Klandestin - Green Acid Of Last Century (Album Review)

Release date: April 20th 2018. Label: Hellas Records. Format: CD/DD

Green Acid Of Last Century - Tracklisting

1. Green Acid

2. Halusinasi

3. Socotra Land

4. Doomsday

5. Hell In The World

6. Black Smoke

7. The Green Aurora

8. Last Century

Members

Puguh Pangeksi - bass guitar, vocals

Rizky Anngriawan - drums

Combohell - guitars

Review

Damn, I don't like it when I'm late to the show but better late than ever, right? That's the case with Indonesia's bong masters, Klandestin. Their fantastic debut album, 'Green Acid Of Last Century' came out back in April 2018 already, and here we are in December 2018! Oh well. A trio of tripped out miscreants bring a whole new take on smoky stoner rock with a serious Iommi-worship coupled with a big love for Sleep. And that alone makes me happy. Why? Well, the band moves within a sphere that's gone stale, repetitive and rather unimaginative, at least to my ears it is this way. So with Klandestin busting the gates wide open while breathing fresh smoke out of from the speakers is so refreshing.

Can't say that the difference from other bands playing this kind of music is drastic. it's just that Klandestin's approach is so unrestrained which subsequently allows the trio to take wider turns. And to escape the shackles of the sandbox rules of any genre generates damned good music!

Instrumental opener ‘Green Acid’ is slow and meandering leading into a tripped out state of being. Hypnotic and transcendent it sets the perfect mood right off the bat. ‘Halusinasi’ speeds up a little bit and brings some nice Sleep vibes. Fuzzed and vibrant, Klandestin leads the listener through an amazing psilocybe world while riffing the hell out of you. Keeping the same kind of vibe but taking wider turns, Socotra Land’ is one of those wonderfully complete compositions that are so rare. Ethereal and spellbinding you’re quickly and painlessly pulled into the band’s delicate web of previously unknown worlds. 

Slowing down in pace ‘Doomsday’ is more doomy in approach, well perhaps doom mixed with heavy psych with Matt Pike on vocals and Tony Iommi on guitar is a better description. Regardless, it’s a great song which puts you in a wonderful cathartic trance leaving you wanting more and more and more.

‘Hell In The World’ starts out trippy and psychedelic for a short while until it unleashes the fury for a minute. Then it’s back to luring, mesmerizing tones, keeping you on your toes while not knowing when and how they are going to strike again. Oh yeah, ‘Black Smoke’ is probably the heaviest song on here. Still not particularly fast, Klandestin knows to crush anyway. And with Combohell’s fantastic guitar playing back by the lead-heavy rhythm section of Puguh and Risky, the band can’t go wrong, pure and simple. 

‘The Green Aurora’ is beautiful, yet creepy in all its trippiness. Psychedelic in approach until the latter half when the band throws down the gauntlet and rocks out. Love it! Closer ‘Last Century’ is the perfect way to end this brilliant debut. Everything that Klandestin are is represented within this song. They leave the door open elegantly for part two in their journey through amazing tripped out worlds and I can’t wait.

To tie back to the beginning, I know I’m late to the show with Klandestin but man, I am so happy I got introduced to them. They are something else and are so refreshing to listen to and I can’t keep from hitting repeat when I play ‘Green Acid Of Last Century’. I strongly advice everyone to listen to these guys cause they should not be ignored. Great stuff, indeed!

Words by Håkan Nyman

Links:

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BelzebonG - Light The Darkness (Album Review)

Release date: November 14th 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Light The Darkness – Tracklisting

1.The Bong of Eternal Stench 06:05

2.Pot Fiend 09:36

3.Doperganger 07:49

4.Roached Earth 11:59

Review

Famed Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metallers – BelzebonG – released their new album Light The Darkness unannounced on Halloween and I’ve finally found the time to review the album. This is my favourite album from BelzebonG as they return with another round of Heavy Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal with a healthy influence of WEEDIAN vibes.

The album contains four songs that continues the band’s already winning formula of heavy instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal that has some creepy soundbytes thrown in for good measure. The first two songs – The Bong of Eternal Stench and Pot Fiend – are your usual BelzebonG standard fare. Heavy and epic progressive Doom/Stoner sounds that have an atmospheric gloomy vibe to them. The music is down-tuned for the most part as the band soon settle down to a clever and progressive rhythm.

The band impress more on the second half of the album with songs Doperganger and Roached Earth Song Names Later having a more experimental and heavier sound. The standout song is the final song as the band opt for a more Spaced Out Sound and it’s something we haven’t heard from the band before. This is one of the best songs that the band have written to date. As it drifts from heavy atmospheric doom and gloom based sounds to the more surreal trippier Psych Stoner Metal parts of the album.

Another highlight of the album is the dark humour that the band tell through the creepy soundbytes that appear throughout the album. The album only runs for thirty five minutes or so but the band don’t waste a single second. As they deliver their heaviest and most confident album to date.

Light The Darkness proves why BelzebonG are one of Poland’s finest Doom/Stoner Metal bands currently around today. This is the best instrumental album of the year for me and will end up as one of my best albums of the year as a result.

Words by Steve Howe

You can buy Light The Darkness on CD/Vinyl from here.

Links:

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Full Tone Generator - Valley Of The Universe (Album Review)

Release date: November 14th 2018. Label: Hurricane Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Valley Of The Universe – Tracklisting

1.Let The Good Times Roll 04:10

2.I Only Love You When I'm Loaded 05:07

3.Shermin Drive 04:00

4.Shitstorm 03:56

5.No Future 00:59

6.Shermin Drive Reprise 06:42

7.Preacher Man 07:38

8.Never To Return 09:33

Members

Andy Fernando: Guitar, Bass, Vocals

Brad Young: Guitar, Bass, Backing Vox

Brant Bjork: Drums, Backing Vox

Review

Full Tone Generator is the new band that features Brant Bjork on Drums and Backing Vocals in their ranks. Well for the studio aspect of the band anyway. The band recently released their debut album – Valley Of The Universe – and it plays out like a love letter to the Desert/Stoner Metal genre where Brant Bjork has become legendary for. Inspired by bands such as Kyuss, Fu Manchu and some of Brant’s solo work.

The album which was produced by Brant Bjork and Bubba Dupree has a darker tone that you wouldn’t expect from the Desert/Stoner Metal genre. As the lyrics deal with dark subject matters that even surprised me especially on the opening two songs – Let The Good Times Roll, I Only Love You When I’m Loaded. As the songs combine upbeat Desert/Stoner based melodies with harsh lyrical content. The vocals from Andy is what brings this album fully to life. Andy shows his passion and love for vocalists such as Brant Bjork and John Garcia.

However this album has its own direction and ideas that allows Full Tone Generator to be classed as their own entity. Having one of the scenes legendary figures helping with the music does help but you wouldn’t expect the dark journey that Full Tone Generator take you upon on Brant or Bubba’s other musical projects.

The music is a mixture of Psych, Fuzz, Stoner, Punk, Desert Rock and Hard Rock which allows Valley Of The Universe to be completely different especially on the later stages of the album. Songs such as: Shermin Drive, Shitstorm and No Future sees Full Tone Generator adapt a more edgier persona with the music and lyrics combining for some thrilling Desert/Stoner Rock moments.

However it’s with the final two songs where Full Tone Generator impress the most. As the two songs – Preacher Man and Never To Return – have some of the best and addictive Stoner riffs I’ve heard this year. These two songs have the same classic feel and approach that Kyuss made their own back in the day. This is still Full Tone Generator’s show and when the psychedelic grooves of Preacher Man finally appear you’re under their spell. As the song has a dark Blues Rock vibe with the lyrics telling an intriguing story. However it’s the music and fantastic grizzled vocals of Andy that leave you wanting more of this particular song.

The final song – Never To Return – is the heaviest and darkest song on the album with Andy’s vocals going into the world of Hardcore. It’s quite a stark contrast to the other songs held on the album but it works surprisingly well.

The production on the album is simply fantastic which isn’t surprising since Brant Bjork and Bubba Dupree produced the album.

Valley Of The Universe is the type of album why I fell in love with Desert/Stoner Metal in the first place. As the hazy and heavy psychedelic sounds of the Desert haven’t sound as good as this for a very long time. This is an unmissable and must-have album.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

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Comanchet - CXXXVIII (EP Review)

Release date: November 09th 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

CXXXVIII – Tracklisting

1.Desconocido 06:23

2.Garabato 04:20

3.Taarna 05:20

4.Aquelarre 05:49

Members

Peter Navarro

Sascuatch Campos

Haars Pepino Sandoval

Bruno Brujo Mar

Review

CXXXVIII is the new EP from Mexican Doom/Stoner Metallers Comanchet and it’s quite a raw sounding EP that’s packed full of heavy doomed out grooves. Maybe not the best sounding EP you’ll ever here but the band do create a mighty fine amount of heavy noise.

The vocals are very honest and have quite a vintage feel to them. Comanchet take influence from bands such as Black Sabbath, Sleep and High On Fire. So if you’re a fan of those bands Comanchet should appeal to you. As the EP has quite a gloomy psychedelic feel to it as well. The music moves between heavy Doomed Out vibes and trippy Stoner Metal sounds.

I can’t comment on the lyrical content as the vocals are sung in the band’s native language but the vocals are constantly engaging and matches the heavy music the band create here. Standout songs have to be Desconocido, Taarna and Aquelarre. As this is where Comanchet finally start to play their own style of music and leave you wanting more.

The band do have an album available on BandCamp that was released back in 2017. That’s definitely worth checking out as well. However it’s with CXXXVIII that Comanchet prove they’re worth giving a damn about.

I’m going to quote my good friend Frazer’s review aka Desert Psychlist to summarize this EP as he’s summoned this EP brilliantly.

“Music as good, as exciting and as groovalicious as Comanchet's "CXXXVIII" cannot be, should not be, held back by borders or fences. Mr Trump might build a wall to try to stop the Mexican people from crossing into the USA but music this good will always find its way over.”

Yeah, I go with that review. Comanchet are definitely worth your time.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Little Jimi - EP.1 (Album Review)

Release date: November 16th 2018. Label: MRS Records. Format: DD/Vinyl

EP 1 – Tracklisting

1.Jimi 06:40

2.Lamp Song 05:33

3.Dock 11 04:50

4.Molimoh 06:08

5.Goodbye Katus 07:01

6.Midnight Mojo (live) 08:20

Review

EP1 is the album release from French Psychedelic Stoner Rockers – Little Jimi. Not a name that you would associate with the Stoner Rock genre but it operates within the story that unfolds on the band’s highly charismatic and gloomy debut album. The band take influence from The Black Angels and Mars Red Sky. As you will hear heavy psychedelic stoner sounds that gives away to a more gloomy atmosphere.

The EP is quite loud from the start with opening song – Jimi – having a surreal eastern vibe to the song but all held in the confinements of Psychedelic Stoner Rock. The vocals are quite different as I was expecting something else but they have a 70s feel to them. The music moves from different eras of Stoner Rock but still maintaining a modern Stoner groove.

Other songs on the EP such as Lamp Song, Dock 11 and Molimoh – allow Little Jimi to slowly build a heavy Space Rock sound to their music and the results are quite trippy and very weird at times. The songwriting is first rate even if the lyrical content is OTT and doesn’t make sense at times. However it adds to the overall enjoyment of this larger-than-life record.

If you’re a fan of Mars Red Sky then you will surely enjoy this band. Which isn’t surprising since this record is being released by Mars Red Sky own record label – MRS Records. So the influence is definitely there for everyone to witness and rock out to.

The standout song has to be the final two songs – Goodbye Katus and Midnight Mojo (Live) – as the band play some of the heaviest sounds on the entire album.

Little Jimi are not your usual Psychedelic Stoner Rock band and that’s what makes them so appealing and equally addictive. EP1 is a gloomy experience but there are moments of blissful Psychedelic Stoner Rock that you won’t forget. Overall, EP1 is an absolute joy from start to finish and I want to hear more from the band in the future.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Little Jimi is available to buy now from MRS Records.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

TUSKAR - The Tide, Beneath, The Wall (EP Review)

Release date: December 7th 2018. Label: Riff Rock Records. Format: CD/DD

The Tide, Beneath, The Wall – Tracklisting

1.The Tide 07:02

2.Beneath

3.The Wall

Members

Tom Dimmock- Guitar

Tyler Hodges- Vox & Drums

Review

Tuskar latest EP – The Tide, Beneath, The Wall – is their latest and perhaps finest attempt in creating a heavy stylized Doom/Sludge Metal sound with amounts of Psychedelic Stoner Metal riffs being played in the background.

The EP only lasts twenty minutes but Tuskar manage to create an exciting sound that most full length albums struggle to match. The band take influence from bands such as CONAN, SLEEP, Slomatics and Mastodon. So if you’re looking for heavy progressive Sludge/Doom Metal with extra bite then you’ve came to the right place.

Opening song – The Tide – sees Tuskar play a fast-paced style of Sludge Metal with evil amounts of FUZZ pounding your ear-drums. Imagine early era Mastodon playing a more modern unsettled style of Doom Metal and you have the basis for this song. As Tuskar blast, kick and scream their way through a heavy bombastic wall of sound. The vocals from Tyler are firmly rooted in Hardcore based growls. Though you can easily understand what Tyler is singing about. The song is quite intense and angry from the start.

Second song – Beneath – is the most standard Doom/Sludge Metal song on the EP. As Tuskar get straight down to business of playing a more riff-centric style of music. There are elements of Psychedelic noises being added to Tuskar’s overall sound. You can feel the heavy pounding Stoner Metal grooves slowly creeping behind you before unleashing heck. The final few moments are some of the most relentless and angriest sounds on the entire EP.

The final song – The Wall – starts off slowly before continuing Tuskar’s heavy volatile mix of Sludge, Doom and Stoner Metal. This is the standout song on the EP as the band create loud bursts of angry FUZZ style rock/metal. The mood is quite sombre to begin with but soon changes into a more nightmarish based sound. The vocals are sometimes hard to understand as their drowned out by the heavy and distorted guitars. Though it’s the music that is the main highlight here. Tuskar play long passages of Drone Metal on this song and this style of music serves them well.

The EP is expertly produced and allows Tuskar to create a more realistic sound compared to their previous EP. Tuskar are now two EP’s into their career. I’m hoping there is a full length album within the next year or so. As the band have proved they have an original and exciting style of music all of their own. We need to see what Tuskar can do with a full length album. Until then, The Tide, Beneath, The Wall is not only one of the best EP’s released this year but one of the best records as well.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. The Tide, Beneath, The Wall will be available to buy on CD/DD via Riff Rock Records from December 7^th 2018.

Links:

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Samavayo - Vatan (Album Review)

Release date: November 23rd 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Vatan – Tracklisting

1.Prevarication Nation 07:39

2.Vatan 07:45

3.Sirens 04:40

4.The Hate of Thousands 06:56

5.Marionette 06:13

6.Time To Die 05:58

7.Children of Kobane 06:16

Members

Behrang Alavi (guitar, vox)

Stephan Voland (drums, backing vox)

Andreas Voland (bass, backing vox);

Review

Progressive Psych Stoner Rockers – Samavayo – return with their new album – Vatan. The band continue their mix of Psychedelic Stoner Rock merged with Progressive Rock. The band have been described as Kyuss and Truckfighters jamming with TOOL in the past. That’s a very accurate description for Samavayo overall sound and their new album Vatan.

If that description sounds appealing to you then you will no doubt have a great time with Vatan. Even the vocals from Behrang take direct influence from Maynard James Keenan. Some of the bands lyrical themes and progressive melodies are heavily inspired by TOOL. However Samavayo add strands of Psychedelic Stoner Rock and Doom Metal to create music on their own terms.

Though just be prepared for a journey into the dark realms of Progressive Stoner Rock/Metal on Vatan.

Opening song – Prevarication Nation – is quite a dark and progressive song to open the album with. The lyrics have quite a bleak feel to them and the music moves between Psych Rock, Stoner and Progressive Rock with relevant ease. There is still a sense of familiarity with Samavayo’s music but you can’t deny how addictive the song can actually be at times.

Second song – Vatan – is a more Stoner Rock/Metal orientated song which allows the band to change the overall mood of the album. Especially when the trippy vocals appear. The music feels more laid-back and has a more apprehensive feel compared to the opening song. The vocals are handled superbly well for the most part of the song. There are a couple parts where the vocals are drowned out by the heavy music.

Third song – Sirens – opens with ambient sound before the progressive riffs appear and Samavayo get straight down to business in playing perhaps one of the most trippiest and psychedelic songs on the entire album. The riffs are very direct with the Progressive Rock elements being firmly kept in the background.

Samavayo continue their psychedelic musical journey on the remaining songs on the album and the album sees the band experimenting with their sound even more. It maybe too much to take in on your very first listen of the album. So you may need a few listens to get used to the different styles of music Samavayo have included on the album.

Other cool songs to check out and fully explore are: The Hate Of Thousands, Marionette and Children Of Kobane. All these songs fully show a different side to Samavayo’s music. The lyrics can be quite deep and thought-provoking at the same time and that allows Samavayo to have an air of mystery around their music. Something that I truly appreciate about this album. As it makes you think what you’re actually listening to on the entire album.

Overall, Vatan is an album is one that will appeal to Samavayo’s established fan-base the most. As the casual or first time listener may struggle with the complex themes that the band have included here. Though that doesn’t stop Vatan being a well-made and superbly entertaining album.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp