Alternative Stoner Rockers MOON DESTROYS Announce New Album SHE WALKS BY MOONLIGHT

MOON DESTROYS is guitarist and songwriter Juan Montoya (ex-Torche, MonstrO) and drummer/bassist/producer Evan Diprima's (Gold Pyramid, ex-Royal Thunder) latest entry of sonically massive, swirling guitars and tight rhythmic counterpoints that recall classic Alternative, Post-Punk and Dark Wave sounds. The duo's 5-song EP, Maiden Voyage was released via Brutal Panda Records (Local H, Cherubs) in March of 2020 -- featuring guest vocalists Troy Sanders (of Mastodon) and Paul Masvidal (of Cynic) with Synthesizer contributions from The Sword's Bryan Richie.

It's been a long road to get to what would ultimately be the band's debut LP, She Walks By Moonlight, out April 4th, 2025 on Limited Fanfare Records (Palomino Blond, The Ettes, MonstrO.) Juan and Evan have worked together on a few projects previously that have led them down a path to a fruitful and creative working relationship...even while living 600 miles apart. 

"Juan and I started writing new music in late 2023. Most of the basic tracks were recorded remotely with him living in Miami and me being up in North Carolina. Juan would start off with a riff, we’d record the scratch guitar track into Logic over FaceTime, I’d cut the drum track in my home studio, and then send the session back to Juan to track the final guitars." said Diprima of the origins of She Walks By Moonlight. What they both realized halfway through the recording process is that a key ingredient was missing...a permanent member to take over vocal duties. Diprima continued, 

"Juan mentioned to me that he had reconnected with his former MonstrO [Vagrant Records] bandmate, Charlie Suárez. I've always loved his vocals and guitar playing and the three of us had formed a great friendship back then. We sent Charlie over a few songs...it was definitely meant to be!" With Suárez now head-first in the fold, his guitars, vocals and synth parts were tracked in Miami in the Summer of 2024 by Diprima, who handled most of the engineering and production duties – also mixing the album. She Walks By Moonlight was Mastered by Carl Saff (Sonic Youth, Magolia Electric Co., Melt-Banana) at Saff Mastering in Chicago, IL

She Walks By Moonlight's first single, the crushing and beautiful "The Nearness of June," displays Suárez's hypnotic incantations and emotional, lyrical depth that is stamped across the 9 song, 32-minute record. The pumping drive and layered build of "Echoes/The Empress" addresses "the repetitive in-between areas of human disconnect with overwhelming uncertainty and reflective conviction," and the slow-burn propulsion of "Only" at it's core is about "a series of unreasonable requests and exhausting pleas to another in hopes of amending the irreconcilable" states Suárez.

In late 2024, the band recruited Suárez's former Sunday Driver (Doghouse Records) bandmate, Arnold Nese, to fulfill bass duties and complete the lineup of Moon Destroys who will support Elder throughout the US and Canada in April 2025. - Brian Kurtz, Limited Fanfare

She Walks By Moonlight is available for Pre-Order on Cassette/Digital/Vinyl and will be released on Friday April 04th 2025 via Limited Fanfare

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Within Wilds - From The Valley Of The Moon (EP Review)

Release Date: January 29th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

From The Valley Of The Moon - Track Listing:

1.Floodplain Apex 03:36

2.Dawn Thief 02:40

3.With High Spines 06:17

4.Magma Rises, Falls 03:30

Members

Pepper Glass: guitar/vocals

Mike DiTullio: drums/percussion

Ben Dodds: bass

Review

From The Valley Of The Moon is the new EP from Instrumental Stoner Rockers Within Wilds who play a fusion of Psych, Desert, Fuzz, Stoner and Ambient Rock with a freakish Jazzy sound. Parts KYUSS, Karma To Burn and Yawning Man can be heard within their music with a sense of trippy Tribalism and Eastern themes appearing throughout their EP. 

The sound is quite heavy and space rock orientated in places with its stop/start attitude appearing within the opening tracks  of Floodplain Apes and Dawn Thief. There is an off-kilter Post-Rock energy that appears in the quieter parts of the EP from Within Wilds which is quite experimental and maybe off-putting for some. However, the music is quite original, surreal and outlandish in all the right places which allows the band to become ever more confident with their music especially on the final two tracks of With High Spines and Magma Rises, Falls. 

Within Wilds do embrace their Stoner Rock roots more and more on the later stages of the EP with the music becoming ever so LOUDER and RIFF-CENTRIC. I was hoping for a couple or more tracks from Within Wilds but that’s my only complaint for this superb slice of highly surreal style of Instrumental Stoner Rock.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

Harvest Of Ash - Castaway (Album Review)

Release Date: March 06th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Castaway - Track Listing:

1.Castaway 

2.Embracing

3.Shine

4.Constellation

5.Of beloved flame

Members

Pepper Glass: guitar/vocals

Mike DiTullio: drums/percussion

Ben Dodds: bass

Review

Castaway is the second full length album from Doom/Sludge Metallers Harvest Of Ash and is quite a therapeutic album where you feel at rock bottom and have no way to turn to which I’ve personally been to recently. It’s not a nice place to be at and the world can be quite a cold hearted place to survive in but the power of music can be a real lifeline to help with that feeling and Castaway is one of those records that’s helped me a great deal recently.

Maybe I’m being a bit too personal there but Castaway helped me a lot recently with its bleak delivery of heavy sludgy grooves and uplifting passages that appear at the right moment in time. Taking cues from bands such as Neurosis, ISIS, Mastodon and Cult Of Luna but with Harvest Of Ash operating with a more Crust Punk/Metal attitude which allows their music to have a more aggressive and volatile sound. The harsh growls from lead vocalist Pepper Glass are superbly understated and quite easy to understand especially with the down tuned and violent Post-Metal imagery the band create on the excellent opening track of Castaway which solidifies Harvest Of Ash as a force of nature to be reckoned with.

The lyrics are deeply meaningful to the band and it was quite easy for myself to forge an emotional connection to this record especially earlier this year when I was going through a hard time in my life. (Apologies once again for admitting my real life struggles into the review but it did ultimately help along with a couple other albums which I’ll write about later). The sense of loneliness can be felt within the downbeat and nihilistic sounds of the early stages of the record within the standout tracks of Castaway, Embracing and Shine. 

Harvest Of Ash create complex Post-Metal and Atmospheric Sludge melodies which they splice with bursts of uplifting Post-Doom and Post-Rock movements especially within Embracing and Shine. This shows a different and caring side to Harvest Of Ash which you may not fully see or embrace when first listening to the album.

The final part of the album sees Harvest Of Ash building upon their harsh Sludge/Post-Metal sound with subtle flashes of Prog Metal heaviness that moves into that Post-Rock and Post-Doom dimensions once again on the final two tracks of Constellation and Of Beloved Flame. The lyrics are perhaps more emotionally charged and leave you in a much better place than you initially expect especially compared to the beginning of the album.

You can tell I made a deep emotional connection to this record and I thank Harvest Of Ash for that. The record may not be for everyone but I loved the blunt honesty and heavy as hell grooves that the band brought to the table for Castaway. This is a record that I’ll be listening to for a long time to come and why I’ll consider this album as one of the albums of the year before 2025 is fully out.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Desert Bloom PR for the promo.

Castaway will be available to buy digitally from Friday 06th March 2025.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Grunge/Stoner Rockers We Kill Cowboys Unleash Electrifying New Single "Sweat and Blood" Alongside Captivating Live Performance Music Video

Cape Town’s heavy rock powerhouse, We Kill Cowboys, have released their latest single, "Sweat and Blood," accompanied by a striking music video. The track offers a raw and emotional glimpse into the band’s upcoming album, Back from the Dead, slated for release later this year.

Formed by tattoo artist and singer-songwriter Alex Muller, We Kill Cowboys deliver a unique sonic blend that fuses elements of psychedelic rock, punk rock, grunge, and stoner blues. The band’s distinctive sound—gritty, compelling, and unapologetically raw—has established them as a force to be reckoned with in the South African rock scene.

Front and centre, Alex Muller’s powerful, gravel-edged vocals breathe life into thought-provoking and anti-establishment themes. "Sweat and Blood" is no exception. Speaking about the song, Alex shares, “The song is about our own

internal, mental struggle. Being in that negative mind loop where you feel disconnected from reality, from yourself. It can be a scary place to go through situations that leave you distrusting yourself. The chorus brings it back—back to letting that shit go and loving yourself. Trusting yourself by letting go of the thoughts and behaviours that don’t serve your highest good. We’re always searching for that internal peace of mind.”

With Alex’s hauntingly passionate delivery leading the charge, We Kill Cowboys’ lineup features Mornay on guitar, Andrew on drums and Miggs on bass. Known for their high-voltage live performances, the band bring unparalleled energy and immersion to their shows. Their ability to captivate audiences with both their sonic force and compelling narratives is a testament to their commitment to pushing the boundaries of modern rock.

Buy / Stream Sweat and Blood

Follow We Kill Cowboys

Instagram | Facebook | TikTok

Thanks to Warren at Plug Music Agency / Mongrel Records for all of the details.

Maliciouz - SARBERUS (Album Review)

Release Date: January 17th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

SARBERUS - Track Listing:

1.Even Against Sorrow 05:51

2.Wearied Repose 08:49

3.Under The Weight 04:19

4.Zimrah 23 06:10

5.Senescent Ruction 07:01

6.Lamentation 06:55

7.The Wilderness Feeds You 04:43

8.Mezmernaut 03:58

Members

Michael "Maliciouz" Muckow - Guitars, Bass & Drums

Review

SARBARUS is the new album from one-man outfit Maliciouz who operates with a bleak and desolate Scorched Desert mandate with elements of Funeral Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal on this record. The sound is constantly bleak and quite oppressive especially compared to their last record DIZEAZED released back in July 2024. There’s a subtle Psychedelic and Progressive style appearing throughout the album but it’s mostly full of nightmarish soundscapes which is boosted by the constant use of down-tuned fuzzy guitars that have a demonic Sludgy appearance to them.

Maliciouz plays music inspired by the likes of BONGRIPPER and Electric Wizard with a slow-paced foreboding GLOOM & DOOM sound can be wholly melodic and emotionally draining at times especially on tracks such as Even Against Sorrow, Wearied Repose and Under The Weight perfectly setting the scene. The record does have a certain LO-FI energy appearing within the production values which gives SARBARUS a slight sleazy grindhouse feel which should resonate with the underground DOOM METAL community but everything still sounds incredibly LOUD and highly polished at the same time.

The record isn’t the fastest style of music and if you want catchy amounts of riff-centric grooves then you better look elsewhere as Michael Muckow (the creative mastermind behind the album) prefers his music to be played with long drawn out instrumental passages with moments of surreal Psychedelic aggression appearing when you least expect it.

Other standout tracks include: Zimrah, Senescent Ruction, Lamentation and Mezmernaut that all show a wide array of different Funeral Doom grooves with a sense of fear and anxiety creeping in spectacular fashion. SARBARUS is quite a grimy record which Maliciouz doesn’t shy away from even in the closing seconds of the album, there’s still some downbeat sounds that leave you wanting to hear more.

This is a superb record from the underground scene and I can’t recommend this highly enough.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Clouds Taste Satanic - Birmingham 2024 (Album Review)

Release Date: February 07th 2025. Record Label: Kinda Like Music. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Birmingham 2024 - Track Listing:

Collision (Part III)
Reclamation (Paris IV-IX)
Pagan Worship
Out Of The Abyss

Review

Birmingham 2024 is the new live album from acclaimed Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal masters Clouds Taste Satanic and is the first in a series of “Live In Studio” releases the band will be releasing. The first volume was recorded in Birmingham, UK which is considered the holy land and birthplace of HEAVY METAL. The album features no overdubs at all which closely resembles how Clouds Taste Satanic sound LIVE

The record features tracks from their albums 79 A.E., Evil Eye and Your Doom Has Come with each subsequent release hopefully having a different track list. The Birmingham edition is a great way to kick-start the series with Clouds Taste Satanic on heavy and inspired DOOMEDELIC form with their last acclaimed record 79 A.E. being performed within its spectacular glory. The sounds are sparse and full of gloomy determination with the band using the space around them for a deeper, meaningful and progressive sound especially on tracks such as Collision (Part III), Reclamation (Parts IV-IX) and Out Of The Abyss.

Clouds Taste Satanic sounds way more COSMIC and PSYCHEDELIC that I initially anticipated especially for a live record such as this. The music is crushingly heavy and sets Clouds Taste Satanic a breed apart from other instrumental bands within the underground scene. They’re masters at the top of their game and they’ve been like this for a very long time now and the band have earned the right to release a series of live albums instead of releasing new material.

If you haven’t seen Clouds Taste Satanic in concert before then Birmingham 2025 is the next best thing with the band giving their all from start to finish and playing some epic and familiar classic tracks along the way.

Birmingham 2024 is another must have release to add to the already expansive Clouds Taste Satanic collection and it’s only going to get bigger. So buckle up for an exciting ride where the atmosphere is raw, aggressive and moody as hell.

Words by Steve Howe

Birmingham 2024 will be available to buy now on DD/Vinyl from all good stockists such as Majestic Mountain Records and Kozmik Artifactz

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Exclusive Album Premiere Of GIN LADY New Album BEFORE THE DAWN OF TIME

Recorded live at Sweden’s renowned analog studio Svenska Grammofonstudion, "Before The Dawn Of Time" generously fuses American roots rock with a shimmering 70's sound into a warm and fully organic tapestry of velvety grooves, delicate and finely chiselled riffs and keys, and enchanting vocal melodies. Dreamy and psychedelic, their music travels time while dealing with heavy matters such as environmental destruction, communication breakdowns and humanity’s inability to find common ground. The Swedes' rich and soul-stirring music is a vessel for hope, reminding us that love always finds a way.

About the album theme, the band says: "Before The Dawn Of Time" is our view of the world that we live in today both on a larger scale and as individuals. What are the important things in life? What can we do as fellow humans to make it a better place? There’s a darkness coming or maybe it’s already here, as a veil, it distorts the way we look at things. The lyrics deal with our failure to communicate, the way we treat our environment, and the way nature reacts when provoked by us, the ones that need to stand at the gates and say that’s enough, the fact that love, trust in one another and hope is the only true way out of this mess and that the distance grows between our stars and galaxies."

Thanks to the cool folks over at Purple Sage PR, you can listen to the epic new album "Before The Dawn Of Time" below:

Ripple Music · Gin Lady - Before the Dawn of Time

Find them on Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Album pre-order: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-dawn-of-time

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

Glasghote - Fallow (Album Review)

Release Date: February 03rd 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Fallow - Track Listing:

1.Seed 05:01

2.Unmasking The Idol 04:48

3.Maw 06:02

4.Vile Enchantress 04:41

5.Ancient Awakening 04:10

6.Strange Gods 05:30

7.Fallow 08:44

Members

Chad Johnson - Bass

Jordan Huston - Drums

Jake Shaffer - Vocals/Guitar

Review

Sludge/Doom Metallers Glasghote return with their new album Fallow which arrives seven years after their excellent debut album Rite Of The Siren. The band did release a superb live album “Live At The World Famous Kenton Club” back in 2020 but this is their first batch of new material since 2018 and it’s a gloriously heavy release with Glasghote adding a level of downtuned filthy and seedy grooves into the mix. The sound is quite raw and lo-fi but matches the bleak Doom Metal sound conjured throughout the album.

The vocals are fuelled by a powerful onslaught of harsh growls and guttural screams which adds a violent nature to Fallow. The powerful bass sound delivered by Jordan Huston is ultimately destructive and allows Glasghote to aim for a heavier undergroove with moments of melodic sludge sounds courtesy of the excellent drumming ro Chad Johnson and Jake Shaffer’s epic guitar grooves that is quite ethereal and highly volatile on different parts of the album.

The legendary Billy Anderson mixed and recorded the album with Justin Weis mastering the album which gives Fallow a more mature and measured sound. Fallow is still a dirge ridden “SONIC” odyssey which Glasghote explores to extreme lengths on tracks such as Seed, Unmasking The Idol, Maw and Vile Enchantress for the first part of the album.

Despite the violent nature of Glasghote’s overall sound, the band can be quite melodic and progressive even behind the grim sludgy surroundings that the band perhaps feel most comfortable with. The lyrics are superb and can be quite eye opening at times especially with Jake’s powerful vocals which continue to remain on the more “EXTREME” side though they’re quite easy to understand which allows Fallow to be a more engaging and intelligent record.

The second half of the album continues the bleak sonic and down-tuned journey with Glasghote still taking a “NO HOLDS BARRED” approach with their music with tracks such as Ancient Awakening, Strange Gods and Fallow. With an “EYEHATEGOD” style of cynicism and nihilistic vision forming from the very start, Fallow isn’t the most easiest or likable album to listen to but there’s a strangely addictive and violent presence that keeps you emotionally invested throughout with Glasghote never outstaying their welcome and allowing the listener wanting more long after the record is finally over.

Fallow is an intense and superbly intelligent record that you need to hear now.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Di'Aul - EvAAvE (Album Review)

Release Date: February 07th 2025. Record Label: Minotauro Records. Formats: CD/DD

EvAAvE - Track Listing:

1. Duende

2. Tar Wings

3. Mad Dalena

4. Petricore 

5. Succubi et Incubi

6. F.O.M.O.

7. Geosmina

8. EvAAvE 

Members

MoMo – Vocals

Lele – Guitars

Rex – Drums

Jeremy – Bass

Review

Doom/Sludge Metallers Di’Aul have been creating their own blend of heavy Psychedelic music for the best part of fifteen years now since their inception back in 2010. Their music has a mighty SONIC based presence with a twinge of slow-paced atmospheric sludgy undercurrent to give them a cool presence of their own making. 

Their fourth album EvAAvE is their most impressive yet with Di’Aul blurring the lines of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal for a record that is more primal than ever before. With a stripped back creative approach with progressive sludge metal sound that’s been recorded by Enrico Baraldi and mastered by MONOLORD’s Esben Willems, the record has the all right ingredients for a truly haunting record.

The album is made up of eight songs with influences ranging from Black Sabbath, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, Crowbar, YOB, UFOMAMMUT, and Neurosis that can be heard. However, Di’Aul always creates their own epic SONIC based sound where the lyrics are deft, emotionally charged and brilliantly poetic especially on tracks such as Duende, Tar Wings and Mad Delana which open the album in spectacular fashion. The music is cautiously slow and down-tuned at times which adds a certain element of surprise when the album becomes way heavier than it actually is.

Di’Aul employ a certain 1990’s element to their music with traces of Grunge, Alt-Metal and Shoegaze appearing from time-to-time which gives EvAAvE a contemporary feeling but still retaining that classic Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal underground energy which has served the band brilliantly well over the years.

The second half of the album offers a more muscular and realistic style of music where the band take the time in bringing the heavy sludgy grooves to the forefront of their music especially on tracks such as Succbi et Incubi, F.O.M.O. and EvAAvE. These tracks have the most intense vocals and spellbinding lyrics on the whole album with Di’Aul exploring some daring themes you wouldn’t initially expect. 

EvAAvE is the type of album you savour over multiple listens to get the full PSYCHEDELIC and COSMIC effect as EvAAvE works on so many different levels that you don't expect to understand everything from your first listen. As there’s a lot going on with EvAAvE which Di’Aul make no apologies for and that makes EvAAvE their most boldest, baddest and greatest record to date.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to NeeCee Agency for the promo.

EvAAvE will be available to buy on CD/DD via Minotauro Records from Friday 07th February 2025.

Links

https://diaul.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/diaul111
www.instagram.com/diaul111
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4nyu1yYsebSDtRmsMFINoQ

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.