GRIN - Acid Gods (Album Review)

Release Date: May 30th 2025. Record Label: The Lasting Dose Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Acid Gods - Tracklisting

1.Black Dye

2.Nocturno 

3.Drag Me Down 

4.Beneath The Altar

5.Crystals

6.Unshut 

7.Slivers

8.Wild Eyes

9.Nebulas

10.Heavy Dew

Members

S. Oberg – Bass Guitar

J. Oberg – Drums, Vocals

Review

Acid Gods is the latest entry from Psych/Sludge/Stoner Metallers GRIN where the band explore a heavier and primal sound compared to their 2024 album HUSH. This record feels more closely aligned to EARTH SHIP, the other band that Jan and Sabine are part of. With a heavier Sludge Metal backdrop and less Spaced Out attitude, Acid Gods feels like GRIN have stripped out the heavier progressive tendencies they built up over the last few records that allows the band to have a desperate rough and ready delivery where the SLUDGE aspect of their music to fully flourish with intense delivery and aggression.

The vocals from Jan are the most violent I’ve heard from him in a very long time with a mighty PISSED OFF attitude being felt from every vocal arrangement he delivers throughout the whole album. Jan’s vocals remind me of his early days with the mighty EARTH SHIP which is very good to hear and allows Acid Gods to be quite different to GRIN’s other records.

With GRIN operating with a Bass and Drums setup, the music is way more chaotic but still allows the band to deliver a stylish and industrial style of music that’s violent, aggressive and wholly melodic. Bone-crunching grooves and heavy electronic beats converge for a demented style of music with apocalyptic storytelling to match forming on tracks such as Black Dye, Nocturno, Beneath The Altar, Unshut, Nebulas and Heavy Dew. 

The record has elements of classic sounding Industrial Metal, Post-Metal and Psychedelic Doom sounds that will no doubt appeal to fans of RELAPSE RECORDS generation when they had bands such as MASTODON, GENGHIS TRON and BARONESS on their roster. Acid Gods achieves that highly experimental sound that become quite popular within the late 2000’s and early 2010’s of HEAVY MUSIC. 

There is a cinematic Psychedelic and Sonic attitude lurking within the background of Acid Gods which is perhaps personified by Sabine’s intense, intricate and superbly clever BASS guitar. Jan’s once again excels on drumming duties and putting another shift on producing, mixing and mastering duties. Well, this is THE LASTING DOSE RECORDS release and I expect Jan to be in complete control on the production side of things.

Acid Gods allows GRIN to tap into their heaviest, scariest and most Primal creative instincts for a record that dares to be quite different and still allows longtime fans of the band to experience another thrilling and groove laden brilliantly entertaining album from the band. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Against PR and GRIN for the promo.

ACID GODS is due out on CD/DD/Vinyl formats via The Lasting Dose Records from Friday May 30th 2025.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Peach Melba - Melting Face (Album Review)

Release Date: October 25th 2024. Record Label: The Lasting Dose Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Melting Face - Track Listing:

1.Intro 02:03

2.Oort Cloud 05:07

3.White Noise 03:55

4.The Drummer 04:20

5.Exit Dream 03:43

6.Gray Hay 04:10

7.Dusty Mush 03:19

8. Melting Face 04:53

9.Spiral Streaming 05:06

Members

Bass & Vocals – Sophie Tritschler

Guitars & Vocals – Sebastian Laudage

Drums, Percussions & Vocals – Moritz Ermen-Bausch (DAEVAR)

Review

Melting Face is the new album from Psych/Garage/Post-Rock/Noise Rock collective Peach Melba and it’s a refreshing change of pace from rising underground label The Lasting Dose Records who normally deal in heavier affair such as GRIN, EARTHSHIP, CAFFEINE and DAEVAR (who drummer Moritz Ermen-Bausch is a member of). 

Peach Melba plays music closely associated with bands such as The Pixies, Ty Segal and bands from the legendary Detroit Garage Rock scene though there’s much to admire at how delicately different and strange the band’s music actually becomes. As they play with a vintage Garage Rock sound with fuzzy dynamics that airs on the cautious side of 1960’s Rock Rebellion and a classic 1970’s Hard Rock sound that allows the album to be quite multi-layered and organic at the same time.

This album doesn’t have a cohesive narrative with Peach Melba just playing whatever they conjure up magically out of thin air even when the melody is bittersweet before changing into a heavier Shoegaze style of music which comes across the whole album especially within the opening tracks of Intro, Oort Cloud, White Noise and The Drummer. 

With each member providing superb vocals, Peach Melba are always striving for a daring sound of their own making which aligns the band more closely to the Punk Rock scene especially with their hardworking creative achievements becoming more gloriously OVER THE TOP on the later stages of the album. I can even detect traces of Stoner Rock when the band switches to a classic style of Psychedelic Rock merged with seedy FUZZY guitars. The band become slightly obsessive wit the 1980’s and 1990’s Alt Rock scene within the heavier parts of Melting Face with an expressive form of Post-Rock and Noise Rock keeping everything grounded within tracks such as: The Drummer, Exit Dream, Dusty Mush and standout title track of Melting Face.

The Lasting Dose Records mastermind Jan Oberg (EARTHSHIP and GRIN) once again helps out with recording, mixing and mastering duties. Jan never disappoints on that score with any of the projects I’ve heard him become part of over the last few years and it’s good to see Jan working on something vastly different to what he’s ultimately known for. 

Melting Face is one of the most fast-paced, freshest and hippest records you’ll hear this year with Peach Melba delivering their own blend of no-nonsense style of Hard Rock that oozes CLASS from start to finish. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Lasting Dose Records and Against PR for the promo. 

Melting Face is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via The Lasting Dose Records.

Links

https://www.instagram.com/peachmelba.band

https://youtu.be/jDhesI6uPwA?si=G7wyCRe_N4Pa7d-X

Caffeine - The Threshold (Album Review)

Release Date: September 13th 2024. Record Label: The Lasting Dose Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Threshold: Tracklisting

1.Cycle Of Delusion 04:22

2.The Threshold

3.Rorschach’s Waltz

4.Dead End

5.Last Train

6.Ghost Town

7.Citadel

8.The Agency

Members

Vocals & Bass Swells – Denis Radoncic

Guitars & Noises – Andre Werk

Percussions & Vocals – Enrico “Rocko” Winkler

Guitars & Organs - Sebi

Review

The Threshold is the new album from Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metallers Caffeine which follows on from their excellent 2018 debut album Serac which I missed the first time round and just listened to recently. Both albums continue on the same Progressive trajectory with The Threshold having a more Psychedelic and Sonic twist. Caffeine will appeal to fans of Mastodon, High On Fire and Neurosis with their music blending world-building storytelling and creative mysticism and THRASH metal inspired grooves.

The record is quite short, precise but ultimately action packed, running around thirty minutes of classic sounding Progressive Sludge/Stoner Metal with early touches of Mastodon appearing within the lyrical framework of the whole album. The sound is played at an aggressive fast-paced with a deep sense of melody and Post-Metal intelligence that appears on the stunning opening tracks of Cycle Of Delusion, The Threshold and Rorschach’s Waltz.

Caffeine like the drug they’re named are wonderfully addictive and stimulates other parts of the mind throughout their devilish style of Sludge/Stoner Metal passages that can be quite sonic inducing and Ambient based at times. The whole flow can be quite direct one moment and eerie laidback with overlapping elements of Doom and Post-Rock attitudes before delving back into muscular and testosterone riff-fuelled slabs of pure HEAVY METAL. Caffeine shows a touch of class with their music flirting between Post-Stoner melodies and sludgy hardcore beats on tracks such as Dead End, Ghost Town and The Agency.

The second half of The Threshold is quite abrasive with harsh vocals, punishing grooves and Spaced Out environments that form creatively and naturally with a sense of intelligence that comes as a welcome surprise even if we’ve heard this style of music multiple times before. However, Caffeine has a great talent of their own design and making which left me wanting to hear way more music from them. The album maybe too short for some, however, they pack a lot of great ideas and catchy Sludge Metal dominant sounds throughout.

The Threshold is another outstanding release from The Lasting Dose Records who are making a great name for themselves by releasing a string of first rate releases already this year from bands such as GRIN, EARTH SHIP, DAEVER and HESKEGRAV. Now you can add CAFFEINE to that great list of bands releasing potential contenders for ALBUM OF THE YEAR.

However, this is CAFFEINE’s chance to shine and make a name for themselves within the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene and I can see this album doing great things. As this is an epic and brilliantly observed record with BRAINS and BRAWN to match.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Lasting Dose Records and Against PR for the promo.

The Threshold will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via The Lasting Dose Records from Friday 13th September 2024

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Doom/Sludge Metal/Hardcore Collective Y Releases New Song/Video For New Single LUOLA

This single showcases Y's raw and heavy sound with a tough DIY attitude. The song captures dynamic excitement and unpredictability, reflecting the unique creativity of Markus, who performs guitar, drums, and vocals simultaneously during live recordings. "Luola" tells a brutal story of how a familiar and safe place can turn into a "cave" of anguish and suffering, where even death seems more attractive than continuing down a hopeless path.

Recorded purely live to capture the authentic atmosphere and dangerous tension, "Luola" exemplifies Y's commitment to breaking musical rules and pushing creative boundaries. Influenced by bands like Eyehategod, Melvins, Conan, Black Cobra, and Pantera, Y's music offers a unique blend of heavy, sludge, doom, and hardcore elements.

Line-up:

Markus: Guitar, Drums, Vocals

For Fans Of: Eyehategod, Melvins, Conan, Black Cobra, Dopefight, Pantera, Electric Wizard, Sleep, Down, High On Fire, Sepultura, Iron Monkey, Boris, Cathedral, Grief

Links: https://linktr.ee/y.noise

Thanks to Against PR for all of the info.

Stoner Rockers Gods & Punks Unveil Lyric Video for "Decerebration" the First Single from Upcoming Album "Death"

Gods & Punks, the boundary-pushing Brazilian stoner rock band, is thrilled to announce the release of their new single "Decerebration" from their forthcoming album "Death." 

You can now watch the official lyric video for "Decerebration" below and immerse themselves in the powerful soundscape that defines this latest release.

"Death," set to release on July 26th through Electric Valley Records, promises to be a cathartic journey, deeply inspired by frontman Alexandre Canhetti’s harrowing near-death experience in 2021.

Pre-order "Death" on Bandcamp: godsandpunks.bandcamp.com

Pre-order the album on vinyl: Electric Valley Records

Links:

instagram.com/godsandpunksband
godsandpunks.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/godsandpunks
youtube.com/@godsandpunksband

Thanks to Against PR for all of the details.

Stoner Rockers Gods & Punks Unveil New Single "Decerebration" from Upcoming Album "Death"

Gods & Punks, the boundary-pushing Brazilian stoner rock band, is excited to announce the release of their new single "Decerebration", from their forthcoming album "Death".

The new album "Death" promises to be a cathartic journey, inspired by frontman Alexandre Canhetti’s harrowing near-death experience in 2021. Recorded across continents between Santos and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Paris, France, this album stands as a testament to the band's resilience and artistic evolution.

Album Details

Artist: Gods & Punks

Release Title: Death

Label: Electric Valley Records

Release Date: July 26, 2024

Format: Digital, LP

Genre: Stoner Rock, Stoner Doom, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal

Country: Brazil

Tracklist:

Slowburner

Loss of Reality

The Night of a Thousand Days

Decerebration

The Space Between Spaces

Archimedes' Screw

Black Box

Band Bio

Gods & Punks the boundary-pushing Brazilian stoner outfit, is set to unveil their latest sonic opus, "Death", on July 26, 2024. Released digitally and on vinyl through Electric Valley Records, this album promises to be a cathartic journey through frontman Alexandre Canhetti’s harrowing near-death experience in 2021. Recorded across continents between Santos and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Paris, France, "Death" is a testament to the band's resilience and artistic evolution.

"Death" tells a narrative woven through seven tracks, spanning 40 minutes of intense musical exploration. From the traditional metal onslaught of "Slowburner" and "Loss of Reality" to the slow, heavy stoner-doom vibes of "The Night Of A Thousand Days" and "Decerebration," each track offers a visceral glimpse into Alexandre's journey. "The Space Between Spaces," the album's most psychedelic track, delves into the ethereal realms of the comatose, while "Archimedes' Screw" captures the tension and urgency of the life-saving operation that took place in a hospital waiting room. The album culminates with "Black Box," a haunting reflection on the band's collective experience and the creative process behind "Death."

Mixed and mastered by Andre Leal at Studio Jukebox in Volta Redonda, Brazil, and adorned with minimalist artwork by graffiti artist Bruno Kros, "Death" is a sonic journey that explores the band’s influences while touching on a common theme and narrating a powerful story. The album will be available for pre-order starting June 20, 2024. For more information and updates, visit the band's social media.

Line-up:

Alexandre Canhetti: Vocals

Pedro Canhetti: Bass

Rodrigo Blasquez: Guitars

Gabriel Santiago: Drums

Recording Info:

Recording Locations: Guitars and drums recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Bass recorded in Santos, Brazil; Vocals recorded in Paris, France

Mixed and Mastered by: André Leal at Estúdio Jukebox

Artwork by: Bruno Kros

Links:

instagram.com/godsandpunksband

godsandpunks.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/godsandpunks

youtube.com/@godsandpunksband

Thanks to Against PR for all of the info.

Heksegrav - Svart Portal (Album Review)

Release Date: May 31st 2024. Record Label: The Lasting Dose Records. Formats: CD/DD

Svart Portal: Tracklisting

GLØD

Sirkel

RÅTE

Band Members

GARM - Everything

Review

Svart Portal is the debut album from One Man Doom/Sludge Metal Band Heksegrav. The record is a twenty eight minute opus that explores the finer points of the Funeral Doom scene with roots within Sludge Metal, Heavy Metal and Stoner Metal. Heksegrav is full of different Progressive sounding atmospheres with Psychedelic textures and distorted melodies with a Drone based quality appearing within the opening track of GLØD.

GLØD lasts around seven minutes length with Heksegrav playing a mean variety of LOW & SLOW guitar passages with a nightmarish and bleakly heavy Funeral Doom march with Drone pastures that merges the sounds of Pallbearer, Black Sabbath and Sunn0))) for an Ambient style appearing on the early stages of the track. The vocals are pure DOOM & GLOOM obsessed with moments of Shamanic Chants and Extreme Levels of harsh growls which matches the music when it becomes more aggressive and moves at a quicker pace. The instrumental work is impressive with the mysterious GARM playing everything himself with menacing relish and supreme confidence.

Second song Sirkel is a bit shorter running around six minutes in length which opens with eerie Church Bells which I was expecting to be more Occult based but GARM settles for a subtle Post-Rock sound that slowly merges into an intense Doom/Drone Metal instrumental charge with Folk-esque movements being quite powerful with an emotional depth that I wasn’t expecting. The creative Doom Metal approach of Pallbearer, Type O Negative and My Dying Bride can be heard but when Heksegrav ventures over into obsessive Sludge/Doom Metal territory then the album becomes progressive and sludgy Psych based guitars allows the record to offer it’s great style of Gothic Heaviness.

The final track of RÅTE feels like a direct continuation of the previous tracks with GARM fusing the whole story as one creative element where the music is once again dominated by the Funeral Doom sonic landscape. The vocals are distorted and drift to that Shamanic style with the instrumental grooves becoming heavier with STONER based intent. There’s a heavy metal aspect that allows GARM to bring more extreme levels of noise and aggression whilst still providing a first rate style of Melodic Rock within the confinements of the epic fifteen minutes run time the song ultimately runs for. 

Svart Portal only lasts for twenty eight minutes in length but feels longer and that’s a good thing. As Heksegrav has packed a lot of different HEAVY METAL sounds within the albums short run time with an adventurous style of Psych Metal, Prog Metal and that fabulous Funeral Doom energy which is where Svart Portal impresses the most.

This is a sublime debut release from Heksegrav which is superbly impressive on a technical level with GARM proving what a wonderful musician he actually is and showing what a keen creative mind that he has as well. The album is being released by superb record label The Lasting Dose Records who have released two standout releases already this year with GRIN and DAEVAR. If the label keeps releasing great albums such as this in the future then they could be the next “CULT” label for the underground scene to fully get behind. 

However, this is Heksegrav’s moment to shine in the spotlight and I’m quite excited to hear what Heksegrav will release in the future.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Lasting Dose Records and Against PR for the promo.

Svart Portal will be available to buy on CD/DD via The Lasting Dose Records from Friday 31st May 2024.

Links

Instagram

Daevar - Amber Eyes (Album Review)

Release Date: March 22nd 2024. Record Label: The Lasting Dose Records. Formats: CD/DD

Amber Eyes - Tracklisting

1.LILITH'S LULLABY 07:53

2.PAY TO PRAY

3.CALIBAN AND THE WITCH

4.AMBER EYES 04:01

5.LIZARDS

6.GREY IN GREY

Members

 

Pardis Latifi - Bass Guitar & Vocals

Moritz Ermen Bausch - Drums

Caspar Orfgen - Guitars

Review

Psychedelic Doom/Grunge/Stoner Metallers Daevar return with their second album Amber Eyes which has arrived quite quickly after their acclaimed debut album Delirious Rites was released back in Jan 2023. This time round, Daevar delves further into their Grunge roots for a more mature and fuzzed up offering. The album is quite dense with Sludgy Psychedelic passages and thumping bass line courtesy of vocalist/bassist Pardis Latifi. 

With a more central 1990’s Shoegaze/Grunge creative attitude appearing quite strongly within Lilith’s Lullaby and Pay To Pray allowing the music being closely aligned to bands such as Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and A Perfect Circle with emotionally charged vocals being played against aggressive Doomed Out Stoner grooves. The sound is quite gloomy and full of bleak romanticism within the darker depths of their music which is given extra weight by the intense drums of Moritz Ermen Bausch and the bone-crunching guitars played by Caspar Orfgen.

Amber Eyes sees Daevar slowly start to add distorted levels of Doomgaze with echoes of WINDHAND appearing along the way but still allowing Pardis to deliver passionate, bewitching and intense melodic vocals. The spirit of 90’s Seattle is buried within the creative DNA of the band’s music with the contemporary Sludge/Stoner Metal heaviness the underground scene is known for.

Other songs on the album become more Progressive and dominated by first rate storytelling elements on track such as Caliban And The Witch, Amber Eyes, Lizard Eyes and Grey In Grey. These tracks show a different side to Daevar compared to their debut album, as the mood is dominated by a Post-Gothic or Post-Doom drive with heavy moments of Doom/Stoner Metal which has an almost classic Paradlise Lost flow to the album.

The album once again like their debut album has been engineered, mixed and mastered by Jan Oberg of EARTHSHIP, GRIN and Slowshine fame. Jan is also releasing Amber Eyes through his very own label - The Lasting Dose Records. The whole tone and sound of the album is an absolute joy to experience with Amber Eyes having a classic vintage sound whilst switching to a warmer and heavier sound when the Psychedelic Stoner parts appear.

Amber Eyes is another exquisite and thrilling record from Daevar that allows them to fully explore new creative and exciting opportunities in the future and lay the groundwork for future releases. Daevar may have earned themselves the right to possibly play on some of the bigger stages within the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene. Daevar have truly arrived with Amber Eyes. 

This is another Album Of The Year contender from Deaver. Watch them soar with this release.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Lasting Dose Records and Against PR for the promo.

Amber Eyes will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via The Lasting Dose Records from Friday 22nd March 2024.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

GRIN - Hush (Album Review)

Release Date: 16th February 2024. Record Label: The Lasting Dost Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Hush - Tracklisting

1.Hush

2.Calice

3.Gatekeeper

4.Midnight Blue Sorrow

5.Talons

6.Portal

7.Neon Skies

8.Vortex

9.Silver

10.Pyramid

11.Deathbringers

12.Nothingness

13.Venom

14.Eyes Like Daggers

15.The Tempest of Time

16.Torre del Serpe

Members

Jan Oberg

Sabine Oberg

Review

Psych Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal riffsters GRIN return with their fourth full length album Hush with the band employing a more expansive Sonic journey compared to their previous records. Hush runs for around forty minutes across sixteen tracks with GRIN never going past the four minute mark and some of the tracks lasting under two minutes. However, it's what GRIN deliver within the tracks themselves that allow this album to be a real turning point for the band moving forward. The guitars are constantly a barrage of Doom/Sludge Metal heaviness with a Psychedelic Stoner Metal tapestry merging into down-tuned Sonic based Progressive passages with a certain Shoegaze or Doomgaze effect being utilised to great effect.

The vocals are a collection of different styles such as Harsh Growls, Clean Vocals and Gloomy chants which allows GRIN to play areas of heavy distorted and uplifting Post-Stoner grooves they haven't played before. The music is perhaps more Industrial based as well with echoes of sound heard on their previous records being played at different moments of the album. GRIN also employ a dark Lovecraftian story based element to the lyrics and their Spaced Out Post-Metal delivery on tracks such as Hush, Calice, Midnight Blue Sorrow, Talons, Neon Skies, Deathbringers and The Tempest Of Team impressing the most with their bleak cinematic vision.

GRIN's style of dark and despair based Fuzzy Sonic Interludes has a violent and aggressive "Doom-Pop" energy which reminds me of TORCHE and FLOOR in places but all done within GRIN's highly original style. There's quite an uplifting energy to be found within this album even when the harsh vocals take centre stage with the music becoming more Post-Stoner or Post-Doom based. These parts are quite reminiscent of the other band SLOWSHINE that Jan and Sabine are involved with. 

The record allows GRIN to constantly change their vocal movements and melodic tone throughout the majority of the track with a Progressive Post-Metal sound becoming the more dominant force on the later stages of the album. Sixteen tracks is a lot to get through but GRIN deserve credit for allowing every individual song to have their own identity and feel with epic flashes of Psychedelic brilliance that matches the bold lyrics GRIN have written here. The album can be quite experimental with that down-tuned Psychedelic energy which even transforms into areas of Industrial sounding Glitches and Ambient Post-Rock themes. 

Hush once again has excellent and richly observed production values which is all handled yet again by Jan himself like all the other great releases he's been involved with over the last few years. Even with the album's lo-fi delivery and stripped back approach, you can feel every note being played at you like GRIN's lives depended on this. This is an action-packed ride into the dark vortex of Psychedelic Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal with GRIN proving why they're one of the most inventive bands within the underground scene who are masters of their own creative sludgy and spaced out domain.

Hush is AOTY material even this very early on in 2024 and with GRIN perhaps releasing their heaviest, catchiest and most defining work to date.

Words by Steve Howe 

Thanks to GRIN and Against PR for the promo.

Hush will be be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via The Lasting Dose Records from February 16th 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram