Caboose – Swedish Stoner-Rock Newcomers Announce Debut Album Left For Dust & Release Video for "High on You"!

Stockholm-based stoner rock upstarts Caboose are set to shake up the scene with their debut album, Left For Dust, to be released on March 21st via Majestic Mountain Records, and to mark the occasion, they’ve just released the high-energy video for "High on You"!

Formed during the frigid winter of 2022 by four high school friends, Caboose started as a school project aimed at crafting high-tempo stoner rock. What began in a makeshift garage studio quickly evolved into something much bigger, as the band honed their fuzz-driven sound, blending classic rock grit with the modern stoner rock spirit.

Now, nearly two years into their journey, Caboose has become a staple of Stockholm’s rock scene, delivering high-volume, riff-heavy performances from underground venues to festival stages. With fuzz-drenched riffs, thick grooves, and raw energy, Left For Dust cements Caboose as a band to watch in the Swedish rock underground.

Caboose Links:

https://www.instagram.com/band_caboose
https://caboosefuzz.bandcamp.com

Majestic Mountain Records

https://www.facebook.com/majesticmountainrecords
https://www.instagram.com/majesticmountainrecords
https://twitter.com/Majestic_vinyl
https://majesticmountainrecords.bigcartel.com
https://majesticmountainrecords.bandcamp.com

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for all of the details.

Icarus Burns - Icarus Burns (Album Review)

Release Date: February 12th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Icarus Burns - Track Listing:

1.Minotaur 07:12

2.Die Werft

3.Melancholia

4.A Distant Light / In The Darkness

5.Tränen Der Sonne

6.100 Days

Members

Tim Corden – Guitar

Jens Gehrke  – Guitar

Axel Kalteiß  – Bass

Cristobal Cuadra Bravo  – Drums

Review

Icarus Burns self-titled debut album is a stirring mix of Post-Rock, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Psych and Ambient Metal held with a cold hearted Progressive Metal energy which allows the band to play a multitude of different styles of Instrumental Rock/Metal. With influences ranging from REZN, King Buffalo, ROTOR, Elder, Mastodon and Pelican, the band stand on their own creative merits from the very start of the pulsating beats of the excellent opening track of Minotaur.

The band may play a simplistic style of Heavy Psych at the start but the band start moving into heavier areas of Sludge/Stoner Metal with a precise delivery of melodic Post-Rock and Ambient passages which can be quite sinister when the OCCULT soundclip comes out of nowhere. Icarus Burns add an ever more Post-Metallic flavour to their music with the sound being quite diverse and with a slight apocalyptic melody appearing in the mellow parts of the track. That’s a clever way for Icarus Burns to deliver a gloomier and doomed out sound which pulls no punches with its more adult oriented groove that starts to dominate musical proceedings.

Second track Die Werft offers a calmer style of music with sonic passages reminiscent of ELDER, KING BUFFALO and early-era PELICAN. The music does have a loose creative structure with Icarus Burns playing with a progressive “STOP/START” focus that allows the thunderous rhythm section to play a heavier sludgier and psychedelic swagger. The band never rests on their creative laurels and are always trying new exciting things to keep the album wonderfully fresh and downright aggressive at times and DIe Werft is the perfect example of this.

Third track Melancholia opens with a calm Post-Rock narrative which feels very “AQUATIC” at times before the heavier soundscapes and landscapes transforms into a heavier destructive musical force with that cool Heavy Psychedelic energy being the main key for Icarus Burns to manifest into a different band altogether. The sound is always forward thinking and the thuggish Atmospheric Sludge grooves feels like it’s being delivered by a different band at times. This is one of the standout tracks on the record with Icarus Burns playing different styles of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal with varying levels of heaviness along the way. Though, there’s a beautiful Ambient Rock section in the middle that is one of the most beautifully played pieces of music I’ve heard in quite some time. 

The second half of the album sees Icarus Burns go even further down the Progressive Metal rabbit hole with first rate instrumental passages becoming more Doom obsessive especially on tracks such as A Distant Light / In The Darkness, Tränen Der Sonne and 100 Days being my other favourite tracks on the album. I could have easily done a track-by-track analysis of these tracks but I want the listener to be surprised by what they hear by the whole record and I don’t want to spoil the surprise with Icarus Burns delivering even more intense and absolutely thrilling moments of Heavy Psychedelic grooves that offer an adventurous and cinematic feeling you’ll find very hard to beat.

Icarus Burns are possibly going to cause a major stir within the underground scene and I expect these guys to perhaps become one of the breakout stars for folks to go absolutely crazy for. We’ve seen this happen before and you get this feeling when listening to the album that the band are destined for bigger and better things sooner rather than later. 

This maybe their debut album but Icarus Burns have delivered a future classic in the making and perhaps the instrumental rock/metal album I’ll be comparing all future instrumental albums against for the rest of this year. Bring it on….

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Icarus Burns for the promo.

Icarus Burns self-titled debut album will be available to buy on CD/DD from Wednesday 12th February 2025.

www.instagram.com/icarusburnsmusic/

www.facebook.com/icarusburnsbooking/
www.icarusburns.bandcamp.com/

www.https://www.youtube.com/@icarusburns1211

Greek Alternative Rockers A MONKEY SHINE Debut Album ALTERED STATE Is Now On Limited Edition Vinyl

Greek Alternative Rockers A MONKEY SHINE debut album ALTERED STATE was released last year in March 2024 where you can read my review here. Since then, the album has been gathering acclaim all over the underground scene. This has prompted the band to release the album on Limited Edition Vinyl where you can buy it here.

Altered State is the debut album from Greek Alternative/Grunge/Stoner Rockers A Monkey Shine. The album is quite an enjoyable experience with the band delving into the more melodic style of Stoner Rock with moments of heavy Grungy atmospherics. A Monkey Shine lean quite heavily into the Alt Rock way of life with how the vocals are delivered and emotionally based lyrics throughout the album. However, the sound can also be quite DOOM & GLOOM based.

There’s a hidden Post-Rock and Cosmic energy that appears on the later stages with tracks such as Lazy Eye, Deep In The Mud and Make Ends Meet which was a welcome surprise. This allows the album to be way more Progressive that you initially expect but still within the confinements of the Alternative Rock they superbly deliver. 

Overall, Altered State is a collection of superbly played and written tracks with a hidden emotional depth. 

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Crooked Cash - Crooked Cash (EP Review)

Release Date: January 10th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Crooked Cash - Track Listing:

1.Roadkill 02:54

2.She 02:43

3.Liability 02:58

4.Pissed Off 02:56

5.Gorilla Grip Gulag 03:45

Members

Joshua Boyd - Bass, Vocals

Andy Tyrrell - Guitar, Vocals

Joseph Doyle - Drums

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers Crooked Cash debut self-titled EP is a highly confident affair with moments of Grunge and grizzled Heavy Metal to add to overall level of heaviness the band display throughout the record. The vocals are quite grizzled and muscular with a sly outlook merging from them. The sound is quite fast-paced with a subtle Fuzz Rock energy appearing through all the five tracks that make up the EP. 

The EP lasts for fifteen minutes with a sludgy groove appearing which add a level of spiky heaviness and subtle Punk Rock edge from the opening tracks of Roadkill and She. I can detect influences from bands such as The Melvins and even Primus with how some of the vocals are delivered. Crooked Cash have an outsider vibe and quality to them which comes through superbly well on tracks such as She, Liability and Pissed Off.

Crooked Cash play an offbeat style of Doom Rock and Stoner Metal with a Gonzo attitude allowing the FUZZIER elements of their music to be quite suitably weird and unique at times. The EP isn’t the best produced but it allows Crooked Cash to have an awkward quality of their own making which only adds to the overall charm of the whole EP.

If you want a quirky, catchy and aggressive style of Doom, Grunge and Stoner Metal then you’re in the right place with Crooked Cash. Give these guys a chance and you’ll be surprised by what you hear.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Warlung - The Poison Touch (Album Review)

Release Date: February 14th 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Poison Touch - Track Listing:

1. Digital Smoke

2. White Light Seeker

3. Mourning Devils

4. Spell Speaker

5. Holy Guide

6. Rat Bastard

7. The Sleeping Prophet

8. 29th Scroll, 6th Verse

Members

George Baba - Guitar/Vocals

Philip Bennett - Guitar/Vocals

Chris Tamez - Bass

Ethan Tamez - Drums

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers Warlung take one step closer to greatness with their epic fifth album The Poison Touch which sees the band fully cooking on creative gas with an assorted melody of top-notch songwriting. The music is quite varied and vivid with sublime blends of Occult Rock, Doom, Stoner, Psych and good old fashioned HEAVY METAL passages.

The record builds upon the excellent work of their 2023 release Vulture’s Paradise with Warlung focusing more on melody, technical progression and musical composition on this record alone. The band seem to be having much more fun on this record which you can hear on the blistering opening track Digital Smoke which fuses the Proto-Doom sounds of the 1970’s with a killer modern day Post-Stoner Rock landscape starting to form with the bad-ass vocals from George Beba and Philip Bennett with both providing guitar duties.

Warlung are more closely linked to bands such as Blue Oyster Cult, ELDER and King Buffalo on this record whilst still developing their own original DOOM METAL dominated sound especially with the destructive and apocalyptic lyrics that accompany the excellent grooves, riffs and music. There are moments of downbeat and gloomy poppier soundscapes which are wonderfully vivid and wholly melodic especially on tracks such as White Light Seeker, Mourning Devils and Spell Speaker. 

This is perhaps Warlung’s most “OCCULT” and “DOOM” obsessive record yet with the band exploring areas of music they haven’t played or touched upon before and they do this incredibly so well especially with the more progressive and outlandish parts of The Poison Touch. Everything is bigger and bolder on this album with swirling themes of Ambient Rock, Psych Rock and Spaced Out harmonies that sometimes add a dystopian flow to the record. This is perhaps the perfect soundtrack to listen to with the shitty current events going on in the world, however The Poison Touch is still a soulful and beautifully sonic musical adventure especially on the later stages of the record.

Warlung show a flare of outrageous guitar solos along the way which taps right into the classic heyday of HEAVY METAL showmanship which they’ve done on their previous record but this is perhaps where they impress the most. The technical ability of these guys is off the charts and with Chris Tamez (Bass) and Ethan Tamez (Drums) providing the muscular rhythm section for George and Philip to add multiple waves of thrilling guitar riffs throughout.

The Poison Touch is a record that can be admired by multiple different factions of the Heavy Rock scene as Warlung have almost every base covered with moments of Classic Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Doom Metal, Proto Metal and Stoner Metal whilst still being foremost a true METAL record. 

The production values are off the chart thanks to the excellent work done by Jacob Rodriguez on recording duties with Travis Weatherred (FOSTERMOTHER) on mixing and mastering duties helping as well. Two talented folks who know a thing or two on how to make a band standout within the underground scene and they do the business here. 

The Poison Touch is perhaps Warlung’s standout record they’ve released to date which could easily be considered a GREATEST HITS package. That’s seriously how great this album is. This is without doubt an ALBUM OF THE YEAR contender. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

The Poison Touch is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from Friday 14th February 2025.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

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