two tracks of the album - Drift Into Sleep… & ....Perchance To Dream which also allows the band to become master storytellers of their own making before everything is said and done.

Divination Of Dreams is a first rate Post-Metal record and will hopefully propel In A House Of Heartbeats to greater heights within the underground Post-Rock / Post-Metal scene. They have the songs, creative vision and talent to go a very long way indeed and this great album only proves that time and time again.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.

Divination Of Dreams is available to buy now on CD/DD via Ripcord Records.

In A House Of Heartbeats Links

https://www.facebook.com/InAHouseOfHeartbeats
https://www.instagram.com/inahouseofheartbeats
https://inahouseofheartbeats.bandcamp.com

Ripcord Records Links

https://ripcordrecords.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/weareripcord
http://www.instagram.com/weareripcord

Greek Stoner Heavy Rockers Fuzzing Nation announce their signing with Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records

The Greek Stoner Heavy Rockers FUZZING NATION announce their signing with Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records. The power trio is ready to unleash their desert-forged sound to a global audience. What began as a spontaneous studio jam between three seasoned musicians in late 2022 quickly evolved into a full-fledged powerhouse of fuzz-soaked riffs, desert grooves, and raw Heavy Rock energy.

FUZZING NATION made up from Angel Ioannidis on vocals and guitars, Steve Giannakos on bass and Terry Moros on drums, each bringing experience from acclaimed acts such as Sorrows Path, InnerWish and Crystal Clear. Drawing inspiration from Kyuss’ heat-baked tone, Fu Manchu’s groove-laden drive and the early Palm Desert scene, the band delivers a warm, gritty and riff-focused stoner rock sound built for open roads and endless horizons.

Since their self-titled debut EP in 2023, recorded live in the studio to capture their raw energy, FUZZING NATION have steadily honed their craft. Their 2024 follow-up EP "Into the Desert" showcased more intricate songwriting and a broader sonic palette, earning acclaim from Greek Metal Hammer among others, and establishing them as one of Greece’s most exciting new stoner/desert rock acts.

On stage, FUZZING NATION build a hypnotic, high-voltage wall of sound: pounding desert-style drums, heavy low-end grooves, and riffs that roll like heatwaves. Their performances are immersive journeys under the blazing sun, captivating audiences and growing their dedicated fanbase, affectionately known as the “Mothertruckers.”

With their signing with Octopus Rising/Argonauta Records, FUZZING NATION are gearing up for an expanded run of live shows across Greece and Europe. Armed with heavier riffs, louder amps, and a sound soaked in desert dust, the band is set to leave a lasting mark on the global stoner rock.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion and FUZZING NATION for the details.

SLEEPING GIANT announce debut album “The Beauty of Obliteration” out February 6th 2026 on Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records

Following the announcement of their signing with Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records and the release of the crushing first single “Conqueror”, Icelandic heavy psychonauts SLEEPING GIANT now unveil full details of their long awaited debut album “The Beauty of Obliteration”, set for release on February 6th 2026 in CD and Digital formats.

To further mark this new chapter, the band also reveals a brand new video for the track “Mobilizer of Evil”, a relentless burst of groove driven heaviness that perfectly showcases the band’s raw and uncompromising vision.

Watch the video below: 

Recorded in 2024 at Stúdíó Paradís, The Beauty of Obliteration captures SLEEPING GIANT in their most authentic form, harnessing the power of the band as a tight and ferocious live unit. The album features six carefully selected tracks from the band’s catalogue, refined and forged into a cohesive statement of intent that blends Stoner, Doom, Thrash, Death and Sludge Metal into a massive and distinctive sound.

Lyrically rooted in classic Doom Metal aesthetics, the album explores mankind’s hubris, inner darkness and self destructive flaws. Musically, the record is built around sinister yet memorable riffs, heavy and groovy drums, and commanding vocal performances, all coming together in a dense and immersive listening experience.

Album tracklist

01. Conqueror 06:10
02. Mobilizer of Evil 04:25
03. The Monk 07:24
04. Slay the King of Hell 04:48
05. Venom Ripper, Gorgon Blaster 02:52
06. Abysmal Flame 09:48

Credits

Árni Björn Björnsson rhythm guitars
Ásmundur Jóhannsson drums, recording, mixing
Einar Darri Einarsson bass
Finnbogi Jökull Pétursson lead guitars, backing vocals
Guðmundur Hrannar Eiríksson lead guitars
Oddur Freyr Þorsteinsson vocals

Mixed at Stúdíó Paradís by Ásmundur Jóhannsson
Mastered at Stúdíó Paradís by Jóhann Ásmundsson

With The Beauty of Obliteration, SLEEPING GIANT finally awaken in full force, delivering a debut that is as oppressive as it is hypnotic. February 6th 2026 marks the rise of a long dormant Giant.

INFO:

https://www.facebook.com/SleepingDoomPungur
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the details.

NEW ALBUM WITH TRUCKFIGHTERS ON IT'S WAY - "Masterflow" tour announced - Album drops in APRIL 2026!

YES here is our Christmas present to you all: Truckfighters new album will be called MASTERFLOW and it will be released in April, wow wow wow!

This is the first time in 10 years since the legends in Truckfighters release new material. Come out to the album release tour and experience their signature heavy fuzzy riffs and captivating stage presence.

Don't miss out—secure your tickets now and be part as Truckfighters showcase the new material and continue to leave their mark on the rock scene. Get ready for an incredible fuzz and energy filled tour this spring!

GO GET THE TICKET HERE: - www.truckfighters.com

11.04.2026 COLOGNE - Sol Sonic Ride - DE
15.04.2026 OSLO - Parkteatret - NO
16.04.2026 BERGEN - Hulen - NO
17.04.2026 STAVANGER - Folken - NO
18.04.2026 PORSGRUNN - R.I.P. - NO
28.04.2026 HAMBURG - Grünspan - DE
29.04.2026 GRONINGEN - Vera - NL
30.04.2026 AMSTERDAM - Melkweg - NL
01.05.2026 DORDRECHT - Bibelot - NL
02.05.2026 IZEGEM - Headbanger's ball fest - BE
08.05.2026 COPENHAGEN - A Colossal Weekend - DK
11.05.2026 VIENNA - Arena - AT
14.05.2026 BERLIN - Desertfest - DE
17.05.2026 LONDON - Desertfest - UK
25.05.2026 NEUNKIRCHEN - Stummsche Reithalle - DE
26.05.2026 STUTTGART - Im Wizesmann - DE
27.05.2026 WINTERTHUR - Gaswerk - CH
28.05.2026 LUZERN - Sedel - CH
29.05.2026 MÜNCHEN - Backstage (Halle) - DE
30.05.2026 DRESDEN - Beatpol - DE
04.06.2026 GDANSK - Mystic Festival PO
18.06.2026 CLISSON - Hellfest - FR
27.06.2026 WIESBADEN - Sonic ride IV - DE
26.07.2026 MILAN - Magnolia Stone fest - IT
14.08.2026 TARSTEDT - Angeliter Open air - DE

MASTERFLOW - LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN - APRIL 2026

VISIT FUZZORAMSTORE for fuzzy LP/CD/Merch - www.fuzzoramastore.com

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

May the fuzz be with you!