Sons Of Ghidorah - Raining Fire (Album review)

Release Date: June 05th 2026. Record Label: Argonauta Records. Formats: CD/DD

Raining Fire - Tracklisting

01. Raining Fire

02. Zuzu’s Petals

03. And On This Day

04. Goodbye

05. Dogs Of War

06. Circus

07. Devil In The Dark

08. Thin Red Line

09. Saving The World (At The End Of The Day)

10. Time

Members

 

Mark Giuliano – Vocals

Lou Barrese – Guitars

Greg Fenlong – Guitars

Christopher Konys – Bass, Keyboards, Vocals

Michael Lillard – Drums

Review

Raining Fire is the fourth full length album from Doom/Stoner Metallers Sons Of Ghidorah where they explore their classic Heavy Metal narrative even further compared to their previous albums. The album does have an aggressive over the top sound with the band moving areas into Classic Doom, Proto Metal and Groove Metal.

Sons Of Ghidorah do have a fulfilling Psych Metal energy running throughout the album which brings a sense of high voltage based melody to the record. The band take cues from the likes of Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, Black Sabbath, Pentagram and even Grunge heavy hitters such as TAD and Soundgarden.

The record can be quite progressive and complex which gives Raining Fire a rather mysterious sonic quality which allows a Cosmic Dimension to appear on the later stages of the record. There’s some wonderful creative storytelling which sees Sons Of Ghidorah really go all out with their outrageous lyrics that wouldn’t fit out of place on an album by the likes of IRON MAIDEN.

Yeah, that may sound like a ridiculous claim to make but wait until you hear the album especially on tracks such as ZuZu’s Petals, And On This Day and Goodbye, Dogs Of War, Devil In The Dark and Thin Red Line. These are my favourite parts of the album where Sons Of Ghidmorah weave traditional heavy metal and stoner metal themes against that modern day Psych Rock aesthetic. The grooves are always highly melodic with that progressive destructive energy allowing the band to experiment with new sounds and musical compositions.

The vocals from lead vocalist Mark Giuliano are mostly delivered from the Old School of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal with a real grizzled muscular determination which bridges the gap between multiple eras of the whole Heavy Rock scene. Mark is superbly backed up by Christopher Konys (Bass / Keyboards) who provides a more comforting vocal presence which is deeply rooted in Grunge folklore. 

Raining Fire is a record that offers the listener multiple and different surprises throughout where Sons Of Ghidorah always remain true to themselves. There’s no flashy gimmicks as the band rely on writing and playing good old fashioned music with sense and real purpose. The great use of apocalyptic themes gives Raining Fire a true Doomed Out sound which is helped by the excellent stripped back production values contained on the record. 

This is a record that offers first class entertainment no matter what side of the Hard Rock and Heavy Metal you support. There’s something for everyone to enjoy and rock the FUCK OUT to. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the promo.

Raining Fire is available to buy now on CD/DD via Argonauta Records.

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MASSASAUGA - These Ghosts Of Mine (Single Review)

Release Date: June 05th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

These Ghosts Of Mine - Tracklisting

These Ghosts Of Mine

Members

 

Conrad Lummus (Guitar / Vocals)

Adam Stewart (Drums)

Review

Doom/Fuzz/Stoner Rockers MASSASAUGA return with their latest single These Ghosts Of Mine which is from their forthcoming EP This Savage World. This glorious FUZZ HEAVY track follows a similar sound laid down on their excellent 2023 debut EP The Only Good Wizard Is A Dead Wizard. The sound is a little bit more bombastic which leaves the “DOOM ROCK” aspect slightly behind with a finely tuned Alt Rock and Desert Rock approach. Inspired by the likes of Black Sabbath, Royal Blood, Red Fang, FU MANCHU, Dozer and Truckfighters, this track is a fast-paced and pissed off musical adventure.

MASSASAUGA put their AMPS all the way past ELEVEN as the sound is constantly aggressive and very much in your face. There’s some flashes of Psychedelic energy heard in the back with a massive LOW & SLOW sound emitting from all corners. For a two piece combo, MASSASAUGA really does sound like they have more members in their ranks. T

he band do feel they’re aiming for a heavier STADIUM ROCK sized presence on this track alone which I feel they ultimately achieve. The song is gloriously entertaining from start to finish which taps right into the underground mentality where “LESS IS MORE” is played to pure perfection especially on the later stages of the song where the heaviest, aggressive and fastest melodies of the track appear. 

There’s a dominant Punk Rock vibe that holds everything together and I’m hoping the rest of the EP matches this great creative energy when it’s finally released at a later date. MASSASAUGA sure have the tools to make it big within the scene and it’s tracks like this that should make people take notice of what a great band they actually are. 

These Ghosts Of Mine rocks out like the proverbial BASTARD that the track really is. 

Awesome stuff!!! 

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

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Cobra Czar - Moral Corruption (EP Review)

Release Date: May 29th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Moral Corruption - Tracklisting

1.Stomper 03:00

2.To Oblivion 03:38

3.Stab 04:24

Members

 

Mike Fisketti — vocals

Tim Sieler — guitar

Mike Van Heel — guitar

Chris Lyons — bass

Timothy Java — drums

Review

Moral Corruption is the latest EP from Death/Groove/Sludge Metal destroyers Cobra Czar which serves as an opening gateway to their upcoming debut full length album Blinded By Power. This EP is a fucked up and brilliantly heavy use of different Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal passages that’s held together by a brutal use of Death Metal and Grooved Metal mechanics. There’s some warped Psychedelic and Cosmic sounds being used in the background. 

You can hear influences from the likes of GOJIRA, Mastodon, Lamb Of God, VOIVOD and Metallica but Cobra Czar is not afraid by injecting that great use of Doom Metal and Stoner Metal melodies along the way. The music is brutally exhausting both physically and mentally which is thanks to the brilliant opening track Stomper putting the listener through their HEAVY METAL paces from start to finish.

Cobra Czar makes a great use of beat downs, thrash beats and slamming instrumental jams on this EP which sees their music moving between Old School Heavy Metal and Modern Day Ideas that is wonderfully subversive at the same time. The vocals from Mike Fisketti are superb, ranging from Death Metal, Hardcore and Extreme Metal which manage to stay superbly understandable even with my advancing years listening to heavy metal.

The other two tracks Oblivion and Stab allow Cobra Czar to fully explore their extreme style of Heavy Metal to great effect with the band covering almost every aspect of the underground scene with a great sense of creativity and riff-driven brutality that leaves you wanting more. The sheer level of VOLUME that Cobra Czar achieves within each individual track whilst playing some massive sound Progressive Metal energy makes them a real force to be truly reckoned with.

If you like your Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal played with a NO FUCKS GIVEN attitude then Cobra Czar are the band for you and I can’t wait to hear their upcoming debut album. These guys are the real deal!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

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The heavy blues trio BIRDSTONE will release their new album ‘IV’ on October 16th via Harpyes Records. They are unveiling a video for the debut track: "NO ONE ELSE".

Photo credit: Léonard Szakow.

When the power of blues meets heavy rock! French three-piece BIRDSTONE are announcing the release of their fourth album entitled ‘IV’ on October 16th 2026 via their own label Harpyes Records. Debut single and music video "No One Else" are due out on May 29th 2026, however Metalheads Forever are premiering the gem now.

Between ethereal atmospheres, dramatic tensions and impetuous climaxes, BIRDSTONE is crafting a magnetic world. The project fuses the mystical power of traditional blues with all the intensity and texture of heavy rock. 'IV' was recorded live in a family home tucked away in the French countryside of Aveyron, timeless and far removed from noise and daily stress. From this creative setting emerges a raw power, drawing equally from heavy psych, 70s hard rock and blues music. On top of this comes a pronounced taste for the mystical, mythological themes and esotericism. The six tracks on the album exude an organic, almost instinctive coherence. ‘IV’ is an album fuelled by contrasts, embracing and elevating its rough edges.

The album was recorded by Birdstone and mixed by Benjamin Rousseau. The mastering was handled by Thibault Chaumont at Deviant Lab studio. The artwork for the album cover and singles was created by Léa Largeau.

BIRDSTONE new album 'IV' -  Out October 16th 2026 via Harpyes Records.
Formats LP, CD, digital: PRE-ORDER.

Artwork: Léa Largeau.

TRACK LISTING

1. No One Else
2. Blackhand
3. Largo
4. Vultures
5. Fade and Disappear
6. Swell

The Lowdown

French heavy-blues trio BIRDSTONE unite the soulful energy of blues with the power and richness of heavy-rock. At the crossroads of mythological themes, esotericism and simple human passions, they narrates the inner struggles of human beings, as well as their mystical aspirations. Basile, Edwige and Benjamin draw their inspiration from rural life, just as the bluesmen did in the Delta in the late 19th century. Mourning, loneliness, doubt, corruption, but also rage and hope are all impulses and guides in the interweaving of the trio's melodies and lyrics, constantly navigating between grandiloquence and intimacy.

Their debut EP 'The Cage', released in February 2017, establishes the foundations of the band's musical universe: a kind of mystical trance, mixing the fiery spirit of rock with spiritual and religious topics. Their debut album 'Seer' (February 2019) has paved the way for the band's international development.

In 2022, just as the old world was crumbling, Birdstone released a new chapter: ‘Loss’.

Relentlessly and purposefully drawing inspiration from blues, soul and rock, the album ‘The Great Anticipation’ – released in 2024 – takes The Black Angels, Greenleaf and The Devil and the Almighty Blues and puts them through the mill to create a fresh, powerful sound.

The band performed at major festivals such as Hellfest, Terres du Son and the American Tours Festival, as well as supporting acts including Mars Red Sky, TriggerFinger, Monkey3 and King Khan & The Shrines.

BIRDSTONE’s new album ‘IV’ will be released on October 16th 2026 via Harpyes Records.

LINE-UP

Basile Chevalier-Coudrain: vocals, guitar
Edwige Thirion: bass
Benjamin Rousseau: drums

Links

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Thanks to Shake Promotion For The Details.

Willy Kuma - Willy Kuma Vol. 1 (Album Review)

Release Date: June 12th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Willy Kuma Vol. 1  - Tracklisting

1.Intro 02:07

2.Cactus Drop 06:26

3.Horizon 05:25

4.Iguana Bro

5.Before the Storm

6.Last Drop

7.Desert Vibes

8.Quiet Sand

Members

 

Guglielmo Allegro - Everything

Review

Acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Guglielmo Allegro has taken some time away from his main creative projects of Void Sinker and Nightscape. Guglielmo has formed a new solo instrumental venture called Willy Kuma which focuses upon the legendary sounds of the Californian Desert/Stoner Rock scenes. Guglielmo states this project has been influenced by the works of Brant Bjork and Tommy Guerrero. His debut release under this new project is called Willy Kuma: Volume 1 and it’s a light hearted affair with some slightly jazzy interludes along the way.

Truth be told I was expecting something heavier which touches upon the likes of KYUSS and FU MANCHU but I would say whilst there are still some great heavy moments along the way that Willy Kuma is more closely aligned to the quieter works of Brant Bjork and Yawning Man. There’s some cool sounding Funk Rock movements which are a million miles away from the Drone, Sludge and Stoner Metal surroundings of both Void Sinker and Nightscape.

This is a refreshing change of pace with Guglielmo showing a softer side to his creative identity with elements of Post-Rock appearing on different parts of the album. There are massive amounts of WAH WAH guitar effects which gives a cool solitary and shamanic vibe to the album which is part of almost every track with a subdued musical performance from Guglielmo.

This project allows Guglielmo to be completely zoned into the Californian Bohemian lifestyle the legendary Desert/Stoner Rock scene is known for. You can hear moments of Drone Rock in the background which is masquerading as long drawn out Psych and Space Rock passages which is a great way of how the music is fully delivered and implemented right to the listener.

Standout tracks on the album to check out are: Cactus Drop, Iguana Bro, Before The Storm, Last Drop and Quiet Sand. Guglielmo brings a progressive and cinematic quality to these tracks which has an easy going attitude that can easily be classified as CHILL OUT music for the STONER GENERATION. This isn’t the fastest music that Guglielmo has written but it’s great to hear his own perspective on the whole Californian Desert/Stoner Rock scene.

You can hear a fine amount of Seventies Funk music that gives the album such a refreshing change of musical attitude on the later stages of the record. Some of the tracks are perhaps a bit too long but it’s good to see Guglielmo outside of his comfort zone and trying something new, bold and superbly real from start to finish. 

Overall, Willy Kuma Vol. 1 is a richly observed and superbly entertaining record which may even become Guglielmo’s most popular project if he keeps making great records such as this.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

BandCamp

Danish Sludge/Doom force DYING HYDRA signs with Argonauta Records

Argonauta Records is proud to announce the signing of Copenhagen based sludge/doom trio DYING HYDRA for the release of the band’s upcoming new material.

Says the band: “We are sincerely grateful for being a part of Argonauta Records. It has always been a goal for us to grow and develop our music further and better, so this is a great opportunity for us to do this. We are looking forward to what will come and will enjoy it all the way.”

Emerging from the Danish underground with crushing heaviness and a ritualistic approach to sound, DYING HYDRA have forged a distinctive identity built on massive low end, abrasive distortion and hypnotic atmosphere. Blending raw aggression with emotional depth, the band delivers immersive compositions that move across sludge, doom, stoner and heavy psych territories with remarkable intensity.

Formed in 2018, the trio features Lars Pontoppidan on guitar and vocals, Patrick Fragtrup on guitar and vocals, and Tejs Kyhl on drums. Through relentless live activity, DYING HYDRA have become a respected presence within the Scandinavian heavy scene, performing at events such as Copenhagen Metal Fest, Colossal Weekend, Sonic Ritual and Blacksworks Tattoo Convention, while sharing the stage with acts including Bongripper, Primitive Man and Konvent.

Their critically acclaimed albums “Of Lowly Origin” and “Strange and Beautiful Things” established the band as one of the most compelling emerging names in contemporary sludge and doom, combining monolithic riffs, haunting atmospheres and destructive sonic weight into a sound both punishing and deeply immersive.

For fans of YOB, Neurosis, Mastodon, High on Fire, Conan, Dopelord and Dopethrone.

More details about the collaboration and upcoming album will be revealed soon.

https://dyinghydra.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/dyinghydra
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the details

Goodnight Sky - Magnum Opiate (EP Review)

Release Date: May 27th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Magnum Opiate - Tracklisting

1.Shiva 02:43

2.Sex Marks The Spot 03:01

3.Revenge Ritual 04:56

4.Miracles Are Lies 03:12

5.Apocalypse Now 03:48

6.Glue 04:00

7.End Of Days 03:15

8.Shame 06:49

Members

 

Ted Levin - Vocals, guitars

Bill Peluso - Drums

Stas Poletaev - Bass

Review

Magnum Opiate is the latest record from Psych/Grunge/Sludge/Stoner Rockers Goodnight Sky with the band treading a fine line between Doomed Out grooves powered by the likes of Black Sabbath, Uncle Acid, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Restless Spirit and King Buffalo. The grunge attitude of Goodnight Sky’s music gives them a grounded feeling which allows their music to off-shoot into heavier directions. There’s a sense of psychedelic melody that holds everything together with gloomy soundscapes being used at the right moment which allows the record to be more direct.

The songs can be considered quite commercial in places but in the best possible way as the sound is quite clean allowing the record to be considered expertly produced from all creative angles. The record is very multi-layered with the different styles of music that Goodnight Sky have at their disposal. Magnum Opiate works best when Goodnight Sky ventures into the murky depths of Sludge Rock and when the lyrics take a darker turn than you initially expect.

The vocals from Ted Levin are delivered expertly well with elements of Grunge, Doom and Post-Stoner surroundings allowing him to have a deeply engaging persona on this record alone. There’s something soothing and trusting behind Ted’s delivery but there’s also a dangerous side to Ted’s vocals which comes to life on standout tracks such as Sex Marks The Spot, Revenge Ritual, Glue and Shame.

The other members of the band also excel bringing their atmospheric presence to the record with Bill Peluso on Drums and Stas Poletaev on Bass providing a thrilling backline where the heavy Doomed Out and Trippy Psychedelic movements come into play. Ted’s sludgy guitars move from the backdrops of classic Grunge and inject a gloomy modern day psychedelic energy with Bill’s epic drumming and Stas’s intricate bass playing allowing Goodnight Sky to become a formidable power trio in their own right.

Magnus Opiate runs for a tight and compact thirty minutes but actually feels longer which is one of the main strengths of the record. As Goodnight Sky don’t fuck around with overplayed and overlong Progressive instrumental beats where they get straight down into playing a thrilling style of modern day Psych Stoner Metal.

This is a superb EP which is full of great songs from a band that I’m hoping becomes more well known within the underground scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

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