Hey Satan - Flamingoes (EP Review)

Release Date: January 31st 2025. Record Label: Cold Smoke Record. Formats: DDl

Flamingoes - Track Listing:

1.Rubicon 05:09

2.Flamingoes 03:13

3.Digital Boys with Knives 03:33

4.The Monster 04:31

Members

François : vocals / guitars

Reno : bass

Frank : drums

Review

Flamingoes is the new EP from Stoner Rockers Hey Satan who I originally featured back on the blog back in 2017 when I reviewed their superb debut self titled album. The band have released a couple of more records which I'm ashamed to say passed me by. Well, time to put that right with a review of their excellent new EP, Flamingoes. This is an old school blast of Fuzz Rock, Stoner Rock and Heavy Rock which all build up to an aggressive level of pure FUZZY heaviness.

There are small moments of melodic Classic Hard Rock but Hey Satan remain on the right side of pure STONER METAL excess in the volume department which they apply throughout the EP especially on the standout opening track of Rubicon. The band demonstrate a sublime use of distorted guitars and fuzzy sludgy attitude as well though the main instrumental element of their music reminds of the theme of the classic TV show “SWAT” and that maybe deliberate on Hey Satan’s part. It’s one of the standout moments of the track which gives it quite a rebellious attitude.

Second song Flamingoes is a more direct song with Hey Satan getting down to business in playing a stripped back style of Fuzz, Doom, Stoner and Grunge with echoes of MOTORHEAD appearing at times especially with the vocals and how the band deliver their music. This is a very cool track indeed and perhaps the hippest part of the EP where old-school METALHEADS can fully get on board with.

The final two tracks Digital Boys With Knives and The Monster offer a more modern day Stoner Rock vibe with that solid Doom/Punk Rock swagger allowing Hey Satan to become quite Alt Rock obsessed at times without losing their Stoner Rock focus. The FUZZY bass line builds upto a catchier and thrilling style of music with Digital Boys With Knives building upon the instrumental themes from the excellent opening track of Rubicon.

The final track The Monster allows Hey Satan to play an assorted melody of classic sounding Desert/Stoner Rock grooves that pays homage to the legendary artists that created the scene such as KYUSS, FU MANCHU and YAWNING MAN whilst still injecting their own creative personality into the mix.

Flamingoes is a superbly produced EP which offers fifteen minutes of sublime and top-notch Stoner Rock/Metal entertainment that allows Hey Satan to welcome their return back to the Stoner Rock/Metal underground scene with absolute conviction.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Nothing Thrives - Tales Of Disgrace (Album Review)

Release Date: November 29th 2024. Record Label: Ouga booga and the mighty oug recordings. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Tales Of Disgrace - Track Listing:

1.Riot 03:34

2.Alone 04:21

3.Out of here 03:09

4.Medicine 03:32

5.Tales of disgrace 03:53

6.Troublemaker shooting 02:56

7.Down the well 03:44

8.Shallow 04:05

9.New beginning 03:19

Review

Tales Of Disgrace is the new album from Athens, Greece based Punk Rock/Stoner Rockers Nothing Thrives who are currently signed to 1000mods record label Ouga booga and the mighty oug recordings. The band call their music “Action Rock” and that’s a very apt description with the band playing a fast blend of Punk Rock, Stoner Rock and Garage Rock. The album is very fast-paced with Nothing Thrives offering an old school mix of Punk Rock and Hard Rock to deliver their music across.

The production values are quite raw and very much in your face with the record having a certain rebellious streak from start to finish. The songs aren’t the most original style of Punk Rock but Nothing Thrives are certainly a talented bunch with a certain Skate Punk or Street Punk vibe to their music which comes across superbly well within the excellent opening batch of tracks Riot, Alone and Out Of Here making the right impression.

The vocals are abrasive with a classic NO FUCKS GIVEN quality to them with the music having a similar vibe as well. Tales Of Disgrace digs deep into the well worn mantra of “RAWK & ROLL” and “PURE ROCK FURY” with the aggressive lyrics allowing Nothing Thrives becoming more GARAGE ROCK obsessed before the album finishes on a dominant high.

The record is perhaps influenced by the likes of MC5, The Stooges, New York Dolls and other remnants of the classic Punk Rock scene but with a certain Stoner Rock sound being performed throughout the whole album.

Standout tracks include: Medicine, Tales Of Disgrace, Down The Well, Shallow and New Beginning which allows Nothing Thrives to do just that but absolutely “THRIVE” with their splendid style of mischief and KICK-ASS rebellion played to absolute PUNK ROCK perfection.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

https://www.facebook.com/nothingthrives

https://www.instagram.com/nothing_thrives/

https://nothingthrives.bandcamp.com/album/tales-of-disgrace

https://ougabooga.com/

https://ougabooga.com/products/nothing-thrives-tales-of-disgrace-lp

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=532632249576977&set=pb.100084906188165.-2207520000&type=3

Idol Lord - The Other Side (Album Review)

Release Date: January 31st 2025. Record Label: Glory Or Death Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

The Other Side - Track Listing:

1.Disconnected 05:42

2.Caught Inside 04:23

3.Borrowed Time 07:51

4.Cyclops King 05:58

5.Last Gladiator 04:20

6.The Other Side 05:52

Review

Californian Desert/Stoner Rock Riffster Idol Lord new album The Other Side displays a level of distorted Fuzz/Space Rock heaviness on their excellent debut album The Other Side that should mark them out as future stars of the underground scene. Their album has echoes of FU MANCHU, KYUSS, TRUCKFIGHTERS and SLEEP within its creative domain. The record is quite aggressive and dominantly sleazy in all the right places which is played to great use and effect on the superb opening track of Disconnected.

Idol Lord demonstrates a great use of paranoia and distortion within their music which equates to some fantastic sludgy instrumental movements along the way. The vocals are quite Punk Rock obsessed in places  with a level of seriousness throughout the album. Idol Lord are always aggressive with their passionate use of abstract based sonic passages and melodic grooves that display an awareness of Grunge, Hard Rock, Doom and Sludge Rock structures. 

The music is boosted by the non-stop use of distorted and down-tuned sounds which transforms the classic Californian Desert/Stoner Rock music that Idol Lord employ here to a more desolate Doomed Out landscape where the Fuzz Rock element has a more destructive KINETIC energy which becomes more central to the album especially on tracks such as Caught Inside, Borrowed Time and Cyclops King.

The lyrics do appear quite fantastical at times but this still allows The Other Side to have quite a grounded appeal even when the record does become ever so more OTT and fantasy based at times. My advice is just to go with  it and lose yourself with the cerebral style of 1990’s Stoner Rock/Metal which builds upto some huge sounding GUITAR SOLOS along the way. 

The powerful rhythm section is definitely from the classic era of Fuzz Rock and Grunge which is the creative glue that holds everything together. The final two tracks of Last Gladiator and The Other Side delves deep into the heavier and murkier waters of down-tuned Stoner Rock/Metal with Idol Lord leaving a lasting impression which allows The Other Side to become a superbly entertaining and must have album to add to your collection right now. It’s seriously that good. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Glory Or Death Records for the promo,

The Other Side is available to buy on DD/Vinyl now via Glory Or Death Records.

Links

BandCamp | Instagram