Bees Made Honey In The Vein Tree - In Between Strides (Album Review)

Release Date: September 18th 2026. Record Label: Magnetic Eye Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

In Between Strides - Tracklist

1. Departure

2. Respite

3. Clutching at Straws

4. Elisa

5. Return, Precipice

Members

Simon Weinrich – guitar, vocals, Rhodes piano

Marc Dreher – drums, vocals, Rhodes piano

Lucas Dreher – guitar

Christopher Popowitsch – bass

Review

Bees Made Honey In The Vein Tree return with their exquisite fourth album In Between Strides which will surely establish them once and for all as one of the most refreshing and essential modern day Psychedelic Doom/Post-Metal outfits the scene currently has right now. The band perhaps rely on a refreshing style of Ambient Metal unlike ever before with this release which allows them to construct the perfect musical gateway in delivering their sublime Post-Rock vs Post-Metal based structures. 

Though, the band still build those Post-Metal foundations on a solid level of Psychedelic Doom Metal with moody Stoner Rock based measures which comes superbly well within the opening tracks of Departure and Respite. Bees Made Honey In The Vein Tree construct an epic cinematic narrative with their lyrical content and the haunting vocals that appear with a dedicated Alternative melody allowing the band to deliver sludgier instrumental sounds.

Some of the songs are quite fractured which reminds me of Pelican and Russian Circles in places but it’s the winning meditative energy that brings everything back together. With a free-flowing creativity matched only by the likes of ELDER and YOB, there’s always something unique, heavy and emotionally rewarding being played within every track.

In Between Strides allows Bees Made Honey In The Vein Tree to experiment with areas of Drone Rock, Shoegaze and Prog Rock which arrives on different parts of the album. The band even experimented with haunting piano melodies with both Simon Weinrich and Marc Dreher playing superb instrumental pieces on the Rhodes Piano. 

The second track Respite is more of a Jazzy Post-Rock interlude which showcases a more caring and tender side of the band which is beautifully played and layered with small movements of Psych Rock and Spaced Out sounds. There’s a small glimmer of Drone appearing within the closing stages which allows the band to add a brief sense of gloom and hopefulness into the mix.

Third track Clutching At Straws sees the band return to that heavy Doomgaze world with echoes of Psychedelic Doom being the main focus with distorted sludgy rhythms developing into a modern Post-Metal sound. This is layered with choppy instances of Sludge and Drone with a harsh backdrop of Stoner Metal which is the heaviest part of the album and perhaps the band’s career to date. Everything feels like it is being destroyed before being rebuilt in a more peaceful and hopeful image when the uplifting Ambient Post-Rock melodies appear within the final moments. 

The final two tracks of Elisa and Return, Precipice is a great combination of cinematic based surroundings which sees Bees Made Honey in The Vein Tree to further explore different areas of Doomed Out Heaviness with Elisa really hitting some hard-hitting emotionally charged movements. The vocals are excellent once more but it’s the progressive themes and technical sounds that capture the imagination especially from Marc Dreher (Drums) and Christopher Popowitsch (Bass) as they form a great understanding with that epic rhythm section.

This allows Lucas Dreher (Guitar) and Simon Weinrich (Guitar) to create world-expanding Cosmic based guitar passages which becomes more Space Rock dominated though still holding the band’s core instrumental sound. The vocals do become more depressing, bleak and ultimately destructive within the final track of Return, Precipice with music even transforming into a heavier blend of Blackened Post-Metal but with that sublime Post-Doom momentum still being heard within the background.

This is another album of the year from Bees Made Honey In The Vein Tree, as In Between Strides is the band’s heaviest, aggressive and most unique sounding record yet. The music is wonderfully precise, beautifully sweet and equally as destructive the next. The whole journey feels like one grand musical adventure which instantly draws you in with its sweeping romantic Doomed Out measures that will leave you in a tranquil state of being.

Words by Steve Howe

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

In Between Strides is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Magnetic Eye Records.

Links

https://beesmadehoneyintheveintree.com
www.facebook.com/beesmadehoneyintheveintree
www.instagram.com/beesmadehoneyintheveintree

Exclusive Premiere Of Psych/Stoner/Space/Kraut-Rockers HIJSS New Song/Video for DOPAMINE From Upcoming Self Titled Album

From northern Italy's summits, through clouds and airplanes, a wall of sound spirals downhill as hijss marks it's birth. Stimulated by the musical instinct of the band's mastermind Lois Lane (guitar, vocals, electronics), Maurice's (drums) ferocious hits and Pan’s (bass & synth) catchy scales the music does not only scratch the surface but goes deep under your skin. The band puts genres in the background zapping from punk over wave to space and psychedelic rock. The outcome is a melting pot called: kosmo kraut. That means whatever you want it to mean...

Thanks to the amazing folks over at Purple Sage PR and Heavy Psych Sounds we're excited to premiere the new song/video for DOPAMINE from the upcoming new self-titled album due for release on September 18th 2026.

New album "hijss" - Out September 18th on Heavy Psych Sounds

HIJSS links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

STUIK - In Sanity (Album Review)

Release Date: August 28th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

In Sanity - Tracklist

All The Fuzz

Feel Alive

Foolishness

Roots

Stilted

Loosen The Noose

Laughter

In Sanity We Trust

Lucid Haze

Alone and Alive

Members

Jana Dutohlav on bass and vocals

Pieter Houben (ex-Splendidula) on guitar and vocals

David Vandegoor (ex-Moshlim, ex-Splendidula) on guitar

Patrick Vanderhenst (ex-Solenoid, ex-Splendidula) on drums.

Review

In Sanity is the debut album from Doom/Sludge Stoner Metallers STUIK who are formed with ex-members of Splendidula and Solenoid with the band influenced by the likes of Red Fang, Mastodon and KYUSS but with a gloomier Alt Rock sound. The mood is quite different to Splendidula and Solenoid but they do keep similar gloomier themes on their debut album but with more focus on a great way of delivering intense and stripped back riffs. 

STUIK employ similar Progressive melodies used by the likes of Mastodon and Baroness but break out into different Psychedelic passages with KYUSS being a great influence for the band to weave that gloomy Desert/Stoner Rock sound into the mix. The use of subtle Hard Rock, Punk and Sludge Rock dimensions is applied very early on within the album on tracks such as All The Fuzz, Feel Alive and Foolishness.

There are moments of DOOM & GLOOM and Shoegaze vibes emerging within the emotionally charged vocals that are delivered by Pieter Houben and Jana Dutohlav that form a winning combination when they both appear on the same track(s) contained on the album.

With a melodic backdrop of slow-paced grooves being used sparingly and to great effect before STUIK channel that modern day Progressive Sludge/Stoner Rock into a faster style of music that gives complete focus for the band to play heavier sounds and write emotionally charged vocals to match. The whole thing never feels forced and STUIK never outstay their welcome as they develop some intriguing and well-constructed songs throughout which allows them to play aggressive soundscapes with a thumping metallic energy.

STUIK becomes ever more confident with each passing track as the harsh Desert Rock environment allows the listener to front and centre of the action on tracks such as Roots, Stilted, Loosen The Noose, In Sanity We Trust and ‘Alone and Alive’. There’s a great style of Post-Doom and Psychedelic heaviness that appear within these tracks that makes you feel that STUIK have been around for yours and not delivering their debut album.

The later stages of In Sanity does have a distinct Grunge appearance that gives this album a seedy tone whilst elevating the FUZZIER and PUNK sounds to become the most soulful of the record. STUIK could have played some faster based grooves and melodies within the quieter moments of the album. However, I understand why they took this creative choice and it does perhaps give the album a more satisfying and emotional conclusion.

STUIK have still managed to deliver a superbly realized debut album that should no doubt allow them to make a great impression within the Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal scene. In Sanity is an unexpected sludgy and doomed out delight from beginning to end.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Official | Facebook | Spotify | Apple Music

Introduce Yourselves: FOREST HORSE

What Is the Name of Your Band?

Forest Horse

What Is the genre of music you play?

Stoner, doom, sludge

Can you give a brief history of the band of how it came together and where it is today?

Forest Horse is a solo project peddling sludgy, psychedelic doom from the swamps of West Michigan. It began in 2022 with the release of Keep Awake, which draped layers of doom and noise over a sprawling post-rock frame. Four years later, forged by personal upheavals and an ever-darkening world, Botany exchanges the shoegaze tendencies of the past for heavy, fuzzed-out riffs and dirty blues passages that examine strange flora, extraterrestrial murmurings, fruitless resistance, and inevitable decay.

What can people expect from your music?

Fuzzy, sludgy noise that you can groove to. Some screaming about plants and aliens.

What is the best release that folks should check out from your band?

Botany – out everywhere on October 28, 2026.

Where can people find you on Social Media?

https://foresthorse.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/foresthorsemusic

Thanks to Forest Horse for the details. 

Boss Keloid release new single 'Landslide' and announce new album on Church Road Records

Boss Keloid seemingly achieves the impossible with each album they create, upholding familiarity in their sound whilst never remaining static. They are forever growing new limbs on their tree of creativity. Even after a decade in the game, this tree remains evergreen as these UK prog-rock mainstays find new and exciting ways to catch the listener’s intrigue. This is never more present than on their forthcoming LP ‘Float & Aperture’, poised to greet you like a good friend who's ready to lead you on a new adventure of sonic wonder.

Before undertaking this latest project, the band sought to find ways to unlock new methods of creativity, finding the best path was through collaboration.

“We wanted to challenge ourselves and each other more than ever during the writing process for this album, and developed a completely new way of working together as a result. Our writing process was more collaborative, experimental, and challenging than ever. We encouraged each other to tap into our musical and personal influences, as well as life experiences to generate ideas. We wanted more focus and enjoyment around the interplay and dynamics between melody and rhythm, and a better clarity and balance between our instruments and parts. We couldn't be happier with the result, and believe this is our strongest work to date” - Boss Keloid

Like the band's previous work, the lyrical content of each song on the album is drawn from personal experiences, difficulties, and life lessons. Vocalist Alex Hurst works to shape and describe these stories in a way which can be interpreted on a personal level by anyone, and hopefully align with their own lives. He sums up the overall theme of the album as follows:

"Embracing life, rolling with the punches and the waves of beauty, and not being afraid to channel and express those experiences through art, music, love, anger and wisdom. Experience tells a story if you don’t mind sharing it."

Boss Keloid has an impeccable release history, having already given flight to five critically acclaimed albums over the course of their career. Their last album ‘Family The Smiling Thrush’ made it into Metal Hammer’s top releases of 2021 and had Dom Lawson from Blabbermouth proclaiming “If it's a modern classic you want, look no further”. This sentiment is also shared for their live performances. Truly at home on the stage, the band ascends to even greater levels than their recorded output, delivering incredibly powerful and life-affirming performances.

The long and short of it is, where Boss Keloid goes, greatness follows and there’s no exception with this latest outing. This is another amazing chapter in the career of a band with an already glowing and rich history. Long standing fans will have their hunger satisfied, and for those joining the ride here, get ready to have your minds blown by ‘Float & Aperture’. Set for release on October 23rd via Church Road Records.

The band kick starts this next chapter with the lead single 'Landslide'. Out today and streaming everywhere! Digital, vinyl and CD pre-orders for the new album are also live.

Stream on DSPs HERE.
Watch the visualiser HERE.
Pre-order the record HERE.

"This song has many meanings throughout its lyrical content. The main story is about learning to accept that we are all our own worst enemy, and that when you realise this, life does get easier" - Boss Keloid

Track listing

1 - Breeze
2 - Pedestal
3 - Landslide
4 - Weight
5 - Aros
6 - Accord
7 - Sanguine

Members

Ste Arands - Drums and Percussion
Paul Swarbrick - Guitars
Alex Hurst - Vocals and Guitars
Liam Pendlebury-Green - Bass

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | LinkTree

Thanks to Since Always Press for the details.

Vulture Neck - Vulture Neck (Album Review)

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

Vulture Neck - Tracklist

1. Höst (2:46)

2. Rat Riders (7:03)

3. Phantom Carriage (5:16)

4. Raining Fire, Raining Stones (3:44)

5. Bright Lights Descending (5:53)

6. Hand Of A Drowning Man (5:55)

7. Abyss Made Of Stone (7:06)

Members

Östen Jäderberg - drums

Magnus Öhrn - vocals and bass

Martin Sällström - vocals and guitar

Elin and Hanna Jäderberg - backing vocals on Bright Lights Descending

Review

Vulture Neck’s debut self-titled album continues with the rebellious Power-Trio attitude they brought on their acclaimed 2023 debut EP but on a more grander scale as they have more time to play with. This allows Vulture Neck to create heavier levels of sludgy surroundings which sees a Stoner Rock attitude develop with areas of Doom, Sludge, Psych sounds to converge on a mountain top of classic hard rock themes. 

The sound is quite raw sounding with a distinctive Garage Rock / Proto-metal attitude forming within the opening tracks of Host and Rat Riders which sees Vulture Neck bring a determined focus into their music. There are small elements of modern day Swedish Sludge/Stoner Metal forming that remind me of the likes of Dozer, Cities Of Mars and Firebreather. The sludgy sounds become quire progressive with Vulture Neck adding a gloomy atmosphere behind the scenes. 

The vocals are not the most refined but they perfectly match the music that Vulture Neck stunningly creates throughout the record. Shades of Doom & Gloom become more commonplace within the album as Vulture Neck bring an end of the world scenario into their music. The lyrics are quite bleak and get straight to the point on tracks such as Rat Riders, Phantom Carriage, “Raining Fire, Raining Stones” and Bright Lights Descending. 

There’s also some great melodic parts of the record which you only begin to notice on repeated listens with Vulture Neck applying some great musical mechanics within both the “HEAVIER” and “QUIETER” aspects of the album. The warped atmospherics constantly moves to the greyer areas of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal but Vulture Neck always allow themselves and the listener to have some brief uplifting musical passages which allows the record to be transformed into a wicked Classic Hard Rock sound that remind me of Black Sabbath and Budgie at times. 

Vulture Neck always tries something different with each track and for the most part everything comes off superbly well with the record not afraid to take huge risks that allows the album to be refreshingly different and slightly offbeat at the same time. The instrumental parts are epic and superbly cinematic when they’re fully required to but Vulture Neck always have the balls to apply logical Proto-Metal decisions to disrupt the musical flow which leads to some of the most exciting sounds of the album to fully emerge.

One of the main standouts of the album is the Progressive attitude that Vulture Neck apply to their music that shows shades of the legendary RUSH in places and even Mastodon when the band fully transforms into Progressive Sludge Metal monsters. There’s something for everyone to seek out and fully explore with this excellent recorded and produced album. Vulture Neck delivers the goods with a great supply of grounded melodies and hard hitting grooves that will leave you mightily impressed from start to finish.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.

Vulture Neck is available to buy now on Digital Download

Links:

Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | Push.fm

Atmospheric Doomsters LȲKAA sign to Octopus Rising and unveil first single “Izome”

Saxony, Germany-based heavy doom outfit LȲKAA have signed with Octopus Rising, the (un)parallel label of Argonauta Records. The band celebrate the signing with the release of “Izome”, their first single and the first glimpse into their forthcoming debut album “Light Eater”.

Formed during the pandemic winter of 2022 inside an old Cold War bunker, LȲKAA emerged from isolation, tension and decay, turning the atmosphere of their surroundings into a dark and immersive form of heavy music.

The band's sound sits somewhere between doom-laden heavy metal, dark melodicism and post-punk-infused melancholy, creating a dense and emotionally charged atmosphere without relying on occult aesthetics or theatrical imagery. Instead, LȲKAA focus on the darker side of human experience, delivering songs that feel equally haunting, heavy and deeply personal.

“Izome” is the first statement from LȲKAA's new chapter with Octopus Rising, introducing a band whose music draws on the legacy of dark and melodic heavy metal while pushing it into a more atmospheric and contemporary territory.

Watch the official “Izome” visualizer: 

Between 2023 and 2025, LȲKAA took their music to the stage across a series of intense live shows, including appearances alongside Messa and Zhaat, developing an immersive live presence that matches the darkness of their recordings.

With “Light Eater”, their fully produced debut album, now ready for release, LȲKAA join the Octopus Rising roster and open a new chapter for a band built on atmosphere, tension and uncompromising heavy music.

For fans of: Messa, DOOL, In Solitude, The Night Eternal, The Devil's Blood, Jex Thoth, Sonja.

LȲKAA are:

Elly Preussner – lead vocals
Johannes Werner – guitars, keys, vocals
Rasmus Korn – guitars
Đenan Muratagić – bass
Christoph Weilbach – drums

All drums on “Light Eater” were performed by Johannes Ivandic.

“Light Eater” will be released via Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records. Further details coming soon.

For more info:

​https://www.facebook.com/lykaa.band​
​https://www.instagram.com/lykaa.band​
​`https://www.argonautarecords.com/

​

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the details.