ROBOT GOD RETURN WITH NEW SINGLE "CURSE OF THE DRIVEN" Out July 17. Announce New album on the horizon, with East Coast and Japan tour dates announced!!!

Sydney psychedelic heavy rock trio Robot God return with their powerful new single "Curse of the Driven", available on all major streaming platforms from July 17.

Serving as the title track from the band's forthcoming album of the same name, Curse of the Driven is the next chapter following the acclaimed release of Onto the Afterlife. The new single pushes Robot God's signature blend of crushing stoner grooves, expansive psychedelic textures and hypnotic riffs into even darker territory, exploring the restless pursuit that drives us forward even when the road ahead is uncertain.

Accompanying the release is an official studio performance video, filmed during the band's recording sessions at The Grove Studios in September 2025. Rather than a traditional music video, the footage captures Robot God in their natural habitat, documenting the energy, chemistry and raw power behind the creation of the track.

To celebrate the release, Robot God will take the new single on the road for a quick run of east coast shows, followed by a tour in Japan before heading home for a bunch of shows in Sydney/Wollongong and Melbourne.

Socials and gig ticket link https://linktr.ee/RobotGod

"Curse of the Driven" streams everywhere from July 17, with the official studio video now premiering on YouTube, via link below. Turn it up. Hit the road. Stay driven.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utxiuO1r5v8

About Robot God

Hailing from Sydney, Robot God have become one of Australia's leading psychedelic heavy rock bands, earning a devoted following across Australia, Europe and the United States. Their blend of stoner rock, doom, blues and expansive psychedelic jams has seen their releases embraced by the international underground, with vinyl editions released through German label Kozmik Artifactz and Black Throne Productions. Their latest album, Onto the Afterlife, has further cemented the band's reputation for massive riffs, soaring melodies and immersive songwriting.

On the live front Robot God have shared the stage with some legendary local and international acts such as Slomosa (Norway), Greenleaf (Sweden), YOB (US), Sasquatch (US), Deville (Sweden), Brant Bjork (US), Yawning Man (US), Rollerball (AUS), Seedy Jeezus (Aus), Khan (Aus) and Witchskull (Aus) to name a few. If you live for fuzz, volume, hypnotic grooves and cosmic exploration, getting along to a Robot God gig is where you'll want to be.

Links

Bandcamp | Youtube | Facebook | Spotify

Pharm - Proton Blizzard (Single Review)

Release Date: July 17th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Proton Blizzard - Tracklist

Proton Blizzard

Review

Experimental Stoner Rockers Pharm release their latest single Proton Blizzard which is a fusion of Psych Rock, Sludge Rock, Punk Rock, Doom and Alternative Metal. Imagine PRIMUS decided to solely focus on weird Sludge, Stoner and Doom Metal anthems with a slight skittish Mutoid Man influence lurking behind the scenes. Well, that’s what you get with Proton Blizzard and it's a great song that lives upto to it’s GONZO delivery with freakish beats and a massive Funk Rock attitude. 

Pharm have been on the blog before when I reviewed their previous releases and it’s always good to have them back on here as they always deliver a manic slice of crazy heaviness. The four minutes on offer here veers into different areas of Heavy Rock with a fast-paced narrative that’s delivered through off-kilter melodic vocals, warped lyrics and some thrilling bass lines holding everything together.

The song does feel like it’s been left off a Mutoid Man record but Pharm add their own great style of humour with some subversive moments being played along the way. It’s not the easiest track to fully understand what’s going on but with multiple listens Pharm offers brief glimpses into what is actually going on with this track. Adding some intense Psychedelic beats also thrusts the song into full blown over the top theatrics especially when they change their musical style to a frenzied Thrash Metal delivery towards the end of the track. 

For the uninitiated, Pharm is a breath of fresh air and a creative force of nature where everything goes and a whole lot of things don't make complete sense. If you’re already part of the PHARM program then be prepared for a wild and manic ride that shows brief glimpses where their future releases may be heading!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | All My Links

Italian Stoner Psych Trio HUMULUS to issue new album “Smuggler’s Cave” on Ripple Music this fall; first track streaming now!

Ripple Music welcomes Italian psychedelic stoner rockers HUMULUS to their roster for the release of their new album "Smuggler's Cave" this October 9th!

Stream new Humulus single "Rise and Fall" at this location

Smuggler’s Cave marks HUMULUS’ fifth LP and their second outing with vocalist/guitarist Thomas Mascheroni. Following 2023's Flowers Of Death, the band spent two years traversing Europe’s stages, and it was in the cracks between tours that the improvisations for this record took root. True to form, the band returned to the rehearsal room for marathon sessions, capturing hours of raw interplay, isolating the sparks and forging new songs from the embers.

On this album, those riffs hit harder and land with greater certainty than before, yet HUMULUS’s sonic hallmark remains intact: a deft pivot from rhythmic, classic stoner crunch into more psychedelic and introspective depths. As always, lyrics arrived after the music, with the title track served as a thread for the rest of the record, leading the listener through mysterious settings, tales of wizards, cemetery dreams, damned souls and the shade of dark forests. A record that's heavy, haunted and more than ever unapologetically HUMULUS. 

It will be released on October 9th on LP, CD and digital, with preorders available now from Ripple Music.

New album "Smuggler's Cave" - Out October 9th on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

Humulus is an Italian psych-stoner power trio formed in Brescia, Italy in 2009. Born from the heavy lineage of Kyuss, Karma to Burn and Orange Goblin, they quickly built a reputation across southern Europe with their crushing debut on Go Down Records.

A lineup shift in 2015 flipped the script. New frontman Andrea Bellicini pushed the band into trippier, more dynamic territory through longer songs, richer atmospheres and a sound that outgrew stoner orthodoxy. The years that followed saw Humulus touring non-stop with European festival runs (Freak Valley, Desertfest Belgium, Up In Smoke), and a string of acclaimed LPs that veered from doom-laced riffage to sprawling psychedelic meditation. Another mutation came in late 2022 with the arrival of Thomas Mascheroni, reigniting the band’s chemistry and leading to a fresh creative burst. They hit the road again, sharing stages with heavyweights like Colour Haze and Monkey3, while steadily forging new material.

When founder Giorgio Bonacorsi stepped back in 2026, the remaining core members enlisted Fabio Giacomini to complete the lineup and write their most ambitious work yet, to be released in the fall 2026 on Ripple Music.

Humulus links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Ripple Music links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

US Doom Metal Giants THE OBSESSED sign to Heavy Psych Sounds!

American doom metal icons THE OBSESSED have inked a worldwide deal with Heavy Psych Sounds Records for the release of their new studio album in 2027.

The Obsessed is a rock band. A fucking HARD rock band. Since their formation in 1978, they have become known around the world for their influential contribution to the origins and continued legacy of the doom metal and underground hard rock genres. The distinctive vocals and guitar wizardry of founder and driving force Scott “Wino” Weinrich has left a mark on the world of heavy music that continues to inspire.

The Obsessed gained momentum in the Baltimore/DC area of the USA in the early to mid 1980’s during the height of the hardcore punk movement. Often cited as the band that bridged heavy metal and punk together, the band gained the respect of punk heavyweight contemporaries Black Flag, The Bad Brains, and Minor Threat, to name a few. The attitude and spirit of The Obsessed have led many to regard them as “America’s Motorhead”.

Wino went on to join the doom metal giants Saint Vitus as lead singer on seminal albums including 1986’s Born Too Late. In 1990, The Obsessed came back with their eponymous debut album, The Obsessed. This album was quickly followed by 1991’s Lunar Womb and 1994’s The Church Within. All three of these albums shaped and paved the way for future heavy rock bands and the doom scene as it’s known today. Wino’s gift for prose and his never-ending search for truth and meaning allow his words to hit as heavy as the riffs he plays.

Although The Obsessed went on a hiatus after The Church Within’s release on Columbia Records, Wino’s sheer passion and prolific nature led him to pursue many other critically acclaimed projects such as Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand, Shrinebuilder and various acoustic releases. Long-time fan Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) specifically asked Wino to perform on his all-star Probot album, released in 2004. In 2012, Wino rejoined Saint Vitus until the worldwide cry for The Obsessed could no longer be denied, and in 2016, he reunited the band once and for all and has been kicking ass and taking names ever since. Drummer Brian “Dawg” Costantino joined the band at this time. The band signed to Relapse Records and recorded 2017’s Sacred, an album showing The Obsessed back with pure vengeance, bringing the band back to venues and festival stages around the world.

In 2022, the band became a four-piece with the addition of Chris Angleberger on bass and Jason Taylor on guitar. They have been touring heavily since and have been seen on USA and European festival stages such as Hellfest, Freak Valley Festival, Snowblind Festival and Desertfest. The band’s latest record, Gilded Sorrow, was released in early 2024 on Ripple Music and lauded as a "must-listen for fans of the genre and a compelling entry point for newer voyagers into the world of doom" by Metal Hammer and "the best the band has ever sounded" by Ghost Cult Magazine.

The Obsessed welcomed heavy rock titan Bob Pantella (also Monster Magnet) to the lineup as their new drummer in 2025, marking a new chapter in their legacy. Now, in 2026, the band has signed to Heavy Psych Sounds and is working on their new album, which release date is yet to be announced. The Obsessed are here to stay. "IF IT AIN’T HEAVY… IT AIN’T SHIT!!!"

Frontman Scott "Wino" Weinrich declares: "We are very happy to announce The Obsessed signing with the premier hard rock label Heavy Psych Sounds! The Obsessed is currently finishing the next full-length record, which will be released with HPS. Stay tuned, and thanks to all who believe."

THE OBSESSED is

Scott "Wino" Weinrich — Guitar, Vocals
Jason Taylor — Guitar
Chris Angleberger — Bass
Bob Pantella — Drums

THE OBSESSED Links:

Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Temple King - Temple King (Album Review)

Release Date: July 10th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Released. Formats: DD

Temple King - Tracklist

1.Necromancer 05:54

2.When Darkness Comes 04:28

3.The Sleeper Awakens 05:10

4.Goeita 08:54

5.Morgwar 03:20

6.War Messiah 05:56

7.Temple King 04:23

8.Barsoom 14:56

Members

LWV: Vocals, Guitar, and Synth

Samhain: Vocals, Guitar, and Bass

Ozzy (Oscar Clitheroe): Drums and Backing Vocals

Review

Temple King are a fairly new band who only formed back in January 2026 and they’ve already decided to release their debut album. Temple King plays a sludgy mix of Doom, Psych, Stoner, Heavy Metal and a vicious Desert Rock sound. The album has a lo-fi and stripped back flow appearing within the production and recording process the record ultimately contains. There’s a frenzied and distorted attitude that appears very early on within the record with opening tracks Necromancer and When Darkness Comes. 

The songs are perhaps more Doom/Sludge Metal with small outbursts of Stoner Rock/Metal attitude appearing but Temple King becomes more part of the WEEDIAN culture when everything is finished. It’s not the best sounding record but this allows Temple King to rely on pure BRUTE FORCE to get their music across with influences such as CONAN, ELECTRIC WIZARD and HIGH ON FIRE being used to great effect.

The LOW & SLOW and DISTORTED musical surroundings can be quite long drawn out with a slow-paced delivery that only adds to the menacing attitude of Temple King especially with the gruff, grizzled and muscular vocals that are provided by LWV, Samhain and Ozzy along the way. The music is a different story with Temple King drawing a wide range of different musical styles that will satisfy the most jaded of underground metal fans. Things can be quite grimy, seedy and with the amplified heaviness being too much to listen to at times which proves how Temple King knows how to write, form, play and deliver a violent FUZZY groove when you least expect it.

It’s also great to hear Temple King playing classic Heavy Metal and Doomed Out themes which adds a gloomy sense of scorched earth heaviness on tracks such as: The Sleeper Awakens, Goeita, War Messiah and the epic standout track of Barsoom. These tracks allow Temple King to forge new sounds powered by a great style of Prog Metal with a MASTODON element fully taking charge. You can still expect to hear some classic Heavy Metal and Stoner Metal sounds which results in some epic instrumental solos being played from everyone involved.

The rough and ready approach from Temple King gives this a highly undeniable charm which could come from the underground Rock/Metal scene. Temple King even adds some cool sounding Post-Doom and Synth heavy soundscapes amongst the frenzied atmospherics that fully sells their own great story from start to finish. 

This is a deliriously warped and fuzzed up musical adventure with Temple King never being afraid of being absolutely outrageous on certain sections of the record whilst also conjuring up superb riffs that you can’t help but violently head-bang to in absolute full agreement.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

MOON DESTROYS (with current and ex-members of Torche, Abrams, Royal Thunder) share "Missing Wish" video; new album out September 4th on Blues Funeral Recordings

US heavy rock trio MOON DESTROYS — featuring current and former members of Torche, Abrams and Royal Thunder present their thunderous new video "Missing Wish" exclusively today. Their new album "OMNI" will be released on September 4th via Blues Funeral Recordings.

MOON DESTROYS are set to return with their new album OMNI, a shimmering blend of post-grunge, riff-doom and driving psychedelia that encapsulates the expansive soundscapes of their previous album She Walks by Moonlight into more focused and immediate cuts, delivering the breadth of the band's genre-pushing abilities in hook-driven, quickfire fashion. "OMNI is a universe built upon constantly shifting sands, written by three souls who still believe heavy rock can save this damned world," says guitarist Juan Montoya.

W️atch New Video "MISSING WISH" below:

Fresh off a breakout year that saw them tour with Elder, Dozer and The Sword, founding members Juan Montoya (ex-Torche) and Evan Diprima (Gold Pyramid, ex-Royal Thunder) ushered in 2026 by welcoming Zach Amster (Abrams) on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Energized and hungry, the thunderous trio is now ready to enter their new chapter and fully unleash their infectious brand of heaviness upon the world, as demonstrated through their catchy latest single Flowers.

About the song "Missing Wish", guitarist and vocalist Zach Amster says, “We needed a couple more tracks to round out the record, so Evan dug into his archives and sent over the instrumental for what became 'Missing Wish'. Even though the demo was a few years old, I was instantly hooked by its sheer heaviness and the open space it left for vocals. Vocally, I wanted to push my boundaries by blending raw grit with accessible melodies. Lyrically, 'Missing Wish' dives straight into the heavy pain of fractured trust and the ghost of a potential that can never exist.”

New album "OMNI" - Out September 4th on Blues Funeral Recordings

LP/CD/digital available at this location

Formed by legendary guitarist Juan Montoya (a founding member of Torche) and drummer Evan Diprima (Gold Pyramid, Royal Thunder), MOON DESTROYS released their first EP Maiden Voyage in 2020. The 5-song debut featured contributions from Troy Sanders (Mastodon) and Bryan Richie (The Sword) and laid a foundation that would come fully into focus in April 2025, when the band was thrust into the limelight supporting Elder just as they were self-releasing their debut full-length She Walks By Moonlight. This shimmering blend of post-rock, riff-doom and shoegazy psychedelia stood as a cinematic and otherworldly journey from a band who breeze into the environs of My Bloody Valentine, The Cult, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Ride.

Capping off 2025, MOON DESTROYS was invited to support Swedish icons Dozer on their long-awaited US tour, while Blues Funeral Recordings gave She Walks By Moonlight a proper worldwide reissue in October, just in time for a coveted run of dates with The Sword. Their next full-length will be released in September 2026, with touring in the US and overseas to follow.

US summer tour with The Well

Aug 19 - Dan Electros - Houston TX
Aug 20 - Siberia - New Orleans LA
Aug 21 - The EARL - Atlanta GA
Aug 22 - The Wormhole - Savannah GA
Aug 23 - The Pour House - Raleigh NC
Aug 25 - MilkBoy - Philadelphia PA
Aug 26 - The Wood Shop - Brooklyn NY
Aug 27 - Space Ballroom - Hamden CT
Aug 28 - Taffeta Music Hall - Lowell MA
Aug 29 - Bug Jar - Rochester NY
Sept 1 - Beachland Ballroom - Cleveland OH
Sept 2 - Small’s - Hamtramck MI
Sept 3 - Black Circle - Indianapolis IN
Sept 4 - The 58 @ Eastside Bowl - Nashville TN (release party)
Sept 5 - Fairborn Phoenix - Fairborn OH
Sept 6 - Sleeping Village - Chicago IL
Sept 7 - X-Ray Arcade - Cudahy WI
Sept 8 - Sk8bar - Kansas City MO
Sept 10 - Hi-Dive - Denver CO (headline show)

MOON DESTROYS is

Juan Montoya - Guitar
Evan Diprima - Drums/Bass/Synth
Zachary Amster - Vocals/Guitar

MOON DESTROYS links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

BLUES FUNERAL RECORDINGS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Psych/Noise/Space Rock Collective Dead Sea Apes Announce New Album 'Psychic Tension' - Immersive Title Track Unveiled

Photo by Lee Edwards

Manchester’s heavy psych cosmonauts Dead Sea Apes return on the 18th September 2026 with their new album, Psychic Tension. A sprawling cosmic journey, the record arrives via a transatlantic partnership between Cardinal Fuzz and Feeding Tube Records.

Immerse yourself in the first transmission with the title track on The Sleeping Shaman

Artist: Dead Sea Apes
Title: Psychic Tension
Label: Cardinal Fuzz / Feeding Tube Records
Release Date: 18 September 2026
Format: Vinyl / CD / DL

Dead Sea Apes are back with a fierce new album Psychic Tension – an urgent soundtrack for the nerve-shredding times we live in. Our collective psyche is under attack, reeling from the chaos of a modern world under siege: from war, death, destruction and climate catastrophe to political decay, media manipulation, growing inequality and the rank depravity of the so-called elite. Do we overload ourselves with anxiety, vent our frustration at others, make token gestures to ease our conscience, or just try to carry on regardless? Dead Sea Apes have wrestled these dilemmas – this Psychic Tension – into sonic/musical form, creating catharsis from the chaos.

Psychic Tension picks up where the previous album Rewilding left off, carrying forward the momentum of massive riffs, juggernaut rhythms and squalling sonic overload. Noise-rock, Japanese psych, minimal dub and Electric-era Miles are all part of the mix: each member of Dead Sea Apes brings decades of musical exploration to bear on the music. The iterative repetition of Can meets the telepathic mind-meld of the power trio; the deceptive simplicity of Crazy Horse is pulled through the sonics of PSF Records; the live-in-the-practice-room energy is bolstered by layered landscapes of sound - from ethereal echoes to feedback drones to transistor-torturing lead lines.

Dead Sea Apes have always followed their own path, the music instinctively wired into the world around them. On Psychic Tension, they have once again cooked up a sound that is wholly their own, speaking directly to the turmoil within us and surrounding us in these wild times.

Biography

Dead Sea Apes are a Manchester-based three-piece psych-noise band. Taking influences from across the full spectrum of psychedelic rock, noise-rock, krautrock, Japanese psych, dub, and elsewhere, they create a sound that is wholly their own. A vital fixture of the UK rock underground, Dead Sea Apes have shared stages with seminal acts such as The Heads, Part Chimp, Carlton Melton, and Acid Mothers Temple.

Formed in 2009, the band have become a cornerstone of the independent scene, releasing over 10 albums – including collaborations with artists such as The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol and Black Tempest. Much of their catalogue has found a home on the widely celebrated UK psychedelic label Cardinal Fuzz, alongside stateside partnerships with the legendary Feeding Tube Records.

Psychic Tension Tracklist:

01. Damn Your Eyes
02. Psychic Tension
03. Severance
04. Ursa Minor
05. Deathless

Dead Sea Apes is:

Brett Savage - Guitars
Jack Toker - Bass, Guitars
Chris Hardman - Drums

Live Dates:

17/07/2026 - Outpost, Liverpool w/ Mugstar, Shoun Shoun [Info]
09/08/2026 - Kozfest, Penmaenau Farm, Builth Wells [Info]
13/09/2026 - Golden Lion, Todmorden [Album Release Party]

Dead Sea Apes new album Psychic Tension releases 18th September 2026. Pre-sales will start imminently via Cardinal Fuzz in the UK and Feeding Tube Records in the USA.

Links

Website | Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook

Thanks tot Lee Edwards at Shamedia for the details