Flamebearer - Igniter (Album Review)

Release Date: August 07th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Igniter - Tracklist

1.Electric Haze 04:56

2.Falling Down 04:10

3.Something Going On 03:50

4.Don't Think (Your Life Away) 05:10

5.Bow Down To Me 04:43

6.Sense Of Freedom 03:27

7.Burning Soul 03:27

8.Whispering Winds 05:21

 

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers Flamebearer return with their second album Igniter which continues the past paced sounds first heard on their 2024 debut album Brazen. That record allowed Flamebearer to spread their gospel of Stoner Metal that was full of Hard Rock, Punk, Doom and even Glam Metal. With a sound closer to the likes of Orange Goblin, CLUTCH, KISS, Black Sabbath and KYUSS that even had some FUZZ ROCK appearing to hold everything together.

Igniter sees the band sticking more closely to Orange Goblin and KISS For this record whilst developing their own action packed sound. The sound has a heavier Punk Rock vibe which develops very early on throughout tracks such as Electric Haze, Falling Down and Something Going On where Flamebearer adds a vibrant NOLA and Sludge Rock aspect to their music. The Punk Rock swagger comes mostly through the superb vocals and pissed off lyrics that’s laid down throughout the whole album.

Flamebearer music works best when they throw caution to the wind and embrace that legendary Eighties Heavy Metal spirit that ultimately rules the roost for this album to genuinely thrive which the majority of the album generates the real excitement. However, that doesn’t stop Flamebearer venturing into the Doomed Out water of Stoner Metal with a dangerous melodic attitude forming within other tracks held on the album.

The album does contain looser production values compared to their debut album Brazen but this has a more aggressive sound that gives Igniter a real Heavy Metal attitude with that rebellious Punk Rock spirit appearing on the standout tracks on the album such as Something Going On, Don’t Think (Your Life Away), Sense Of Freedom and Whispering Winds.

These tracks allow Flamebearer to be gloriously OVER THE TOP with how they deliver their music with outlandish vocals to match. There’s a devilish sense of fun being delivered through the mighty walls of AMPLIFIED AGGRESSION that should give your hearing a proper HEAVY METAL workout.

Igniter is a superbly entertaining record. It’s not the most original record you’ll ever hear but Flamebearer have delivered an album that’s packed full of great songs that should get the old-school metalheads headbanging and fists pumping in the air in no time at all.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

https://www.facebook.com/flamebearerband
https://www.instagram.com/flamebearerband/?hl=en
https://flamebearer.bandcamp.com/

Dragger - Taken Form (Album Review)

Release Date: August 07th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Taken Form - Tracklist

1.Cut to the Bone 03:11

2.In the Mire 04:51

3.Potent Sea 01:56

4.Martyr Tombs 04:40

5.Cautionary Tail 03:35

6.Everything is Rot 04:46

 

Members

Keenan Bouchard - Drums

Justin Gonyea - Guitar, Vocals

Benjamin Lee - Guitar

Nathaniel Parker Raymond - Bass

Review

Taken Form is the debut album from Thrash/Sludge Metallers Dragger who fuse Punk Metal and Metallic Hardcore into their music. This allows Dragger to have an out-of-control and demented creative persona throughout this album whilst still developing some harsh sounding melodic strands of Heavy Metal. The record runs for a brisk and intense twenty five minutes across six tracks with Dragger exploring every facet of their Thrash/Sludge Metal sound.

The vocals from Justin Gonyea are Hardcore Punk through and through with a demented Metallic Sludge dynamic bursting through the seams. The music is wholly aggressive and slightly subversive especially when small pockets of Psych Metal appear within the background that gives Taken Form a heavy destructive Doomed Out Metal sound on tracks such as Cut To The Bone, In The Mire, Martyr Tombs and Everything Is Rot.  

Dragger do veer into Post-Metal territory on small parts of the record which gives them a vibrant Progressive Metal quality that becomes one of the main strengths of the album. You may not hear, feel or experience this at first but Taken Form is quite a complex and multi-layered record with sludgy soundscapes crossing over with Justin’s stripped back and gloomy vocals.

The instrumental work is epic and always offers a highly climatic style of delivery which leaves you wanting more with some of the songs suddenly ending which can be one of the weaker aspects of the album. Though, you don’t have to wait long for another turbo-charged groove and violent melody that’s delivered with great precision that wholly allows that Thrash Metal aspect of Dragger to take complete control.

Taken Form is an action packed ride that allows Dragger to deliver a wonderfully violent debut album that will have listeners coming back time and time again.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp

Doom/Stoner Metallers DEATHCHANT Announce New Album KOVA And Premiere New Song/Video For ENEMY. Album To Be Released Via RIDINGEASY RECORDS

We are all at the unforgiving whim of life’s extremes. For every moment of overwhelming sorrow, there’s another of indescribable bliss. For every death, there’s a birth. For all of the darkness, there’s just as much light.

Deathchant have never shied away from extremes. Their sound seamlessly oscillates from high-octane rubber-burning riffs and gravelly chants to purring feedback and melodies as expansive as the desert at night. After gathering millions of streams, earning enthusiastic acclaim, and an endless string of packed shows, the Los Angeles, CA quartet—Thomas J Lemieux a.k.a. TJ [guitar, vocals, keys, bass], Doug Stuckey [guitar, vocals], Quinn-George Camacho [bass], and Nick “Joose” Mcdonnell [drums]—explore life’s highs, lows, and everything in between on their fourth full-length LP, KOVA [RidingEasy Records].

Named after their late friend Davey Kova, it’s simultaneously a raucous send-off worthy of a Viking, an introspective look at manhood, and a dyed-in-the-wool badass barnstorming hard rock record.

“To me, Deathchant means very intense brotherhood and friendship,” observes TJ. “I have a truly safe place to express every facet of myself. Even though we’re really heavy, this is also a vehicle for me to explore softer sides of music and wear my heart on my sleeve. For the last nine years, it’s allowed me to be a raw nerve. It was often brutal, because we lived our lives in the world of motorcycle culture, drugs, and partying. At the same time, I always had space for reflection. We implicitly trust one another. It’s rare for a friendship—let alone a four-way working relationship. I recently became a new dad, went through a divorce, and experienced serious loss. All of these massive shifts fed into the music, making it angrier, but more revealing and intimate.”

Back in 2018, Deathchant began to make noise on the West Coast. The group captivated a cult-like audience with the self-titled Deathchant [2019], Waste [2021], and Thrones [2023]. They landed looks from CBS News, Angry Metal Guy, and It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine who marveled at their “combination of rumbling noise, chiming guitar melodies, bluesy boogie, NWOBHM thrash, and punk fury.” Plus, they ignited the YouTube channel Jam In The Van with a fiery performance and canvased the globe on tour, playing at festivals such as Psycho Las Vegas, Desertfest Belgium, Keep It Low Festival, and SonicBlast Festival.

While writing KOVA, they said goodbye to its namesake.

“My best friend Davey Kova was a dude who white-knuckled life, treated each day like it was his last, took chances, rode fast, and partied hard, but he was the sweetest guy you could ever meet,” sighs TJ. “It’s a weird way to live, yet it’s beautiful. He passed away during the writing process. The record seemed to finish itself after that. The album is a eulogy to not just Davey, but countless friends we’ve lost in the last couple of years.”

TJ helmed the album as producer and sent it off to Kurt Ballou’s legendary God City Studio in Salem, MA where Zach Weeks mixed it. Sonically, it maintained the edge that fans have come to know and expect with some slight tweaks.

“KOVA is different,” affirms the frontman. “I expounded on the lyrics more than I usually would’ve, because the subject matter is so personal. The vocals are also bit dryer and more intentional. You really feel it.”

The opener and first single “Enemy” definitely sets the tone. Feedback groans until a melodic lick pushes the song into overdrive. It culminates on an ominous refrain, “You’re the enemy…Keep the enemy close.” Fret-burning leads entwine at a breakneck pace, bleeding into a screeching solo drenched in wah and echo.

“It’s lyrically related to ‘Mirror’ from Thrones,” he reveals. “You’re ultimately realizing that you are your own worst enemy. So, you’re drowning the ego and being real with yourself about who you are. It’s aligned with the overall concept.”

Then, there’s the two-part title track “Kova (Crawl) Intro” and “Kova (Crawl).” On “Crawl,” acoustic strumming creaks beneath a soulful tear-soaked verse as he laments, “I heard that little boy go quiet, with heavy hearts we said goodbye.” Its heavier companion stomps forward on a swinging rhythm and chugging groove. Offering up a coronation over power chords, the hook booms with bravado, “Call him the king of wild hearts.”

“I was initially writing the song with a vague character in mind,” TJ goes on. “Davey died, and it became clear that the song was fully about him. That’s really when the chorus came to fruition. You’re watching someone slowly kill themselves in a tragic way. The acoustic and heavy versions are equally important. The two parts resemble the ripple effect Davey’s two sides had on people—the dark and the light sides.”

Then, there’s “Worshipper.” A fiery riff smolders in the foreground, giving way to a sample of Shannon Lay above distant gothic strings. “It’s dark as fuck,” he sighs. “I was dwelling in a really pessimistic place with a negative world view. I was depressed and drinking a lot. I had a few people around me who were leaning into Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, religion, and therapy. All of those things may be wonderful. However, they can also give a narcissist an artillery of weapons to use against others. ‘Worshipper’ embodies the weaponization of spirituality by a fake person on a soapbox. You’re worshipping a false prophet.”

“Forgiveness” hinges on bluesy guitar transmissions and a dusty vocal. TJ muses, “Truth is a chamber of bullets and echoes of friends.” Flanked by wailing six-string cries, he accepts, “The curtain keeps closing, but it’s too late to leave now. Goddamn.”

“The lyrics lined up with everything else,” he says. “It’s the human existence of battling addiction and living life to the fullest.”

Ultimately, this is the soundtrack for waking up and going full throttle in pursuit of whatever drives you.

“We’re lucky to be able to tell stories of a legend who’s not with us anymore,” TJ leaves off. “When you have good friends and bandmates around you though, the phoenix rises, and something beautiful comes out of that loss. Life is tough, incredible, and gnarly. Go ahead, embrace who you are, and keep going.”

KOVA is available for pre-order now on CD/DD/Vinyl and will be released by RidingEasy Records from September 25th 2026.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the details.

Destroy My Brains - Wilt (Album Review)

Release Date: August 14th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Wilt - Tracklist

1.OCI (obsessive compulsive imploder) 

2.Burn the Virgin

3.Decontribute 

4.Avulsion

5.Downgrade 

6.Spill

7.Wilt

 

Members

Jarret - Guitar, Vocals

Jadan - Drums, Samples

Chase - Guitar

Rob - Bass

Review

Wilt is the final chapter of music from Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Destroy My Brains that started the journey way back in 2018 with their astonishing record Worthless. The band followed this release with the following albums InsignifiCan't, Lifeless and Tormented. When you join the first initial of those albums it spells WILT. So, this is the end of the journey of a five planned saga for Destroy My Brains where they punish the listener with brutal Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal sounds inspired by the likes of DOWN, CROWBAR, GRIEF and ACID BATH with some intense sonic interplay being added throughout.

The record does touch upon some hard-hitting and emotionally charged themes just like the previous albums and as before Destroy My Brains offer no easy answers but just their own personal experiences which you can feel every intense sudden thrash and sludge beat knocking you out senseless. Though, the record is sometimes brilliantly melodic despite the dark creative energy being played throughout this album. The vocals from Jarret once again portray a tortured soul coming to terms with their own existence but also learning from their own mistakes. 

Destroy My Brains records have always been quite forward thinking in how they deliver their music though told through bleak and nihilistic tales which actually show there's light at the end of the tunnel no matter how badly things actually become. The progressive sounds have a realistic approach to them especially with the thumping rhythm section (Jadon on Drums/Samples and Rob on Bass) that moves between areas of Thrash Metal and Extreme Metal that allows Jarret and Chase on Guitars to solidify the modern Doom/Sludge Metal sound to continue to be played naturally.

The great use of different samples, vocals and psychedelic beats from Jadon adds a horrifying true life vibe along the way which makes the record even more daring and wholly uncomfortable. However, Destroy My Brains play a non-stop amount of outstanding riffs and instrumental passages you’ll instantly rock the fuck out to.

The majority of the songs held on WILT are simply epic in their own right that all offer different musical perspectives of real human emotion with small amounts of uplifting Psych Doomed Out melodies appearing along this violent journey. 

If I have to pick out standout tracks from the album then I would choose: Burn The Virgin, Decontribute, Downgrade and WILT as I can hear other daring musical influences such as NEUROSIS, Mastodon and YOB but with a more depressing outlook on the world. It’s the music that continues to impress with the band exploring a bolder style of Prog Metal and Stoner Metal that reminds me of the mighty ANCIIENTS. They may have different styles but they both have the same creative outlook by blending extreme metal sounds with a modern day Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal aesthetic. 

WILT is the perfect end to a massive and sprawling five part album saga which may allow Destroy My Brains to try different musical avenues in the future. You gotta say the guys ultimately deserve that. As they’ve spent a long time bleeding their emotions dry for their “ART” and providing their dedicated fan base with records of amazing quality which will leave you broken down, beaten, physically and mentally exhausted. 

However, you’ll be glad you’ve listened, survived and experienced a brutal audio experience such as this. As Destroy My Brains have solidified their status as one of the best bands to emerge from the Canadian Heavy Metal underground scene of recent years. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Asher Media for the details.

WILT is available to buy now on CD/Digital Download.

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

Hostile Tides - Dead Man Talking (EP Review)

Release Date: August 10th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Dead Man Talking - Tracklist

1.Sands 02:34

2.Rumour 03:06

3.Adrift 03:08

4.Pyramids 03:51

5.Peaks 05:06

 

Members

Marf - Guitars

Mafro - Guitars

Luke - Bass

Matt - Drums

Review

Dead Man Talking is the debut EP from Post-Rock/Stoner Rock instrumentalists Hostile Tides where the band are influenced by the likes of QOTSA, Long Distance Calling and Russian Circles which gives this band a whole lot of different attitude throughout their debut EP. The music is action packed and superbly played throughout with Hostile Tides developing a classic bouncy Stoner Rock sound that’s levelled out by a solid Progressive Post-Rock theme.

There’s even shades of KYUSS developing within the heavier and fast-paced surroundings of the superb opening track of Sands. This is a very short little number but it moves along at a great speed with the band laying down their creative building blocks very early on with the music having the right amount of Post-Rock aggression with even subtle moments of jazzy movements.

Second song Rumour feels like a stripped back Post-Rock track with little shades of Desert/Stoner Rock melodies bursting from the seams. There’s some Punk-ish sounds that develop within the later stages of the track and off-beat chants appearing along the way. This is quite an experimental song in many ways but it contains an intriguing way of playing a solid Instrumental sound that moves quietly and confidently throughout the Stoner Rock and Post-Rock passages that appear here.

Third track Adrift allows Hostile Tides to drift further into the Alt-Rock persona with dreamy passages of intricate Psychedelic Rock emerging with the song having a sludgy bassline courtesy of Luke’s great bass playing. The ambient delivery is razor sharp without being heavy but the band once again wander into different shades of Heavy Stoner Rock with that heavy jazzy sound appearing once more. The song is perhaps the most daring that’s contained on the EP.

The final two tracks of Pyramids and Peaks offer the most experimental and progressive moments on the record with Hostile Tides showcasing a great way of playing through the “QUIET vs HEAVY” and “SLOW vs FAST” dynamics of their music. The song is actually quite fun despite the gloomy Post-Rock pretence that holds things together.

Peaks is the longest track which allows Hostile Tides to let out all their freaky aggression for the standout track on the EP which taps right into the QOTSA influence right from the very start where you can feel a soundtrack quality emerging from the catacombs which I would like to hear more of in future releases from the band.

Dead Man Talking is a great introduction from Hostile Tides to introduce themselves to the underground heavy rock scene with. There’s some great sonic creativity at play here and the stripped back production values are handled expertly well with some heavy outbursts of Stoner Rock/Metal developing when you least expect it.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

POLYMOON push psychedelic post-gaze to new horizons with Mariposa Magic!

Photo credit: Paulie Moore

Finnish psychedelic rock visionaries Polymoon return with Mariposa Magic!, their third album and most immersive work to date. Set for release on 4th September via Vesperian, the album starts an exciting new chapter for the band, accompanied by the release of a powerful new single.

'Glass House, Mortal Rooms' is the second glimpse of Mariposa Magic! and a true showcase of Polymoon pushing their creative boundaries. Spanning more than seven minutes, the track surges through waves of intensity, radiant textures and constantly shifting movements, balancing fearless experimentation with overwhelming melodic pull. Expansive yet emotionally direct, it demonstrates just how far the band can push their sound without sacrificing the accessibility at its heart. Accompanying the single is a striking new video created in collaboration with acclaimed filmaker Ilona Lehtonen.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/GVN4dFbOqPA

Pre-order Mariposa Magic! here: https://linktr.ee/vesperian

The Finnish quartet inhabit a realm they’ve helped define: psychedelic post-gaze that shimmers, swells and dissolves at the edges. It may sound like an impossible genre to define until the first notes of Mariposa Magic! make everything click into place. Expanding on the foundations laid by Caterpillars of Creation (2020) and Chrysalis (2023), the new album ventures deeper into uncharted territory, where luminous guitar work, fluid rhythms and slowly unfurling melodies merge into vast, iridescent soundscapes. It's music that rewards surrender as much as attention, drawing listeners deeper with every return.

Produced by Juho Vanhanen, best known as the frontman of Oranssi Pazuzu, Mariposa Magic! was recorded and mixed by Valtteri Väänänen at Lammaskallion Audio before being mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde. To preserve the richness and dynamic range of the performances, the record was cut directly to lacquer and sent straight to the pressing plant, ensuring the vinyl master retains the warmth and depth of the original recordings.

The album's striking cover photography comes courtesy of Elizaveta Porodina, the Munich-based visual artist celebrated for her dreamlike, painterly aesthetic. Her work has featured in campaigns for Dior, Louis Vuitton and Chanel, while her portraits of Zendaya, Brad Pitt and Bella Hadid have appeared in multiple international editions of Vogue.

POLYMOON - Glass House, Mortal Rooms

On Mariposa Magic!, songs dissolve into shifting states of consciousness. Melodies emerge from swirling textures, rhythms pulse like living organisms and each composition seems to transform in real time, pulling the listener through an ever-changing landscape where atmosphere and emotion become inseparable. Every passage feels alive, as though the music is quietly evolving beneath your feet.

Beneath its dreamlike exterior lies extraordinary craftsmanship. Every transition, every swell and every fleeting detail has been meticulously shaped, yet nothing ever feels constrained. Instead, the album moves with effortless momentum, balancing technical precision with an intoxicating sense of curiosity, freedom and wonder. It drifts, blooms and erupts in equal measure, dissolving the boundaries between structure and spontaneity.

Mariposa Magic! is more than an album, it's a place to inhabit. Psychedelic, cinematic and endlessly absorbing, it reveals fresh colours, hidden textures and unexpected emotional depths with every listen, lingering long after the final note fades like the memory of an extraordinary dream.

Watch previous single 'I End, You Begin' here. 

Polymoon are:

Kalle-Erik Kosonen - Vocals
Jesse Jaksola - Guitar, synthesizers
Otto Kontio - Guitar
Marco Menestrina - Bass
Tuomas Heikura – Drums

Polymoon online:

Website: https://polymoonofficial.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2lQxgCe12tX0YDtoKzFpz5
Bandcamp: https://polymoon.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymooooon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polymooooon
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@polymooooon
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@polymoonofficial

Vesperian online:

www.vesperian.world
www.instagram.com/vesperian.world/

Thanks to Hold Tight PR for all of the details.

UK Heavy Rock Pillars STEAK to release new self-titled album on Ripple Music and Stickman Records this October 9th; new singles available now!

UK progressive stoner rock spearhead STEAK have announced the release of their fourth studio full-length "Steak" this October 9th, in collaboration with Ripple Music (North America) and Stickman Records (Europe & UK). Stream the first two singles "Cometh" and "Luxury Junk" now!

London-based heavy rock heroes STEAK have recently released their new single Luxury Junk, the latest track from their forthcoming self-titled studio album, due this fall through Ripple Music (North America) and Stickman Records (Europe/UK).

Following the badass, comic-inspired first single Cometh (designed by Schoph and animated by director Samuel Smith), "Luxury Junk" offers another glimpse into the band's next chapter, expanding on STEAK's unmistakable blend of crushing riffs, desert rock grooves and immersive sonic weight. Equal parts hypnotic and hard-hitting, the track explores themes of escapism, excess and emotional detachment, wrapped in a hazy atmosphere that balances raw heaviness with an almost otherworldly sense of longing.

One track after another, the UK quintet continues to showcase the depth and diversity of their upcoming album, further building anticipation for what promises to be one of the band's most ambitious and powerful releases to date.

 
New album "Steak" - Out October 9th on Ripple Music (North America) and Stickman Records (Europe/UK) - Preorder coming soon

Hailing from London, STEAK have established themselves as a key force within the global desert rock and stoner scene. Known for their relentless riffs, hypnotic grooves, and high-energy live performances, the band has built a strong following across Europe and beyond.

Blending elements of classic heavy rock with modern fuzz-drenched intensity, STEAK continue to push their sound into darker and heavier territories while staying rooted in the spirit of the desert rock movement. Self-described as a “shit kickin’ band”, their ethos reflects the raw, no-frills energy that defines both their recordings and their explosive live shows. Earlier this summer, the band joined Nashville heavy rock giants All Them Witches as special guests on selected tour dates, further cementing their reputation as a must-see act within the heavy underground scene.

Steak links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Ripple Music links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Stickman Records links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the detials.