Dead Sea Apes - Psychic Tension (Album Review)

Release Date: September 18th 2026. Record Label: Cardinal Fuzz Records / Feeding Tube Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Psychic Tension - Tracklist

1.Damn Your Eyes

2.Psychic Tension 05:57

3.Severance 06:53

4.Ursa Minor

5.Deathless

Members

Brett Savage - Guitars

Jack Toker - Bass, Guitars

Chris Hardman - Drums

Review

Instrumental Rockers Dead Sea Apes have had quite a varied career since their inception back in 2009 as the band traverse multiple different musical genres such as Psych, Krautrock, Drone, Noise, Psych, Post-Rock and even some Doomed Out movements along the way. The band are widely celebrated as one of the most original bands to emerge from the underground scene and the band are gearing up to release their latest album with Psychic Tension. 

Psychic Tension feels like a modern day soundtrack to the fucked up and nightmarish times we currently live in with Dead Sea Apes conjuring gloomy Post-Rock pastured that’s laced with some dark Industrial beats that’s fused with an aggressive Noise Rock energy within the haunting opening track Damn Your Eyes. The sudden shift into heavier Doom and Drone sounds gives the record a cautionary vibe with screeching guitars courtesy of Brett Savage and Jack Toker who also provides bass. 

Instrumental Rock music has never felt so alive with Dead Sea Apes bringing a political energy to the record even without any vocals appearing. These guys are masters of their own craft which they play with vivid imagination the hard hitting opening tracks of Damn Your Eyes and Psychic Tension. The music is played with an intense and precise quality which also allows the band to have a JAZZ based attitude. As the music overlaps into different areas of HEAVY ROCK that allows Chris Hardman on Drums to completely think outside the box and conjure up sounds you didn’t think were possible. His muscular presence allows Brett and Jack to conjure up a musical storm that takes no prisoners.

The record does have a thoughtful side within the quieter Post-Rock and Ambient moments that briefly appear but Dead Sea Apes are mostly about that full on delivery with subtle excursions into Drone and Noise Rock textures. This is a major part of how Dead Sea Apes bring that politically charged atmosphere into their music with a surprising style of Drone Metal emerging from behind the scenes that allows a surprising Atmospheric Sludge environment to fully develop. 

There are some parts of the album that feels like Dead Sea Apes are inspired by the likes of Russian Circles, Pelican, CAN, MONO and even some legendary Seventies Heavy Rock bands which sees a free-flowing style of ROCK and METAL being heard on tracks such as Psychic Tension, Severance and Deathless. 

Dead Sea Apes are always continuously thinking of exciting new ways of injecting that mysterious style of destructive Psych Rock and Space Rock into a more modern setting that feels remarkably offbeat but retaining that vital ingredient of the “ELEMENT OF SURPRISE” that’s made their last few records an absolute joy to listen to.

Despite the experimental creative energy of Psychic Tension, there’s a high amount of instrumental jams, riffs and grooves for long time fans and even casual listeners to fall in love with especially within the standout fourth track of Ursa Minor. This is where Dead Sea Apes get straight down to business playing mind-expanding melodies that maneuver through levels of Noise Rock, Doom, Sludge, Psych, Space Rock, Ambient Rock and Post Rock that’s amplified by a stunning use of Prog Metal just to make things even more violent.

Psychic Tension is one of Dead Sea Apes most essential records in years and feels like the band have reinvented themselves whilst still keeping their core creative principles intact. The record isn’t the most easy going of experiences but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Dead Sea Apes. They’ve been going for the best part of two decades and I hope that continues for a very long time. As this is a record for our fucked up times and I’m pleased we have bands like Dead Sea Apes to tell folks how the world actually is.

This album is nothing short of pure brilliance. Plain and simple.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Shamedia for the promo.

Psychic Tension releases 18th September 2026. Pre-sales will start imminently via Cardinal Fuzz in the UK and Feeding Tube Records in the USA.

Links

Website | Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook

Hazemind - Inner Sanctum (Album Review)

Release Date: September 04th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Inner Sanctum - Tracklist

1.Burning Fuel 06:06

2.Mountain 07:35

3.Hellfire 06:40

4.Welcome To The Void 04:44

5.Broken Ropes 04:51

6.Interruption 00:42

7.When The Leader Speaks 07:04

8.The Shell (Part 1: On The Edge) 05:47

9.The Shell (Part 2: Into The Madness) 03:20

Members

Mathieu Pelletier - Bass

René "Bits" Hosson - Drums

Elliot Cadieux - Guitars

Jonathan Lachapelle - Vocals

Review

Inner Sanctum is the debut album from Stoner Metallers Hazemind which is a classic mix of aggressive melodies and subtle fuzz rock attitude. There’s a great Doom Rock aspect that appears from the very start with Hazemind creating fast-paced sounds with an excellent backdrop of Stoner Rock/Metal mechanics that is easily fused to some classic Heavy Rock and Desert Rock themes.

Jonathan Lachapelle’s vocals have a great throwback quality to them with them filled with vibes from the Nineties Grunge, Psych and Stoner Metal scenes. The rest of the band apply a great level of Psychedelic and Progressive based passages which should have fans of bands such as Howling Giant, KYUSS, FU MANCHU and Truckfighters on the edge of their seats. There is a trippy and psychedelic vibe which becomes more dominant from the excellent second track Mountain with some subtle musical change over to a heavier level of Doomed Out Rock. 

There’s some mighty fine interplay between the Grungier aspects that comes across superbly well from the epic guitars played by Elliot Cadieux. Though, he’s supported brilliantly by the storming rhythm section of Mathieu Pelletier (Bass) and René "Bits" Hosson (Drums) who perhaps have a subtle HEAVY METAL attitude for the way they deliver their music.

Certain sections of the record are quite intense with that Scorched Desert Rock attitude forming on the tracks Mountain, Hellfire, Welcome To The Void, and When The Leader Speaks. As the lyrics have a highly confident atmospheric nature to them. Hazemind approaches their “destructive” and "atmospheric" melodies with real cold hearted efficiency which gives their music a more deceiving style of pure raw heaviness. 

Inner Sanctum does have that raw and stripped back sound mostly heard within the sublime production values that gives Hazemind a heavier presence within the later stages of the album. This is a debut packed full of great tunes which allows Hazemind to fully announce their arrival within the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene and perhaps make a name for themselves in no time at all.

If you want an album that stays true to the classic essence of Stoner Rock/Metal and have some brief excursions into other areas of Heavy Rock then Hazemind are the band for you!!!

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

SILVERTOMB release new single and video for “Graves In The Sky” From Upcoming New Album

Doom Metal masters SILVERTOMB released their new single and video today. The song "Graves In The Sky" is also included on the upcoming studio album "The Interpretation Of Nightmares".

Guitar player and singer Kenny Hickey: "“Graves in the Sky” was a piece that was written from acoustic guitar and piano-a different creative approach for the band that yielded a new texture for the music, blending acoustic guitar, strings and distorted guitar along with piano. I felt I was coming close to death at the time of writing this song and the lyrics deal with that reality!" .

You can watch the video here:

You can watch the video for previous single "No Way To Live" here: https://youtu.be/36vA99eoufo

"The Interpretation Of Nightmares" will be released on November 13th, 2026 through Steamhammer worldwide in the following configurations:

=> CD DigiPak
=> LP, 140 g, black vinyl, padded inner sleeve, coloured insert
=> Exclusive LP Version and CD/LP Bundles with a shirt only at the Steamhammer shop
=> Download / Streaming

Pre-Order link for all configurations: https://silvertomb.lnk.to/Nightmares

Tracklisting:

 

1. Brain Matter / No God

2. Ascension

3. Graves In The Sky

4. You Know

5. Prayer For The Paranoid

6. Distorted

7. No Way To Live

8. When Will You Learn?

From left to right: Johnny Kelly (drums), Hank Hell (bass), Kenny Hickey (vocals, guitar), Joe James (guitar), Aaron Joos (guitar, keyboards, vocals

Links

https://www.facebook.com/silvertombmusic
https://www.instagram.com/silvertombmusic
https://www.facebook.com/steamhammer

Thanks to Palmer Turner Overdrive for the details.

HIJSS - HIJSS (Album Review)

Release Date: September 18th 2026. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

HIJSS - Tracklist

1.Drain of Thoughts

2.Vicious Cycle

3.Parasite

4.Underwater

5.Dopamine

6.S.W.A.N.

7.Fatal Attraction

8.Outro

Members

Lois Lane - Guitar / Vocals / Electronics

Maurice - Drums

Pan - Bass / Synth

Review

Psych/Space Rock/KrautRock collective HIJSS return with their sophomore self-titled record and continue the great work the band achieved with their acclaimed 2024 debut album Stuck On Common Ground. This time round HIJSS conjured up a more surreal Electro Rock tinged offering compared to their last album. The Space Rock dynamics once again opens the door to other musical areas appearing such as Grunge, Shoegaze, Punk and Blues Rock with a band that are fully cooking on gas with a wild assortment of outrageous grooves and stunning Spaced Out melodies.

Lead vocalist Lois Lane definitely taps into his Post-Punk persona which takes small creative cues from the likes of Monster Magnet, TORCHE and FU MANCHU throughout the album. The sludgy sounds have an aggressive rhythm and boisterous warm-hearted nature to them which you can instantly feel through the stunning opening tracks of Drain Of Thought and Vicious Cycle. The sound is fast paced and wonderfully efficient especially when HIJSS play a faster style of Sludge/Stoner Rock that still has a grounded Punk Rock approach. The Psychedelic and Space Rock beats have a glorious level of infectious COSMIC surroundings that have some destructive lyrics appearing. 

The WEEDIAN themes arrive quite quickly and HIJSS lay that attitude brilliantly thick on the excellent second track Vicious Cycle which reminds me of Dave Wnydorf in his prime. Spiky lyrics which are merged with KrautRock and Post-Punk philosophies which run riot throughout the album. The screeching Electronic beats once again add a warped rhythm with overlapping instrumental passages that’s got some epic synths appearing along the way.

When the stunning and warped tracks Parasite and Underwater appear then HIJSS are simply unstoppable creating music that blends Science Fiction folklore and grounded sensibilities with the music once again being superbly effective whilst being quite hard to describe. There’s a small instance of Industrial beats appearing which allows that KRAUTROCK sound transforming into a gloomier style of Noise, Grunge and Stoner Metal with maximum levels of distorted volumes holding everything together.

Though, HIJSS apply instances of brilliantly played “semi-acoustic” passages which gives this record a gloomier energy with some of the freakiest and trippiest COSMIC grooves forming that leave you in such a cool hallucinogenic state. HIJSS have achieved and created such great things within the first half of the album you begin to wonder how they will top this?

I’m happy to report - Quite Easily!!! - As they keep going on performing and creating more outlandish and heavy distorted “COSMIC GRUNGE” songs that really show how HIJSS have their own original style of music whilst allowing the listener to be transported into their massive sounding world. Songs such as Dopemine and S.W.A.N. are the heaviest, loudest and weirdest songs on the record with the trippy synths and Post-Punk vocals adding a wave of intense movements which are refreshingly “HIP” with HIJSS having a completely FEARLESS attitude appearing within their music.

The final two tracks of Fatal Attraction of OUTRO once again blurs the boundaries between Time and Space with HIJSS applying heavy modern day themes for a mind expanding experience.  HIJSS are always continuing to re-invent themselves through every individual track which makes the album highly unpredictable.

HIJSS are absolute masters of their own Space Rock / Cosmic Grunge domain which leaves you in a complete trance for an album that is bold, hypnotic, mind blowing and brilliantly original within its own right. This is an essential record that everyone needs to fully experience and add to their record collections quickly as possible.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

HIJSS self-titled album is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.

Links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

New Jersey's SHOVELHEAD Return After 19 Years to Unveil Video Single "Witching Hour" Off Upcoming Album!

New Jersey's obscure Stoner Rock titans SHOVELHEAD return after 19 years, hauling in a heavyweight truckload of polished tracks on new album ‘A Place of Dead Roads’. Kicking up the dust on new jams starts right with the first track and video single of "Witching Hour."

Since forming in the early 90s, SHOVELHEAD (originally The Lemmings) has been at the vanguard of the groundbreaking New Jersey scene that produced underground heavy rock goliaths such as Monster Magnet, The Atomic Bitchwax, Solace, Halfway To Gone, Core, and Solarized.

Alongside other pioneering bands that helped lay the foundation for the coveted genre we know as Stoner Rock, SHOVELHEAD began crafting their sound before the genre had fully formed, resulting in a distinctive style of Stoner Rock N’ Roll that has served the scene for over three decades. During their initial run, three regionally notorious SHOVELHEAD albums (and one Lemmings album) were released, and at this point the titanic number of shows played is uncountable.

SHOVELHEAD decelerated in the late 2010s, along with the majority of planet Earth, but is back to full open throttle in 2026. Founding members Mike Scott and Jim LaPointe (also a contributor to Black NASA’s ‘Deuce’ album and live performer with the band) fused with George Pierro (Solarized, Maegashira, Tarpit Boogie) to resume playing shows, writing fresh tunes, and recording a new album.

'A Place of Dead Roads' is due out through independent release on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The heavy power trio self-produced the new full-length, with recording, mixing, and mastering all handled by George Pierro. Our introduction to the album is by way of its opening track, "Witching Hour," available for streaming on Bandcamp, and don't miss out on the official video below!

A Place of Dead Roads - Tracklist:

01. Witching Hour
02. Tempest
03. Dominion/Big Tex
04. Ghost in the Garden
05. Middle Man
06. White Stag Ghost
07. Bombers

To celebrate the release of 'A Place of Dead Roads', the band has a Record Release show with SHUT UP and BLACK HORSE PIKE in Jackson, New Jersey.

Everyone can pre-order 'A Place of Dead Roads' from SHOVELHEAD on their Bandcamp page right now:

https://shovelheadnj.bandcamp.com/

Witching Hour (Official Video) by SHOVELHEAD

Video Production & Editing by George Pierro.

T.R.O.G. - The Race of Gentleman footage was shot and provided by: / @bigblockautomobilia3895

“Best rock band in Jersey......a well-kept secret of that scene.” - The Obelisk

“Those in-the-know, KNOW that SHOVELHEAD is one of Jersey’s best kept heavy rock secrets. Those that don’t know, SHOULD KNOW!” - Tommy Southard, Solace

SHOVELHEAD is:

Jim LaPointe - Vocals, Guitar
Mike Scott - Drums
George Pierro - Bass

SEE SHOVELHEAD LIVE:

Sept. 12 Jackson, NJ - Shovelhead Record Release Show w/ Shut Up & Black Horse Pike
Sept. 25 - Vineland, NJ - w/ Meatplow & Dreadstrar
Oct. 04 - Manahawkin, NJ - w/ Dying Light

Links

https://shovelheadnj.bandcamp.com/
https://linktr.ee/ShovelheadNJ
https://www.youtube.com/@theoriginalShovelhead
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2pIndavttdvGqKlHdVQp3L
https://intothevoidmerchco.com/collections/shovelhead
https://www.facebook.com/people/Shovelhead/100061003818946/
https://www.instagram.com/shovelheadnj

Thanks to Mettle Media PR for the details.

Mechwar - Love Comes With A Knife (Single Review)

Release Date: September 01st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Love Comes With A Knife - Tracklist

Love Comes With A Knife

Review

Love Comes With A Knife is the latest single from Sludge/Stoner Metallers Mechwar which continues the great work laid down on their 2025 debut release Hope // Mercy. The time round there’s a violent stripped back atmosphere which has some harsh vocals to match. The violent Post-Doom, Grunge and Noise Rock surroundings is powered by an aggressive bass line which feels like the real motorised engine that Mechwar builds everything around.

Perhaps not as riff heavy that you initially expect but a multitude of different progressive sounding melodies that is quite grimy but superbly melodic within its own unique. Mechwar are playing a less polished style of Sludge and Stoner Metal that’s packed full of menacing intent with the slow paced drumming adding a massive wall of sound into the track. With some cool Psychedelic and Amplifier trickery being added along the way, Mechwar employs a wealth of different LOW & SLOW and DISTORTED grooves which can be quite spaced out in the quieter moments.

Mechwar channels the likes of MELVINS, MONOLORD, SLEEP and SUNN 0))) on this track but still retain their own unique musical identity within the epic eleven and a half minutes runtime with ruthless precision. The raw sounding production values are quite abstract but serves the band amazingly well with the filthy and grimy attitude sealing the whole deal that makes Love Comes With A Knife such a thrilling experience. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp

Stoner Fuzz Merchants HUMULUS release new single "Blue Wizard"; new album “Smuggler’s Cave” out October 9th on Ripple Music

North of Italy's stoner rock revelation HUMULUS shares the high-octane third single taken from their new full-length "Smuggler's Cave", due out on October 9th through Californian independent label Ripple Music.

Get fuzzy with new Humulus single Blue Wizard️

Smuggler’s Cave marks HUMULUS’ fifth LP and their second outing with vocalist/guitarist Thomas Mascheroni. Following 2023's Flowers Of Death, the band spent two years traversing Europe’s stages, and it was in the cracks between tours that the improvisations for this record took root. True to form, the band returned to the rehearsal room for marathon sessions, capturing hours of raw interplay, isolating the sparks and forging new songs from the embers.

The riffs might hit harder than ever before, yet HUMULUS’s sonic hallmark remains intact with a deft pivot from rhythmic, classic stoner crunch into more psychedelic and introspective depths. Leading the listener through mysterious settings, tales of wizards, cemetery dreams, damned souls and the shade of dark forests, this high-voltage new delivery fills the air with electricity and will compel anyone who worships at the altar of Dozer, Truckfighters, Lowrider and Greenleaf. Check out the album's latest singles Rise and Fall and Standing in the Sun!

New album "Smuggler's Cave" - Out October 9th on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

Humulus is an Italian psych-stoner power trio formed in Brescia, Italy in 2009. Born from the heavy lineage of Kyuss, Karma to Burn and Orange Goblin, they quickly built a reputation across southern Europe with their crushing debut on Go Down Records.

A lineup shift in 2015 flipped the script. New frontman Andrea Bellicini pushed the band into trippier, more dynamic territory through longer songs, richer atmospheres and a sound that outgrew stoner orthodoxy. The years that followed saw Humulus touring non-stop with European festival runs (Freak Valley, Desertfest Belgium, Up In Smoke), and a string of acclaimed LPs that veered from doom-laced riffage to sprawling psychedelic meditation. Another mutation came in late 2022 with the arrival of Thomas Mascheroni, reigniting the band’s chemistry and leading to a fresh creative burst. They hit the road again, sharing stages with heavyweights like Colour Haze and Monkey3, while steadily forging new material.

When founder Giorgio Bonacorsi stepped back in 2026, the remaining core members enlisted Fabio Giacomini to complete the lineup and write their most ambitious work yet, to be released in the fall 2026 on Ripple Music.

Humulus links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Ripple Music links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.