Release Date: June 06th 2025. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Rat King - Tracklisting
1. Crunch Riff Supreme
2. Titan
3. Forbidden Things
4. Rat King Side
5. Buried Alone
6. Heave Ho
7. Radiating Sacred Light
8. Drift Into The Sun
Members
Adam Cody – rhythm guitar & vocals
Jay Ovittore- drums & gang vox
Steve Poe – lead guitar
Jason Kincaid- bass guitar & backing vocals
Review
Psych/Doom/Stoner Metallers HolyRoller return with their latest album Rat King which takes a heavier, swampedelic and psychedelic approach to their celebrated 2022 debut album Swimming Witches. That album was released by the highly respected Black Doomba Records label, this time HolyRoller has landed at the doorstep of the mighty RIPPLE MUSIC for the release of Rat King and it’s not hard to see why.
HolyRoller have become a heavier and riff-centric unit compared to their previous record whilst keeping their seedy and sludgier underground vibe. The band added Steve Poe on lead guitar in 2023 where his Psychedelic grooves have taken the band on an action-packed Sonic based journey. This record is quite direct with its groove oriented sound which evokes a huge likeability factor within the whole album. Taking influences from the likes of The Sword, ASG, WO FAT and RED FANG. Dedicated followers of the Doom/Stoner Metal Underground Scene and longtime fans of Ripple Music will find much to enjoy here.
The record has that classic and stripped back underground sound allowing HolyRoller demonstrating a seedy melodic style that is trippy, aggressive and full of trippy hallucinations based imagery hiding behind the murky progressive sludgy surroundings. The lyrics are excellent and bring a socially aware message that can be quite hard-hitting on tracks such as Titan, Forbidden Things, Buried Alone and Drift Into The Sun.
HolyRoller stated that Rat King is about the following “Lyrically, our themes revolve around navigating mental health as Adam Cody’s sings about suicidal thoughts and finding peace in being an atheist, substance abuse, political ideologies, aging in the music industry and more”.
So the record might be triggering for some and it made me think of certain things that’s happened in my life over the years which is quite a powerful thing to do in the world of Stoner Rock/Metal.
HolyRoller’s music is always aggressive and in your face with its stripped back production values but it’s delivered from a good emotional place from the band. The instrumental melodies capture a certain unrestrained quality to the whole creative journey that Rat King takes you upon. With a mixture of classic Stoner Metal grooves and murky Swamp Rock/Metal expeditions into areas of distorted FUZZ elements, HolyRoller offers an unflinching journey when everything is said and done.
The music is constantly evolving with HolyRoller fully exploring their creative ideas on a HUGE CINEMATIC scale which brings a sense of true quality to the album itself. HolyRoller blend classic sounding Doom/Stoner Metal where the FUZZ attitude comes aggressively shining through when the music is matched against a backdrop of modern day Post-Doom and Atmospheric Sludge Rock landscapes which last long in the memory.
The production values are surprisingly stripped back and with a raw LO-FI edge leading the way especially with this being released by Ripple Music. However, this was the right decision for HolyRoller to take as the bleak subject matter contained within the majority of the tracks would sound completely different if it had that “PROFESSIONAL STUDIO QUALITY” vibe added to the whole album.
Rat King is a thought provoking, bleak and aggressive record which is offset by some stunning and uplifting instrumental grooves that leave you in a tranquil state at times that reminds me of KING BUFFALO at times. So expect to hear a different kind of Psychedelic Stoner Metal record which dares to be different and leaves you wanting to hear more.
HolyRoller have no doubt delivered a potential ALBUM OF THE YEAR contender right here.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.
Rat King is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music.
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