King Potenaz - Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 2 (Album Review)

Release Date: June 12th 2026. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: DD

Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 2 - Tracklisting

1.Sumerian Nights

2.Lord Of The Rust

3.The Nothingness

4.A Crack In The Void (The Empty Hand pt. 2)

Members

 

Vocals/Guitars: Giuseppe Guarini

Bass: Francesco Pensato

Drums/Synths: Piero Schiavone

Special Guest:

Anna Carla Del Prete: cello on “Sumerian Nights” intro

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers King Potenaz returns with Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. Two which is being released a year after the critically acclaimed first volume was released to the world. That record showed how King Potenaz leaned heavily into the Cosmic, Occult and Space Rock vortex of the Doom/Stoner Metal world. Volume 2 takes up a similar journey with King Potenaz playing even more lucid and strange Psychedelic sounds with a fine level of distorted paranoia appearing within the epic opening track of Sumerian Nights.

There’s a sense of mystery that builds up behind the scenes which allows the band to be more focused and perhaps leaning into the Sludge Rock aspects of their overall sound. The music can be slightly fractured and disjointed compared to Volume One but there’s a familiar distorted flow that holds everything together. Sometimes the atmosphere can be cautiously slow with long drawn out instrumental passages especially with the intense down tuned FUZZ based grooves. 

King Potenaz dictate their music with real doomed out precision with a chainsaw effect developing within the thrilling and highly cinematic second track Lord Of The Rust. Taking small inspiration from the likes of KYUSS, SLEEP, MONOLORD and BLACK SABBATH for small parts of the record, there’s a subtle Punk Rock ethic appearing with how the vocals and melodies are fully delivered. The amplified movements have a classic Seventies and Nineties feeling that manifests into some epic bursts of Doom, Stoner and Cosmic Metal that pull no punches with how HEAVY the whole record becomes. 

The album has an infinite amount of different sounds and trippy effects that constantly overlap each other which remind me of SLOMATICS and UFOMAMMUT in places. The final two tracks of The Nothingness and A Crack In The Void (The Empty Hand pt. 2) once again sees King Potenaz bring a heavier, violent and apocalyptic sound to the party with areas of Progressive themes becoming quite dominant and perhaps at the forefront of how the band deliver their music.

With the band willing to experiment with melody, tones and textures on Volume Two, there’s some excellent use of Post-Doom, Post-Stoner and Ambient structures which really transports the listener into the far reaches of the Occult World and even beyond into the Cosmic domain. With rich storytelling aspects appearing within the lyrics, the vocals are delivered superbly by Giuseppe Guarini once again. The later stages of Volume Two can be quite “out there” with Giuseppe sounding like he’s been possessed by an evil entity but the Space Rock themes allows everything to be quite over the top and brilliantly outlandish. Though, there’s a sense of grounded realism that still manages to be one of the albums main strengths.

There’s plenty of outstanding riffs, grooves and instrumental sounds for listeners to sit back and enjoy the wild cinematic ride that Volume Two contains. Once again the album has been recorded by Stefano Manca and with Marc Urselli handling mixing and mastering duties. It was this winning combination that made Volume One such a great record to listen to and they pull off the same incredible work here.

Majestic Mountain Records are once again on board by releasing the album and once again proving why they’re one of the best labels currently out there alongside the likes of Ripple Music, Heavy Psych Sounds, Argonauta Records, Blues Funeral Recordings and Magnetic Eye Records. 

Arcane Desert Rituals Vol.2 is an absolute triumph and closes this magnificent two part musical adventure on a complete high. What more could you possibly want!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Viral Propaganda PR for the promo.

Arcane Desert Rituals Vol.2  is available to buy now on Digital Download via Majestic Mountain Records.

Links

https://www.facebook.com/KingPotenaz666
https://www.instagram.com/kingpotenaz666
https://kingpotenaz.bandcamp.com

Bantoriak - Vol II (Album Review)

Release Date: June 19th 2026. Record Label: Argounata Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Vol II - Tracklisting

Vol II

Blu Bus feat. Sergio Ch.

Ritualism feat. Dome La Muerte

Liquid Brain

Kairot

La Muerte feat. Dome La Muerte

Amanita

Karpura

Members

 

Izio Orsini

Special Guests & Contributors

Dome La Muerte, Sergio Ch. (Los Natas), Marco Gambicorti (Rancho Bizzarro), Toto Barbato (The Cage, Snaporaz), Omar Tognotti, Giacomo Cerri (Vesta), Rosy Ninivaggi (Profanal), Valentina Erre, Jacopo Pannokkia, Filippo Del Bimbo (Supernaughty), Andrea Appino (Zen Circus), Mattia Cominotto (Green Fog Studio), Giacomo Vaccai.

Review

Psych/Desert Rock/Stoner Rock collective Bantoriak returns after an eleven year absence with their second imaginatively titled album “Vol II”. The record has a spectacular roster of guest musicians to help Izio Orsini, the creative mastermind behind Bantoriak, fully come to life. The album has a wonderfully rich and meaningful Space Rock and Cosmic attitude that acts as the main launchpad for Bantoriak to create music that spreads the vast Desert Rock sounds that come right at you from the very start.

Vol II has a free flowing narrative where the majority of the tracks follow their own creative path which isn’t surprising with the wide range of guest musicians contributing to the album. If you’re a fan of KYUSS, Yawning Man, Monster Magnet, Karma To Burn and Monkey3 then this album will have you fully covered with its trance induced extended instrumental jams. There is a deep Eastern mythology and folklore within the music which gives this record a very unique sound especially within the Ambient and Post-Rock elements that appear within the quieter stages of the record.

Bantoriak does play fast and loose with the rules of Heavy Psych and Stoner Rock with certain songs not following a straight forward narrative as such. However, this is one of the albums main strengths with the non-stop SONIC experimentation reminding me of the classic Monster Magnet record TAB. There’s similarities between TAB and VOL II with warped psychedelics and distorted Space Rock environments combining for a minor battle of SONIC WARFARE within the heaviest moments on the album. 

There’s a layer of Prog Rock that allows the listener to immerse themselves even further as Bantoriak starts using Progressive themes and gloomy Droned Out melodies which is also deeply rooted in Seventies Psychedelic Rock surroundings. Sometimes the record can feel a bit overloaded but Bantoriak wisely takes a break to play a more stripped back style of Heavy Psych and Ambient Rock. 

Standout tracks on the record for me are: Vol II, Blu Bus, Ritualism, Liquid Brain, Amanita and Karpura. As these tracks are the most focused with heaviest, trippiest and riff-centric on the whole album. Obviously SONIC EXPERIMENTATION and Psychedelic Distortion are the key elements that make this record really standout. There are vocals along the way and they only appear when they’re really needed. When they do appear, they’re mostly based on shamanic chants but it does give an air of mystery to the whole journey of Vol II. 

Vol II does have a neverending supply of superb instrumental spaced out jams from start to finish which overlaps with other areas of the whole Desert Rock/Stoner Rock scene. There is a certain Tribal and Ritual presence which makes the whole journey richly rewarding and when Bantoriak is in his creative element then Vol II is in a league of it’s own especially when the sludgy guitars fully take control for brief moments of the album.

It may have been a long wait for Bantoriak to return with Vol II but this album has definitely been worth the wait which will no doubt go down a storm with the wider Stoner Rock community. This is another contender for Album Of The Year especially if you like your music that takes you on a massive journey across the COSMOS!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the promo.

Vol II is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Argonauta Records.

Links 

https://www.facebook.com/bantoriakDoom
https://www.instagram.com/bantoriak.ii/

https://bantoriak.bandcamp.com/

Swiss Spheric Rock Trio BIRDLORD Release New Single “En Donde Me Perdí”

Swiss spheric rock trio BIRDLORD continue the ascent toward their highly anticipated debut album with the release of the new single “En Donde Me Perdí”, available now via Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records. 

Stream the track here: https://tidal.com/track/526315361/u

Taken from the upcoming full-length album Dreams Lie In The Eagle’s Eye, set for release on September 25th, 2026, “En Donde Me Perdí” shows one of the heaviest and most direct sides of the band so far. Built around thick fuzz guitars, driving bass lines and an infectious groove, the track combines psychedelic rock with raw alternative energy and a strong sense of movement.

Rather than turning inward, the song reflects on frustration with a cruel society and the feeling of losing yourself inside systems, numbness and the constant struggle between ethics and profit. Sung in Spanish, "En Donde Me Perdí" balances catchy hooks with dense walls of sound, shifting between hypnotic passages and explosive instrumental moments.

Since forming in Bern in late 2023, BIRDLORD have rapidly evolved from an ambitious underground project into one of the most compelling new names in the European psychedelic and progressive rock scene. The current lineup featuring Lily Lord, Gaia Giacomelli and Köbi Ferber has refined the band’s sound into something sharper, heavier and emotionally layered, balancing explosive energy with atmospheric depth.

With “En Donde Me Perdí”, BIRDLORD offer another immersive preview of an album destined to push their artistic vision even further. More details about Dreams Lie In The Eagle’s Eye will be revealed soon.

For more info:

https://www.facebook.com/birdlordband
https://www.instagram.com/birdlord_band
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the details.

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.

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

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 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | Twitter | Linktree

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 

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

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

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Shake Promotion For The Details.