BONGZILLA to release new album "Dab City" on June 2nd via Heavy Psych Sounds; first track and pre-order available!

Wisconsin's sludge metal behemoths BONGZILLA announce the release of their sixth studio full-length "Dab City" on Heavy Psych Sounds, and unleash the crushing first track "Hippie Stick"

Their sixth album "Dab City" is an ode to the purest form of THC and the trio's beloved hometown of Madison Wisconsin, which is known as Mad City. A political and social hotbed and a lightning rod for the state and entire Midwest since the 1960s, Madison is also home to a large University with one of the best agronomy departments in the country and not surprisingly the focal point for some of the finest cannabis our country has to offer — frontman Mike "Muleboy" Makela has not seen pot with seeds in it since arriving in 1993! Although not legal, possession is basically ignored and punished with a nominal $1 fine for under 128 grams. "Dab City" was 100% recorded on tape and composed of seven songs with a running time of almost 60 minutes of brand new Stoned Sludge Heavy Doomy Riffs!

Says BONGZILLA: "For the recording of "Dab City" we procured 10 g plus of the finest concentrates, we could lay our hands on and somewhere north of 120 g of cannabis flower. And recorded it on 2-in analog tape over two sessions at Future Apple Tree Studio in Rock Island, Illinois. The fall 2022 session is known as the "Harvest Sessions" and the February 2023 session is known as the Propagation Sessions. The record is our second album as a three-piece and our second release for our label Heavy Psych Sounds, continuing our journey into ultra-stoned sludgey psychedelia."

"Dab City" will be released in various ultra-limited and limited colored editions, classic vinyl edition, CD digipack and digital on June 2nd through Heavy Psych Sounds.

BONGZILLA New album "Dab City" - Out June 2nd on Heavy Psych Sounds - PRE-ORDER

BONGZILLA is a stoner metal band from Madison, Wisconsin. As their name suggests, most of their material is related to marijuana and promotes its legalization. The band formed in 1995, and over the next three years recorded and released a dozen songs on EPs and split singles. In 1998 they signed to Relapse Records, and have since released four studio albums and a live album through the label. Since the seeds were planted in the mid-90s, BONGZILLA have been sowing Madison, Wisconsin’s rich soil with their homegrown, psychedelic sludge. Following the release of their fourth studio album "Amerijuanican" in 2005, the band toured and remained active until 2009 when the group quietly took a hiatus. 

In April 2015 it was announced BONGZILLA was reforming with the "Gateway" lineup, first announcing a tour of Europe. The band followed up with a four-date tour of the West Coast USA, a tour of the east coast USA and an appearance at Desertfest Belgium. The band began 2017 with a local show in Wisconsin before embarking on another European tour, playing the likes of Roadburn Festival, DesertFest Berlin, DesertFest London, KristonFest and have begun working on material for a new album.

In early 2020, BONGZILLA started their own label Gungeon Records and released a re-issue of their classic album "Apogee". However, in March of 2020 it would be announced that Cooter Brown would retire from the band due to health and family reasons, with Bongzilla choosing to continue as a thunderous three-piece. A few months into the pandemic, BONGZILLA began rehearsing and recording for several different record projects: a limited 'Wake Brewing' 7", a full-length album titled Weedsconsin, an LP split with the band Tons, and a 7" split with Boris —  the first of a 7" split series released on Gungeon Records. All projects were recorded at Future Apple Tree Studios in Rockford, Illinois in October 2020 by the legendary John Hopkins, before his sudden and unexpected passing in the late fall of 2020.

In January 2021, the band announced their signing to Heavy Psych Sounds for the release of their fifth studio album "Weedsconsin" in the spring of 2021, which "immediately returned them to the top of the stoner doom heap", according to Decibel Magazine. They are now set to return with their new album "Dab City" on HPS Records.

BONGZILLA is

Mike "Muleboy" Makela - vocals & bass

Jeff "Spanky" Schultz - guitar

Mike "Magma" Henry - drums

BONGZILLA links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Spotify

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜Instagram ⎜ Youtube

"WINO: The Documentary", the story of US doom metal legend SCOTT "WINO" WEINRICH to be released by New Terms Productions on May 13th!

WINO: The Documentary, the story of SCOTT "WINO" WEINRICH, one of heavy metal's most iconic underground figureheads and godfather of doom, will be released by New Terms Productions on May 13th digitally and on DVD.

"WINO: The Documentary" is the story of doom rock legend Scott 'Wino' Weinrich, known for his many influential bands such as The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand, Premonition 13, Wino Acoustic, Place of Skulls, Shrinebuilder, Probot, and more.

Dive into the outlaw life, epic career, and enduring influence of Wino, in this honest, raw, and often hilarious depiction of the man and his music. Woven together with heavier-than-hell live performances from his many legendary bands, the story is structured by the truth told in his own words, through interviews, road trips, tours, intimate behind the scenes, and the quest to pick up his 1964 Harley Davidson panhead chopper, Mr. Nasty.

The movie features Bobby Liebling (Pentagram), Dixie Dave (Weedeater), Jimmy Bower (Down, Eyehategod), Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down), Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), Henry Rollins (Black Flag), and more.

Created and directed by Sharlee Patches of New Terms Productions, 'Wino: The Documentary' is set for a physical and digital release on May 13th, 2023. It will be premiered on March 25th at the Maryland International Film Festival, and on April 20th at Tinker Street Cinema in Woodstock, NY, with additional acoustic show + screening dates to be announced soon.

Watch The Trailer Below:

WINO: The Documentary" available on May 13th, 2023

Digitally on bit.ly/newtermsproductions
DVD preorder available on www.wino-art.com

Scott “Wino” Weinrich is widely known as the iconic frontman of cornerstone doom metal founders SAINT VITUS and THE OBSESSED — both founded in the late 70s and revered for inspiring hundreds of bands in their sovereign wake — as well as SPIRIT CARAVAN, THE HIDDEN HAND, SHRINEBUILDER, and more. Through his prolific and passion-driven 40-year career, whether he was laying the foundations of modern doom or successfully sailing across stirring folk rock lands, Wino has remained an unwavering force of the underground scene. Wino formed his first band The Obsessed in 1978, starting the reign of “heavy and slow” decades before doom grew into a flourishing worldwide genre unto itself. A few years later, he moved to California to join Saint Vitus, with whom he released the seminal ‘Born Too Late’ (1986), one of the most powerful statements in doom’s early history, with Wino’s raspy, heartfelt and punk-charged vocals booming loudly above the crowd of howling, gimmicky Ozzy copycats.

Following a reformation of The Obsessed and a brief major-label flirtation in the early 90s which included a piledriving update of Black Sabbath's "The Wizard" alongside Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and Rob Halford, Wino formed yet another influential outfit, Spirit Caravan. The new band fused his trademark sludgy churn with an increased soulfulness, beginning to lay the groundwork for his eventual exploration of acoustic and expansive songwriting. During this time, Dave Grohl also invited Wino to join his all-star Probot project alongside Lemmy Kilmister, King Diamond, Max Cavalera and other notables. 

Numerous world tours with his various bands later, the creative source remained inexhaustible as Wino embarked on a new direction with the release of his solo debut, ‘Punctuated Equilibrium’, quickly followed by a second solo LP ‘Adrift’ in 2010, a series of collaborations with German folk songwriter Conny Ochs, and ‘Forever Gone’ in 2020. Wino embarked on extensive European and North American tours as a solo act, continuing to maintain his thriving solo output even with the arrival of a much-heralded and welcomed re-constitution of The Obsessed formed for the third time in 2017. The Obsessed, now a 4-piece, have toured extensively since 2020, and have just completed their latest studio album “Gilded Sorrow”, to be released on Ripple Music in 2023.

Today, Wino is respected the world over as the godfather of doom and one of underground heavy music’s most revered lifers. Worldwide festivals like Roadburn, Hellfest, Psycho Las Vegas, Desertfest, Maryland Deathfest, Rock Hard Fest, Monolith On The Mesa and countless others keep inviting Wino back through his various sonic incarnations year after year.

SCOTT "WINO" WEINRICH links:

Facebook - Instagram - Website

Cosmic/Psych/Blues/Hard Rockers Zålomon Grass Announce Details Of Their Upcoming "SPACE OPERA" Tour

Cosmic/Blues/Hard Rockers Zålomon Grass announce details of their "Space Opera" Tour to promote their new album Space Opera

The "Space Opera" tour begins:

-Saturday April 8, Corroios Theatre, Lisbon
-Thursday April 13. Azkena Hall, Bilbao
-Friday April 14. Soho, Burgos
-Saturday April 15. TBD
-Friday April 21. Fun House, Madrid
-Saturday April 22. Babylon, Leon
-Friday, May 5. Masterclub, Vigo
-Friday May 12. Cultural Brotherhood, Vilanova
-Friday May 19. Auriense, Ourense
-Saturday May 20. La Alquitara, Bejar
-Sunday May 21. El Zagal, Valladolid
-Friday May 26. Mardi Gras, A Coruña
-Saturday May 27. Jagger Room, Lugo
-Saturday, September 2. TBA
-Saturday, September 9, La Guarida del Ángel, Jerez de la Frontera
-Sunday October 1, Krazzy Kray, Cambados


BAND BIO:

Fed up with how predictable the current Hard Rock scene may be sometimes, both inside and outside our borders, Zålomon Grass spins the gears of his time and space machinery, ready to bring us sounds of other times and retake the legacy and spirit of the early 70s of the 20th century with his particular, eclectic, yet accurate Cosmic Blues.

The band has already published two albums: The Four Track EP at Radar Estudios, with 4 electrifying songs charged with the adrenaline of a live performance. And a second EP; Three Hundred Years, the soundtrack to the 20-minute self-produced experimental film in which they explored their creative limits throughout 4 songs that combine psychedelic rock, acoustic blues and the soundtracks of the 70's sci-fi B movies.

With this new and long-awaited album -recorded at Hendrik Röver's GuitarTown Recording Studios and produced by the band itself- Zålomon Grass culminates a cycle and opens the door to a universe full of sonic possibilities with a conceptual album, rich in analog nuances and full of veiled and subtle nods to classic works of the genre, both lyrically and musically; thus consolidating his personal style and navigating through a unique sound, which fearlessly addresses the entire spectrum of Rock and Roll with capital letters, from the most classic notes to the most avant-garde.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

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Zålomon Grass - Space Opera (Album Review)

Release Date: March 10th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Space Opera: Tracklisting

1.Cosmic Relief 03:31

2.The Drill 04:20

3.All Hands On Deck 05:48

4.Harder To Rise 05:37

5.Heard It On The News 04:39

6.Too Late Now 03:52

7.Groove To Prove 04:04

8.Don't Let Me Go Down (Space Opera) 06:37

Members

G. Mckenzie: lead & backing vocals, electric, twelve string and acoustic guitars.

David Rodd: electric Fender bass guitar, synths & backing vocals.

Mauro Comesaña: drums, percussion & backing vocals.

Hendrik Röver: European classic guitar, Fender Rhodes & percussion.

Review

Space Opera is the new album from Vintage Cosmic Rockers Zålomon Grass who bring a 70’s Hard Rock Entergy inspired mostly by Led Zep. The band also play strands of Blues Rock, Psych Rock and an addictive wave of Nostalgia based grooves. The music may not be classed as METAL but perhaps the precursor to Heavy Metal with a melodic outlook with their music.

The album is downright FUNKY when the Blues Rock inspired grooves are played with a fresh Classic Rock perspective that feels quite grounded even when the Cosmic/Space Rock attitude fully takes over even early on with the album on tracks such as Cosmic Relief, The Drill and All Hands On Deck. There’s some epic guitar solos that feel inspired by Peter Frampton and Eddie Van Halen. The instrumental work is insanely good which allows Zålomon Grass to have a first-rate delivery where the extended guitar solos and jams appear.

Space Opera is meant to be a concept album which is explained in greater detail on their BandCamp Page. However, Space Opera feels like a greatest hits collection of a Classic Hard Rock Band from yesteryear but still sounding original and wholly inspired when the freaky Psych/Cosmic Rock sounds are used as the prime way to playing their music. 

The mood can be quite emotionally charged, with Zålomon Grass playing to their strengths on the album’s standout tracks All Hands On Deck and Heard It On The News. There’s a slight deviation to an aggressive style of Blues Rock guitars which the band fuse heavier Psychedelic elements for a more well-rounded sound.

Zålomon Grass “wear their hearts on their sleeves” with this album. Some of the ideas for the concept album maybe too outlandish for a Classic/Retro/Hard Rock album such as this but somehow it all works. The lyrics are bloody fantastic and have a real soulful purpose to them.  The vocals on Space Opera are off the chart here. Lead vocalist G. McKenzie has an impressive vocal range here and this dude can really SING!!!. 

G. McKeznie is helped along by excellent backup vocals from David and Mauro throughout the album which can be thoroughly modern even with the main Classic Hard Rock themes of the whole album.

The production values are superbly handled and allows Zålomon Grass to have a deep, warm and engaging sound to showcase their first rate style of music that brings a banging Psych/Cosmic/Space Rock attitude to the Classic Hard Rock Underground scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Exclusive Song Premiere From MASHEENA For Their New Song UNDER THE SAME SUN From Upcoming New Album

Masheena’s second single from their upcoming debut album WEST COAST HARD ROCK! The album will be released digitally on all platforms, as well as vinyl through Majestic Mountain Records, and on the CD and cassette mediums through Electric Talon Records US.

After the party vibe of the first single “1979”, “Under The Same Sun” presents a darker and heavier sound. Unashamedly grunge influenced, it sounds like a collaboration that Soundgarden and Metallica would have done in the early 90s, yet with modern hard rock production. A high-flying chorus shines rays of sunlight down on the brooding verses, balancing the darkness and light presented in the song’s mood.

The track was recorded at Solslottet Studios in Bergen, Norway by Enslaved-drummer and renowned producer Iver Sandøy, co-produced by the band, and mixed to perfection by the legend Machine at The Machine Shop in Austin, Texas, USA.

We’re excited to announce that the cover illustration for WEST COAST HARD ROCK was created by tattoo artist and illustrator Chon Hernandez (Blast Tyrant)! The single cover for Under The Same Sun is a detail from the full album cover.

Masheena was started up by a group of longtime friends in 2021. Combined, they have over 100 years of service in hard-rocking bands like Immortal, Abbath, I, Royal Rooster, Lost at Last, Ilti Milta, and St Satan.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | Twitter

Thanks to Majestic Mountain Records for all of the details.

Green Yeti - Necropolitan (Album Review)

Release Date: March 17th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Necropolitan: Tracklisting

1.Syracuse 02:45

2.Witch Dive 04:04

3.Jupiter 362 05:09

4.Golgotha 07:41

5.Dirty Lung 07:32

6.Kerosene 07:31

7.One More Bite 09:16

Members

Bass: Dani Avramidis

Guitar & Vocals: Michael Andresakis

Drums: Giannis Koutroumpis

Review

Necropolitan is the new album Psych Doom/Stoner Metallers Green Yeti and is their first album in six years. This album is a collection of Doomed Out Stoner sounds wrapped up in layers of Psych Rock, Fuzz and Desert Rock which does become slightly distorted at times. Green Yeti find their real focus when playing a swirling style of Gloomy Rhythms and KYUSS-esque extended jams. The vocals from Michael has that classic “Desert/Stoner Metal” feel even when the album ventures into areas of Doom Metal where perhaps the band’s rhythm section becomes the best part of the album with forceful Bass Guitar sounds and pounding drums to match.

The early stages of the album sees Green Yeti explore subtle  areas of creativity with early songs such as Witch Dive, Jupiter 362 and Golgotha having varied styles of WEEDIAN based music that soon goes into areas such as Space Rock and Prog Rock. The sound of the legendary DESERT SCENE feels more gloomy and desolate with Green Yeti’s use of Ambient themes especially on Jupiter 362. That song has a true “CINEMATIC” feel that allows the song to be classed more of a Post-Doom or Post-Rock song. Long droned out soundscapes were a great creative choice to make as it shows there’s something different to Green Yeti’s outlook on Stoner based music.

Fourth track Golgotha carries on the creative themes from Jupiter 362 but Green Yeti play a heavier style of Doomed Out or Spaced Out grooves. The song moves cautiously slowly at times but the grooves are heavy and plentiful with the atmosphere becoming more adventurous when the band plays a heavier style of music. The vocals are an interesting style with Michael performing a mixture of Growls, Chants and Harsh sounding vocals. The music does become a bit side-tracked in places especially when the band play a chaotic style of Sludge based grooves. Though, seemingly everything works as it should with this becoming one of the best tracks on the album.

The final three tracks of Dirty Lung, Kerosene and One More Bite are perhaps the gloomiest and heaviest parts of the album where Green Yeti embrace their “DOOM METAL” persona with devilish charm and authority. The music still has that “KICK-ASS” and WEEDIAN approach but Green Yeti switch things up on these tracks especially when the band try their hand at playing a THRASHIER style of music. Even Michael's vocals remind me of James Hetfield in places. There’s a lean and mean sounding SLUDGE and PUNK attitude that leads the creative charge with a cool Progressive flair.

Necropolitan is perhaps a “BASS” heavy album as that instrument feels the most dominant sound on the album. The sublime “DIY” production feel and flow of the album allows Necropolitan to be an intense experience which doesn’t pull any punches either. 

The instrumental work is superb and if you’re a fan of Green Yeti’s previous albums then you know what to expect even if the band have learnt lots of more different sounds to breathe new life into their style of Doom/Stoner Metal.

Green Yeti have delivered the goods yet again with Necropolitan and prove why they’re one of the best Doom/Stoner Metal bands from the Greek Underground Scene. 

Words by Steve Howe.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Westing - FUTURE (Album Review)

Release Date: February 24th 2023. Record Label: RidingEasy Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

FUTURE: Tracklisting

1.Back In The Twenties 03:52

2.Nothing New 06:08

3.Lost Riders Intro 02:12

4.Lost Riders 05:16

5.Big Trouble 03:42

6.Artemisia Coming Down 06:01

7.Silent Shout 03:30

8.Stanley Wu 04:33

9.Coming Back To Me 04:43

Review

I always wondered what happened to Psych Stoner Rockers Slow Season and now we have the answer with Westing. Slow Season have evolved into Westing and offer their debut release FUTURE. The band have retained their Classic Rock and perhaps Led Zepp inspired sound for FUTURE but it also sees Westing venture into heavier areas of Psych Rock and Boogie Rock with a COSMIC attitude replacing the more Blues Rock aspect of Slow Season.

This is a refreshing change of pace for Westing and they show that within the excellent two opening songs of Back In The Twenties and Nothing New. Both songs have a Seventies Classic Hard Rock attitude that allows Westing to play a more stylish “Stoner” based drive that easily moves into the Cosmic Rock arena. The guitar solos are plentiful within Nothing New but the restrained Psych Stoner Rock drive is quite pleasing to hear. 

You can detect a dark FUZZ ROCK attitude within Nothing New, Lost Riders Intro and Lost Riders (which is the standout track on the album). Westing are quite adept at playing a soulful style of music that has a mighty confident swagger to it especially when the heavier COSMIC elements appear. The music may not be HEAVY as such but Westing do play their own definitive style of Hard Rock with highly polished production values.

FUTURE remains deeply committed to its 1970’s Hard Rock cause but Westing injects modern day Stoner based techniques and sounds on great tracks such as Big Trouble, Artemisa Coming Down, Stanley Wu and Coming Back To Me.

Westing aren’t shy about using more SONIC based projections for certain parts of the record that allows FUTURE to become more challenging to listen to at times. Though, the overall creative strengths of this album is when the two worlds of OLD & NEW creative themes meet together for a more fuller and richer sound which gives the album some of its more majestic and powerful moments. 

Slow Season were famed for their RIFF-BASED approach and they don’t disappoint here with an even more “RIFF-CENTRIC” style being used for more daring grooves that I didn’t think I would expect to hear on a Slow Season record. However, this is a new chapter for the band and with Westing, the band has evolved into a more daring and exciting band. 

FUTURE is a sublime release for all fans of the Classic Hard Rock and Stoner Rock scenes.

Words by Steve Howe.

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the promo.

FUTURE is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via RidingEasy Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram