Red Desert - Red Desert (Album Review)

Release Date: May 15th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Red Desert - Tracklist

1.Fallen 05:57

2.Day Late Dollar Short 05:16

3.Searching 03:54

4.New Dawn 05:02

5.Big Top 04:55

6.Unkind Man 06:20

Review

Desert/Stoner Rockers Red Desert return after a six year absence with their latest self titled album which is full of heavy Fuzz Rock grooves that aims to bring a subtle Blues Rock and Grunge influence along the way. The record offers a highly methodical and classic style of Stoner Rock/Metal which is deeply rooted in the classic era of that legendary scene. The music is quite fast paced with Red Desert picking up where they left off with their excellent 2020 album Horizon. 

The album is quite compact, running around thirty one minutes in length which means Red Desert offers a direct style of music with flashes of progressive momentum along the way. There’s influences by the likes of KYUSS, FU MANCHU, MONSTER MAGNET and TRUCKFIGHTERS which can be heard from the very start but Red Desert have been around long enough to create and play their own winning style of classic Stoner Rock. Songs such as Fallen, Date Late Dollar Short and Searching has a grounded delivery with those intense Desert/Fuzz Rock passages opting for a soulful GROOVE based delivery.

The vocals are quite gritty but still offer a cool modern day atmosphere which allows Red Desert to add a level of psychedelic energy when the time calls for this. Red Desert become a more vibrant band when the music transforms into a seedy style of Doom and Grunge which appears on Day Late Dollar Short where you can feel some epic ALICE IN CHAINS and SOUNDGARDEN inspired lyrics leading the way.

There’s some great Spaced Out exploration within this album which took me a few listens to fully detect and wholly appreciate as this allows Red Desert to bring another Space Rock dimension into their music where they almost channel some classic SLEEP amplified distortion. The album is never boring and despite the short running time, the record feels essentially longer especially on the standout tracks of Day Late Dollar Short, New Dawn, Big Top and Unkind Man. 

This is Red Desert’s most aggressive, heaviest and riff-fuelled record to date which should really be listened to by the biggest audience possible. The production values are off the scale thanks to the amazing work carried out by Nick Tveitbakk (Engineered, Produced and Mixed the album) and Kent Stump (WO FAT) who mastered the record. Those two great individuals know a thing or two of how to make a band sound HUGE and they allow RED DESERT to deliver the goods here.

Red Desert are a super tight unit who never disappoint and I’m hoping the guys don’t make us wait so long for their next release. As this is album is fucking good. Add this to your collection now!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Seismic - The Abyss Of Time (Album Review)

Release Date: October 02nd 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

The Abyss Of Time - Tracklist

1.In the Days of the Comet 12:22

2.The War of the Worlds 04:46

3.When the Sleeper Wakes 08:08

4.Star Begotten 08:12

5.The Time Machine 29:15

Members

Mike Lang – Drums

Ken Miller – Bass

Tommy McEwan – Guitars

Anthony Mariano – Guitars

Review

After releasing a couple of great releases back in 2020 and 2023, Seismic are finally ready to release their debut album upon the world and what a great record the band have released. The Abyss Of Time is a sprawling epic containing five tracks lasting over sixty two minutes. Seismic are an Instrumental Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal band who use expressive forms of Cosmic Doom and Spaced Out atmospheres within their music that explores a darker style of Psychedelic Metal within the compounds of Instrumental Heavy Music.

If you’re fan of the likes of PELICAN, BONGRIPPER, BELZEBONG, VINNUM SABBATHI, SPACE WITCH and UFOMAMMUT then you should find solace here with this brooding masterclass of Spaced Out Doom. Seismic plays music that explores the darker areas of Instrumental Rock/Metal with a gloomy stripped back energy allowing the music to venture into a distorted environment. The music is highly atmospheric but also quite bleak with that punishing rhythm section superbly played by Mike Lang (Drums) and Ken Miller (Bass). 

Seismic adds a violent “Blackened Doom” sound into their music which allows the heaviest and progressive themes to develop with excellent guitars played by Tommy McEwan and Anthony Mariano. The music is sometimes unapologetically slow and earth-shattering violent which allows Seismic to cause massive layers of distorted drone to develop in the background. Sometimes the music can be quite an uphill battle to fully listen to the end but there’s something real and hypnotic at how Seismic keeps hold of your full attention which appears very early on the album on tracks such as In The Days Of The Comet and The War Of The Worlds. 

Each track allows Seismic to tell a different part of the story the album fully contains with different flavours of Post-Metal, Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal converging for a destructive experience with some grounded fast-paced grooves being played towards the majority of the tracks. Seismic adds a wealth of different Ambient, Psych, Space and Cosmic themes into their music that sometimes feels quite forceful but also an essential ingredient that gives The Abyss Of Time a highly mysterious quality. 

When the excellent third track When The Sleeper Wakes arrives, the listener should fully be sold on how Seismic play their music by weaving in and out of different Instrumental Rock/Metal soundscapes which only becomes heavier and aggressive with each passing moment. There is a constant shift in Psychedelic and Cosmic textures with Seismic forming complex Stoner/Sludge melodies with a haunting Post-Metal delivery lasting long in the memory.

Fourth track Star Begotten once more offers a cautious slow-to-mid approach with Seismic channeling a classic “DOOM & GLOOM” style that the likes of PELICAN and BONGRIPPER are known for. However, you can hear some fantastic LOW & SLOW sonic based distortion which allows Seismic to elevate to a similar style of music that SLEEP are well known for. The stop/start approach that is widely used within this track shows a different style of heaviness being added to the whole record which is a major part for the final epic track.

The centrepiece of the album has to be the final track The Time Machine which lasts almost thirty minutes. This feels like a mini rock opera in itself with the song having a multiple character arc that allows Seismic to play something more emotionally charged and stripped back. However, the main attraction is those MASSIVE and EARTH SHATTERING instrumental soundscapes which bring a colossal style of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal to deafen the listener with. This is quite an endurance exercise and can be quite excessive but the journey is an absolutely essential part of the whole experience. 

The Abyss Of Time has the hallmarks as being one of the finest instrumental albums to be released this year and we’ve already had amazing records by the likes of BELZEBONG, SACRI SUONI and L’IRA DEL BACCANO. Add this album to that list as Seismic have released a breathtaking and beautifully cinematic record that’s pure poetry in motion. Even if that motion is a destructive COSMIC DOOM METAL album that will destroy everything within its path.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Desert Rock trio HERBA MATE announces new album "Bolide I & II"; Unleashes music video for first single "Poppy"

Photo by Paolo Zauli

Italian Desert Rock trio HERBA MATE has announced its upcoming studio album "Bolide I & II", which is set to be released on November 20 via Go Down Records. Alongside the album announcement, the band unveils the track, "Poppy", offering the first glimpse into the world of "Bolide I & II". The single is out now on all major streaming platforms and you can watch the video here:

Stream the single HERE

The band says: "'Poppy' is our invitation to look beyond the ordinary, immerse ourselves in the natural world, and rediscover something authentic within. We are inspired by the landscape, capturing the shifting dialogue between earth and sky at sunrise and sunset, amplifying the track’s introspective spirit. Blending desert rock, psychedelia, and Western-inspired influences, 'Poppy' unfolds through layered guitars, percussion, and ambient textures to create a hypnotic, cinematic atmosphere."

Tracklist:

1. Gully Island
2. Boogie Mouse
3. Sawdust
4. Milky Way Lungfish
5. David vs Goliath
6. Daisy
7. Juli
8. Poppy
9. Desert Inn III

Formed in 2000, HERBA MATE's comeback album is rooted in the band’s everyday life: family, friendship, work, the streets, and their beloved Romagna - a homeland stretching from clay canyons to the sea. The record title evokes a fascination with what races forward: technology, progress, speed, and efficiency. This tension defines our time, shaped by the pursuit of perfection. Yet acceleration also risks disconnecting us from the tangible simplicity of the world around us, made up of water, air, earth, and fire: the elements that bring us back to our essence. This contrast lies at the heart of the album’s concept and sound. The project unfolds across two consecutive releases: "Bolide I & II", exploring Earth and Air, followed by "Bolide III & IV", which will turn to Fire and Water.

HERBA MATE's music draws inspiration from the vast California deserts - the birthplace of Desert Rock and Stoner Rock, and home to influential bands such as Kyuss, Fatso Jetson, Queens of the Stone Age, Yawning Man, and Fu Manchu. From their base in Italy, the three friends reinterpret these lysergic sounds through psychedelic dynamics, deep low frequencies, and hypnotic riffs, adding a distinctly Romagna-flavored edge.

"Bolide I & II" will be out on November 20 via Go Down Records and is available for pre-order HERE

Line-up:

Andrea Barlotti - Guitar
Alessandro Trerè - Bass, vocals
Ermes Piancastelli - Drums

For more info visit:

https://www.instagram.com/herba_mate/
https://www.facebook.com/HerbaMateBand/
https://www.godownrecords.com/

Thanks to All Noir PR for the details.

DEADROADS - Songs From The Cave (Album Review)

Release Date: August 29th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Songs From The Cave - Tracklist

1.Tomorrow Dies Today 06:45

2.Roadkill Babies 05:28

3.Hole In The Ground 06:41

4.Frozen In July 05:44

5.Son Of A Man 06:13

6.A Little Lie 07:57

Members

Danny Rutto: Bass

Kostia Newt: Guitar and vocals

Michael Johansson: Drums

Review

Songs From The Cave is the debut album by Doom/Grunge/Stoner Rockers DEADROADS who bring a wave of nineties based nostalgia into the forefront of their music. However, they always keep things thoroughly aggressive and highly modern. With influences ranging from Soundgarden, KYUSS, Lowrider and Dozer being heard from the very onset but DEADROADS allowing themselves to breathe their own creative identity into the mix.

Helping on their journey is my good pal Jan Oberg (EARTHSHIP, GRIN and SLOWSHINE) from his famed Hidden Planet Studio who engineered, mixed and mastered this record. The whole record sounds like it’s part of the vibrant underground scene with a seedy attitude that I know superbly well from the previous work that Jan has been involved with. 

However, this is DEADROADS debut album and they bring a wealth of different fuzzed out sounds. These sounds move into distorted environments with a thrilling backdrop of Grunge, Psych, Fuzz, Doom and Stoner Metal sounds developing with a healthy requirement of AMPLIFIER DISTORTION and MURKY HEAVINESS being felt from every corner.

The vocals from Kostia Newt (Bass) have a great classic Stoner Rock/Metal exterior that allows him to explore different musical timelines whilst adding a catchy modern day aspect on tracks such as Tomorrow Dies Today, Roadkill Babies and Frozen In July being some of Kostia’s standout moments.

The lyrics can be superbly bleak which allows this record to drift into unexpected areas of DOOM & GLOOM surroundings with a dash of Soundgarden cynicism being one of the main strengths of the album. DEADROADS appear to perform a stripped back style of Sludge Rock within the middle section of the record which gives everything a more urgent and stripped back feeling that allows everyone to play their instruments at a devastating level of FUZZED OUT based heaviness.

The instrumental passages are constantly possessed by a violent style of Grunge, Fuzz, Stoner and Sludge sounds that brings the seedy and production values the album contains right to the forefront of DEADROADS music. However, this is utilized by DEADROADS to its full potential with screeching guitars and spaced out rhythms forming for a highly atmospheric journey that remains constantly grounded from start to finish.

Songs From The Cave is a great record that’s packed full of great songs that allows DEADROADS to provide almost forty minutes of first rate distorted entertainment throughout. The album is quite refreshing with how DEADROADS employ bleak and highly volatile lyrics amongst the classic themes the underground Grunge/Stoner Metal scene wholly expects. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Auralayer share "Tantalus" single from forthcoming sophomore album

Auralayer, the heavy melodic trio out of Greenville, SC, share their new single from their forthcoming sophomore album. The song "Tantalus" is now available to hear and share.

Far too many heavy rock and doom bands overlook that the classic progenitors of the genre were firmly rooted in strong melodic hooks, not just skull thwacking riffs. Greenville, SC trio Auralayer bring pop melodies to the forefront of their sound, ensuring that the heaviness hits with exceptional impact.

Into the Aura Lair, the anticipated follow-up to Auralayer’s 2023 debut full length, Thousand Petals (King Volume Records) is heavy, fun and unpredictable. Think YOB, Torche and The Sword blended with 90s alt rock akin to Hum: Huge riffs pummeling through huge amplifiers, precise cannon like drums, and melodies that stick with you.

Guitarist Thomas Powell zeroes in on slamming High on Fire riffs counterbalanced with Hendrix psychedelic flourish and open-tuned alt-rock shimmer. Bassist/vocalist Jake Williams lays down sludgy, growling lows while his soaring, clean vocals hit powerful highs. The album is the first to feature new drummer Harold Smith, who brings a harder hitting style to their sound than heard previously.

To help them harness their energetic musical vision, the band once again recruited Philip Cope, the founder of the experimental metal band Kylesa, who also engineered, mixed, and mastered their debut album at Jam Room Recording Studio in Columbia, SC. As with Kylesa, Cope helped to capture and channel the band’s diverse influences and experimentation into a cohesive sonic palette.

Into the Aura Lair will be available digitally on December 4th, 2026. Pre-orders are available HERE.

AURALAYER LIVE 2026:

10/09 Warner Robbins, GA - The Reverb Room
10/10 Athens, GA - Flicker Theatre
10/11 Chattanooga, TN - The Boneyard
10/30 Savannah, GA - The Wormhole

Artist: Auralayer
Album: Into The Aura Lair
Label: Auralayer
Release Date: December 4, 2026

Tracklist

01. Saldo
02. Tantalus
03. Wall to Wall
04. Survival
05. Down From Evil Eyes
06. Mythomania
07. Layers Beneath
08. Stuck on a Spike
09. Dead Arrival

On The Web:

linktr.ee/auralayer
kingvolume.com

Thanks to US/THEM PR Group for the details.

Desert/Doom/Stoner Rockers MOSS VALLEY Release New Song WISDOM From Upcoming Debut EP FARAWAY

Moss Valley are a desert rock band based in Manchester, UK consisting of Zara Huxley (singer/bassist), Jack Stanley (guitarist) and Jake Lafferty (drummer). The band have quickly established a reputation for their powerful live sound and energy. Moss Valley lean heavily into doom-inspired riffs, texturally rich vocal arrangements and driving, energetic rhythms. 

Their songwriting delves deeply into the intricacies of human connection, the power of nature and the mysteries of universal realms, giving the music an otherworldly edge beneath its heavy sound. They have been compared to bands such as Soundgarden, Kyuss and Slomosa.

Faraway is a collection of songs that moves between heaviness and vulnerability, tackling themes of compassion, freedom and identity. The EP also explores the mystical side of Moss Valley - folklore, nature and the unknown weave through the songs giving the music an otherworldly edge beneath its heavy sound.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Moss Valley - Wisdom (Single Review)

Release Date: October 09th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Wisdom - Tracklist

Wisdom

Members

Zara Huxley - Bass/Vocals/Composer

Jack Stanley - Guitar/Composer

Jake Lafferty - Drums/Composer

Review

Wisdom is the latest single from Desert Rockers Moss Valley and is from their forthcoming debut EP Faraway. The “Desert Rock” tag is slightly deceiving as Moss Valley blend Doom, Grunge, Psych, Alt-Rock and Stoner Rock themes into their music. They also add some fantastic Folk inspired lyrics into the mix that allows their music to be inspired by the likes of Slomosa, Soundgarden, Green Lung and Windhand.

The music is constantly heavy when Moss Valley aims for a great Post-Rock and Shoegaze dynamic before exploring their dominant Desert/Stoner Rock aspect. The whole EP has a captivating Nineties Alt-Rock attitude with flourishes of modern Doom/Stoner Rock grooves that gives a great insight of how their upcoming debut EP “Faraway” will fully play out.

The sound is quite atmospheric with a gritty Stoner Rock/Metal attitude that has a classic KYUSS creative drive and energy appearing on certain sections of the song. Lead vocalist Zara Huxley moves around different vocal styles that can be quite endearing at the start but Zara is full on Doom Metal mode before the song finishes.

I would have liked a few more minutes with this track as the most exciting moments are towards the end of the song before it suddenly ends. However, this is a great track for Moss Valley to entice listeners with and I will tell you the rest of the EP is outstanding as well.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram