KALAMATA - ZENOSYNE (Album Review)

Release Date: June 26th 2026. Record Label: Copper Feast Recordings / Made Of Stone Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

ZENOSYNE  - Tracklisting

1.THERE

2.IS

3.NO

4.COMING 

5.BACK

Members

 

Guitars - Peter Jaun

Bass - Niki Hosseinian-Sereshki

Drums - Olly Opitz

Review

Psychedelic Stoner Rockers KALAMATA return from a lengthy nine year absence to release their long awaited third album ZENOSYNE. I’m a huge fan and admirer of their previous two albums so I was very excited when I received this album to listen to. KALAMATA have redefined their music since their 2017 album with further emphasis on progression which puts their music into the land of Post-Rock and Post-Metal though still keeping their classic Stoner Rock instincts intact.

The album is split into five tracks under the banner of “THERE IS NO COMING BACK” which allows KALAMATA to create a different musical persona for the record. The sound is dense, heavy, thick and superbly melodic which shows the band exploring different musical avenues with some epic SONIC melodies and sludgy distortions coming from the stunning guitar work of Peter Jaun. Sometimes the band feels inspired by the likes of Karma To Burn, Yawning Man, Monkey3 and Earthless whilst for the heavier parts you can hear echoes of Russian Circles and Pelican which adds a whole level of atmospheric dominance.

Everything is wonderfully melodic and gloriously cinematic which allows the music to be described as “FULL BLOWN TECHNICOLOUR” which is down to the great use of Desert Rock, Ambient Rock and Spaced Out environments where it can be grounded and totally outrageous at the same time.

This also feels like KALAMATA’s most personal record to date with an emotionally engaging core developing on the majority of the tracks. My favourite tracks are THERE, NO and BACK which sees KALAMATA in a more reflective mood which not only challenges the listener but also sees the band playing some of the heaviest and most daring music of their career. The band do seem to have taken influence from classic soundtracks and different cultures for the making of this album as it can be quite trippy, surreal and totally left-field for an Instrumental Rock album.

The stunning rhythm section of Niki Hosseinian-Sereshki (Bass) and Olly Opitz (Drums) provide a clinical backdrop of grounded grooves for Peter to work his psychedelic guitars upon. Niki, Olly and Peter are quite forward thinking with how to deliver their music when weaving Post-Rock themes into the wider picture that ZENOSYNE fully represents. 

ZENOSYNE is an instrumental album that has it all which makes this such a brilliantly engaging and warm-hearted record. The journey has the same importance as the destination the record fully takes the listener upon. With a free spirited direction, ZENOSYNE does have some great “JAM” based moments where KALAMATA plays fast and loose with the rules of Instrumental Rock/Metal. 

The album has superbly realised production values which gives this a highly atmospheric and subversive sound especially when the Ambient sound effects linger in the background which leaves you on the edge of your seat thinking where this great album will take you next. 

KALAMATA may have been gone a long time but on the evidence with ZENOSYNE they’ve been sorely missed and will surely be wanting to make up for valuable lost time. They have delivered an outstanding album that will no doubt be considered one of the year’s best instrumental rock albums before the year is out.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Creative Eclipse PR and KALAMATA for the promo.

ZENOSYNE is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Copper Feast Records and Made Of Stone Recordings.

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Norwegian Stoner Metallers KAL-EL announce fall US tour; new album "Astral Voyager Vol. 2" out now on Majestic Mountain/Blues Funeral Recordings!

Norway's premium cosmic heavy rockers KAL-EL are set to return to North America with an extensive fall tour alongside Goya and Volume, in support of their latest album release "Astral Voyager Vol.2" on Blues Funeral Recordings (North Am.) and Majestic Mountain Records (EU/UK).

“The album that all stoner and doom bands should aspire to.” Metal Epidemic

“It’s a celebration of heavy rock itself, of riffs, of volume, of the power of music to move you.” The Obelisk

“If you’re a fan of infectious hooks and riffs for days, then this should be right up your alley.” Metalsucks

“That motherfucker is packed to the gills with riffs and hooks.” Metal Injection

Fresh off their successful US debut alongside labelmates Insomniac in late 2025, KAL-EL are set to trample over North American grounds again this fall to deliver their giant-sized slab of rocket-fueled scandi-stoner power.

Their acclaimed full-length albums Astral Voyager Vol.1 (2025) and Astral Voyager Vol. 2 (2026) are an epic riff exploration to the farthest reaches of the galaxy — an infectious blast of sci-fi metal and soaring desert anthems. Check out their latest videos Juno and Juggernaut!

North American fall tour 2026

*9/18 - Fort Worth, TX - Haltom Theater
*^9/19 - Austin, TX - Ripplefest Texas
*9/20 - San Antonio, TX - Paper Tiger
*9/22 - Santa Fe, NM - Desert Dogs Brewery
9/23 - Phoenix, AZ - Last Exit Live
9/24 - Las Vegas, NV - Dive Bar
9/25 - Landers, CA - The Annex
9/26 - Palmdale, CA - Transplants Brewing
9/27 - Los Angeles, CA - Redwood Bar & Grill
9/29 - San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge
9/30- Sacramento, CA - Cafe Colonial
10/1 - Eugene, OR - John Henry's
10/2 - Portland, OR - The High Water Mark
10/3 - Seattle, WA - The Funhouse
10/4 - Vancouver, BC - Astoria
10/6 - Spokane, WA - The Chameleon
10/7 - Boise, ID - The Olympic
10/8 - Salt Lake City, UT - Aces High Saloon
10/9 - Denver, CO - Black Sky Brewery
10/10 - Colorado Springs, CO - What's Left Records
*no Goya // ^no Volume

Formed in Stavanger, Norway in 2012, KAL-EL established as a unique force in the international stoner and doom metal community by blending hard rock, heavy metal, psychedelic, and doom elements with science fiction themes. Their journey began with the release of "Dark Moon Voyage" EP in 2013, quickly gaining recognition as the top new rock act on NRK Urørt, Norway's platform for emerging music. The band's evolution has seen them release multiple acclaimed albums through various labels, including their debut "Pakal" (2014, Wormhole Death Records), "Ecosphere" (2015, Setalight Records), "Astrodoomeda" (2017, Argonauta Records), and the breakthrough "Witches of Mars" (2019). 2021's "Dark Majesty" through Majestic Mountain Records marked a significant milestone in their cosmic journey, followed by 2023's "Moon People" EP.

KAL-EL's signature sound, characterized by bass-heavy grooves, downtuned guitars, and mind-expanding lyrics, is deeply rooted in the sci-fi narratives penned by vocalist "The Captain" himself. Having toured extensively across Europe and the United States, they continue to push genre boundaries while maintaining their commitment to vintage sci-fi aesthetics and thundering stoner metal.

KAL-EL links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

ZuLe - DoomsdayHighrise (Single Review)

Release Date: June 10th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats Digital Download.

Line-up

Cpt.Cisco — guitar & vocals

Niek — guitar

Tjalle — bass

Jonas — drums

Review

The debut single  DoomsdayHighrise from ZuLe is quite an atmospheric track with many of your favourite bands over the last thirty five years from the Grunge, Sludge and Stoner Metal world. There's a deep love and resonance with the legendary Nineties and Noughties Rock/Metal scene with touches of modern Sonic and Psychedelic aggression.]

There's a rough exterior and musical attitude which feels like Alice In Chains jamming with Deftones for the majority of the track which pushes the band further into areas of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal themes. The vocals from Cpt.Cisco have a certain Grunge exterior to them with shades of Alt-Metal giving them a gritty Post-Metal attitude when the harsh sounds appear.

The thuggish rhythm section has an epic industrial quality with ZuLe using the backdrop of Doomed Out grooves and subtle Prog Metal changes for a song that perhaps promises there is better music to come as the song suddenly ends when things were really getting interesting. 

For a debut single, ZuLe has a lot going for them. One of the main things is their broad appeal to the wider Heavy Metal community as they play a high amount of different sounds which they capture superbly well even within the six minutes runtime of this track.

I'm looking forward to hearing more tracks from the band which they've promised will be coming on a more regular basis. ZuLe has crafted a killer sound that delivers the heavy grooves where it matters most. Check them out when you can. 

Superb stuff!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Bandcamp: https://zule-band.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zule_band
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579538023891
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zule73184

The Lowdown

ZuLe is a grungy sludge metal band from West Flanders and Ghent, formed in late 2024 from the remains of Darqo. When that monster returned to the depths from which it came, a new entity crawled upward: dark, loud and melodic. The band brings together heavy riffs, sludge, grunge influences and clean vocals into a sound that hangs somewhere between underlying menace and melodic release. Musically, echoes of Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Eyehategod, Crowbar, Deftones and Godflesh can be heard, but the main breeding ground for the songs lies elsewhere: in film. Underground classics, filled with obscure atmospheres and slowly building tension.

The band consists of Cpt.Cisco on guitar and vocals, Niek De Vos on guitar, Tjalle Groen on bass and Jonas Delbecke on drums. Its members bring experience from previous bands such as Darqo and Mindstab, but ZuLe is mainly the start of a new chapter. The first songs have been recorded, the video is ready, and debut single DoomsdayHighrise marks the first step in a series of three releases. ZuLe creates dragging, abrasive songs that keep resonating long after the last note fades out.

The Soulbreaker Company - Sins (Album Review)

Release Date: May 29th 2026. Record Label: Discos Macarras. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Sins  - Tracklisting

1.Ant Row 03:19

2.In Rome 03:28

3.Abd Al Rahman 05:09

4.Jump The Fault Line 03:34

5.Beginning Of The End 03:00

6.Reaching The Dragon 03:35

7.On Jupiter 03:28

8.The Right To Hush My Sins 03:28

9.Ten Thousand Years 03:49

10.Road And Bread 03:58

11.Be On The Run 04:15

Members

 

Guille Colás (drums)  

Lasto (bass)  

Jony Moreno (vocals)  

Javi Free (Organ, Synths)  

Dani Triñanes (Guitar)  

Illan Arribas (Guitar)

Review

Sins is the latest album from Prog/Psych/Stoner Rockers The Soulbreaker Company who have been going since 2003 and are perhaps considered one of Spain’s finest Stoner Rock bands currently out there. The album is a stunning mix of different musical themes with the band applying a wonderful kaleidoscopic Prog Rock effect throughout the album. There’s also an epic cinematic feel to this record which has been a staple of The Soulbreaker Company’s music for a very long time.

The album moves effortlessly from Seventies Hard Rock fashion into other genres of music with the band applying a lush technical precision which can be quite Jazzy in places. This gives the record a soulful and surreal purpose with real emotional quality with everything fully centered around lead vocalist Jony Moreno’s excellent vocals. Everything does have a real warm-hearted nature with the band branching out into other areas such as Post-Rock, Grunge and Ambient Rock. The band have used these creative methods on previous albums but there’s a “DOOM & GLOOM” quality that is being applied here for the heaviest and aggressive sounds played on the record.

Sins is quite long but The Soulbreaker Company keep every moving along at a cracking pace with the different musical compositions and instrumental passages they’ve written for the album. Everyone within the band fully gets their chance to shine with the different musical themes that the band plays that you can’t believe what you’re hearing and experiencing at times. The record is very forward thinking from start to finish with different musical sounds evolving from simple structures into something more complex with other intricate creative ideas being added along the way.

Standout tracks include: Ant Row, Abd Al Rahman, Jump The Fault Line, On Jupiter, Ten Thousand Years and Be On The Run which all show the most interesting sounds that The Soulbreaker Company immerse the listeners with and even apply some epic Doomed Out soundscapes to give the album a heavier dimension to contend with.

I loved how The Soulbreaker Company experimented with electronic beats and trippy psychedelic loops which gives Sins an out of this world dimension which arrives in the most unexpected of places. Sins is quite different but it has a whole unique feel, quality and creative identity made by the band’s own making which could even gain a loyal “CULT” following within the underground Heavy Rock scene. 

Sins is a wonderful celebration of how lucky we are to have bands such as The Soulbreaker Company making great records such as this. I say give this record a chance as you’ll be surprised to hear what you expect and with excellent production values contained on this record which allows Sins to quite a highly rewarding journey when everything is said and done.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Sins is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Discos Macarras Records

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Astral Goat Dominion Join Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records For Their Next Ritualistic Journey

Astral Goat Dominion are pleased to announce their signing with Octopus Rising / Argonauta Records, for the release of their upcoming album.

Formed by Oniric (bass, vocals, synth, rituals) and Khaosfuzz (guitar, vocals), Astral Goat Dominion was conceived as a psych ritual stoner doom project blending heavy, fuzz-laden soundscapes with occult and luciferian atmospheres. Through hypnotic riffs, immersive textures and ritualistic intensity, the duo explores a sonic path where doom, psychedelia and spiritual transcendence converge.

The project first emerged with the release of the debut single "Lucifer (Part I)" on June 6th, 2025, followed by the full-length album Only Lucifer and Fuzz on October 31st, 2025. The record marked the beginning of Astral Goat Dominion's journey into a world of distortion, trance and esoteric devotion, laying the foundations for what is yet to come.

Now the band is ready to enter a new phase. Astral Goat Dominion comment:

"Exactly one year after the release of our first single, 'Lucifer (Part I)', on June 6th, 2025, today, June 6th, 2026, we are truly honored and excited to join the Octopus Rising by Argonauta Records family for the next chapter and upcoming album of Astral Goat Dominion. This collaboration represents an important milestone for us and we are excited to bring our vision of psychedelic ritual stoner doom to the Argonauta family."

The band's next album is currently taking shape and will further expand the sonic and spiritual dimensions that define Astral Goat Dominion's sound.

More details will be unveiled in the coming months, stay tuned for upcoming announcements and new manifestations from Astral Goat Dominion.

Links

https://www.facebook.com/AstralGoatDominion/
https://www.instagram.com/astral.goat.dominion/
https://astralgoatdominion.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords

Plaindrifter - Gestalt (Album Review)

Release Date: June 19th 2026. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Gestalt - Tracklisting

1. Moth Murmuration
2. Eternal Season
3. Hyborian Age
4. Respite
5. In Anima
6. Debaser

Members

André Tinibel - bass guitar
Nils Stecker - guitar
Marcel "Uwe" Kloß - drms, vocals
Ryan Garney – vocals on ‘In Anima'

Review

This trio from Gelsenkirchen, Germany has moved in my periphery for a few years but for some reason I never paid close attention...until now, that is. They have just released their second full-length, 'Gestalt', the first for Ripple Music and they completely blew my mind! What these guys bring to the table is ethereal, headtripping and mind bending music. Unrestrained with no boundaries, Plaindrifter simply let the music flow. The end result is them playing on a whole different level. Excellent, indeed.

'Moth Murmuration' is dreamy like what I imagine floating in a super nova is like. It does erupt once the singing begins and when the brilliant guitar solo takes off the band mix that dreamlike state with crushing parts like no one else. Then, about halfway through they drop back to gliding through outer space. 'Eternal Season' retains the feel of its predecessor but is slightly more heavy. It brings to mind a blend of Elder and Howling Giant and it builds up gradually, something Plaindrifter are experts at. 'Hyborian Age' is mid-tempo burrowing into the mind letting you free. Kind of repetitive in the best possible way which enhances the band's transcendental traits.

'Respite' is a short, soft and beautiful instrumental segue which offers a breather in between Plaindrifter's mind bending brilliance. 'In Anima' sees the band crush at first. Drops back once Ryan Garney from High Desert Queen joins in. The floodgates open again after the verse allowing for a great solo. About halfway through the bass guitar takes over and leads us through a trippy segment. Eventually everything erupts taking the song to a brilliant ending. 'Debaser' is the longest and is the perfect closer to Plaindrifter's sophomore album. After a heavier mid-tempo beginning the band switch path with some off-the-wall spaced out playing. Gradually builds up while offering some disjointed guitar playing before the singing enters the fold and the space floating Plaindrifter are so great at conjuring takes over again.

Hoping not repeat myself but I do love it when a band appears basically out of nowhere and completely floors me. And that's exactly what Plaindrifter has done, and then some. 'Gestalt' is one of those recordings I keep on constant repeat for different reasons. One because it is so damned good; another high quality is the calming effect the album has on me. And that's very rare these days. Put it on, get the headphones in place and close your eyes. You won't regret it, in fact your life will be better, trust me.

Words by Håkan Nyman

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Gestalt is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music

Links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Exclusive Album Premiere Of Blues Rock/Stoner Rockers THE HEAVY EYES Stunning New Album FOCUS

The Heavy Eyes are ready to lead heavy rock lovers to the promised land with what can already be described as an instant classic!

Focus is the band's long-awaiting fifth studio album, FOCUS, a record brimming with new energy and cementing their stomp-inducing riff-rock as it transcends into heavier sonic realms. Sprawling guitar solos caress gargantuan grooves while languid, soulful vocals preach the gospel of a band reborn.

We're pretty excited to have the guys back in action and THE HEAVY EYES don't disappoint with their best record to date. You can hear the album in full with this exclusive album thanks to the great folks over at Purple Sage PR.

The Lowdown

Formed in the sweltering Memphis heat, The Heavy Eyes — Tripp Shumake (guitar/vocals), Matthew Qualls (guitar), Wally Anderson (bass) and Eric Garcia (drums) — forge a lean, no-frills sound rooted in the power of heavy blues and classic rock. Originally a trio, Shumake, Anderson and Garcia bonded over shared influences like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, quickly carving out their own identity with a self-titled debut recorded in a break room and praised for its unmistakable grit.

The 2012 follow-up, Maera, sharpened their attack with its immediate, riff-driven songwriting and a thunderous rhythm section, while 2015’s He Dreams of Lions marked their first proper studio recording and introduced guitarist Matthew Qualls. By 2018, Qualls was a full-time member, and the band began crafting their fourth album, Love Like Machines. The road to that album was anything but straight. Recorded between New Mexico and Memphis, its completion was threatened when Shumake was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease. Battling fatigue from treatment, he pushed through to finish the vocals, delivering a more polished yet unmistakably raw version of the band’s sound.

Though the album's 2020 release and a long-awaited European tour were derailed — first by the pandemic, then by Shumake’s successful kidney transplant in 2022 — The Heavy Eyes never stopped moving forward. Now, in 2025, The Heavy Eyes are gearing up to self-release their fifth studio record in collaboration with Magnetic Eye Records, as well as bringing their electrifying live show to European stages.

The Heavy Eyes is

Tripp Shumake - guitar/vocals
Matthew Qualls - guitar
Wally Anderson - bass
Eric Garcia - drums

The Heavy Eyes links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

You can buy FOCUS On CD/DD/Vinyl via the links below:

KOZMIK ARTIFACTZ and MAGNETIC EYE RECORDS

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.