Bird - Mondo Occvlto (Album Review)

Release Date: 04th March  2026. Record Label: Olde Magick Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Mondo Occvlto - Tracklisting

1.Fright 04:43

2.Yehudit 04:51

3.The Fall Of The House Of Horus 05:28

4.Sebeth 06:13

5.Queen Of The Mountain 05:39

6.The Saint 04:20

Members

Simone Pennucci - lead vocals and guitars;

Pietro La Tegola  - backing vocals, bass, synthesizers, and theremin

Johnny the Snake - drums

Review

Mondo Occvlto is the latest album from Psych Stoner Rockers Bird who are formed from the ashes and musical legacy of Italian cult rockers Whiskeycold Winter. This time round they explore their musical horizon to play a mixture of Psych, Prog, Doom, Stoner and Folk Rock which is lovingly wrapped up in Seventies Hard Rock aesthetics. On their latest record, the band play a riffier and free-flowing sound compared to their previous records. There’s some epic levels of amplifier distortion and screeching guitars played against an out of control THERMIN and SYNTHS combo for certain sections of the album.

For the most part Bird are quite happy playing closer to the classic style of SABBATHIAN heavy metal with brief trips in to Eighties Heavy Metal excess which allows Simone Pennucci on lead vocals to fully embrace that “WILD MAN OF ROCK” persona that he pulls of brilliantly on the album. Sure, it’s outlandish and way over the top but it works for the context of this album. 

Johnny The Snake on drums is a pure enigma at times. One moment he’s calm as hell and the next he’s playing like a madman which gives a whole unexpected frantic energy to the album. However, the real MVP has to be Pietro La Tegola who provides backing vocals, bass, synths and theremin. Though, together as a collective unit, Bird are brilliantly impressive which allows them to have an unpredictable quality to them on how they play their music. 

Mondo Occvlto is pure rock and roll theatre with Bird tapping into that classic style of Proto-Doom and Occult Metal on tracks such as Fright, The Fall Of The House Of Horus, Sebeth and Queen Of The Mountain. However, the album does have some real emotionally charged moments where the mood becomes quite reflective when Bird plays a cooler style of Classic Hard Rock with areas of modern day Psychedelic movements appearing.

Overall, Bird has delivered an album that’s quite different and eerily familiar at the same time. The record may take a few listens to get the multitude of different sounds and flavours that Bird has committed to record but it’s a journey worth taking over and over again. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

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FANGUS - Emerald Dreams (Album Review)

Release Date: March 13th 2026. Record Label: From The Urn Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Emerald Dream - Tracklisting

I - Howling Hammer

II - Pyre Of Love

III - Psychoïd Telepath

IV - Quest For Fire

V - Emerald Dream

VI - Time Gambler

VII - Shapeshifter

VIII - Stardust Regulator

Members

Alex Bigras - Guitars

Snake St-Louis - Drums

Vick Trigger - Bass

Chub - Synths/Organ/Backing Vocals

Jim Laflamme - Lead Vocals/Tambourine

Review

FANGUS debut album Emerald Dream is an intoxicating mix of Psych, Acid Rock, Doom Rock, Proto-Metal, Occult Rock, Blues Rock and Stoner Rock. The album is quite wild and wickedly vivid with how FANGUS blend different genre conventions with an outlandish premise that pushes the boundaries of Heavy Psychedelic music.

The music is mostly sourced from the legendary sounds of the Sixties and Seventies scenes with the band never venturing into modern day themes. This makes the album quite a cool sounding and hip leaning slice of RETRO ROCK with a great attitude to match.

The record starts off spectacularly heavy and fast paced through the opening tracks of Howling Hammer, Pyre Of Love and Psychoïd Telepath which relies quite heavily on the extraordinary talents of Chub who provides an amazing array of Synths, Organs and sublime backing vocals along the way. His performance was what instantly drew me in at first though the rest of the band are amazing musicians as well with all them putting in first rate performances. Though, it took me a few listens to actually listen to each individual performance on certain sections of the album.

The lead vocals from Jim Laflamme feels like he was brought up on a steady diet of The Doors, Black Sabbath, Led Zepp, Alice Cooper, MC5 and The Who with his vocals having a slightly grizzled Classic Rock and Heavy Rock feel. The album does lean into early Seventies Proto-Doom metal records with a sudden outburst of Heavy Psych and Garage Rock making the album sound quite heavier and vindictive at times. The Occult Doom themes become the most interesting aspect on the later stages with FANGUS feel like they’re developing a soundtrack for a lost classic horror movie that’s being discovered for the very first time.

Everything is bloody OVER THE TOP and insanely dramatic but you can’t deny how beautifully melodic and insanely addictive the album is at the same time. The record moves to more demented areas of Occult Rock with some amazing FREAK-OUT instrumental passages courtesy of some wonderful guitars laid down by Alex Brigas. 

There’s also a slightly Ritual and Tribal aspect to Emerald Dreams that starts to break through on tracks such as Quest For Fire, Emerald Dreams, Shapeshifter and Stardust Regulator where the album does have a minor Space Rock aspect starting to form which allows the album to become ever more unpredictable.

The production values are outstanding which allows FANGUS to transport not only themselves but also the listener to another forbidden dimension told through the power of music.

Emerald Dreams doesn’t feel like a debut album. This feels like a greatest hits collection with FANGUS providing their best musical output for a new legion of followers to discover for the very first time in the present day. That’s the best way I can describe Emerald Dreams and I’m have no doubt that FANGUS will start to build quite a loyal cult following within the underground scene thanks to this superb album. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Emerald Dreams  is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via From The Urn Records.

Links 

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Saint Omen - Mysteries Of Rebirth (Album Review)

Release Date: November 05th 2025. Record Label: The Cult Of Saint Omen. Formats: DD

Mysteries Of Rebirth - Tracklisting

1.Invocation Of Rebirth [Intro] 01:00

2.Hell Money 05:00

3.Devil Eyes 04:30

4.Bone Shakin' Mama 04:15

5.Those Who Harm 04:20

6.Smokeless Fire 05:34

7.Satan Man 03:00

8.Mysteries Of Rebirth 02:21

9.Undead 04:14

10.Levitation Communion 01:13

Member

Geroni J. Saint-Hilaire - Everything

Review

Occult/Doom/Stoner Rockers Saint Omen second album Mysteries Of Rebirth is a stripped back and gloomy affair that captures the seedier and sinister tone of the Occult Rock scene. There’s amplified FUZZ and the GLOOMY acid drenched amplified sounds feels like they’ve been ripped from the seediest streets of New York imaginable which is where the band are actually from. There is a sense of dread and hopefulness with Saint Omen feeling inspired by classic 70’s Horror Movies and particularly the soundtracks by the legendary GOBLIN and John Carpenter movies.

However, there’s an aggressive HIP and STONER based sound developing behind the scenes with Saint Omen paying homage to the likes of Electric Wizard, Uncle Acid and Black Sabbath but with their own street level sound. The record doesn’t play out the way you think with Saint Omen not afraid to merge different amplified elements of distorted melodies, twisted lyrics and surreal vocal arrangements which comes into life on the excellent tracks Hell Money and Devil Eyes. 

The music itself is dominated by slow-to-mid played passages with different types of musical instruments being thrown in for good measure with the sludgy guitars and creepy synths being my favourite part that’s all played to surreal perfection by the solo mastermind of Saint Omen - Geroni J. Saint-Hilaire. The music becomes slightly more over the top with Bone Shakin’ Mama that sees a Lou Reed / Iggy Pop influence coming through within the vocals and some classic Eighties HEAVY METAL guitar shredding with the edgy lyrics make this perhaps the most subversive and standout track on the album.

Saint Omen captures the “SHOCK ROCK” aspect of his music down to a fine art which sees the record become even more groove centric and the Occult Rock themes fully taking charge on the later parts of the record. The production values are great for the most part but there’s a few rough sounding moments but maybe that’s the point to capture a raw sounding and quite abrasive record on tracks such as Those Who Harm, Smokeless Fire and Undead.

Saint Omen injects a violent and dark energy into the Occult Rock/Metal sound which is quite daring in places especially when the music becomes slightly more theatrical but with that burst of Stoner Rock energy to keep everything grounded.

Mysteries Of Rebirth is a superbly observed slice of Occult Doom and Psychedelic Stoner Rock that has a batch of great songs to chill your bones with. The record only lasts for around thirty five minutes so it’s an action-packed record that allows Saint Omen to embrace the “CULT” lifestyle that the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene desperately needs right now!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Links

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Dee Calhoun - Angry Old Man (Album Review)

Release Date: July 18th 2025. Record Label: Black Doomba Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Angry Old Man - Tracklisting

1.A Last Cold Kiss 05:04 video

2.Angry Old Man 05:56

3.Voodoo Queen 05:04

4.A Piece From The Shoulder 05:44

5.Rise Up To March 04:15

6.Give Up The Ghost 04:20

7.VVitch (A Chant) 05:24

8.K*ll A M*ther F*cker 05:18

9.The Damned Human Race 08:27

Members

Dee Calhoun - Everything

Review

Dee Calhoun is back with his latest solo album Angry Old Man and for the uninitiated, Dee is considered a bit of a legend within the underground Doom Metal scene thanks to his stints with the legendary band IRON MAN and the excellent Spiral Grave. Dee Calhoun has been focusing upon his solo records for quite some time now blending Americana, Country, Doom, Blues, Stoner and Southern Rock but all told in a highly fashionable Acoustic Rock way.

Dee is also an acclaimed writer over the last few years and he’s got real talent and credibility with how he writes his lyrics that deal with some pretty dark themes even when they branch over into Horror and Fantasy though this record is mostly based on his own observations with the world.

Angry Old Man is quite an in-depth and highly involving record with Dee Calhoun once again used stripped back musical techniques to generate a gloomy and down-trodden atmosphere which some of the most well known figures of the underground scene have used for their own solo material such as WINO and Steve Von Till.

The AMERICANA and DOOMED OUT COUNTRY BLUES is a big aspect on how this album fully moves along at a cracking slow-to-mid pace. The whole record oozes gloomy atmosphere with Dee being quite political throughout but he does offer some superb wry and humorous sly commentary on certain parts of the album.

The music is quite abstract with ghostly sounds and twangy guitars reminding me of Johnny Cash at the best of times especially on tracks such as A Last Cold Kiss, Angry Old Man, Voodoo Queen, Rise Up To The March and K*ll A M*therF*cker. You can detect echoes of other vocalists that have perhaps shaped Dee’s musical knowledge but it’s his forthright confessional style that shows you what a damn fine storyteller Dee has ultimately become. 

Some parts of the album do become DOOM-FOLK obsessed in places but the solitary Americana and Roots based sound keeps things grounded. You can even detect a sense of MONSTER MAGNET gloomy rhymes in certain instrumental melodies that has a slight passing resemblance to the opening intro of SPACE LORD but that could be just me looking way too much into things.

The political message of Angry Old Man runs deep especially with today’s political climate and fucked up turmoil going on in the world and Dee Calhoun becomes more rebellious on the later stages of the record with Dee perhaps taking political cues from Neil Young is no bad thing at all. 

Angry Old Man is another forthright, bleak and outstanding release from Dee Calhoun who is perhaps in the best creative form of his life at the moment and that’s saying something especially with the career that Dee has lived through and ultimately achieved. 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

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Exclusive Song/Video Premiere Of Doom/Stoner Rockers KING POTENAZ New Song RIVERS OF DEATH From Forthcoming New Album

'Rivers of Death' is the first single from King Potenaz upcoming new album ' Arcane-Desert-Rituals Vol 1'  to be released in June. Vol 2 will be released later in 2025.

Quote from the band about the track and video

“We're finally back after a while, we're super excited and we literally couldn't wait to let you listen to our new single “Rivers Of Death”, the opener to our long-awaited second album “Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. I”, set to be released in June on Majestic Mountain Records… for the special occasion we also made a magnificent video created by the great PrettyNoose, which fully embodies the darkest and most doom atmospheres we could give you...”

Bio

Born in 2019 in Fasano (BR) during some jam sessions, King Potenaz began composing original songs strongly inspired by the doom/stoner of bands like Sleep, Electric Wizard, Kyuss, Monster Magnet and last but not least Black Sabbath.

After a change on drums, the lineup stabilized in the power trio formed by Giuseppe [guitar and vocals], Francesco [bass] and Piero [drums/synths]; long-time friends and musicians, active in the local underground heavy scene for about 30 years: Giuseppe and Francesco have played in various black/doom/drone bands such as Helvete, Moriendoom and Rius De La Mort) while Piero has pounded the skins in punk/hardcore bands like NoExit and Erpice and composed two albums of electronic music as PRNX.

In 2022 “Among The Ruins” and “Pyramids Planet” [demo versions] were finally released.

On April 28, 2023, their debut album entitled “Goat Rider” was released, distributed by Argonauta Records.

The album was enthusiastically received by industry critics and reached the twelfth position in the Doom Charts of April '23 as well as being mentioned in the major genre charts at the end of the year.

In 2024, the three signed with the Swedish Majestic Mountain Records for the release of the new albums  Arcane-Desert-Rituals Vol 1 scheduled for June 2025 and anticipated by the release of the first single on March 14; in the meantime, they recorded a cover of a Ramones song that will be included in the next tribute of the Redux series by the American label Magnetic Eye Records.

King Potenaz Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Majestic Mountain Records Links

Official | Facebook | Instagram

Thanks to Majestic Mountain Records for all of the details.

Okktli - Lado A (Album Review)

Release Date: December 12th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Lado A - Track Listing:

1.March of Glory 03:17

2.The Uprising 07:31

3.I Walk Alone 09:44

4.Mistress of Deceit 08:22

Members

Alfonso Brito López: vocals & rhitmic guitar

Mauricio Hernández: Drums

Israel Oñate: Bass

César Gama: lead guitar

Review

Lado A is the new album from Mexican Occult/Doom/Stoner Rockers Okktli and I have to thank the always reliable and super knowledgeable MEL LIE of SUNDAY’S HEAVY TUNES for recommending this great record to me, as it would have passed me by. The record has a high amount of Occult sounds with some fantastic down-tempo moments to impress listeners with that can be quite seedy and weedian in places

The vocals have a classic Proto Metal attitude to them with flashes of classic Doom/Stoner Metal appearing briefly with the opening track March Of Glory and becoming an integral part of Okktli’s music within the standout second track The Uprising. There’s a subtle and stripped back HEAVY METAL sound that’s deconstructed to become more of a Doom/Stoner Metal melody with flashes and outbursts of Classic Hard Rock with inspiring IRON MAIDEN and THIN LIZZY based grooves on the later stages of the track.

Okktli are a band who live for the ALMIGHTY RIFF and they play a wide array of different styles on this album which is made the more impressive by the short running time of the album. As Lado A clocks in around under thirty minutes in length. 

Third trackI Walk Alone sees the band become more empowered by the Occult Rock scene with moments of Heavy Psychedelic Fuzzed Up sounds appearing. The vocals are not what you expect though with a subtle Grunge and Doom based vibe joining forces for a “less is more” narrative forming. The track is quite slow paced and minimalistic that once again shows a different side to Okktli. The second half of the track is “WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS” when the aggressive and fast-paced grooves appear and Okktli plays the catchiest and heaviest sounds on the whole record.

The final track of Mistress Of Deceit is the perfect homage to the whole Occult/Doom Rock scene with Okktli playing a more operatic and OTT style of music. The lyrics are overblown but fit perfectly into the whole “Occult Rock” narrative. The song opens with long drawn out melodies and sublime Doomedelic Fuzzy guitars which become more muscular and aggressive that build up to a subtle “riff-centric” style. 

Lado A is a gloriously entertaining record and is quite outrageous in places but also allows Okktli to create their own highly original style of Occult Doom Metal that’s spliced with true Stoner Metal heaviness throughout.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

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OLD BLOOD - Midnight Climax (Album Review)

Release Date: October 04th 2024. Record Label: Glory Or Death Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Midnight Climax - Track Listing:

1.Midnight Climax 04:26 

2.Noble Oath 03:21 

3.The Chained Elephant 06:46

4.Oh, You're High, Huh? 06:30

5.Kosmonaut 09:10

6.Poison in Disguise 05:50

7.Snakes 05:29

Members

Lynx - Vocals

Octopus - Bass

Cole Donovan - Guitar

J.F. Stone - Keyboard

Diesel - Drums

Review

Doom/Stoner Rockers OLD BLOOD are back with another Acid tinged release full of highly passionate and soulful Occult Sounds on their new album Midnight Climax. With their highly seductive lyrics leading the record to have a rebellious edge which comes right out of the gates of the excellent opening title track of Midnight Climax. With it’s frenzied and surreal approach with screeching guitars which pays respect to bands such as Black Sabbath and KYUSS, the band are in fine spooky spirits with the song embracing a dangerous “femme fatale” charge that comes right through the lyrics and great vocals from lead vocalist Lynx.

There’s more to OLD BLOOD than the usual Doom/Stoner Rock tropes with the band focusing upon areas of Grunge, Heavy Metal and Classic Hard Rock with a deep love of the Blues being added for great measure. Midnight Climax has got some fantastic sonic sounds which can be quite Spooky and Spaced Out at the same time. This part of the album becomes quite cerebral especially on tracks such as Noble Oath.

Noble Oath sees the music being played at a catchy, aggressive and fast pace which allows Lynx’s vocals to soar higher and higher with the Occult/Blues Rock atmospherics that OLD BLOOD play along the way. 

Third track Chained Elephant is a dramatic change of pace which opens with a Jazz/Blues instrumental sound which undergoes a dramatic tone a few minutes in when a subtle THRASH guitar solo with Classic Proto-Doom guitars allows Lynx to add a gloomy Grunge vibe to the vocals. It’s an interesting style of music that ultimately succeeds at being daring and totally different at the same time. This is perhaps one of the riskiest tracks I’ve heard from OLD BLOOD but this pays off big time as it's quite subversive whilst paying respects to their Doom/Stoner Rock roots.

Fourth track You’re High, Huh, is another soulful Blues Rock driven number with a soulful Psychedelic drive drawing upon quieter movements before adding heavier strands of Grunge, Occult Rock and Stoner Rock energy slowly dominating proceedings. Lynx’s vocals are commanding yet again but with a sense of emotional vulnerability within the more tender moments of the track. Shades of Thin Lizzy and QUEEN classic guitar solos appear which is music to my ears with this being my favourite track on the whole album.

Fifth track Kosmonaut is where OLD BLOOD decide to go all out on the HEAVY METAL EXCESS front with an amalgamation of different musical styles with this being the longest track on the whole album. This has a classic “ROCK OPERA” structure where OLD BLOOD experiment to their heart’s content. It’s way OVER THE TOP but it’s full with some of the best creative ideas and instrumental sounds on the whole album. There’s a gloomy presence on the later stages of the track with OLD BLOOD going through the more DOOM & GLOOM style of Occult based Stoner Rock with moments of warped Psychedelia building into a frenzied Blues Rock charge.

The final two songs of Poison In Disguise and Snakes allows OLD BLOOD to end the album in highly confident fashion with a switch to 1960’s Blues Rock and 1970#s Psych Rock sounds which can be wholly aggressive and beautifully melodic that gives Midnight Climax a timeless quality when the closing stages appear.

Midnight Climax is another magnificent effort from Old Blood who have gone from strength to strength with each passing release. This is perhaps their most outlandish and outrageous album to date but one that is also their standout record to date. 

Add this one to your record collection when you have the time. You won’t be sorry.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to OLD BLOOD for the promo.

Midnight Climax is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Glory Or Death Records.

Links

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