High Desert Queen - Palm Reader (Album Review)

Release Date: May 28th  2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Three Moons: Tracklisting

1.Ancient Aliens 

2.Death Perception 

3.Head Honcho

4.Palm Reader

5.Time Waster 

6.Tuesday Night Blues

7.Solar Rain

Band Members

Ryan Garney – vocals

Phil Hook – drums

Morgan Miller – bass

Rusty Miller – guitar

Review

Austin, Texas based Stoner Metallers High Desert Queen earned a ton of critical plaudits for their 2022 debut album Secrets Of The Black Moon that saw the band arrive on the global Stoner Rock/Metal scene in a big way. Multiple tours and festival slots happened both within the USA and Europe where the band developed a great following on both sides of the Atlantic.

High Desert Queen have returned with their second album Palm Reader and it easily avoids the sophomore slump that has dogged so many great bands time and time again. The secret to High Desert Queen’s success is their ability to experiment with new sounds and storytelling techniques compared to their acclaimed debut release. Palm Reader does have its fair share of Psychedelic and Cosmic interludes but they added a real storytelling narrative within the lyrics and how the vocals are delivered throughout the album.

Touring with icons of the Desert/Stoner Rock scene may have helped the band along the way but High Desert Queen are still essentially delivering epic Desert Rock/Stoner Rock tracks tinged with more Emotional Driven rock on the excellent opening tracks of Ancient Aliens and Death Perception (which features guest vocals from Emma Näslund from the ace Swedish Doom/Stoner Rock band GAUPA). These two tracks alone sees High Desert Queen set down the groundwork for high voltage FUZZED UP grooves with that Texan based Desert/Stoner Rock sound merged with elements of Psych Rock, Doom Rock and Classic Hard Rock energy.

Palm Reader is quite different to Secrets Of The Black Moon when the heavier sounds appear but Ryan’s excellent vocals is like welcoming back an old friend with open arms who you haven’t seen in a long time. The music is always of the BOMBASTIC variety with the band adapting to a Blues Rock and Cosmic energy on other tracks such as Head Honcho, Palm Reader and Time Waster. 

High Desert Queen manages to impress further on the lengthier tracks of the album with Head Honcho and Solar Rain both running past the nine minutes mark. The band starts to lay down grooves with a Progressive Sludge Rock swagger that feels inspired by Mastodon and Baroness in parts. The album soon starts adding wonderful overlaps of Stoner Rock and Cosmic Rock with a touch of AMERICANA mysticism appearing within the lyrics and superb vocals allows High Desert Queen to match the dizzying creative heights and psychedelic beats of their acclaimed debut album.

The band could have easily made Secrets Of The Black Moon Part Two but they offered something more fulfilling and equally rewarding with a record that has it’s own original sound to impress listeners with all over again. 

Palm Reader is beautifully melodic and quite intense when High Desert Queen for the heavier Stoner Metal sound on the later stages of the album though the band show their tender side as well which becomes perhaps dominated by the legendary Desert Rock landscape.

This is another must-have record from High Desert Queen who have earned their reputation as one of the most promising and essential acts to come out from the legendary Texan Desert/Stoner Rock scene.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Magnetic Eye Records, US/THEM PR Group and All Noir PR for the promo.

Palm Reader will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Magnetic Eye Records from Friday 31st May 2024 at the following links below:

Worldwide: en.spkr.media
US/Canada: us.spkr.media

Links

www.highdesertqueen.com
www.facebook.com/highdesertqueen
www.instagram.com/highdesertqueen

Desert/Stoner Rockers HIGH DESERT QUEEN Release New Song TIME WASTER From Upcoming New Album PALM READER

Texas based Desert/Stoner Rockers HIGH DESERT QUEEN will be releasing their eagerly anticipated second full length album Palm Reader on May 31st 2024 via Magnetic Eye Records.

The band released the well received debut single and video for Ancient Aliens recently which was a very cool tongue in cheek video inspired by the John Carpenter classic THEY LIVE.

Now the band are releasing the second single TIME WASTER from the forthcoming new album which you can listen to below. 

Tracklist

1. Ancient Aliens
2. Death Perception
3. Head Honcho
4. Palm Reader
5. Time Waster
6. Tuesday Night Blues
7. Solar Rain

"Palm Reader" is available as digi-sleeve CD, as a transparent green vinyl LP, and as a marbled pink & black vinyl LP from http://lnk.spkr.media/high-desert-queen-palmreader

The Lowdown

HIGH DESERT QUEEN's sophomore full-length "Palm Reader" is bursting with raw energy and radiates the feeling of 666 diesel horses thundering loud. The album is crammed with cool vibes, ripping leads, and a ton of desert fuzz with a focus on great songs rather than trying to stay confined within a corral of a particular style.

This untamed attitude took its creative high energy source straight from touring. When the band from Texas returned home after six weeks travelling the roads of Europe with the legendary FATSO JETSON and watching them improvising jams every night, they had also taken notes. Although a bit worn from the road, HIGH DESERT QUEEN could hardly wait to start recording. Not focusing overly on how parts were played, allowing themselves imperfections, and ditching the click, the music started to flow like never before. In the very first studio session after the tour, three new songs emerged.

Working within a live framework and mindset, the band from Austin, Texas hit the jackpot and "Palm Reader" bears witness to that claim. In more than one way, HIGH DESERT QUEEN have always been a bit different and much more than 'another desert rock band'. Formed in Houston, Texas by singer Ryan Garney and guitarist Rusty Miller in 2019, the duo soon recruited drummer Phil Hook (MONTE LUNA) and relocated to Austin in 2020.

With the addition of Rusty's daughter Morgan on bass, the band hit the ground running. The lone star shone bright when these four got together as desert rock had already endured a long rather dry spell of stagnation and was parched for an injection of fresh sounds.

HIGH DESERT QUEEN had what it takes to kick the scene into gear again. Their vast musical influences ranging from grunge to funk, old school metal to doom and much more provide an ideal foundation for new ideas and a rejuvenating approach to the genre. Their thunderous, fuzz-drenched anthems are delivered with a healthy dose of groove and catchy melodies, and get a massive boost from an emotional intelligence in their music that's hard to find. The newly-minted sound is linked to the rich heritage of their musical environment, inspiring the style tag 'Texas desert rock'.

Hard work and their obviously burgeoning talent resulted in an fast rise for HIGH DESERT QUEEN, beginning with their first record deal arriving thanks in part to their being hand-picked by ZAKK SABBATH's Rob Blasko. Their debut full-length "Secrets of the Black Moon" arrived in 2021 and was immediately heaped with praise in the US and Europe, which kicked the doors open to touring and invitations to prestigious festivals both domestic and abroad. In March 2022, the Texans embarked on their first tour in support of SASQUATCH on the US West Coast. Only two months later, HIGH DESERT QUEEN hit the roads of Europe as a headliner in June 2022, with a return to the other side of the Atlantic with FATSO JETSON in 2023. Underlining the fast rise of this live monster, the newcomers were booked for Desertfest London (UK) and Berlin (DE) and the Truckfighters' Fuzz Festival (SE) among many others.

Answering the exponentially multiplying requests for new material from their steadily growing following, HIGH DESERT QUEEN flanked their live activities with the "Turned to Stone Ch. 8" split release with BLUE HERON, and contributed a track to "Best of Soundgarden Redux", the latest instalment of the bestselling Magnetic Eye Records Redux series.

With "Palm Reader", HIGH DESERT QUEEN have made a quantum leap in their evolution as the Texans found the perfect balance between the well-loved legacy of the desert rock genre and carving out their very own path. Fuelled by the power and spirit of live music, this album rocks as hard and honest as can be done.

HIGH DESERT QUEEN live:

24 MAY 2024 Lafayette, LA (US) Freetown Boom Boom Room
25 MAY 2024 Houston, TX (US) White Oak Music Hall
26 MAY 2024 Arlington, TX (US) Division Brewery
30 MAY 2024 Austin, TX (US) The Far Out Lounge
31 MAY 2024 Bryan, TX (US) The 101
01 JUN 2024 San Antonio, TX (US) The Amp Room
02 JUN 2024 New Braunfels, TX (US) Guadalupe Brewery
13 JUL 2024 Erfurt (DE) Stoned from the Underground Festival
26 JUL 2024 Neuensee (DE) Rock im Wald Festival
21 SEP 2024 Austin, TX (US) Far Out Lounge, RippleFest Texas

Line-up:

Ryan Garney – vocals
Phil Hook – drums
Morgan Miller – bass
Rusty Miller – guitar

Guest musician

Emma Näslund (GAUPA) – vocals on 'Death Perception'

Recorded by Casey Johns at Yellow Dog Studios, Wimberley, TX (US)
Mixed & Mastering by Karl Daniel Lidén at Studio Tri-Lamb, Solna (SE)

Cover art & album design by PabloRR (72826)

For more info visit:

www.highdesertqueen.com
www.facebook.com/highdesertqueen
www.instagram.com/highdesertqueen

Available formats

"Palm Reader" is available as digi-sleeve CD, as a transparent green vinyl LP, and as a marbled pink & black vinyl LP from http://lnk.spkr.media/high-desert-queen-palmreader

Thanks to US/THEM PR Group for all of the details.

HIGH DESERT QUEEN release first single 'Ancient Aliens' and details of new album "Palm Reader"

Texas desert rockers HIGH DESERT QUEEN release the video clip 'Ancient Aliens' as the first heavy single taken from their forthcoming sophomore full-length "Palm Reader", which has been slated for release on May 31 via Magnetic Eye Records.

On further news, HIGH DESERT QUEEN announce the first set of many planned live dates for 2024. Please see below for all currently confirmed shows.

'Ancient Aliens' is a tongue-in-cheek video take on John Carpenter's cult movie "They Live" that illustrates the difficulties for musicians in dealing with shifty managers. Watch the video here:

HIGH DESERT QUEEN comment: "Our first new single 'Ancient Aliens' was also the first song that we recorded for the new album", guitarist Rusty Miller explains. "When we just returned home from our 2023 summer tour, we were all still a little beat up and road worn. At the same time, we were completely fired up to be in the studio. Playing shows every night for six weeks gave us exactly what we needed for the new album. Our engineer Casey Johns did a great job capturing the raw energy and dynamics of our band with this song. We recorded it live without a click track and no overdubs to make it sound just how we play it live on stage."

Tracklist

1. Ancient Aliens
2. Death Perception
3. Head Honcho
4. Palm Reader
5. Time Waster
6. Tuesday Night Blues
7. Solar Rain

"Palm Reader" is available as digi-sleeve CD, as a transparent green vinyl LP, and as a marbled pink & black vinyl LP from http://lnk.spkr.media/high-desert-queen-palmreader

The Lowdown

HIGH DESERT QUEEN's sophomore full-length "Palm Reader" is bursting with raw energy and radiates the feeling of 666 diesel horses thundering loud. The album is crammed with cool vibes, ripping leads, and a ton of desert fuzz with a focus on great songs rather than trying to stay confined within a corral of a particular style.

This untamed attitude took its creative high energy source straight from touring. When the band from Texas returned home after six weeks travelling the roads of Europe with the legendary FATSO JETSON and watching them improvising jams every night, they had also taken notes. Although a bit worn from the road, HIGH DESERT QUEEN could hardly wait to start recording. Not focusing overly on how parts were played, allowing themselves imperfections, and ditching the click, the music started to flow like never before. In the very first studio session after the tour, three new songs emerged.

Working within a live framework and mindset, the band from Austin, Texas hit the jackpot and "Palm Reader" bears witness to that claim. In more than one way, HIGH DESERT QUEEN have always been a bit different and much more than 'another desert rock band'. Formed in Houston, Texas by singer Ryan Garney and guitarist Rusty Miller in 2019, the duo soon recruited drummer Phil Hook (MONTE LUNA) and relocated to Austin in 2020.

With the addition of Rusty's daughter Morgan on bass, the band hit the ground running. The lone star shone bright when these four got together as desert rock had already endured a long rather dry spell of stagnation and was parched for an injection of fresh sounds.

HIGH DESERT QUEEN had what it takes to kick the scene into gear again. Their vast musical influences ranging from grunge to funk, old school metal to doom and much more provide an ideal foundation for new ideas and a rejuvenating approach to the genre. Their thunderous, fuzz-drenched anthems are delivered with a healthy dose of groove and catchy melodies, and get a massive boost from an emotional intelligence in their music that's hard to find. The newly-minted sound is linked to the rich heritage of their musical environment, inspiring the style tag 'Texas desert rock'.

Hard work and their obviously burgeoning talent resulted in an fast rise for HIGH DESERT QUEEN, beginning with their first record deal arriving thanks in part to their being hand-picked by ZAKK SABBATH's Rob Blasko. Their debut full-length "Secrets of the Black Moon" arrived in 2021 and was immediately heaped with praise in the US and Europe, which kicked the doors open to touring and invitations to prestigious festivals both domestic and abroad. In March 2022, the Texans embarked on their first tour in support of SASQUATCH on the US West Coast. Only two months later, HIGH DESERT QUEEN hit the roads of Europe as a headliner in June 2022, with a return to the other side of the Atlantic with FATSO JETSON in 2023. Underlining the fast rise of this live monster, the newcomers were booked for Desertfest London (UK) and Berlin (DE) and the Truckfighters' Fuzz Festival (SE) among many others.

Answering the exponentially multiplying requests for new material from their steadily growing following, HIGH DESERT QUEEN flanked their live activities with the "Turned to Stone Ch. 8" split release with BLUE HERON, and contributed a track to "Best of Soundgarden Redux", the latest instalment of the bestselling Magnetic Eye Records Redux series.

With "Palm Reader", HIGH DESERT QUEEN have made a quantum leap in their evolution as the Texans found the perfect balance between the well-loved legacy of the desert rock genre and carving out their very own path. Fuelled by the power and spirit of live music, this album rocks as hard and honest as can be done.

HIGH DESERT QUEEN live:

23 MAR 2024 Austin, TX (US) The Lost Well +The Obsessed +Howling Giant +Gozu
24 MAY 2024 Lafayette, LA (US) Freetown Boom Boom Room
25 MAY 2024 Houston, TX (US) White Oak Music Hall
26 MAY 2024 Arlington, TX (US) Division Brewery
30 MAY 2024 Austin, TX (US) The Far Out Lounge
31 MAY 2024 Bryan, TX (US) The 101
01 JUN 2024 San Antonio, TX (US) The Amp Room
02 JUN 2024 New Braunfels, TX (US) Guadalupe Brewery
13 JUL 2024 Erfurt (DE) Stoned from the Underground Festival
26 JUL 2024 Neuensee (DE) Rock im Wald Festival
21 SEP 2024 Austin, TX (US) Far Out Lounge, RippleFest Texas

Line-up:

Ryan Garney – vocals
Phil Hook – drums
Morgan Miller – bass
Rusty Miller – guitar

Guest musician

Emma Näslund (GAUPA) – vocals on 'Death Perception'

Recorded by Casey Johns at Yellow Dog Studios, Wimberley, TX (US)
Mixed & Mastering by Karl Daniel Lidén at Studio Tri-Lamb, Solna (SE)

Cover art & album design by PabloRR (72826)

For more info visit:

www.highdesertqueen.com
www.facebook.com/highdesertqueen
www.instagram.com/highdesertqueen

Available formats

"Palm Reader" is available as digi-sleeve CD, as a transparent green vinyl LP, and as a marbled pink & black vinyl LP from http://lnk.spkr.media/high-desert-queen-palmreader

Thanks to Magnetic Eye Records and All Noir PR for all of the details.

Desert/Stoner Rockers HIGH DESERT QUEEN sign with Magnetic Eye Records

HIGH DESERT QUEEN have penned a multi-album deal with Magnetic Eye Records. The Texas desert rockers will release their second album via the label in 2024.

 
HIGH DESERT QUEEN comment: "We could hardly be more honored and humbled than to become a part of Magnetic Eye Records", vocalist Ryan Garney writes on behalf of the band. "The label's roster speaks for itself, and we did not hesitate when we were approached about signing. We love how eclectic their taste is and how many different styles are represented. Plus it doesn't hurt that some of our favorite bands are already on the label. We feel that Magnetic Eye are the perfect fit to help us continue to grow our own style of Texas desert rock."

Jadd Shickler extends his welcome: "It's the holy grail of A&R to find an act whose ambition toward every aspect of being a band matches their stellar live performances", the Magnetic Eye director comments. "High Desert Queen have only been around for a couple of years, but when I saw their rapid evolution and light-speed ascent by doing things that some groups never even bother to put their backs into, I came away with one certainty: this band will not be denied! High Desert Queen will play massive shows and burn the memory of their live energy into the minds of fans all over the world. Any label smart and lucky enough to strap in and take the ride with them is going to be part of something really special. I'm no dummy, so I made sure we were that label, and I can hardly wait for the scene to hear what a huge leap these guys made in the short time since their last record. To Morgan, Phil, Rusty, and Ryan: welcome to Magnetic Eye! We'll do our best to keep up!"

HIGH DESERT QUEEN are much more than 'another desert rock band'. Formed in Houston, Texas by singer Ryan Garney and guitarist Rusty Miller in 2019, the duo soon recruited drummer adding Phil Hook (MONTE LUNA) on drums and relocated to Austin in 2020.

With the addition of Rusty's daughter Morgan on bass, the band hit the ground running. The lone star shone bright when these four got together as desert rock had already endured a long rather dry spell of stagnation and was parched for an injection of fresh sounds.

HIGH DESERT QUEEN had what it takes to kick the scene into gear again. Their vast musical influences ranging from grunge to funk, old school metal to doom and much more provide an ideal foundation for new ideas and a rejuvenating approach to the genre. Their thunderous, fuzz-drenched anthems are delivered with a healthy dose of groove and catchy melodies, and get a massive boost from an emotional intelligence in their music that's hard to find. The newly-minted sound is linked to the rich heritage of their environs, inspiring the style tag 'Texas desert rock.'

Hard work and their obviously burgeoning talent resulted in an fast record deal for HIGH DESERT QUEEN. thanks in part to the help of ZAKK SABBATH's Rob Blasko. Their debut full-length "Secrets of the Black Moon" arrived in 2021 and was immediately heaped with praise in the US and Europe in 2021, which kicked the doors open to touring and invitations to prestigious festivals both domestic and abroad. In March 2022, the Texans embarked on their first tour in support of SASQUATCH on the US West Coast. Only two months later, HIGH DESERT QUEEN hit the roads of Europe as a headliner in June 2022, with a return to Europe with FATSO JETSON in 2023. Underlining the fast rise of this live monster, the newcomers were booked for Desertfest London (UK) and Berlin (DE) and the Truckfighters' Fuzz Festival (SE) among many others.

Answering the exponentially multiplying requests for new material from their steadily growing following, HIGH DESERT QUEEN flanked their live activities with the "Turned to Stone Ch. 8" split release with BLUE HERON, and contributed a track to "Best of Soundgarden Redux", the latest installment of the bestselling Magnetic Eye Records Redux series.

With more touring already on the horizon, HIGH DESERT QUEEN will release their sophomore full-length album via the label during the first half of 2024.

Line-up

Ryan Garney – vocals
Phil Hook – drums
Morgan Miller – bass
Rusty Miller – guitar

Links

www.highdesertqueen.com
www.facebook.com/highdesertqueen
www.instagram.com/highdesertqueen

High Desert Queen & Blue Heron - Turned To Stone Chapter 8: The Wake (Album Review)

Release Date: May 20th 2023. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Turned To Stone Chapter 8: The Wake: Tracklisting

High Desert Queen - Black Moon

High Desert Queen - Drift Into The Sun

HIgh Desert Queen - Roll The Dice

Blue Heron - Able Baker

Blue Heron - Day Of The Comet

Blue Heron - Superposition

Review:

Turned To Stone Chapter 8: The Wake is the new split album being released on Ripple Music but this time featuring Stoner Metallers High Desert Queen and Blue Heron with both bands offering around fifteen minutes of new music. There's something for everyone here if you've never heard of these two great bands. 

High Desert Queen play a more aggressive style of music compared to their celebrated debut album though fans of that album will still be superbly entertained with the three tracks contained here with Black Moon and Roll The Dice being the standout moments of their side of this split release. Heavy Psychedelic guitars with a twinge of Thrash and Doom being the most heaviest aspects of the track. Ryan's vocals are undeniable and passionate as ever with his vocals taking a more heartfelt Classic Rock approach on Black Moon. 

High Desert Queen's batch of songs are always melodic and highly atmospheric but I admired their style they adopted on the second track Drift Into The Sun. As the song opts for an Alt Rock and Spaced Out feeling with twinges of haunting Post-Rock/Blues Rock sounds appearing. There's also excellent backup vocals from Morgan who continues that cool style on the final song of Roll The Dice. That song also has some killer Thin Lizzy inspired classic guitar action that allow High Desert Queen to end their set with style and conviction.

Blue Heron offers a more Fuzzed Up and metallic blend of Doom/Stoner grooves across three tracks called: Able Baker, Day Of The Comet and Superposition. Taking the similar sounds where their acclaimed debut album ended, Blue Heron went straight for Stoner Metal overdrive with their style of music. Opening song Able Baker takes a more Fuzzier approach with a mixture of clean/harsh vocals telling an intriguing story with the bombastic and slightly sludgy grooves written for this track. Perhaps a more ferocious style of music compared to High Desert Queen but the contrast works superbly well. Fans of KYUSS, Monster Magnet and Fu Manchu should check out this song for the action alone.

The other two tracks of Day Of The Comet and Superposition feel like they could have come from their debut album with similar melodies and vocal structures contained throughout both tracks. Though, there is a subtle Grungier attitude appearing on Day Of The Comet with the band's heaviest and most interesting creative sounds heard on this track alone. The gruff based vocals have a slight Blues Rock twang but all add up to a HARD ROCKING great time with Blue Heron going into Stoner Metal guitars excess on the later stages of Day Of The Comet. This part can be quite flashy in places but it's hard not to be impressed by it all.

Blue Heron continues that style of music with Superposition but with a slightly more relaxed atmosphere being used to deliver the melodic sounds.

Turned To Stone Chapter 8: The Wake is another stellar chapter within this groundbreaking and acclaimed series from Ripple Music. With this being a Ripple Music release, you know this oozes QUALITY throughout. Everything sounds superb and you can understand why this release is building up such a great BUZZ within the underground Stoner Metal scene. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Turned To Stone Chapter 8: The Wake is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music.

Blue Heron Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

High Desert Queen Links:

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram 

High Desert Queen - Secrets Of The Black Moon (Album Review)

Release Date: October 15th 2021. Record Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Secrets Of The Black Moon - Tracklisting

1.Heads Will Roll 04:32

2.The Mountain Vs. The Quake 04:36

3.As We Roam 05:16

4.Did She? 03:44

5.The Rise 01:48

6.Skyscraper 05:36

7.The Wheel 06:02

8.Bury The Queen 08:16

Members

Ryan Garney – Vocals, Guitar

Rusty Miller – Lead Guitar

Matt Metzger – Bass Guitar

Phil Hook – Drums

Review

Secrets Of The Black Moon is the debut album from Cosmic Doom/Stoner Rockers High Desert Queen where they fuse the sounds of the Desert and bring a Doom Metal heaviness to the party with an almost Progressive Cosmic mix that acts as the glue to hold everything together. With the band taking influence from bands such as KYUSS, Elder, Foo Fighters and Lowrider. Throw a rebellious early-QOTSA sound and you have an album that’s creatively strong throughout with lyrics, vocals and grooves.

The record does live deep within the 90s Desert/Stoner Rock sound but High Desert Queen are clever to bring the sound right upto the modern day with Psychedelic Space/Cosmic Rock vibes that brings an extra layer of heaviness to the album. The instrumental work is excellent with each band member bringing their own ideas and individual talents to the party.

The first few songs - Heads Will Roll, The Mountain vs The Quake and As We Roam is perhaps the strongest opening to an album I’ve heard in a long while. With heavy grooves that merge Desert/Stoner Rock grooves and the lyrics having a Foo Fighters upbeat quality to them even with the band falling under “DOES THIS DOOM” category and ultimately succeeding. The music moves or shall I say drifts from one psychedelic trip to the next with The Mountain vs The Quake being one of the standout songs on the record.

High Desert Queen are from Texas and you can easily compare them to fellow Texas riff-slingers WO FAT and Mothership. There’s a lot of similarities between all 3 bands and I can see why Ripple Music signed them to their ever increasing roster.

Secrets Of The Black Moon is a trip into the finer details of Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Rock and the othe songs on the album allow the band to create even more stunning progressive based grooves with the record remaining diverse and heavy.

Other songs to check out are: Did She?, Skyscraper and Bury The Queen.

The main highlight of this album is how it reminds you of other bands you’ve grown up with but High Desert Queen still sounds so damn hip, fresh and original. The album is wonderfully classic hard rock without actually being classic hard rock. I know that’s hard to understand and it’s perhaps best to listen to the album to fully understand.

Secrets Of The Black Moon is aided by excellent recording and production values and I know I sound like a broken record but you expect this from a Ripple Music release. KUDOS must also goto Mr Blasko of Ripple Music for spotting this band and signing them to the label. 

High Desert Queen have released an adventurous, rich and diverse album that is ready to take you on a Psychedelic Head-Trip into the realm of Doom/Stoner Rock with multiple visits fully guaranteed.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. 

You can buy Secrets Of The Black Moon on CD/Vinyl from Ripple Music links below

Ripple EU Store

Ripple US Store

Links

Facebook ⎪ Bandcamp ⎪ Instagram ⎪ Spotify