Sundecay - The Blood Lives Again (Album Review)

Release Date: February 13th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD/Vinyl

The Blood Lives Again - Tracklisting

1.Here Comes the Wizard 08:05

2.Silence Spoken 07:48

3.The Blood Lives Again 06:04

4.The Tyranny Rushes In 11:22

5.Will Dusk Defy Dawn 10:19

Members

Derek Hoffman - Bass

Julian Vardy - Drums

Mark Chandler - Guitars

Brian Scott - Guitars

Rich Pauptit - Vocals

Review

Psych Doom Metallers Sundecay latest album The Blood Lives Again forges sounds from areas of Proto-Metal, Sludge Metal, Prog Metal and Stoner Metal for a complex and riff-fuelled dynamic. You can hear influences from the likes of Saint VItus, Pentagram, High On Fire, Mastodon, Pallbrearer and Monolord. Sundecay make their own great mark by adding moments of Heavy Prog into the mix and bombastic vocals that match the “Proto-Metal” environment that holds everything together.

Opening track Here Comes The Wizard has that classic HEAVY METAL fantasy element heard within the lyrics but Sundecay weaves classic and modern based soundscapes that makes you instantly pay attention throughout. The sound is quite dramatic with full on Progressive melodies that allows Sundecay to dive right into the world of Psychedelic Stoner Metal with superb results. The song is quite long with different melodic themes and technical structures that makes it even more addictive from the very start.

Second track Silence Spoken sees Sundecay opt for a more grounded approach with the lyrics but with the band playing an almost GOTHIC sounding melody with perhaps using Type O Negative as influence. The vocals are quite dramatic with a slight operatic approach allowing the music to move between levels of Post-Doom, Gothic Rock, Sludge Rock and Post-Metal. This is quite an interesting style of music that  Sundecay have created here as it’s quite vivid with outbursts of ambient grooves that add a layer or mystery to the whole record. 

Third track The Blood Lives Again sees Sundecay switching things again by combining modern day Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metal grooves with a fantastical Proto-Metal energy which sees demonic lyrics and vocals unite for one of the most DOOMED OUT tracks on the whole album. There’s a ton of great instrumental passages that move between the best moments of the last fifty years of heavy metal within one glorious and unapologetic standout track.

The final two tracks The Tyranny Rushes In and Will Dusk Defy is where the band fully align themselves to their Progressive Doom Metal roots with two tracks offering highly dramatic sounds that have a haunting and emotional quality to them. The music is complex yet again and beautifully played with Sundecay inspired by the likes of Pallbearer, YOB  and Mastodon for certain sections of both tracks, The gloomy and gothic themes of the lyrics tug at the heart strings with perhaps The Tyranny Rushes In being my favourite track on the whole album.

The Blood Lives Again is an emotionally charged and beautifully constructed Psychedelic Doom Metal album of the highest order. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sundecay for the promo.

The Blood Lives Again is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl.

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Nightscape - Cosmic Viewer (Album Review)

Release Date: February 06th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Cosmic Viewer - Tracklisting

1.Lost on the Rail 05:27

2.Reflection 08:00

3.Sand Drifter 07:41

4.Moon Howler of the Night 05:58

5.Lower Path 05:43

6.Dehumanizer 06:25

7.Starry Eyes 06:48

8.Resilient Moonscape 06:11

9.Dance Wind 05:53

10.Cosmic Viewer 06:29

Members

Guglielmo Allegro - Produced, composed, written, edited, recorded, mixed and mastered.

Review

Cosmic Viewer is the latest release from Drone/Doom/Stoner Metal collective Nightscape which is the musical project from Guglielmo Allegro who is also the creative mastermind behind Drone/Doom Metal outfit Void Sinker. This album follows a similar path as Nightscape’s debut album but with a slightly heavier droned out aspect and even longer instrumental soundscapes. The record is spread across ten tracks and runs for over an hour with Nightscape providing the listener with a never-ending supply of mystic sounding melodies that picture the darker side of the Desert Rock landscape. 

Everything moves at a cautious pace with Nightscape blending different musical shifts against each other with a monolithic DRONE METAL appetite holding everything together. Though, there are times when Guglielmo Allegro does play a faster, heavier and distorted style of music that gives this record a more unforgiving edge. The distorted levels of Drone, Fuzz and Ambient Metal should appeal to fans of OM and EARTH but merged with the underground sounds of Desert Rock and Stoner Metal. 

Each track provides its own musical journey with similar themes running throughout with Nightscape providing intoxicating levels of reverb, feedback and sonic trickery which even sees moments of actual grooves start to form within the early stages of the album on tracks such as Lost On The Rail, Reflection, Sand Drifter and Moon Howler Of The Night.

You could class Cosmic Viewer as DOOMGAZE or SHOEGAZE with the exquisite dreamlike creative techniques that Guglielmo Allegro applies to this record. It’s nowhere near as dark, bleak or depressing as Guglielmo’s other project Void Sinker. This is music you can easily lose yourself into but Nightscape still delivers some surprising heavy DOOMED OUT moments to wake you out of that slumber.

Other standout tracks on the album are: Lower Path, Dehumanizer, Dance Wind and Cosmic Viewer. As these tracks are the ones I formed the most emotional connections with. As Nightscape glides through the Drone/Doom/Stoner Metal rule book to create sounds that shouldn’t really work together but the evidence is here when a beautifully played melody or extended instrumental passage left me absolutely stunned in silence. 

The album won’t be for everyone and the album may be too long. However, that hasn’t stopped Nightscape creating another essential record to own if you’re a dedicated follower of the Instrumental Rock/Metal scene. Guglielmo has promised more “Nightscape” records will be released in 2026 which I’m so looking forward to. Let’s see if those “records” can match up to this brilliant release as I feel this is my favourite album I’ve heard from Guglielmo yet. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp

Sludge/Stoner Metallers Üga Büga share "Mötorhog" single from forthcoming album VALLEY OF THE WOLF

Charlottesville, VA trio Üga Büga share the lead single from their forthcoming sophomore full length LP Valley of The Wolf.  The single is now available on all DSPs HERE.

Hailing from Virginia, Üga Büga fuses influences like Mastodon, Soundgarden, High on Fire, and The Mars Volta into a genre-bending force of rock and heavy metal. Their forceful sound is matched by fantastical lyrics of post-apocalyptic hog men, sinister wizards, and dual-wielding warriors tearing through landscapes on motorcycles—evoking scenes similar to the worlds of TMNT, Dragon Ball, and other classic comics and cartoons. Riding high after their 2024 debut album, Year of the Hog, landed on the Doom Charts, ÜGA BÜGA is set to unleash their next chapter, Valley of the Wolf.

ÜGA BÜGA has built a reputation as a sonic outlier through relentless performances across the eastern US. Their high-energy shows have earned them opportunities to open for national touring acts like Nothingmore, Darkest Hour, Castle Rat, King Buffalo, and many more, as well as festival plays such as Does It Doom's Seismic Summer Fest and Doomed and Stoned Fest. Fans and peers have tried to use countless labels to describe their sound, the consensus always comes down to two words: unique and heavy. Their growing presence has led to incredible opportunities—most recently, an international tour in Japan.

Formed in mid-2021, ÜGA BÜGA experimented with various lineups and styles before solidifying their current lineup in November 2022, featuring singer/guitarist Calloway Jones, bassist Niko Cvetanovich, and drummer Jimmy Czywczynski. This lineup infused their own diverse styles into a collection of songs written by Calloway Jones, reshaping them into a cohesive and undeniably heavier sound—one that would define their debut album, Year of the Hog. Now, the band writes collaboratively, with each member’s contributions playing a crucial role in shaping their evolving sound.

Valley of The Wolf will be available on June 5th, 2026. Pre-orders are available HERE.

ÜGA BÜGA - LIVE 2026:

02/19 Roanoke, VA - Spot on Kirk
02/20 Winston Salem, NC - The Den
02/21 Waynesboro, - The Foundry
02/22 Atlanta, GA - TBA
02/23 Louisville, KY - Mag Bar
02/25 Asheville, NC - Sly Grog Lounge
02/26 Nashville, TN - The End
02/28 Raleigh, NC - Cannonball Music Hall
03/11 Harrisonburg, VA - The Golden Pony
03/22 Norfolk, VA - Norva

Artist: Üga Büga
Album: Valley of The Wolf
Label: self-released
Release Date: June 5, 2026

Tracklisting

01. Divine Slaughter
02. Earthsuckers
03. Valley of The Wolf
04. Ghost in the Diamond Cage
05. Mötorhog
06. Nail That Binds
07. The Sand Witch
08. Divination
09. Descent
10. Revolting Power

On the Web:

ugabugaband.com
instagram.com/ugabugaband
facebook.com/ugabugaband

Thanks to Üga Büga and US/THEM PR Group for the details.

Doom/Heavy/Stoner Metallers PATRIARCHS IN BLACK Release New Song "LEFT BEHIND"

Doom/Heavy/Stoner Metallers PATRIARCHS IN BLACK (Patriarchsinblack) return with their powerful new single “Left Behind”, a dark and deeply reflective track exploring loss, acceptance, and the fragile nature of human existence. Blending personal tragedy with mystical and cosmic imagery, the song reminds us that life is finite - and that what truly matters is the legacy we leave behind.

Singer Daniel Soren explains that the lyrics reflect on real-life hardships and the balance of entropy, growth, and evolution that defines both the universe and human life. “Left Behind” urges listeners not to waste the time they have, but to create meaning while they are still alive.

Watch the official video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlHY4NpA0IQ

The track features a powerhouse line-up:

Johnny Kelly (TYPE O NEGATIVE) – drums
Dan Lorenzo (HADES/NON-FICTION) – guitar & bass
Daniel Soren – guest vocals

Side note: A brand-new PATRIARCHS IN BLACK covers album, “Completely Covered In Black”, is scheduled for release on February 13, 2026.

The new album features stunning covers of bands like Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Peter Gabriel, Twisted Sister, and more. The album also features guest vocals from Mark Sunshine (Unida), Karl Agell (ex-Corrosion of Conformity), Kyle Thomas (Exhorder), Rob Dukes (Exodus), and Bobby Jensen (Hairball). 

Completely Covered in Black features 11 cuts, as well as a vinyl bonus track of a Patriarchs in Black original song titled, "Show Them Your Power."  The CD features 2 bonus cuts including a stunning version of “Kashmir” (Led Zeppelin) and a Patriarchs in Black original titled "Dead and Dying."

Perhaps the best way to understand the point of this album is to read the words of guitarist Dan Lorenzo himself: 

"Johnny and I both love recording cover songs. If you haven’t noticed we REALLY love Kiss. As I write this, it’s only been a week since the death of Ace Frehley. Like a lot of musicians my age, I started playing guitar because of Kiss. On New Year’s Eve, 1978, I had yet to pick up a guitar. My friends and I wanted to play “air guitar” to Kiss Alive! I immediately said, “I want to be Ace.” My other three friends said that was OK for the first song, but we should “switch out” after each song. “No. My house, my rules! I’m going to be Ace for EVERY song.” 

Three months later and I started playing guitar. It would have been nice if SOMEBODY told me Kiss tuned to Eb! Anyway, I then got into Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, AC/DC, and then Judas Priest, Slayer etc. It was Johnny’s idea to do the Peter Gabriel track. A bunch of people flipped over our version of “Games”...maybe thanks to Mark Sunshine’s ridiculous vocal performance..." -Dan Lorenzo, October 23, 2025

Check out this killer new sample of the upcoming release: 

The vinyl is pressed on heavyweight opaque orange vinyl and includes a 12" x 12" insert with photos, liner notes and credits. The CD is housed in a jewel case with an 8-page booklet.  Only 200 vinyl copies will be pressed. Don't miss your chance to own this incredible album from Patriarchs in Black!

Release Date is February 13, 2026 and pre orders are live now!

www.nolifetilmetalrecords.com

TRACK LISTING:

1.     Supertzar (Black Sabbath)

2.     Strange Ways (Kiss)

3.    Destroyer (Twisted Sister)

4.    Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin)

5.    Hotter Than Hell (Kiss)

6.    The Chase (Motorhead)

7.    Snowblind (Black Sabbath)

8.    Dragon Attack (Queen)

9.    The Ocean (Led Zeppelin)

10.  Almost Human (Kiss)

11.  Games Without Frontiers (Peter Gabriel)

12.  VINYL ONLY BONUS TRACK: Show Them Your Power (Patriarchs in Black)

13.  CD ONLY BONUS TRACK: Kashmir (Led Zeppelin)

14.  CD ONLY BONUS TRACK: Dead or Dying (Patriarchs in Black)

Links:

www.instagram.com/patriarchsinblack
www.facebook.com/people/Patriarchsinblack/61559097640883
www.danlorenzo.net

FATIMA - Primal (Album Review)

Release Date: February 03rd 2026. Record Label: Black Robes Records. Formats: DD

Primal - Tracklisting

1.Sassquatch 04:05

2.Mammoth Graveyard 04:17

3.Killer Wart Hog 05:06

4.Dog Ham 03:34

5.Chilled Monkey Brains 04:50

6.Gazelle Horns 04:55

7.Primal 06:00

8.Waters of Babylon 03:07

9.Chilled Monkey Brains (Single 2026) 04:50

Review

Doom/Grunge/Stoner Rockers FATIMA release their fifth album Primal which is perhaps their heaviest and most progressive release yet that builds upon similar themes heard within their 2022 album Fossil. FATIMA has a great way of blending classic Grunge soundscapes against a backdrop of Sludge Metal, Psych Rock, Noise Rock and Post-Punk attitudes. The whole sound is quite direct with FATIMA taking influence from the likes of Soundgarden, Nirvana, Alice In Chains, High On Fire and Mastodon with the multitude of different musical styles forming very early on through the excellent opening tracks of Sassquatch, Mammoth Graveyard and Killer Wart Hog.

There’s a heavy reliance on “MONSTER” folklore within FATIMA’s lyrics and how the album forms against these types of mythical beasts and the legends they provide. However, FATIMA have used this style of storytelling on previous albums though with the lyrics being more grounded despite the FANTASTICAL element they’re originally from. The switching to Post-Punk and Post-Doom surroundings allows the seedy GRUNGE aesthetic to generate a moody atmosphere which does become quite dominant with Post-Metal and Heavy Psychedelic attitudes holding everything together.

The added use of down-tuned and slightly dirty FUZZ ROCK grooves allows a level of freakish and violent attitude to form which gives Primal a truly outlandish quality on tracks such as Dog Ham, Chilled Monkey Brains, Gazelle Horns and Primal. FATIMA always opt for a truly amplified sound which allows the LOW & SLOW and REVERB parts of the record to provide an exhilarating display of pure ROCK & ROLL fury.

The production values are handled superbly well with a classic Nineties Grunge/Stoned Out energy appearing from every single corner that allows FATIMA to play with extreme musical confidence. Sometimes the record does become a bit over the top for its own good along the way but this is offset by FATIMA’s superb musicianship which results within non-stop musical solos along the way. 

Primal is a record that delivers on all fronts which is most definitely worth multiple repeated listens.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

HOT RAM - Near Fall (EP Review)

Release Date: January 30th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl.

Near Falll - Tracklisting

1.Vimana Swamp 07:27

2.Black Weed 06:01

3.Ironbound 04:30

Near Fall Credits

Billy Konkel Guitar/Vocals

Brian Ricks Drums

Jerimy McNeil Bass (Black Weed/Ironbound)

Dan Giampietro Bass (Vimana Swamp)

HOT RAM (2026) Line-up

Billy Konkel - Guitar/Vocals

Jerimy McNeil - Bass

Dwayne Jones - Drums

Review

Near Fall is the latest EP from Stoner Metallers HOT RAM which contains a bevy of outstanding grooves from the Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal world. There’s a heavy reliance of DOWN-TUNED and FUZZ METAL riffology inspired by the likes of High On Fire, The Melvins, Acid King and Black Sabbath, However, Near Fall has its own distinctive sound with HOT RAM playing a deliberate slow paced sound to maximise the full “VIOLENT” musical energy that only becomes seedier, heavier and more violent with each passing moment. 

The EP only lasts for nineteen minutes across three superbly played tracks with HOT RAM even developing a delicious Blues Rock and Classic Hard Rock sound that is played to great levels of distorted melody within the standout opening track of Vimana Swamp. There’s a sudden shift to NOLA and Southern Metal on the later stages especially when Billy Konkel’s vocals adds a gloomy Americana and Post-Punk delivery which reminds me of the legendary Neil Fallon at times.

It’s good to see HOT RAM delivering a different slice of Stoner Metal within each individual track but including the classic WEEDIAN framework within both the lyrics and music that’s contained throughout. There are some moments when the Blues Rock and Psych Rock aspects have a grizzled and distorted effect which allows some classic Acid King / Melvins riff-worship to appear mostly on the tracks Black Weed and Ironbound. 

HOT RAM employs a certain Prog Metal style to form behind the scenes with a free flowing style of Sludge Rock overlapping with that seedy Southern Metal landscape on different stages of the record. The music is always aggressive and beautifully LOUD which captures the classic era of Sludge/Stoner Metal down to a fine art. 

It’s a shame the EP is only three tracks long as I was completely in my comfort zone before the EP suddenly ends but it’s always best leaving the audience wanting more. Let's hope a more substantial record isn’t too far behind as HOT RAM may have laid down the groundwork for a new exciting chapter of their careers with this EP.

This is first rate stuff. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Desert Bloom PR for the promo

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Psych/Stoner Metallers HOWLING GIANT announce European Headline Tour 2026

The long-term weather forecast for late spring in Europe just changed to bright blues skies and steaming hot! Brilliant stoner metal outfit HOWLING GIANT will journey from Nashville, Tennessee across the Atlantic to delight European audiences by bringing their acclaimed third full-length "Crucible & Ruin" to the stages of the old continent for the first time.

HOWLING GIANT comment: "We are excited to partner up with Atonal Music Agency to get back to Europe on the heels of our 'Crucible & Ruin' album", drummer Zach Wheeler writes. "It has been about two and a half years since our last European tour and we're quite pleased to perform in a ton of cities where we've never played before! Looking forward to see you on the road!"

"Crucible & Ruin" was released on October 31, 2025. Alongside a host of great reviews, the album has scored remarkable top ten positions in the soundchecks of leading German magazines ROCK HARD (4/49) and VISIONS (7/25)!

The album is available for purchase here: https://spkr.store/collections/howling-giant

HOWLING GIANT European Headliner Tour 2026

09 MAY 2026 Oslo (NO) Desertfest Oslo
10 MAY 2026 Stockholm (SE) Undergången
11 MAY 2026 Malmö (SE) Plan B
15 MAY 2026 Nottingham (GB) The Mist Rolling Inn
16 MAY 2026 Edinburgh (GB) Bannermans
17 MAY 2026 London (GB) Desertfest London
19 MAY 2026 Coventry (GB) The Tin
20 MAY 2026 Bristol (GB) The Gryphon
21 MAY 2026 Amsterdam (NL) de Tanker
23 MAY 2026 Berlin (DE) Neue Zukunft
24 MAY 2026 Dresden (DE) Gockelscream Fest
27 MAY 2026 Paris (FR) Supersonic Records
28 MAY 2026 Münster (DE) Rare Guitar
29 MAY 2026 Hagen (DE) Werkhof Hohenlimburg
30 MAY 2026 Esbjerg (DK) Fuzztival
31 MAY 2026 Hamburg (DE) Stellwerk
03 JUN 2026 Den Bosch (NL) Willem Twee
04 JUN 2026 Rotterdam (NL) Baroeg
05-07 JUN 2026 Siegen (DE) Freak Valley Festival

The Lowdown

HOWLING GIANT take another huge step on their third full-length "Crucible & Ruin", a collection of sparking ideas, captivating melodies, and heavy riffing close to perfection - quite a feat of on-point songwriting for such a still young band!

This is the band's first album to feature new fourth member Adrian Lee Zambrano. Although the guitarist and synth player arrived somewhat toward the end of the writing process, he was still able to add his mark with cool textures on the record. The extra guitar certainly adds even more punch to HOWLING GIANT's sound, which delivers a slightly more aggressive approach compared with predecessor "Glass Future" (2023).

It also helped the overall feel of "Crucible & Ruin" that this is the band's first album to be entirely recorded in a proper studio setting as opposed to their home studio, "the bunker". HOWLING GIANT even leaned into some raw band live takes to capture the emotion in the room.

Lyrically, "Crucible & Ruin" explores the story of the clash of a novice deity against the forces of primordial chaos as an overarching theme that loosely connects the songs. This is also reflected in the album artwork, which was painted by the mother of guitarist and vocalist Tom Polzine, featuring a unique style of alcohol ink on yupo paper.

HOWLING GIANT hail from Nashville, Tennessee, USA, sidestepping the self-proclaimed Music City's assembly line of modern pop country while taking inspiration from the brilliant songwriters and virtuoso session players that keep the town's musical legacy burning bright. Fertile ground for a preeminent fuzz-psych power trio, now turned quartet, who consciously live in the pocket of that lineage!

Following a trilogy of EPs, "Howling Giant" (2015), "Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1" (2016), and "Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 2" (2017), HOWLING GIANT struck a chord with critics and fans on their debut full-length "The Space between Worlds" in 2019. "Glass Future" proved a gargantuan leap for the band that now featured Sebastian Baltes, son of legendary ACCEPT bass master Peter Baltes. Released in 2023, "Glass Future" brought their outstanding musicianship and triple vocal attack fully into stride.

HOWLING GIANT storm forward once more in defiant refusal to remain still. Having grown into a four-piece as well as in their prowess as musicians and songwriters, "Crucible & Ruin" is an album at least as big as their name. Don't take our word for it, just give it a spin – or two or three...

Links

https://www.facebook.com/howlinggiant
https://www.instagram.com/howlinggiant
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords
https://www.instagram.com/magneticeyerecords

Thanks to All Noir PR for the details.