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.

Mars Collision - World Collapse (EP Review)

Release Date: May 10th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

World Collapse - Tracklisting

1.World Collapse 05:39

2.The Second Strike 02:40

3.Enemies 03:40

4.The Destroyer 03:24

5.Black Hole Spirit 03:38

6.Unless Earth 45° 55° 08:08

Members

DRUMS : Johnny The Snake.

BASS Dooxie : Stardust.

GUITARS : John The Wild Goat.

GUEST GUITARS SOLO Unless Earth 45° 55°: Simone Pennucci.

VOCALS : Jet Daughan

Review

World Collapse is the debut EP from Cosmic Stoner Metallers Mars Collision who bring a slightly different Psychedelic vibe into their music especially with the vocals. The music itself is full of the usual Cosmic surroundings you would expect from a record that focuses upon the Spaced Out areas of Psychedelic Stoner Metal. There’s an edgy Fuzz Rock element that soon drifts into classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal which can be quite over the top but one that fully sells Mars Collision musical vision with pure conviction.

The record does have some great areas of Doom Metal, Space Rock and Psych Rock that taps into the musical eras of the last fifty years with a passionate Stoner Metal dedication that leaves you quite impressed with the multitude of different musical genres Mars Collision employs on this record alone. The band do takes cures from the likes of KYUSS, MOTORHEAD, BLACK SABBATH, MONSTER MAGNET and FU MANCHU with the band developing a NO HOLDS BARRED approach when they fully settle on that dominant Eighties Heavy Metal sound that appears from the very the start.

There’s also some classic Punk Rock sounds that gives the band a snarling attitude which is perhaps inspired by Saint Vitus and The Obsessed when Mars Collision fully venture into the classic Doom/Stoner Metal of music on tracks such as World Collapse, The Second Strike, Enemies and Unless Earth 45° 55°.

The production values of the EP are quite good though a little bit raw and underdeveloped at times but this allows the record to have a distinctive “CLASSIC UNDERGROUND” quality which makes the record that slightly more unpredictable.

World Collapse is full of twisted fuzzed up instrumental solos which can be quite seedy when the band fully transition into their HEAVY METAL personas whilst keeping the mood full of COSMIC ROCK aggression. The EP is very much in your face with Mars Collision playing a pissed off style of Psychedelic Stoner Metal that’s undeniably fun and downright catchy. These guys are the real deal especially if you dig your music that’s happy to be part of the underground HEAVY METAL scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

BandCamp | Instagram

KAL-EL - Astral Voyager Vol. 2 (Album Review)

Release Date: March 20th 2026. Record Label: Blues Funeral Recordings / Majestic Mountain Records.. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Astral Voyager Vol. 2 - Tracklisting

1.Juno 

2.The Nine

3.The Prophecy

4.Juggernaut 

5.Pan

6.Asteroid

Members

Captain - Vocals

Josh - Guitar

Doffy - Guitar

Bjudas - Drums

Knutsen - Bass

Review

Stoner Metal Heavyweights KAL-EL return with the blistering second part to the Astral Voyager saga with a record originally titled Astral Voyager Vol 2. Nothing much has changed since Vol 1 with KAL-EL playing their highly addictive style of Doom, Psych, Space Rock, Sludge and Stoner Metal grooves. The record does allow KAL-EL to inject some mellow Post-Stoner melodies along the way with lead vocalist Captain’s undeniable vocals steadying the ship or SPACESHIP as we say.

There’s an extra level of Desert Rock detail which is more amplified compared to their previous album which comes across quite quickly and most significantly within the excellent opening track Juno. The band are in full on  SPACED OUT ROCK EXPLORER mode with the constant shift moving between Heavy Psych, Cosmic Doom and Stoner Metal soundscapes. You can hear echoes of Grunge forming behind the scenes with KAL-EL taking a cerebral approach with the main storyline of the whole album. 

KAL-EL demonstrate a destructive fuzzed up SLUDGE METAL attitude within the second track of The Nine which pushes the band into heavier waters with surprising results whilst keeping their core STONER sound. The production values are off the scale that easily matches Vol 1 with both albums being the perfect counterbalance to each other. Sometimes the music can be quite slow-paced which allows the listener to take everything as there is a lot going on within the whole musical journey which continues throughout the whole album.

Astral Voyager Vol. 2 is superbly melodic and once again sees KAL-EL demonstrating why they’re such a force to be reckoned with especially on tracks such as The Prophecy, Juggernaut and Asteroid which are my favourite parts of the album. The music is constantly engaging, emotionally satisfying and most importantly, the RIFFS are out of this world. 

The most interesting dynamic is KAL-EL’s great use of trippy sound effects which they’ve used throughout their entire existence but this time round, they have real importance into how the story of the album fully plays out. This keeps the record quite grounded and allows the other members of the band to play some outstanding musical passages of their own making like they did on the previous album.

It was probably a great decision from KAL-EL to release these albums as two separate volumes as they wouldn’t have had the same lasting impact if they were released together. This means you can judge each album on its own merits. The hardest part I have to admit I prefer Astral Voyager Vol. 1 slightly to Vol. 2. However, this is still an outstanding album of the highest order which will no doubt rank as one of the standout Stoner Rock/Metal albums of the year.

KAL-EL are one of the greatest STONER METAL bands the scene currently has now. As every album they’ve released can be considered classics and this will be no different with the whole Astral Voyager saga.

Play this album LOUD when you get the chance. You won’t be disappointed!!!.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Astral Voyager is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via the links below:

Majestic Mountain Records (EU/UK)

Blues Funeral Recordings (North America)

KAL-EL links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

Introduce Yourselves - Tickle The Sage

What is the name of your band?

Tickle the Sage

What is the genre of music that you play?

Psychedelic Rock / Heavy Psych / Space Rock

Can you give a brief history of the band of how it came together and where it is today?

Tickle the Sage started with Alex Nikolov and Ivan Petkov. We’ve known each other since childhood. After high school we lost contact for a few years, then reconnected in 2020 and started playing music together again. 

At first, the band was mostly about jamming. We played a lot outdoors in parks and open urban spaces around Sofia, Bulgaria, and organized small gigs where other artists could join in - musicians, dancers, poi and fire performers. We were already writing ideas, but nothing was fixed yet. 

After a while, we decided to focus more seriously on songwriting and shaping those ideas into full songs. We’ve always been interested in analyzing music - what makes a song immersive, what kind of feelings and imagery it creates - and we wanted to explore that through our own writing. 

In 2024, Sivin Sivov (drums) and Simeon Bayatov (bass) joined the band. Since then, we’ve been writing together as a full lineup and playing more regularly, including many gigs and festivals around Bulgaria. 

We love underground culture and the DIY approach. At some point we even got solar generators and started organizing forest gigs in the mountains, inspired by generator parties. We do everything ourselves and remain fully independent - we record, produce, create our own artwork and visualizers (every song has either a visualizer or a video clip), film and edit our videos, and handle our own merch.

This is important to us because we want to build our own world around the band, not only through the music, but through everything we create. 

We’ve just released our first studio album, Journey. We’re currently working on new material and plan to release more singles during 2026. We’re also preparing an Eastern European tour, with the aim of doing a wider European tour in 2027.

What can people expect from your music?

Music that moves and changes. 

The songs develop over time, with different parts and moods. Some sections are heavy, others are calmer, but there’s always motion. We pay special attention to groove and melody and want the music to make you move, regardless of musical background. It’s also very atmospheric and immersive. When we play, we often feel like we’re stepping into another space, and that’s the experience we’re aiming to create. 

The album Journey works as a whole, but each track can also stand on its own. 

What is the best release that folks should check out from your band?

Our debut album Journey. We released it in November 2025. 

It has seven tracks. Four songs have visualizers and two have full video clips. Everything is self-produced.

Where can people find you on Social Media?

Spotify
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook
Bandcamp

Tickle the Sage 1st album

Ticke the Sage LIVE Album Promo

Journey on YouTube:

1. Are You Asleep (Official Video) 

2. Freeman’s Will (Official Visualizer) 

3. Tickle the Sage (Official Video) 

4. The Maze (Official Visualizer) 

5. Space Drift (Official Visualizer) 

6. Stranger (Official Visualizer) 

7. Journey – To be released on YouTube

Cosmic Heavy Rock Champions KAL-EL announce new album "Astral Voyager Vol. 2" on Majestic Mountain Records & Blues Funeral Recordings

Norway's cosmic heavy rock powerhouse KAL-EL returns with their anticipated new album "Astral Voyager Vol. 2" this spring on Majestic Mountain Records and Blues Funeral Recordings and blast the debut single and video for "Juno" today.

Watch Kal-El's epic new video "Juno" below:

KAL-EL return with "Astral Voyager Vol. 2", the sequel to the most critically-acclaimed and eminently listenable album in their catalog. The continuation of a multi-dimensional journey, "Astral Voyager Vol. 2" picks up with interstellar bounty hunter Mica evading pursuit by The Nine as she traverses time and space to bring in her marks. An infectious blast of sci-fi metal and soaring desert anthems, this is a record about the dangers of manipulation and struggling for individuality against the unseen powers who try to keep us compliant and controlled.

Metal Hammer Magazine called "Astral Voyager Vol. 1" “a six-track sermon of fuzzed-out gravity” while Witching Buzz said, “Kal-El don't just gaze at the stars; they chart them” and Slightly Fuzzed proclaimed the album “a must-hear for stoner rock disciples and cosmic doom wanderers alike”.

On the heels of their first full US tour, KAL-EL welcome us back to the Astral Voyager universe with "Astral Voyager Vol. 2", the second half of their epic riff-exploration to the farthest reaches of the galaxy!

New album "Astral Voyager Vol. 2" - Out March 23rd 2026 from the links below:

Majestic Mountain Records (EU/UK)

Blues Funeral Recordings (North America)

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. Stamped with their rocket-fueled scandi-stoner power, their latest album "Astral Voyager Vol.1" is six tracks of pure sci-fi stoner fuzz and a must-hear for fans of Dozer, Lowrider, Truckfighters, Domkraft!

KAL-EL links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN RECORDS links

Website | Facebook  | Bandcamp  | Instagram

BLUES FUNERAL RECORDINGS links

Website | Facebook  | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

LACERTILIA - Transcend (Album Review)

Release Date: October 24th 2025. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Transcend - Tracklisting

1. Archaic Oscillations

2. We Go Here

3. Listen Close

4. Over & Out

5. Nothing's Sacred

6. Transcending

7. Deviate From The Plan

8. Weird Scenes

9. Cerulean Sky

10. The Sun Is The Key

Members

Matt Fry – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals

Lucas Zalunski – Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar

Michael Young-Temple – Electric Guitar, Djembe

Ed Hughes – Bass

Carl Richards – Drums

Review

LACERTILIA return with their mammoth new album Transcend which fits superbly well into their heavy style of Cosmic Stoner Rock with a subtle Heavy Psychedelic charge. The record opens with a Post-Doom and Folk Rock opening of Archaic Oscillations which allows the Space Rock energy that Transcends fully contains to be laid out from the very beginning. However, that direction changes for the better with the excellent second track of We Go Here which sees LACERTILIA operate within the same Space Rock dimension of acts such as MONSTER MAGNET, NEBULA and VOLUME. 

There’s also a gritty determination within their music and that’s mostly down to lead vocalist Matt Fry’s bombastic and highly unapologetic vocals which has a streetwise DOOM METAL attitude close to the likes of THE OBSESSED and ORANGLE GOBLIN, The grooves are heavy and plentiful with LACERTILIA showing different styles of Heavy Psychedelic passages which can be rooted in Classic Rock and Blues Rock energy but with the philosophy and influence of a certain Dave Wyndorf shining through from time to time.

Transcend becomes heavier and more intense with each passing moment that allows LACERTILIA to try new things with their music such as a PUNK ROCK attitude developing from tracks such as Listen Close, Over & Out and Nothing’s Sacred. The music does feel SONIC WARFARE or STONER WARFARE at times as the band play a furious style of Doom/Stoner Metal with stripped back production values allowing LACERTILIA to sound quite different from the Welsh and UK heavy rock underground scene.

The album has a few creative curve balls along the way which surprised me with LACERTILIA switching to areas of Prog Rock, Post-Doom, Punk Rock and Classic Hard Rock whilst keeping that classic STONER based vibe that does result in some ferocious instrumental passages throughout.

LACERTILIA are always thinking outside of the box with each passing track and this allows Transcend to have such an unpredictable and aggressive nature that makes this album such an exhilarating experience on other tracks such as Transcending, Deviate From The Plan, Weird Scenes and The Sun Is The Key. I will admit the stunning and epic fifth track Nothing Sacred is my favourite track with LACERTILIA employing a Post-Rock and Prog Rock philosophy into their music and allowing the intense STONER based melodies to fully take control at the perfect opportunity.

Transcend is perhaps allowing LACERTILIA moving onto bigger and better opportunities within the wider Stoner Rock/Metal movement and underground scene. With Orange Goblin sadly calling it quits, LACERTILIA could easily take their place as one of the premier UK Stoner Metal bands in the years to come. 

This is a masterful and sonic musical odyssey from a band who are absolutely ON FIRE. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Transcend is available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Majestic Mountain Records.

Lacertilia links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Majestic Mountain Records links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram