Cervus - Axis (Album Review)

Release Date: November 13th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Axis - Tracklist 

1.Black Masquerade 04:50

2.Burning Legacy

3.Giantess

4.Fading From View 05:10

5.Roamer

6.Harbinger of Rain

7.Faces of Evil

8.Beneath the Waves

9.Remember My Name

10.Golden Arms

Members

Jan Woudenberg - Lead / Rhythm Guitar

Tom Mourik - Bass Guitar

Dennis de Bruin - Lead / Rhythm Guitar

Rogier Henkelman - Drums

Tom van der Linden: Main vocals

Thomas Robinson - Keys / synths

Review

Axis is the debut album from Stoner Rockers Cervus who have steadily been building up their own great sound over the last five years through a couple of well received EP’s. Cervus are fully committed to the Stoner Rock cause here by blending elements of Psych, Desert Rock and Grunge into their core sound. Though, there’s a heavier and aggressive Doom Rock vibe that gives Cervus that modern day flavour.

The album is boosted by a great style of Hard Rock delivery that’s inspired by the likes of Soundgarden, KYUSS, Monster Magnet, QOTSA and Lowrider. The lyrics are quite gritty and never feel overstated with the band employing a great vocal delivery into the mix courtesy of Tom van der Linden who provides lead vocals and backing vocals throughout.

There’s some cool Post-Rock touches being added within the quieter moments as Cervus add some haunting Post-Doom and Post-Stoner sensibility into their music that may owe some debt of gratitude to the likes of King Buffalo and Elephant Tree along the way. Cervus play their way through some intense fast-paced melodies and subtle Grunge soundscapes within the opening tracks of Black Masquerade, Burning Legacy and Giantess. These songs allow Cervus to build a commanding rhythm of huge sounding Stoner Rock/Metal grooves that always move into different heavy musical pastures.

The excellent Keys / Synths that are delivered by Thomas Robinson add a seductive Seventies Rock attitude into the mix whilst keeping the classic Doom/Stoner Rock momentum fully intact. Cervus seem fully committed going through a musical transformation for the majority of the tracks as they play a wide range of different styles which gives Axis a vibrant, grounded and highly adventurous sound that’s quite different to their previous releases.

By the fourth track Pulling From View appears then Cervus are masters of their own creative domain where they’re in complete control playing an emotionally charged style of Post-Doom, Post-Rock and Stoner Rock sounds that sometimes tug at the heartstrings. Some elements start to become quite cinematic and dare I say quite orchestral in places which isn’t surprising with the array of different instruments that appear on this record. It’s one of the best things about Cervus as they keep trying different soundscapes and musical performances for each track that keeps the listener fully engaged throughout.

Other great tracks on the album are Roamer, Harbinger Of Rain, Beneath The Waves, Remember My Name and Golden Arms. Some sections of the album do see a reckless HEAVY METAL attitude forming that feels like it's being performed by two completely different bands before CERVUS return to their original musical ways.

Cervus perhaps fully finds their real strength within the heavier sounds on the album which does bring a more dynamic musical performance and presence from everyone involved here. However, the quieter and most reflective moments are the most engaging which offers a stark contrast to heavy Doomed Out passages that Axis contains from start to finish. This proves that Cervus are in full complete control of what’s being played around them with masterful storytelling being one of the standout themes of the whole record.

Axis is an epic album in every sense of the word with Cervus delivering a record that’s fastly becoming one of my favourite records of the year which still surprises me with a different experience every time I listen to it.

Awesome. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Axis is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Mountain Of Misery - IV: The Monolith (Album Review)

Release Date: November 06th 2026. Record Label: Electric Witch Mountain Recordings. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

IV: The Monolith - Tracklist 

1.Of Winter Dawn

2.The Other Space 

3.Down the Hill 

4.Traveler of a Fading Land

5.Horizon

6.Out of the Void

Members

Kamil Ziółkowski - Everything

Review

Mountain Of Misery return with their fourth full length album IV: The Monolith and it’s their most dynamic record yet that once again sets this as one of the premier “solo” acts currently working the scene today. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years then Mountain Of Misery is the band or creative project that is helmed by Kamil Ziółkowski from the mighty SPACESLUG.

There are many similarities between Mountain Of Misery and Spaceslug with this project happy to focus on a deeply engaging style of Heavy Psych, Shoegaze and Post-Rock dynamics. This time round Kamil is sometimes more focused by Post-Metal and Prog Metal sounds whilst keeping to that epic style of Post-Doom and Post-Stoner energy that ELDER and KING BUFFALO are known for. The vocal arrangements are striking once more with a grounded performance from Kamil that feels more mature compared to the previous Mountain Of Misery albums.

With a fractured Cosmic Doom environment that develops through the opening tracks Of Winter Dawn and The Other Space, this record is more direct and aggressively focused than ever before. The music has a  similar tone to Spaceslug but Kamil keeps that haunting Shoegaze and Post-Doom superbly melodic with flashes of Sludge Rock bursting at the seams that almost break out to take complete control.

The lyrics and vocal arrangements are emotionally engaging without ever feeling out of place as IV: The Monolith becomes ever more aggressive and psychedelic sludge movements dictate how the rest of the album plays out. Kamil always manages to find new ways to add different soundscapes, trippy sound effects and gloomy Space Rock beats on tracks such as The Other Space, Down The Hill and Traveler Of A Fading Land

Some aspects of the album are quite urgent with a fast-paced delivery that I haven’t heard from Kamil under this project but it suits Mountain Of Misery down to the ground. This is a complete change of pace to Kamil’s other music project SEALESS that he released a stunning debut album earlier this year. Though, Mountain Of Misery remains my favourite individual project of his. As it captures all the sounds perfectly that I love to hear and explore from the Psych, Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal underground scene.

IV: The Monolith has an epic “dreamlike” atmosphere which does allow Kamil to explore some destructive Atmospheric Sludge Metal surroundings within the later stages on the record that’s mostly explored on Traveler Of A Fading Land and Horizon. There’s a lot of cool world-building and “cinematic” levels of music being created throughout with Kamil experimentation with different vocal tones, musical shifts and ambient passages which will leave you in a complete hypnotic trance.

The production side of the album is absolutely masterful with this putting some more well known musical artists to shame. The record sounds amazing with deep levels of pure heaviness dominating the speakers. There’s an unforgiving area of distortion that appears only when it’s needed that deserves to be heard by the loudest speakers possible. 

Mountain Of Misery has exceeded all musical expectations once more for a record that makes them my favourite “solo instrumental” project currently within the underground scene. This is an essential album you need to own right now. 

Words by Steve Howe

IV: The Monolith available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Electric Witch Mountain Recordings.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Sea Bastard - Cyclopan (Album Review)

Release Date: October 30th 2026. Record Label: Road to Masochist Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Cyclopean - Tracklist 

1.Dark Altar 22:24

2.Entombed with the Pharoah 12:14

3.Prophet of the People 16:13

4.Nameless Purgatory 24:46

Members

George Leaver - Drums

Steve Patton - Bass

Oliver Irongiant - Guitar

Ian "Monty" Montgomery - Vocals

Review

Doom/Sludge Metallers Sea Bastard release their first album in thirteen years with Cyclopean which runs for a massive seventy two minutes across four lengthy tracks. This album feels more like an endurance exercise with Sea Bastard playing many different levels of Drone, Doom, Sludge, Psych, Noise, Black Metal and Post-Metal based grooves throughout. There is a bleak, down-tuned and filth ridden experience that manages to be quite a different sounding SEA BASTARD compared to their early records. 

The band initially went on hiatus back in 2016 but returned to active duty in 2021 but it’s taken five years to get a new album from the guys but it’s most definitely been worth the weight. There’s a deeper Blackened Doom approach within this album with a decaying sense of morality being heard within the twisted vocals of Ian “Monty” Montgomery. The lyrics are violently real that’s brutally offset against a harsh Drone/Noise atmosphere that allows the music to be played at an aggressive fast-paced though the music is cautiously slow to begin with. 

Opening track Dark Altar is a frenzied musical attack on the senses with Sea Bastard exploring a new found style of Distorted Drone and Experimental Noise Metal which can be quite challenging to hear. Though, there’s also a great sense of twisted melody that emerges within the later stages of the song as the band finally find their “groove” which sees different styles of COSMIC energy to emerge from the distorted FUZZED out surroundings.

Second track Entombed with the Pharoah is another slice of Extreme Metal that’s been down-tuned to pure Doom/Sludge Metal perfection with Ian’s twisted vocals once again allowing the listener to fully become part of Sea Bastard’s dark world. The music is brutally soulful with a fucked up Industrial and Grind sound that becomes quite riff-centric even when the music once again become pure nightmare quality of the highest order. The despairing grooves are superbly played and quite long with sonic soundscapes having a demonic energy to them. 

The rest of the band (George Leaver - Drums, Steve Patton - Bass and Oliver Irongiant - Guitar) deserve credit for creating such a true apocalyptic sandbox that sees many different styles of Extreme Metal and Heavy Metal emerge that is always thought provoking and quite violent until the very end.

The final two tracks of Prophet Of The People and Nameless Purgatory explore the huge Lovecraft influence that I feel resides within the lyrics with the music once again never settling down for a standard style of Doom/Sludge Metal. Everything is always constantly changing with Sea Bastard revisiting sounds they’ve created on their earlier albums especially within the standout third track Prophet Of The People.

The second half of the album is perhaps more riff heavy but it’s still quite Drone obsessive with Ian’s vocals impressing yet again. The sudden influx of distorted themes and violent apocalyptic melodies is perhaps too violent for the casual music fan but it will be absolute heaven for Sea Bastard’s established fanbase and perhaps within the wider Extreme Metal community.

The end result is quite nihilistic which Sea Bastard offer no apologies for and nor should they. As Cyclopean is a masterful album with Sea Bastard releasing their best record and most uncompromising vision to date. 

Don’t say that I didn’t warn you!!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Cyclopean is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Road To Masochist

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

Dread Witch - CULT (Album Review)

Release Date: October 31st 2026. Record Label: Various. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

CULT - Tracklist 

1.Born Again 01:53

2.Cult 04:56

3.The Summoning 05:39

4.Cyclops 02:21

5.Altar 06:44

6.Marrow 04:20

7.Vesexuff 02:18

8.Omen of Oblivion 08:18

Members

Mikael Rise - vocals and rhythm guitar

Dennis Larsen - drums

Jesper Kragh - lead and rhythm guitars

Leifur Nielsen - bass and backing vocals

Andreas Cadaver - rhythm and lead guitars

Review

Doom/Sludge Metallers Dread Witch return with their second album CULT which builds upon the foundations created within their celebrated 2023 debut album Tower Of The Severed Serpent. That record allowed Dread Witch to include a heavy style of extreme metal such as Death Metal and Thrash Metal into the mix whilst keeping a gloomy Occult Metal element into the overall sound. 

CULT is perhaps more heavier and violent compared to their debut album with Dread Witch fully selling their fucked up OCCULT METAL imagery to the underground masses. The record is super DOOM METAL obsessive which makes it the perfect album to listen to within the upcoming gloomy winter months. Dread Witch develops a thrilling backdrop of COSMIC soundscapes and stripped back psychedelic passages that remind me of YOB and UFOMAMMUT. 

The record lasts around thirty six minutes across eight tracks with the right amount of ferocious delivery being played within each of the tracks that sees Dread Witch perfectly balance the EXTREME and NON-EXTREME metallic parts of the whole record. The album can be quite down-tuned and violently intense at the best of times with the harsh vocals and guttural screams adding an uneasy atmosphere into the whole experience.

The music is a mixture of slow-to-mid paced grooves, fast-paced Thrash Metal beats and multiple breakdowns which adds an almost CRUST PUNK/METAL flow to the album. There are some great Prog Metal sounds and themes appearing out of nowhere that never feels out of place even when DREAD WITCH return to their Occult Metal roots. 

Dread Witch have three members playing guitars and that’s what gives CULT such a great mix of highly atmospheric Doom/Sludge Metal sounds that always feel grounded and completely over the top which sees the album become quite cinematic on tracks such as Cult, The Summoning, Altar, Marrow and Omen Of Oblivion. It’s within these tracks you begin to experience Dread Witch delivering their most intense rhythms and musical passages on the whole album with an unstoppable Punk Rock attitude forming. 

Dread Witch’s debut album feels quite pale in comparison when compared to CULT. This record is more fully fleshed out with stunning COSMIC musical passages allowing the band to explore musical themes and ideas that were only hinted briefly on their debut record. I’m still a huge fan of Tower Of The Severed Serpent but CULT is a different beast altogether where nothing feels off limits and DREAD WITCH are finally showing the world their true selves. 

The production contained and explored within CULT is simply masterful with massive amounts of VOLUME being played from every corner possible. The song can be quite nuanced even within the heavier moments which allows Dread Witch to play to their absolute strengths from start to finish.

CULT is an absolute marvel of an album and should be considered one of the year’s best EXTREME records you’ll hear this year.

Words by Steve Howe

"CULT" is available to buy now on LP via DHU Records, CD via Bottomless Pit and digital via Gateway Music.

Links

LinkTree | BandCamp

Forest Horse - Botany (Album Review)

Release Date: October 28th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Botany - Tracklist 

A Stirring

Spore Lord

Elixir

The Fallen Limb

Ploughman’s Prayer

Ritual Reckoning

Unspeakable

First Light

Review

Botany is the second full length album by Forest Horse who specialise in a fuzzed up style of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal with some scorched earth Desert Rock soundscapes being added into the mix. The record is an interesting take on the standard Sludge/Stoner Metal sound with this project inspired by the likes of SLEEP, KYUSS, Electric Wizard and Truckfighters. The music itself is played at a cool mid pace that allows the amplified heaviness to aim for a commanding performance throughout.

The vocals are mostly clean based but they’re some vicious growls along the way which gives Botany an unexpected area of GLOOM & DOOM to appear. The album is quite riff-centric that branches out into areas of Americana, Psych Rock and Post-Metal on different stages of the album. Forest Horse even applies to some Droned Out surroundings that reminds me of SLEEP before the album takes a darker and vicious turn. 

The later stages of Botany sees Forest Horse create Post-Rock elements that allows the layers of Droned Out Doom to bring a more apocalyptic sound to the whole album. The use of soundclips and certain trippy effects gives Botany a more primal and destructive feeling that really sells that down-tuned level of heaviness to a wider cinematic scope on tracks such as: Spore Lord, Elixir, The Fallen Limb, Ritual Reckoning and First Light. 

There are certain sections that may play it safe against the classic template and folklore of Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal but Forest Horse won’t be the first band to apply that creative logic into their music. However, it’s the band’s clever use of violent vocals and intense lyrics that makes the album really standout especially when the FUZZED OUT atmospherics results with some epic instrumental solos appearing out of nowhere and leaving you in a hypnotic trance.

This is an album that relies on BRAINS and BRAWN in equal measure which becomes one of Forest Horse’s greatest strengths to help deliver a record that’s superbly produced and brilliantly put together from start to finish. The WEEDIAN effect on Botany is quite grounded but don’t be surprised when the album does go for that classic “OVER THE TOP” feeling that will definitely appeal to fans of BONGZILLA and WEEDEATER.

Botany is a superb album and one that can easily become a cult favourite within the underground scene. I’m excited to see what comes next from Forest Horse as Botany is a dark, delicious and twisted journey worth taking over and over again.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

https://foresthorse.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/foresthorsemusic

Earthbong - Salutations To The Cultivators (Album Review)

Release Date: October 23rd 2026. Record Label: The Lasting Dose Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Salutations To The Cultivators - Tracklist

1.Bug

2.Third Eye

3.Harvester

4.Herbal Saints

Members

Selly

Claas

Tommy

Review

Salutations To The Cultivators is the fourth album from Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metallers Earthbong which sees the band aim for a heavier and broader style of psychedelic heaviness being included within their music. The record still has similar themes, ideas and contents heard from their previous albums but this time Earthbong aims for an intense COSMIC DOOM methodology. 

Earthbong focuses more on their songwriting skills for this album which gives their music a more dynamic cinematic aspect throughout. Their classic style of LOW & SLOW and DOWN TUNED aggression is there for the most part which you can hear within the magnificent opening track of Bug before Earthbong start experimenting with Space Rock structures that remind of YON within the later stages of the record.

The album was named after a line from the classic song GIZA BUTLER by the legendary SLEEP which have heavily influenced the band in the past. This time round you can hear influences by the likes of YOB and CONAN especially when the harsh vocals fully hit home and when the music becomes dominated by long drawn out instrumental grooves. The level of amplifier distortion powers the first half of the album through BUG and THIRD EYE. This is EARTHBONG recreating their sound for an aggressive style of Post-Doom and Stoner Metal that also combines world building WEEDIAN mysticism into their music.

The use of the classic Roy Batty speech from BLADE RUNNER within THIRD EYE adds a highly measured and grounded approach despite the violent harsh growls offering a different delivery. You start to experience subtle hints of Psychedelic and Cosmic soundscapes to emerge that become an integral part of the album when the final two tracks of Harvester and Herbal Saints appear. 

There is a bleak and desolate imagery that allows Earthbong to play music that’s closer to the likes of BONGRIPPER and YOB like ever before. Though, this is still EARTHBONG’s show with a sublime down-tuned performance lurking from every dark corner that the band applies to this record.

Salutations To The Cultivators does feel it’s being performed by two different bands at times especially when the Psychedelic movements appear. As the record can be quite euphoric and uplifting before EARTHBONG return to their more well known and violent Sludge Metal persona. 

This allows the record to be quite original within its own right and once again help Earthbong establish as one of best bands to emerge from the underground scene. Salutations To The Cultivators is their best album to date that’s bound to propel the band to greater heights and perhaps forge an exciting new creative path in the years to come.

Outstanding. Plain and Simple.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Salutations To The Cultivators is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via The Lasting Dose Records

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Exclusive Video Premiere For Doom/Stoner Metallers EARTHBONG Mighty New Single BUG From Upcoming New Album

Earthbong is a three-piece doom band from Kiel/Germany. The band was formed in 2018 and released three studio records, a live album and one EP so far. Earthbong are heading towards the riff-filled land with their unique blend of doom, metal and sludge:

“They're like a Bongzilla-Sleep-Milkshake. But they get it. They are their own thing."(Mike Scheidt, YOB).

Earthbong has toured Australia in spring 2025, including headlining performances at Sun Burn Festival and Stoned To Death Fest Sydney and shared the stage with the ancestors of the bong metal genre like Bongzilla, Bongripper and Belzebong.

They also supported bands such as The Obsessed,Unida and Firebreather.With more than 90 shows over the past years,including festivals like Reykja Doom Festival (Iceland), Stoned From The Underground (DE), Rock in Bourlon (FR) and Hoflärm Open Air (DE),

Earthbong earned a reputation as one of the heaviest and best live acts within the underground doom scene.

Their 4th studio album SALUTATIONS TO THE CULTIVATORS will be released on October 23rd 2026 via The Lasting Dose Records (Vinyl, CD, digital) and Evil Noise Recordings (Cassette), followed by a show at the legendary Høstsabbat Festival in Oslo/Norway.More shows and festivals for 2026/2027 planned.

Thanks to the cool folks over at Purple Sage PR we're happy to premiere the new video for BUG from the upcoming new album.

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Salutations To The Cultivators is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via The Lasting Dose Records

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Goat Major - Death Comes Twice (Album Review)

Release Date: October 23rd 2026. Record Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Death Comes Twice - Tracklist

1.Voyage of Cetus

2.Firewalk

3.Death Comes Twice 

4.Under the Moonlight 

5.Wheels of Gold

6.Sirens

7.The Sin Eater

8.Negative Church

9.Detached

Members

Jammie Arnold - guitar

Simon Bonwick - drums

Tom Shortt - bass & vocals

Review

Death Comes Twice is the second album from Doom/Stoner Rockers Goat Major which builds upon the great Occult vibes and sounds from their acclaimed 2024 debut album Ritual. This time round Goat Major add a certain Sludge Rock swagger into their music with a more powerful sound being played from the very start. There is an aggressive melody that’s quite different to ritual with an emphatic FUZZED OUT atmosphere having a clean, crisp and concise delivery which is perfectly delivered throughout the whole album.

The excellent opening track of Voyage Of Cetus is a gloomy instrumental song that touches upon the fringes of Psych, Doom, Stoner and even Ambient Rock for a style of music that feels quintessentially vintage and thoroughly modern at the same time. This wasn’t the type of track I was expecting for Goat Major to open the album with. However, it’s one of my favourite tracks on the album.

Second track Firewalk runs for over eight minutes as Goat Major play against  a seedy backdrop of Seventies based Proto-Doom and elements of modern day Fuzz, Psych and Stoner Rock/Metal delivery. This allows Goat Major to develop an intense style of pure amplified heaviness with a cool sideline in SHOCK ROCK tactics. Some parts of the song are quite progressive with some cool sounding “POPPIER” passages developing along the way. Though, the OCCULT ROCK/METAL obsessed lyrics keeps Goat Major firmly within the DOOM METAL world. 

Third track Death Comes Twice offers a seedy underbelly of distorted Fuzz Metal and harsh amplified sounds transforming into a great style of modern sludgy based heaviness that sees that classic style of ELECTRIC WIZARD surroundings appear but Goat Major adding their own unique spain. The vocals from Tom Shortt have a manic appeal to them which fully sells the OCCULT DOOM cinematic theme that’s a huge part of the band’s musical arsenal. 

Goat Major starts to develop a commanding distorted presence which moves further into the depths of Sludge Rock and sees some vibrant groove rock solos starting to emerge on tracks such as Under The Moonlight, Wheels Of Gold, Sirens, The Sin Eater and Negative Church. The sound is always grounded but still sees Goat Major include some glorious OVER THE TOP ideas into their music whilst playing an intense style of classic Doom Metal energy. 

Death Comes Twice is superbly fast paced with an excellent story driven narrative which reminds me of Alice Cooper in places which gives the album another wonderful offbeat atmosphere to develop within the later stages of the record. Goat Major even started to experiment with modern Psych/Stoner Rock grooves on the album that gives the whole record a refreshing modern day vibe whilst keeping their core “OCCULT DOOM” vibe fully intact.

Goat Major have delivered another masterful record with Death Comes Twice that’s bound to become one of the standout records to listen to before the end of the year.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Death Comes Twice is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Hexecutioner - Ascension Rock (Album Review)

Release Date: October 23rd 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl

Ascension Rock - Tracklist

1. Shapeshifter (5:52) 2. Usurper (5:57) 3. Manifested (7:10) 4. Star and Stone (4:42) 5. Sink or Swim (5:22) 6. Billionaires (4:45)

Members

Erin Gravina - Guitar and Vocals

Daniel McManus - Bass Guitar

Bryce Hebner - Drums

Review

Ascension Rock is the third album from Doom/Stoner Metallers Hexecutioner with the band adding a grounded cosmic energy into their music. The record itself is quite grimy and stripped back which gives Hexecutioner a heavier approach compared to their previous albums. This allows Hexecutioner to align themselves closer to the likes of OM, SLEEP and Acid King throughout this album. 

There is also a killer Proto-Metal and Garage Rock delivery being used on huge parts of the record but it’s that COSMIC DOOM sound that makes the most lasting impression which is brought superbly into life within the excellent opening track of Shapeshifter. The sound is quite down-tuned and led by moments of amplified distortion which still forms an epic style of sludge melodies amongst the gritty atmosphere that develops in the background. 

Erin Gravina works creative overtime on this record by playing guitars, delivering vocals and writing the lyrics and music for this record alone. However, this feels like a real team effort with Daniel McManus (Bass) and Bryce Hebner (Drums) forming a powerful rhythm section that allows Erin to play some intense grooves that remind me of Acid King and Shrinebuilder.

Ascension Rock does allow Hexecutioner to move into areas of Progressive Rock and Spaced Out dimensions along the way on tracks such as Usurper, Manifested, Star And Stone and Billionaires. The stripped back production values work surprisingly well for the more COSMIC aspects of the album but Erin has written some great lyrics to keep the mood human and superbly real. I adored the Punk Rock aesthetic that the album delivers so well with this record, perhaps showing you how the band actually sound like in the real world.

There’s some great Post-Doom and Post-Punk elements that start to develop on the later stages on this record which Hexecutioner have used on previous albums but this is perhaps when they’re fully fleshed out and the music becomes a more thrilling experience because of how everything plays out.

Ascension Rock has allowed HEXECUTIONER to re-invent themselves for the better with an album that’s bound to become a firm favourite within the underground rock scene and allow the band to become more well known at the same time. 

This record is an absolute blast from start to finish with seedy FUZZED OUT grooves and psychedelic soundscapes that’s highly addictive with massive amounts of violent grooves emitting from your speakers that will leave you a shivering wreck!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Hexecutioner and Good Boy PR for the promo.

Ascension Rock is available to buy now on CD/DD/Tape/Vinyl.

Links:

Band website | Bandcamp | Instagram | Facebook