Tuesday, 18 February 2025

Lightsucker - Darkest (EP Review)

 

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

Darkest - Track Listing:

Traversing Through The Void

The Grand Display

Descent

Aftermath


Members


Jussi – Bass

Tomi – Vocals

Atte – Guitar

Matti – Drums


Review


Darkest is the new EP from Doom/Sludge Metallers Lightsucker. I remember reviewing their debut album ZAMMAL back in 2016. when they were signed to Argonauta Records. The band have released a couple of records since then including their 2022 album Stonemoon. This EP is their heaviest record to date and if you dig bands such as Church Of Misery, EYEHATEGOD and DOWN but with a slight reliance on Cosmic/Psychedelic passages.


The EP only lasts for twenty minutes and has an lo-fi, seedy and sludgy approach which allows their underground Stoner Rock charms work their magic. The vocals vary from harsh growls to clean vocals but with a devilish attitude appearing from them. The music can be quite NOLA obsessive in places especially on tracks such as Traversing Through The Void and Aftermath. There are even moments of Prog Rock and classic sounding HEAVY METAL on the following tracks The Grand Display and Descent.


Darkest is a great mixture of old-school thrills and spills with a ferocious modern day Sludge/Stoner Metal attitude with Lightsucker showing brief glimpses of some extreme metal along the way. With the promise of more chapters from this story, Lightsucker are going to be around for quite some time and I'll be interested and excited to hear how the story will unravel....


Until then, Darkest is a superb EP from Lightsucker and offers solid entertainment within it's short runtime that leaves you wanting to hear more.


Words by Steve Howe


Darkest will be available to buy digitally from Friday 21st February 2025.


Links


Facebook | BandCamp

This Summit Fever - UK Fuzz Rock Duo Announce Self-Titled Album & Release New Video For "Hooks"


UK fuzz rock duo This Summit Fever is gearing up for the release of their self-titled debut album, due out on April 4, 2025, via Majestic Mountain Records. Packed with colossal riffs, thunderous grooves, and raw, unfiltered energy, the album defies the limits of a two-piece lineup and is poised to make a major impact on the stoner rock scene, living up to the high expectations surrounding the band.

"We may be a two-piece, but we’ll shake the ground like a five-piece." Says drummer Jim McSorley.

The first single, "Hooks", is out now, bringing a blues-inspired, octave-fuzz riff assault that channels the band’s high-energy sound. McSorley’s thunderous drumming and Blackburn’s raw vocal delivery make for a track that hits hard from the first note.


Originally formed as a lockdown project by guitarist/vocalist Andy Blackburn, This Summit Fever quickly evolved when drummer Jim McSorley joined forces. What started as home-recorded demos quickly became a full-fledged, high-impact fuzz rock machine, fueled by a love for massive riffs and driving rhythms.

BBC Introducing picked up their early demos, and soon, This Summit Fever was a live force to be reckoned with, hitting Bloodstock, Stoomfest, and Desertfest, and sharing stages with Raging Speedhorn and Margarita Witch Cult. Their two EPs—2021’s "Doubt" and 2023’s "Distraction Rituals"—laid the groundwork for their first full-length album, showcasing their raw, relentless energy.

Catch the band live at the following dates:

March 30 – Leicester, Riff n Beers Fest
April 11 – Wolverhampton, Dive (Album Launch)
April 12 – Bournemouth, Dorset Doomsday
April 16 – Manchester, Night and Day (Headline Show)
May 2-4 – Shrewsbury, Loopfest
May 18 – London, Desertfest
June 20 – London, The Dev (Headline Show)
September 13 – London, The Black Heart


Links:


Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the details.

New Orleans Stoner Metallers SUPLECS (with former EyeHateGod) sign to Ripple Music for new album release and reissue of their Man's Ruin catalog!



New Orleans stoner rock veterans SUPLECS ink a worldwide deal with Ripple Music for the upcoming release of their first studio album in over a decade, as well as the reissue of their early 2000s Man's Ruin records "Wrestlin’ With My Lady Friend" and "Sad Songs… Better Days".

Hailing from New Orleans, and formed in 1996, SUPLECS has been a power trio force to be reckoned with in the stoner rock community. Consisting of Danny Nick (former EyeHateGod), Durel Yates, and Andrew Preen, Suplecs released their first album “Wrestlin With My Lady Friend” on Frank Kozik’s famous Man’s Ruin Records in 2000 and produced by Danny’s EyeHateGod bandmate Jimmy Bower. Their sophomore effort “Sad Songs, Better Days” was released the following year on Man’s Ruin Records and produced by Dave Fortman, then reissued in 2002 after the demise of Kozik’s home for all things heavy.

This period found SUPLECS touring relentlessly from coast to coast with bands such as Clutch, Alabama Thunderpussy, Dixie Witch, High On Fire, Corrosion of Conformity, Gwar, and Halfway To Gone. Their third album “Powtin On The Outside, Pawty On The Inside” was released in 2004 and produced by another NOLA heavyweight, Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity. Unfortunately, the album failed to gain the traction it deserved as it was released on local label Nocturnal Records, which was sidelined along with the band and everyone from New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina.

After a period of rebuilding, SUPLECS reemerged through various appearances over the next few years at SXSW with help from their next home Small Stone Records. In 2011, they released their fourth album “Mad Oak Redoux” and gained a coveted High Times Magazine Award as “Stoner Rock Band Of The Year.” The following years saw them continue their musical journey with appearances at Voodoo Fest, Mutants Of Monsters Fest, and Bayou Boogaloo along with yearly pilgrimages to their second home in Austin, Texas. Their music has been featured on TV shows such as “Dog The Bounty Hunter” and “MTV’s Fun Factory”. Age, marriage, children, business ventures, and divorce played roles in the members' musical commitment over the last decade.

2025 will mark the 25th Anniversary of SUPLECS Annual Mardi Gras show in New Orleans, a yearly staple for over 500 people. In early 2024, the trio started to write new material after many years of playing early material. With all that has transpired in their lives, the trio is now finishing the writing of their fifth album, which promises to be a culmination of their previous efforts with more raw heaviness and age-old swagger than some of their earlier works.

SUPLECS is

Danny Nick - Bass, Vocals
Durel Yates - Guitars, Vocals
Andrew Preen - Drums, Percussion

SUPLECS links

Facebook | Spotify

RIPPLE MUSIC links

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

Monday, 17 February 2025

SweetBeast - Illusions (Album Review)


Release Date: February 20th 2025. Record Label: Humalien Records. Formats: DD


Illusions - Track Listing:

1. 70/30 - 7:57

2. Thunder - 4:01

3. Dream Eater - 5:29

4. Midnight - 4:38

5. Plastic People - 6:41

6. Illusion ft. Space Queen - 11:26


Members


Eric Gorzynski - Vocals/Guitar

Alex Graham - Backup Vocals/Bass

Colton Schofield - Drums

John Hermary - Vocals/Guitar


Review


Illusions is the debut album from Psych/Fuzz/Stoner Rockers SweetBeast who fuse a classic style of Blues, Grunge, Sludge and Americana vibes into their music and these guys are Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. This record could have easily suffered from a real sense of identity crisis as SweetBeast go through multiple different styles of Heavy Rock though this album is an absolute marvel with the band crafting a subtle record that is superbly heavy and beautifully pop-centered when the mood calls for this.


With influences of bands such as Alice In Chains, QOTSA, King Buffalo and KYUSS appearing within the creative throws of the entire record, SweetBeast employ a loud, vast and desolate landscape which comes alive superbly well in the early stages of the album on tracks such as 70/30, Thunder and Dream Eater. The tracks convey a fine art of cinematic storytelling and instrumental Psychedelic jams which can be quite daring with it’s epic grooves and screeching sludgy guitars which becomes more Post-Rock, Post-Doom and Alt-Rock as time passes by. 


The vocals are rich and quite varied that are provided by band members Eric Gorzynksi (Guitar), Alex Graham (Bass) and John Hermany (Guitar). The band have their good friends Space Queen providing guest vocals on the stunning final title track and it’s really one of the genuine highlights of the whole album. As the track can be dominated by a “POPPIER” vibe without losing that Sludge/Stoner element SweetBeast expertly built up on the whole album.


Illusions is firmly rooted in both Classic Rock and Modern Rock soundscapes which allows SweetBeast to switch musical tactics throughout that allows the record to be quite a tender and emotionally charged record at point before exploding into a neverending style of Cosmic Doomed Out grooves. With a soulful Prog Rock delivery appearing on later stages of the record that resonates the most when moments of Fuzz Rock and Post-Rock appear out of nowhere and drags the album closer to the likes of ELDER, King Buffalo and WeedPecker before the record is out.


Illusions is built upon excellent production values that has a certain resemblance to the seedy backdrop of 1970’s Doomedelic Rock and the swagger of the 1990’s Grunge/Stoner Rock scene. SweetBeast have released an outstanding debut album that should see the band gain a significant following within the underground scene to make themselves more well known.


Overall, Illusions is a spectacular record that everyone should own right now.


Words by Steve Howe


Thanks to Asher Media PR for the promo.


Illusions will be available to digitally via Humailen Records from Friday 21st February 2025.


Links



Sunday, 16 February 2025

Building A Musical Fortress: An Interview With Psych/Post-Metallers DORRE


Belgian Psych/Post-Metallers DORRE have undergone a creative and tonal shift for their next album Fortress (due out on February 22nd 2025). As the band have opted for a more Jazzy and Psychedelic sound though the biggest change is DORRE have added a vocalist (Brecht De Rooms) for the first time in their history.

Brecht De Rooms adds his own definitive voice to DORRE's intense Instrumental sounds that make them feel like a totally different band compared to their previous records.

I caught up with the band to discuss the making of the album, the concept behind the album and how adding a vocalist came about. Read for on for a great interview.


Hi guys. Thanks for doing the interview. How are things with you today?


Very well, thanks Steve, and thanks for having us! We're thrilled to finally be releasing our new album, and with the prospect of our upcoming shows, we couldn't be happier.


For folks not in the know, can you give a brief history of how the band came together and where it is today?


Sure, we've been around for over 15 years now so there is quite a bit of history, but we'll boil it down a bit. Dorre was founded, if you can call it that, at the bar of the Rock Café in Leuven, Belgium. We're close friends with the owner and he had a special beer on tap, called Dorre. After a couple of these 10,5% beers, Adriaan and Wolf headed off to jam in the attic of the bar where Adriaan used to rehearse with his old band.


There were yearly shows with free kegs of Dorre to celebrate Adriaan and Wolf's birthday. Long jam sessions of nearly 3 hours without actual songs. Basically a big piss-up with loud music in a sweaty dark pub.


After Erik joined on lead guitars we started working towards a more structured approach and actually writing songs, and of course playing more shows. We released some early demo's that are still up on our Bandcamp, as well as our half hour long EP "One Collapsed at the Altar". This led to us releasing a split LP with our Danish friends of Bethmoora. We started touring through mainland Europe and the UK with Andrew as our sound guy, who later became our bass player and joined us on our previous album, Fall River.


When Andrew decided to move back to the UK, we onboarded our buddy Jan to take on bass duties and he's been with us since, writing and joining us on Fortress. While writing the album we felt we needed to evolve even further as a band and went looking for a vocalist. Our main criteria was that we needed someone that we actually like and can get along with. Fortunately we found Brecht, who is a great match for the vibe of the band and an excellent vocalist.


We were also very fortunate to be able to talk to Désirée, who runs Lay Bare Recordings. We met up at Sonic Whip to talk shop and her trust and belief in Fortress was a great motivator to us, so we're super happy that she's on board and releasing this album on her label.


How would you describe your own sound?


We only recently really landed on describing it as psychedelic post-metal, because there's just too many boxes in the underground scene that you can tick. We make heavy music and there's always going to be more than one genre in it, you know? The new album has a bunch of jazz and funk influences in there as well as neo-classical rock, but it's also got really sludgy, crunchy bits.


Congrats on your excellent new album Fortress. Loved it from the very first listen. What can people expect to hear from this album?


Something new! We were a bit apprehensive that people would just think of it as "Dorre but with vocals", and I think we managed to steer clear of that. It's still very much Dorre, but I think that's because every release we've had so far has been a departure from our previous work while still retaining our own signature.


This is quite a different record compared to your previous albums. Firstly, the record has vocals and secondly it's way more experimental especially in the Jazz and Progressive aspects. Was that your plan to create something different to your great records?


Yeah definitely, we've always joked that we actually want to play jazz but we're just not good enough, ha ha, but yeah the intention was definitely there to experiment more with jazz and funk in heavy music and create a different vibe. It's also a challenge for ourselves to keep innovating and keeping things interesting to play around with. There were definitely moments during the writing process where we cursed our own decision making, but in the end it was a very fulfilling process.


When did you decide to add a vocalist (Brecht De Rooms) to the album. Were you a bit tired of being labelled an instrumental band.


About halfway through writing the album, probably. While we were going in this new direction we really felt we needed that extra layer to take it to the next level. I don't think we could have released this album as an instrumental work. And it's not so much that we were tired of being labelled as such, but more that we were ready to take the band in a new direction. We've always been proud of our instrumental work, but it was time for a big change.


How did Brecht De Rooms join the band. Did you try out over vocalists and what did Brecht had that the other vocalists didn't.


We basically put an ad out with an instrumental scratch track to write and sing over, and had a bunch of people send in a track. There were definitely a few contenders but Brecht just stood out. Not only that but Brecht is also just a genuinely nice guy and really matches the vibe of the rest of the band. I think that's at least as important as being "the best" vocalist to send in a track. 


After a couple of months, it just felt as if he'd been in the band for years, which is the best feeling you can have, you know? Being in a band is not just about making music, but also hanging with your buddies and having a good time. If you're not comfortable with each other and if you're not having fun, then you shouldn't be doing it, in my opinion. We all have way too busy lives for it to not be that way.


What does Brecht bring to the overall DORRE sound.


There's definitely a depth to our music that we didn't have yet, an extra layer of emotion and raw feeling that's just not possible to bring in a purely instrumental environment. I also think that, because most of our music is heavily concept-based, just having lyrics that convey our story is a massive win.


And of course having vocals just makes our music more accessible. Even though we love instrumental music, it's definitely difficult to reach a wider audience.


What is the album about and did your real-life experiences help make this record.


The concept of the album was initially built around Star Wars, believe it or not. A lot of that is still in place but it's grown more in the direction of how we as humans communicate, how we keep building these constructions of belief to validate our existence and how technology is disrupting these core human beliefs. 


This all sounds very heavy and metaphysical and you really don't need to be super invested in the background to enjoy the album, but we like theory crafting around these sorts of themes. 



Where did the name for the album come from and what does this mean to the band.


We had a long, friendly, of course, discussion about this because while we wanted to reference the starting point of our inspiration with Star Wars, we really didn't want to be too much on the nose. So we gravitated towards The Hidden Fortress, which was the inspiration for Star Wars. From there we went with Fortress, which also embodies a feeling we had while listening back to our tracks.


It might be an odd decision to have an album title that doesn't match with any of the track titles, but we see it more as the core to which everything is connected.


What bands and artists influenced you when recording this album.


We all listen to very different music, if we're looking at bands from our "sphere" we're probably thinking ISIS, The Ocean, The Necromancers, that kind of line, but I also listen to a lot of jazz and funk, Erik listens to a wide range of music from classical to fusion to psychedelic rock, Jan listens to a lot of punk, rock and pop, Wolf is into all kinds of drum and bass among other things, Brecht listens to lots of stoner and metal, you know it's a big melting pot of influences.


What formats is the album being released upon?


Right now we're releasing on vinyl through Lay Bare Recordings and on digital streaming as well as of course Bandcamp. If there's demand for it, we'd consider releasing on CD as well.


You've teamed up with the awesome record label Lay Bare Recordings for Fortress. How did that come about.


I was talking to Jon (Davis, of Conan) about taking Dorre a step further and how a label could support us in that. We had a good discussion on it and he suggested a couple of labels that might be interesting, labels that think with a band and actually do it out of a passion for the music.


He put me in touch with Désirée, for which I'm still very grateful, and we met up at Sonic Whip to discuss. We unfortunately missed a couple bands at the festival because we had such a long discussion but it was definitely worth it. Désirée is great and incredibly passionate about her label and the bands she signs, we couldn't have asked for a better match.


What is the creative process or setup within the band? Do you all write the music together or do certain people within the band do that?


While everything is a collaborative effort, there's always an instigator that takes responsibility for their track to get worked on and fleshed out. Everybody takes part and tries to lift up a track, but the bones are laid out by one person usually.


How did you get involved with music? Was it a particular album, group or artist that made you want to write and play your own music?


Pfooo, I think we're all too old for this question now, ha ha, it's been a while and I can't speak for everyone but I just thought guitars were cool and I wanted to play loud music. I don't really think there was one album or band that made me want to play, you know, I started out like pretty much anyone I think just playing Nirvana riffs and going from there.



Who designed the excellent album cover. Really brings to light what the whole album is about.


The artist is Giliam Schroyen, a close friend of mine. He's poured blood, sweat and tears into that artwork and it shows. I think he worked on it for over a year, honestly. Everything on the cover is fully 3D-modelled and textured, painstakingly tweaked lighting, it's definitely a work of love. We're very lucky to have had Giliam working on this and we're extremely pleased with how it turned out.


Can you advise if you’ve played or currently playing in other bands so folks can check out your other musical projects?


For sure, Wolf and myself aren't currently in any other projects. Erik plays in Wheel of Smoke, Rivercrest, Cave Inn, The Moondig, Kut and his solo project Etherik. Jan recently started a punk band, Kut. Brecht plays guitar and does some vocals in Ethereal Darkness. 


What is the current state of the Belgian Rock/Metal scene? Do you perform gigs on a regular basis and do you have a local scene that you're actively involved with?


There's a pretty good scene here, Belgium has some amazing bands and a host of great bookers and venues. We're very lucky to have organizers such as Orange Factory in our hometown of Leuven and things like No Name Collective in Gent. There's also a ton of great festivals here like Desertfest in Antwerp and Dunk! Festival in Gent. We've only recently started booking more shows again but we plan on playing quite a bit throughout 2025 and 2026.


Will you be performing any gigs to promote this album locally or further afield.


Yeah we have our release show on the 22nd of February on home turf in the Sojo in Leuven and we're playing a couple of shows in the coming weeks in Tilburg and Charleroi, with plans for more soon. We'd love to come back the the UK and tried to get a little tour going but didn't really manage to get that arranged just yet.


Before you go, do you have any words of wisdom for your new and potential fans out there.


It might sound like a holiday card but, be kind to each other. We're living in strange times and we could all use a little less drama and a bit more wholesome, no? That, and go to local shows, support local bands and organizers, show some love to your scene! Thanks for having us, Steve!


Words by Steve Howe and DORRE


Fortress will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Lay Bare Recordings from Saturday 22nd February 2025.


Links


Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Year Of The Cobra - Year Of The Cobra (Album Review)

Release Date: February 28th 2025. Record Label: Prophecy Productions. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Year Of The Cobra - Track Listing:

1.Full Sails 

2.War Drop 

3.Daemonium

4.Alone

5.7 Years 

6.The Darkness

7.Sleep

8.Prayer


Members


Amy Tung Barrysmith – vocals, bass, keyboards

Jon Barrysmith – drums


Review


Doom/Stoner Metallers Year Of The Cobra (YOTC) return after a six year absence with their third full length album and it sees the band head even further into the LOW & SLOW abyss with Amy Tung Barrysmith’s intense bass guitar and Jon Barrysmith’s aggressive drums. The album sees the band conjure up destructive grooves and even with the lack of guitars, Year Of The Cobra play with a sense of reckless melody which sees subtle Psychedelic passages to form. Amy has spent time recently with SLOWER (the band made up of members of KYLESA, FU MANCHU and MONOLORD) but these are the real jams where she always shines with her husband and partner in crime Jon Barrysmith. 


With the band being from Seattle, it’s good to see the band opting for less is more approach and add a classic sense of Grunge and Alternative Rock along the way. This allows Amy the perfect opportunity to deliver some fabulous vocals which moves away from the Doom and Stoner Rock structure and perhaps into areas of definitive Hard Rock energy. Though, YOTC never forget their underground roots with a stunning assortment of head pounding Drum and Bass grooves which feels like you’re being hit by a mighty sledgehammer when the heavy notes hit and BOY, do they hit the target each and every single time.


The album is boosted by a stunning collection of outstanding tracks which each have their own identity and story to tell with a classic Doom/Stoner energy coming from every corner. The music is a mixture of fast-paced grooves and the low-to-mid pace sound which allows YOTC to play a classic blend of LOW & SLOW movements which crackles with genuine excitement when the sludgy reverb of the seedy amplifiers takes centre stage.


Some of the tracks are quite bleak and wonderfully dark with Amy’s vocals not having a care in the world at times especially on tracks such as: Full Sails, War Drop, Alone and The Darkness. Though, there is still a deeply emotional core that holds everything together which sees YOTC develop into better songwriters and storytellers which is provided here.


The later stages of the record perfectly moves between the levels of Psych, Doom, Grunge and Stoner Metal for a more focused Sludge Rock sound with an unexpected Shoegaze energy forming which once again shows a different side to Year Of The Cobra. 


YOTC worked with the legendary Matt Bayles on this record who engineered, mixed and produced the album. The amazing Brad Boatright helped with mastering duties at his famed Audiosiege domain. This allows Year Of The Cobra to create a highly cinematic vision of music of their own making. Furthermore, Year Of The Cobra have firmly established themselves as one of the standout and original musical duo’s within the underground scene today. 


Be prepared for a brilliantly heavy record that pulls no punches and will no doubt be classed as one of 2025’s finest records before the year is out.


Words by Steve Howe


Thanks to Prophecy Productions for the promo.


Year Of The Cobra will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Prophecy Productions from Friday 28th February 2025.


Links


Facebook | BandCamp