Wednesday, 3 June 2026

Stoner Metallers BESVÄRJELSEN unveil video single 'Didn't Come to Party' & details of new album "Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem"


Swedish forest rockers BESVÄRJELSEN drop the first advance single from their third album "Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem" (Swedish and Latin for: "Into Oblivion"), accompanied by a slightly disturbing music video 'Didn't Come to Party' about that guy, the one nobody ever wants at their social gathering.

"Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem" is scheduled for release on August 28, 2026, via Magnetic Eye Records. The album is available for pre-order here: https://spkr.store/collections/besvarjelsen


BESVÄRJELSEN comment: "There's a scene in the Titanic movie that has always stayed with me, when the musicians keep playing as everything falls apart around them", vocalist Lea Amling Alazam muses. "This is one of my all-time favorite moments in cinema, because it captures something important about music: the devotion, the need to create, and to hold onto something beautiful, even in the face of disaster. Like, we're literally going under, but hey, let's play. Dance to the sirens. In this day and age, it's hard not to be affected by the chaos of the world. 'Didn't Come to Party' is not a political statement but rather a cry of frustration. We're living on this incredible planet, so why are we destroying it? Why war, why poverty, why harm the most vulnerable, when we have the resources to make life better for everyone? This quite reminds me of people who show up to parties just to ruin it for everyone else. Why is there such a drive to hurt, to dominate, to tear things apart in the pursuit of power? It's senseless."


Tracklist

01. The Greatest Sin
02. Accelerating Hearts
03. Battles
04. Counting Flies
05. Drifters on a Quiet Stream
06. The Mountain
07. Pulse
08. Interlude
09. Didn't Come to Party
10. Black Wave
11. Oblivion

Swedes are supposed to be cool, and musically, BESVÄRJELSEN sure live up to that stereotype in the best possible way. What the self-proclaimed forest rockers deliver on their third full-length "Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem" is so cool, in fact, that it's a hot early candidate for rock album of the year.

The 'forest rock' moniker is the Swedes' tongue-in-cheek answer to the term 'desert rock', which stylistically provides a great starting point to describe their particular musical brand. Being surrounded not by an abundance of sand but trees in their home province of Dalarna, it was also an obvious choice. On "Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem", BESVÄRJELSEN keep a profound punk-infused attitude, but have broadened their sound with a wide variety of sonic colours including blues, ska, metal, jazz and everything around and in between as long as it fits the mood of the song.


Add exceptional vocalist Lea Amling Alazam, who developed her passion for punk and stoner rock at the local skate park when she was just 13 years old, to the band's plethora of riveting hooks and riffs, and you get an album that feels fresh and ready to deliver surprises for months if not years to come. If there is any justice, "Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem" should make BESVÄRJELSEN as famous as the iconic wooden Dala horses that every tourist who visits the country takes home to put on their shelves.

That BESVÄRJELSEN were on the road to greatness became apparent on their previous album, "Atlas" (2022). This record received the prestigious Swedish Manifestgalan Award for "Metal Album of the Year" by the Swedish Independent Music Producers and partners, which crowned a string of excellent reviews around the globe.

BESVÄRJELSEN were co-founded by guitarists and vocalists Andreas Bajer and Staffan Vinrot in 2014. Their musical vision was based on the idea to channel the spirit and traditions of the vast Dalarna forests into a contemporary urban context. On this ancient crossroads of Norse and Finnish cultures, the echoes of runes and gods, shamans and spirits still linger. While drawing heavy inspiration from local lore, mysticism, and the dark, old musical traditions of their homeland, the band name was found in the old Swedish word for "conjuring": BESVÄRJELSEN.

While the band's story has its roots in the past of the land, the present came boldly knocking to demand its due. With the discovery of Lea Amling Alazam and her captivating vocals, the plot took a fascinating twist: She had grown up with her feet in more than one world. Accordingly, the charismatic singer added a fresh approach by embracing melodies and phrases of the grunge and emo sounds that defined her youth as well as African and Middle Eastern music with characteristic bluesy undertones.

In 2015, BESVÄRJELSEN released their debut EP "Villfarelser", followed by the "Exil" EP in 2016. At the time, former DOZER and GREENLEAF drummer Erik Bäckwall joined the line-up as a permanent member. Although both EPs were self-financed and released with minimal promotion, they ended up well-received, and even got airplay on Swedish national radio.

The Swedes' debut full-length "Vallmo" (2018) merged crushing riffs and storming drums with increasingly sophisticated melodies and thoughtful themes, even earning the band a festival slot opening for DEEP PURPLE. This paved the way for BESVÄRJELSEN to record their sophomore album "Atlas" with producer and drummer Karl Daniel Lidén (GREENLEAF, DOZER, CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX) in 2021.

With "Till Glömskan Ad Oblivionem", BESVÄRJELSEN have conjured 'Into Oblivion' twice, in both Swedish and Latin, but the spellbinding five-piece also deliver a cathartic rock album that will rank among the finest heavy releases of the genre and beyond in 2026

Line-up

Lea Amling Alazam – vocals
Staffan Vinrot – guitars, vocals (& accordion, violin, keys, keyed fiddle)
Andreas Bajer – guitars, vocals
Erik Bäckwall – drums
Marcus Lindqvist – bass

Guest musicians

Fred Burman (SATAN TAKES A HOLIDAY) – lead & backing vocals on 'Accelerating Hearts' & backing vocals on 'Didn't Come to Party'

Pelle Andersson (LOWRIDER) – organ on 'Black Wave'

Recorded by Andreas Baier & Marcus Lindqvist at Glashuset, Ludvika (SE)
Mix & mastering by Karl Daniel Lidén at Tri-Lamb Audio Studios, Solna (SE)

Cover art by Björn Olars
Layout by Erik Bäckwall

Links


Thanks to All Noir PR and Magnetic Eye Records for the details.

Heavy Rock Festival RIPPLEFEST TEXAS reveals full lineup for September 2026 edition with Yob, Khemmis, Greenleaf and more; day tickets available!


Premium US stoner, doom, and heavy rock festival RIPPLEFEST TEXAS returns to Austin, Texas with 25+ international acts hitting the Far Out Lounge and Sagebrush stages this September 17-20th. Weekend and day tickets are available now!

This fall, RippleFest Texas returns for its most ambitious edition yet, boasting over 25 international acts, zero overlapping sets, and a vibe that founder Ryan Garney describes as "a family reunion for heavy heads."

Headlining the 2026 edition are three titans of the underground: Oregon-based doom pioneers YOB, whose transcendent live show has become the stuff of legend, Denver's melodic heavy metal standard-bearers Khemmis, Swedish heavy rock lords Greenleaf, and Canadian sludge-dealing juggernaut Dopethrone. But the depth of this year's roster is where RippleFest truly shines, as the full 28-band lineup stands as a who's who of the international heavy rock scene. This year, US independent powerhouses Ripple Music and Magnetic Eye Records will each host a special label showcase, bookending the weekend lineup in excellence.

Founder Ryan Garney of Lick of My Spoon Productions says: "I could not be more proud of this year's lineup. Just the way it all came together and how it is curated for each night will make it a very special festival. There is not one single band anyone should miss, and luckily, you won't have to because there is absolutely no band overlap at RippleFest Texas! The Ripple Music Showcase and the Magnetic Eye Showcase will no doubt sell out the indoor venue The Sagebrush on Thursday and Sunday nights. The stacked 2-stage lineups at The Far Out Lounge will have some of the biggest names you won't want to miss, and all 4 days will have the best light show in the business by The Mad Alchemist Liquid Light Show. September can't get here soon enough!"


RIPPLEFEST TEXAS 2026 - September 17-20 - The Far Out Lounge & Sagebrush - Austin, Texas
 
Weekend & day tickets available at this location

Ripple Music is the passion-driven imprint that leading metal magazine Decibel Magazine declared "has made a splash in heavy rock and metal,” and Alternative Control labeled "powerhouse tastemaker". The independent Californian label is known and revered worldwide for unearthing the finest bands in heavy rock and metal and being home to leading acts such as The Obsessed, Hermano, Scott "Wino" Weinrich, Poobah, Wo Fat or Colour Haze. Dubbing their festival series "Ripplefest", the record label has been organizing showcase events in cities such as Austin, San Francisco, London, Stockholm, Cologne and Berlin over the years, bringing together a vast and passionate community of fans from across the globe.

RIPPLEFEST TEXAS links

Facebook | Instagram

RIPPLE MUSIC links


Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Exclusive Video Premiere Of Doom/Sludge Metallers RED QUIET New Song - “Xenomorphism”


Biography: Red Quiet. Post. Noise. Sludge.

This is how the riff infused power trio from the South West of France introduce themselves to the crowd starting each gig.

Formed by three veterans of the Toulouse rock and metal scene, Red Quiet started in the summer of 2025 after the break-up of Voidozer, in which both Baptiste (drums) and Matt (guitars) used to play. Quickly joined by long time friend Sebastien on bass and singing duties, they forged their sonic identity around an elaborated and yet straight forward formula:

- Noise rock influenced riffs.
- Post metal melodies.
- Post Black / Post hardcore harshed vocals.
- Massive and explosive drum parts.
- A lot of feedback from gain stacking.
- And a bit of sludge dissonances, odd rhythmic accents and time signatures.

Their lyrics and visual universe is based around their passion for horror movies as these fictions turn out to be less dark than the reality surrounding us. Musical influences include: Mantar, Red Fang, Slift, the Melvins, Amenra, Bruit, Yob, etc.

Their first single, “Xenomorphism” - recorded by Yves De Roeck at Les Productions du Chauve (a staple of South West France independent stoner and doom recording) - is an ode to the 1979 cult classic Alien, as it depicts the Human as the real villain and apex predator of our world. The music video, directed by long time friend and collaborator Jo Tempie, emphasizes the four states of the Alien lifecycle.

The egg in black and white, the facehugger has strangers enter the scene, the chestbuster characterised by the blood red color and finally, the xenomorph, hiding in the dark corners, represented by this discrete and warm light of the song’s melodic finale.

After a few shows in their local area, the band is ready to explore new territories in 2026 and plans to record their debut album later this year.


Links:

Past shows:

07 Feb 2026 @Le Local (Toulouse) w/ Hannako Loves
28 Mar 2026 @Le Little O’ Clock (Toulouse) w/ Echoes From Earth & Supernoisiest
23 May 2026 @L’ Engrenage (Toulouse) w/ Kaalbaar & Chihuas From Depths
27 May 2026 @Black Cat (Bordeaux) w/ Maniard & Tsiolkovski 

Upcoming Shows:

03 Jul 2026 @L’ Engrenage (Toulouse) w/ Springtime on Venus & No Faith in Medicine
14 Nov 2026 @Le Celtic Pub (Tarbes) w/ Greyborn
15 Nov 2026 @L’Autan (Toulouse) w/ Greyborn


Thanks to RED QUIET for the details.

Tuesday, 2 June 2026

Stoner Rock and Doom Festival HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS FEST LONDON shares first acts for November 16-17th edition; tickets available now!


European stoner, doom and psychedelic rock festival Heavy Psych Sounds Fest returns to London grounds this fall and reveals the first batch of bands to hit the Signature Brew Blackhorse Road stage on November 13-14th. Tickets on sale now!

Leading the charge are Italian fuzz pillars Black Rainbows, whose explosive blend of garage psych and stoner rock fury has made them cult heroes across the underground, alongside Greece's doom worshippers Acid Mammoth, who summon crushing, incense-heavy riffs from the deepest abyss. Scotland's cosmic travellers The Cosmic Dead will bring their sprawling space odysseys, while UK desert rockers Psychlona are set to channel sun-scorched grooves and trance-inducing melodies with their distinctively British swagger. Sweden's Firebreather are all about modern sludge-doom at its most volcanic, all monstrous tone and wildfire energy, and Italy's own psychedelic power trio Mr.Bison round out the ritual with raw, 70s-soaked heavy psych that stomps, swirls, and hypnotises from first riff to last.

Prepare for a full weekend of fuzz and mind-expanding riffs at the Signature Brew Blackhorse Road venue — tickets are on sale now at this location!

Heavy Psych Sounds Fest London - November 13-14th at Signature Brew Blackhorse Road - TICKETS 

Black Rainbows
Acid Mammoth
The Cosmic Dead
Psychlona
Firebreather
Mr.Bison


About Heavy Psych Sounds

Headquartered in Rome, Heavy Psych Sounds Records is one of Europe's leading stoner, doom and heavy rock labels and the home to some of the most revered artists in the scene, such as Brant Bjork, Nick Oliveri, Pentagram, Witchcraft, Conan, Bongzilla, Yawning Man or Black Rainbows.

The underground cult label is not only a place for all heavy rock record collectors, but also an essential part of the live scene with its mini-festival series Heavy Psych Sounds Fest, gathering heavy music fans worldwide. Since its inception in 2015, the festival has taken over all major European cities, from London and Berlin to Paris, while also spreading its wings across the United States with events in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Baltimore.

The festival has hosted some of the biggest names in the scene, consistently presenting an electric blend of HPS bands alongside top-tier acts from the international heavy scene such as High On Fire, Red Fang, Elder, Monolord, 1000mods, Messa, and many more over the years.

Heavy Psych Sounds links


Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details

Blüdwyrm - The Blissful Sleep Of Ignorance (EP Review)

Release Date: June 05th 2026. Record Label: Road To Masochist. Formats: CD/DD/Tape

The Blissful Sleep Of Ignorance - Tracklisting

1.Preacher Of My Own Demise

2.Isolate

3.The Vultures

4.Pesticides


Members

 

Leo Butterworth: Bass & Vocals

Alex Jones: Guitar & FX

Seb Olds: Drums


Review


Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Blüdwyrm debut EP The Blissful Sleep Of Ignorance will appeal to fans of Electric Wizard, Weedeater and Bongzilla the music is constantly seedy with a violent Fuzzed Up and Down Tuned approach hidden within the music. This is good old fashioned and superbly menacing Doom/Sludge Metal with Blüdwyrm expertly creating gloomy violent soundscapes with a distorted amplified quality with a certain raw sounding aesthetic hidden behind all the grimy melodies that reside within the whole EP.


The EP isn’t the best produced or recorded but allows Blüdwyrm to have a real sound of the actual underground running through their music. The whole thing is stripped back and allows Blüdwyrm to play right through with a violent energy emitting from all the stacks of amplifiers they have at their disposal. The songs are quite filthy and intense with a menacing WEEDIAN environment almost moving everything over to the EXTREME METAL side of life within the opening tracks of Preacher Of My Own Demise and Isolate.


Lead vocalist Leo Butterworth demonstrates a world weary style of vocals from someone who has seen everything and can’t take anymore of the shit currently going on within the world. What makes Blüdwyrm standout is the use of groove based mechanics which gives their music a highly impressive style of riff-centric delivery and the added use of Psychedelic effects makes you sit up and take notice.


I get a vibe of stripped back and slower versions of HIGH ON FIRE and MOTORHEAD on the later stages of the EP which fully sold me on Blüdwyrm’s overall creative vision especially on tracks The Vultures and Pesticides. The tone is bleak, desolate and one of abject misery once again being delivered through that THICK WALL OF AMPLIFIED SMOKE and DOOMED OUT DESPAIR.


The Blissful Ignorance Of Sleep is quite a well put together EP that allows Blüdwyrm to showcase a great style of Stoner Metal momentum within the meatier grooves that await you on various sections on the record. These guys have a fine eye for detail with a certain Post-Doom, Ambient, Psych and Post-Rock direction appearing within the standout final track of Pesticides which I’m hoping they explore further on future releases.


I feel with slightly better production values and a longer running time that Blüdwyrm could be really onto something special but that doesn’t stop The Blissful Ignorance Of Sleep being a downright thrilling release to make themselves known with.


Words by Steve Howe


Thanks to Imperative PR for the promo.


The Blissful Sleep Of Ignorance is available to buy now on CD/DD/Tape via Road To Masochist.

Links 


Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Rifle - Bound To A Psychotic Cycle (EP Review)


Release Date: May 22nd 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Tape

Bound To A Psychotic Cycle - Tracklisting

1.Incarnation 06:02
2.Twisted Death 05:14

Review

Doom/Stoner Rockers Rifle release their latest dirty and twisted musical assault on the senses with Bound To A Psychotic Cycle which takes a more sleazed out and garage rock journey. I haven’t featured the band on the blog since their excellent 2022 debut album “Repossessed” where their album cover managed to get me a ban on Facebook for a short amount of tim. So thanks for that guys.

Ever since then, Rifle have gone on from strength-to-strength releasing a couple more of records since then including their superb 2025 album Beyond Paranoia. Their music is a little bit more out there with Rifle focusing upon seedier sounds from musical areas such as Garage Rock. Psych, Doom. Proto-Metal and Stoner Rock.

With influences ranging from MC5, Black Sabbath and Led Zepp this EP has a freakish attitude which results in some Jazz Rock passages with a wonderful Psych Rock sound. The whole mood is quite freaky and disjointed when the song has a certain Post-Punk and Post-Dance energy which you can experience within the excellent opening track of Incarnation.

Rifle are quite adept at including moments of Classic Hard Rock freakouts which results into some epic guitar solos along the way. There’s some wonderful South American charm and Blues Rock atmosphere which closes out the opening track. The vocals are quite hard to describe which range from Funk. Doom, Dance, Punk and Heavy Rock but Rifle fully sell this great style throughout.

Second track Twisted Death has echoes of Thin Lizzy shown within the vocals delivery and how the grooves are played out. Though, the energy of Blue Oyster Cult gives this track a proper Doom Rock vibe which Rifle play to their own advantage. The usual mix of Psych, Dance and Post-Punk swagger reigns supreme once more for a song that dares to be different and pulls this off with absolute charm.

Bound To A Psychotic Cycle is a crazy and warped record with Rifle firing on all cylinders by offering the listener a damn good time.

Words by Steve Howe

Links


BandCamp | Instagram


Houston's Bong Wizard conjure dank doom & sludge on new album "Transilvanian Munchies" out June 25th 2026. New Song & Video Out Now For BLUNTLUST


Coming hot on the heels of 2025's EP Clones, sativa-soaked sludge bruisers Bong Wizard are back with their new full-length, Transilvanian Munchies. Slow-burning, riff-forward doom with a not-so-subtle nod to cannabis culture, this is a record that treats weed the way outlaw country treated whiskey.

Across eight tracks of gargantuan grooves and throat-shredding vocals, Bong Wizard deliver classic extremity reinterpreted in resin.

In the band's own words:

Each song flips a classic black metal title into something cannabis-fueled and relatable. The parody is obvious, the reverence is intentional. The humor opens the door, and the riffs walk you through the threshold. It’s stoner/doom metal that understands absurdity.

This is also the first record with our new drummer and it feels locked in. The lineup shift forced us to approach this record with a mindset that is different than what we have done in the past.



Transilvanian Munchies drops in all its weedian glory June 25th. Alongside tracks “Bongblåst” and “Inno A Sativa”, out now, Bong Wizard deliver one last nug of a taster in third single “Bluntlust”, accompanied by a music video as dank and devilishly funny as one could hope. Follow the smoke and fall under the Bong Wizard’s spell.

Bong Wizard - Transilvanian Munchies

Album out June 25th, 2026
Self-released (Digital, Vinyl)
Houston, Texas, US
FFO: Conan, Weedeater, Electric Wizard, Yob, Boris, Melvins

BONG WIZARD is:

Justin Liles - Guitar/Vocals
Ronny Spera - Bass/Vocals
Thomas Meeks - Drums


Tracklist:

1. Bongblåst (6:29)
2. Spellbound By The Devils Lettuce (2:23)
3. With Strength I Burn One (3:57)
4. Transylvanian Munchies (6:57)
5. Inno A Sativa (6:45)
6. Bluntlust (4:24)
7. Procession Of Bowls (4:20)
8. I Am The Bong Wizards (4:21)

Links



Thanks to Good Boy PR for the details.