Fostermother - Echo Manor (Album Review)

Release Date: August 23rd 2024. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Echo Manor: Tracklisting

1. Wraith

2. Empty One

3. All We Know

4. Echo Manor

5. Rituals Unknown

6. King To A Dead Tree

7. Carry Me

8. Watchers

9. Lighthouse

10. In The Garden Of Lies

Members

Travis Weatherred - Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards

Stephen Griffin - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards

Jason Motamedi - Drums

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers Fostermother return with their new album Echo Manor which once again sees the band go under a slight creative transformation like they carried out on their celebrated 2022 album The Ocean. As this time round Fostermother focuses upon areas of Post-Rock, Prog Rock and Space Rock for a record that sees the band become masterful storytellers in their own right.

The music is quite melodic whilst being spectacularly heavy with the Sludge Rock surroundings bringing areas of trippy keyboards and fuzzed up Stoner Rock/Metal atmospherics. The vocals from Travis Weatherred once again have a bittersweet edge to them which comes into play quite early on with the opening track of Wraith.

Wraith is not quite “DOOM & GLOOM” but there are echoes of that style of music with Fostermother slowly moving into the competitive world of Psych Stoner Rock and aligning themselves more closely to bands such as King Buffalo and standing their own creative ground. The instrumental sounds setup the scene of what’s to come on Echo Manor with a gloomy sense of Psychedelic and Progressive sounding melodies with a haunting quality appearing only when it’s needed.

Second track Echo One is more of a heavier Post-Doom/Post-Rock number with a flattering 1970’s Melodic Rock attitude spliced with Sludge/Stoner Rock aggression whilst still having a bittersweet quality but it’s none of those things either. As the band constantly changes musical themes with sublime 1980’s Classic Hard Rock guitar shredding appearing before returning to their main Psychedelic/Post-Whatever sound.

Third track All We Know is one of the standout tracks on the record with a haunting Occult Rock inspired tone which is quite eerie familiar to their previous albums. The music has a muscular and aggressive style with it’s dominant Doom Metal sound before adding levels of Psych Stoner Metal with catchy vocals to match. This is the type of song that has a timeless quality to it with first rate lyrics helping Fostermother to become masters of their own craft.

Fourth track Echo Manor sees a more dramatic SHOEGAZE or DOOMGAZE sound appearing with Fostermother still embracing their slightly demented OCCULT DOOM identity with the song drawing influences from bands such as Blue Oyster Cult and Uncle Acid. The song is perhaps one of the darkest tracks on the whole album perhaps from a lyrical perspective and it does have a certain “HORROR MOVIE” swagger to the whole thing whilst still being a top-notch STONER based track.

Fifth track Rituals Unknown sees Fostermother to tighten their hypnotic grip on the whole Occult Doom/Stoner Metal sound with Post-Rock and Psychedelic energy appearing within the less aggressive parts of the track. The track is quite slow-paced for the most part with the band focusing upon Prog Rock delivery with spectacular results and the perfectly pitched vocals just adding to the highly atmospheric vibe of the whole album.

The second half of the album continues with the OCCULT and PSYCHEDELIC passages with Fostermother adding layers of intense sounding keyboards, sludgy guitars and a first rate rhythm section exploring the more Progressive moments of the whole album especially on tracks such as King To A Dead Tree, Watchers, Lighthouse and In The Garden Of Lies.

This album feels like Fostermother have finally found their true calling of the type of music they were meant to play. As it’s their most engaging and brilliantly entertaining album they’ve released to date. With impressive production values yet again (Part of the course with this being a Ripple Music release), Fostermother have crafted a dazzling and sonic musical adventure which strikes the perfect balance of Psych, Post-Rock, Shoegaze and Occult sounds told through the power of modern day Doom/Stoner Metal.

Echo Manor is Album Of The Year material. Brilliant. End Of. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage for the promo.

Echo Manor will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from Friday 23rd August 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Abrams - Blue City (Album Review)

Release Date: May 24th 2024. Record Label: Blues Funeral Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Blue City  - Tracklisting

1.Tomorrow 

2.Fire Waltz 

3.Etherol

4.Lungfish

5.Wasting Time

6.Death Om

7.Turn It Off

8.Narc

9.Crack Aunt

10.Blue City 

Band Members

Zachary Amster– guitar, vocals

Taylor Iversen – bass, vocals

Ryan DeWitt - drums

Graham Zander - guitar

Review

Blue City is the new album from Sludge/Stoner Rock TITANS Abrams and sees the band are still evolving their sound to new SONIC pastures with this record focusing more on texture, melodic, shoegaze and a dynamically powerful Sludge Metal rhythm. The HARDCORE flow of their earlier albums has mellowed recently with Abrams taking a similar sound to bands such as TORCHE, Cave In and HUM.

Opening track Tomorrow is full of free-flowing Psychedelic movements with Abrams bringing a tightly woven blend of Sludge/Stoner grooves with a powerful Post-Rock and Shoegaze energy with the sublime melodic vocals from Zachary and Taylor. The song is at it’s most heaviest when there is a sudden departure into Punk Rock lore and waves of Progressive Rock/Metal sounds that set the scene for Blue CIty becoming Abrams most outstanding release even at this early stage.

Second song Fire Waltz sees the band channelling HUM with a classic Space Rock/Sludge Rock drive which feels right at home within the best and outstanding classic moments from the last 30 years of the Alt Metal, Sludge Metal and Stoner Metal scenes. The constant Post-Metal punishing sound is quite bittersweet and uplifting with Abrams bringing some intense screeching guitars into the mix which fans of CAVE IN or Mutoid Man would be mighty impressed by.

Third song Etherol is more Ambient Post-Rock and Space Rock swagger with emotionally charged lyrics with bittersweet vocals soon giving way to an engaging DOOM-POP transformation which builds upto impressive STADIUM ROCK sized grooves. There’s a subtle noise rock and guitar amplifier delivery coming from angle with Abrams now creating highly original and brilliant anthemic songs of their own making.

Blue City takes a more reflective and emotional turn within the next two tracks of Lungfish and Wasting Time. The atmosphere is more Post-Rock and Post-Metal focused with direct amounts of Sludge/Stoner Metal aggression being used at the right moment but never taking the mellow creative aspects away from the actual record. This part of the album has the most melodic and catchiest parts of the whole album with Abrams slowly changing into masters of SONIC and AMPLIFIER distortion which becomes the more dominant part of their music for the remainder of the album.

Blue City is perhaps Abrams most cinematic record yet with the intense musical composition becoming more Psychedelic in the heavier parts that appear on tracks such as: Death Om, Turn It Off and Blue City perhaps being some of my favourite moments on the whole album. This part of the album firmly allows Abrams to cement their place as one of the essential acts that the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene needs to know about right now.

Blue City is Abrams most deeply engaging and brilliantly rewarding album to date and I’m hoping this allows the band to break out into playing the bigger stages the Sludge/Stoner Metal scene has to offer.

Album Of The Year potential. You bet. Blue City has it all. End Of…

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Blue City will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Blues Funeral Recordings from Friday 24th May 2024.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

US stoner metal behemoths BONGZILLA to release new live album "Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin In Europe" on Heavy Psych Sounds this March!

Wisconsin's premium stoner metal dealers BONGZILLA announce the release of their new live album "Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin In Europe" this March 15th, with preorders available now on Heavy Psych Sounds.

“The Wisconsin natives have been making heavy, groovy doom metal songs about weed since the mid-’90s, and they’ll be making them until the sun extinguishes itself.” Decibel Magazine

Following the 2023 release of their revered sixth album "Dab City" on Heavy Psych Sounds, the kings of weed metal BONGZILLA offer some of their smokiest riffs with their exclusive live album "Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin In Europe". The album features seven tracks of the highest doom metal order recorded in various cities during their "Dabbing Across Europe & UK Tour" in the spring and summer of 2023. Mixed and mastered by Shane Trimble at Sletner Sound, with assistant mix engineers Justin DiPinto and Andrew Owens. The album will be issued in various vinyl editions, CD and digital on Marchb 22 via Heavy Psych Sounds

"Dabbing (LIVE) Rosin In Europe"
Out March 22nd on Heavy Psych Sounds
European preorder // US preorder

TRACKLIST

1. Sundae Driver – 4:36

2. King of Weed – 5:46

3. Free The Weed – 6:26

4. Greenthumb – 4:06

5. H.P. Keefmaker – 6:40

6. Hippie Stick – 6:06

7. Gestation – 6:06

BONGZILLA is a stoner metal band from Madison, Wisconsin. As their name suggests, most of their material is related to marijuana and promotes its legalization. The band formed in 1995, and over the next three years recorded and released a dozen songs on EPs and split singles. In 1998 they signed to Relapse Records, and have since released four studio albums and a live album through the label. Since the seeds were planted in the mid-90s, BONGZILLA have been sowing Madison, Wisconsin’s rich soil with their homegrown, psychedelic sludge. Following the release of their fourth studio album "Amerijuanican" in 2005, the band toured and remained active until 2009 when the group quietly took a hiatus.

In April 2015 it was announced BONGZILLA was reforming with the "Gateway" lineup, first announcing a tour of Europe. The band followed up with a four-date tour of the West Coast USA, a tour of the east coast USA and an appearance at Desertfest Belgium. The band began 2017 with a local show in Wisconsin before embarking on another European tour, playing the likes of Roadburn Festival, DesertFest Berlin, DesertFest London, KristonFest and have begun working on material for a new album.

In early 2020, BONGZILLA started their own label Gungeon Records and released a re-issue of their classic album "Apogee". However, in March of 2020 it would be announced that Cooter Brown would retire from the band due to health and family reasons, with Bongzilla choosing to continue as a thunderous three-piece. A few months into the pandemic, BONGZILLA began rehearsing and entered the Future Apple Tree Studios in Rockford, Illinois in October 2020 for the recording of several different record projects: a limited 'Wake Brewing' 7", a split album with the band Tons, and a 7" split with Boris, as well as their new full-length.

In January 2021, the band announced their signing to European label Heavy Psych Sounds for the release of their fifth studio album "Weedsconsin", which immediately returned them to the top of the stoner doom heap. Fully reactivated and fully loaded, the band quickly released their sixth album "Dab City" — an ode to the purest form of THC and the trio's beloved hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, which is known as Mad City — in the summer of 2023.

BONGZILLA is

Mike "Muleboy" Makela - vocals & bass

Jeff "Spanky" Schultz - guitar

Mike "Magma" Henry - drums

BONGZILLA links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Spotify

 

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Youtube

Ritual King - The Infinite Mirror (Album Review)

Release Date: November 17th 2023. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Infinite Mirror  - Tracklisting

1.Flow State

2.Worlds Divide

3.Landmass

4.Tethered

5.The Infinite Mirror

Members:

Jordan Leppitt - Lead Vocals & Guitar

Dan Godwin - Bass 

Gareth Hodges - Drums & Backing Vocals

Review

Cosmic/Psych/Stoner Rockers Ritual King return with their new album The Infinite Mirror and it’s a more Spaced Out affair with the band drawing upon a heavier Blues Rock sound which reminds me of GEEZER in places. This album is quite a musical adventure with Ritual King playing huge levels of Classic Hard Rock where the band throw in some epic Progressive sounding jams along with the never-ending style of thrilling guitar solos. 

The record has an eerie Post-Doom or Post-Stoner flow that fans of ELDER and King Buffalo will appreciate but with perhaps a more 70’s Prog Rock feel. Ritual King still focus on playing that Heavy Psychedeqlic dominant Stoner sound where slight flashes of Sludge Rock attitude forms within the stunning opening track Flow State.

Flow State sees Ritual King play a slightly more aggressive sound compared to their celebrated 2020 self-titled debut album. The vocals from Jordan are impressive as ever, perhaps even better than they have ever been. The song is quite philosophical with RItual King exploring areas of the human psyche which you can feel through the sublime lyrics written for the song. If you’re here for the music alone then Ritual King have all bases covered with a classic style of Psychedelic Stoner which expertly bridges the gap between Cosmic Rock and Heavy Progressive grooves that lead onto greater sounds for the rest of the album.

Second song Worlds Divide is mostly driven by extended instrumental Heavy Psychedelic jams with the vocals appearing only when they need to. There’s a more playful quality to the lyrics on this track with Ritual King having fun with their music. The song has multiple musical up-tempo changes where the song is mostly melodic but changes to a heavier Doomed Out sound with the non-stop delivery of classic guitar shredding throughout.

Third song Landmass sees Ritual King become ever more confident with their wicked style of Heavy Psychedelic Cosmic Doom with this track having a more story driven narrative expressed superbly well within the vocals, lyrics and instrumental sounds on this track. The album becomes more forward thinking with tales of contacts with other lifeforms and the perils that go along with that type of journey. Ritual King delivers more heavy bombastic moments of Sludge fused Blues Rock/Stoner grooves with the band playing some of the heaviest parts of the album.

The final two tracks of Tethered and The Infinite Mirror is where RItual King becomes more focused upon delivering Progressive Stoner Rock with huge waves of Blues Rock that captures the 70’s Hard Rock influence down to a fine art. There’s a lot more SONIC or COSMIC interplay on these two tracks alone but Ritual King still allow themselves the perfect opportunity to play many wicked styles of Heavy Psychedelic Rock which marries up the Doom, Stoner and Sludge aesthetics amazingly well for some outstanding instrumental solos and great vocals by Jordan and Gareth.

There’s a lot more focus on the storytelling side of things for these two tracks alone with Ritual King playing twenty minutes of music that delivers pure “world-building” entertainment with the heavy destructive grooves that allows the band to end the album on an almighty high with real emotional depth leaving a lasting impression.

The Infinite Mirror has first-rate production values which the band co-produced along with Luke Clarke who also helped on Mixing and Engineering duties. Jim Spence also does a stellar job on mastering duties. With the excellent artwork by Ryan T Hancock, help this to be the complete package for all dedicated followers of the Doom/Stoner Metal scene. You need more evidence to add this record to your collection. Well, it’s being released by premier underground Heavy Rock label Ripple Music. And they always deliver the goods and The Infinite Mirror is no exception with a record that delivers some of the most exciting and action packed Cosmic/Heavy Psychedelic sounds you’ll hear this year.

Ritual King is making a late bid for releasing an AOTY Contender and I’m happy to say they’ve achieved that objective. This is another must have record from Ritual KIng who are perhaps shaping upto be the next breakout act from the UK Doom/Stoner Metal scene. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

The Infinite Mirror will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from 17th November 2023.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Exclusive Album Premiere Of Psych Stoner Rockers KADABRA New Album UMBRA

US Heavy Psych trio KADABRA release their new album Umbra this Friday via Powerhouse Record Label Heavy Psych Sounds.

With their sophomore album "Umbra", the Spokane, Washington-based trio hone their sultry and fuzz-drenched formula and deliver a deliciously addictive 8-track that abounds with instant hooks. Whether they fire on all cylinders with organ-tinged crushers or play the mellower card, there is a sheer sense of magnetism in Kadabra's music and it's waiting for you to embrace it fully. Fans of All Them Witches, Dead Meadow or The Black Angels should love it!

Thanks to the awesome folks at Heavy Psych Sounds and Purple Sage PR we're excited to premiere the whole album in full below.

Find Kadabra on Bandcamp // Instagram

You can buy Umbra on CD/DD/Vinyl from Heavy Psych Sounds now. 

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details. 

The Crooked Whispers - Funeral Blues (Album Review) & Exclusive Album Premiere of FUNERAL BLUES

Release Date: April 07th 2023. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Funeral Blues: Tracklisting

1.Suicide Castle

2.Stay in Hell

3.Funeral Blues 

4.When Nothing is Left

5.Deathmaker

6.Crippled Shadow

7.Pleasant Death

8.Bed of Bone

Members

Anthony Gaglia: vocals

Ignacio De Tommaso: bass, backing vocals & keyboards

Federico Ramos: guitars & keyboards

Nicolás Taranto: drums

Review

Funeral Blues is the new album from Occult Doom Metallers The Crooked Whispers and sees the band bring a heavier Psychedelic vibe to this album. Moving between classic sounding Proto-Doom atmospherics and modern day FUZZY based grooves. The vocals are full of gloomy despair and vintage Occult based thrills which the band play at the early stages of the album on tracks such as Suicide Castle and Stay In Hell. 

There is a sense of danger lurking around the dark corners of this album with the music perhaps being a fine combination of Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus classic sounds with a heavy Electric Wizard and Church Of Misery sense of dread. The music even has a surprising Classic Hard Rock and Heavy Metal feel which allows The Crooked Whispers to play some fantastical guitar solos which air on the right side of classy showmanship even when the band opt for a riff fuelled style of music which is heard more on Stay In Hell.

The album can be considered Stoner Rock/Metal in places but for the most part The Crooked Whispers remain true to their Doom Metal roots. The vocals can be quite harsh in places with Anthony moving between clean vocals and sludgy based growls which gives Funeral Blues an appetising “DOES THIS DOOM” quality. 

There’s also a DOWN-TUNED or AMPLIFIER RIFF WORSHIP quality to this album that has first rate vintage sounding production values that truly comes alive on tracks such as Funeral Blues, When Nothing Is Left and Deathmaker. 

You’ll be surprised at how many great riffs and guitar solos are on this album. The rhythm section is another highlight with a pulsating bass and intense drums only adding to the overall gloominess of the whole album. 

The second half of the album delves even further into the Classic Hard Rock realms but with a heavier DOOM Metal element allowing the band to be more forceful and creative with their music which shines through on tracks such as: Deathmaker, Crippled Shadow and Bed Of Bones.

The Crooked Whispers have teamed up with Ripple Music on this album and it’s great to see the band have upped their game for this album. As Funeral Blues is packed with some of the best and heaviest grooves that the band have released to date. The album has a winning mix of different styles with fabulous production values allowing The Crooked Whispers to release an album that offers first rate “DEVILISH” entertainment from start to finish.

Words by Steve Howe.

You can listen to the whole album in full with the album below. 

Thanks to the cool folks over at Purple Sage PR for the premiere and promo.

Funeral Blues is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music (USA) and Ripple Music (EU) from April 07th 2023

Links

 Facebook | BandCamp

TONS - Hashension (Album Review)

Date Released: October 07th 2022. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Hashension: Tracklisting

1. Dope Dealer Scum 

2. A Hash Day's Night

3. Slowly We Pot

4. Hempathy For the Devil

5. Ummagummo

6. Hashended

Members

Slowninja -  Vocals, bass, synths

Little Stevie - Guitar

Glüten Freidrich - Guitar

Vito Power - Drums

Review

TONS are slowly becoming one of Italy’s premier underground Sludge/Stoner Metal bands with their latest and perhaps greatest release Hashesnion. Coming off their celebrated split release with WEEDIAN METAL icons Bongzilla, TONS have delivered a more far out there album with the band’s trademark jet black humour still intact.

The music is still of the LOW & SLOW variety with TONS dealing in their WEEDIAN blend of down-tuned Sludge/Stoner Metal grooves with harsh vocals to match. The atmosphere is perhaps more volatile PUNK based and there is still a bleak vibe being played around you.Seedy soundscapes and smoky WEEDIAN flavours that the band have picked up from touring and performing with other legendary bands such as Bongzilla, Unsane and Napalm Death over the last thirteen years of their career.

Opening song Dope Dealer Scum has that Church Of Misery unsettling vibe but with TONS opting for a more sludgier style of Stoner Metal with twisted elements of WEED based Psychedelic Rock/Metal. The song is purely instrumental and it’s one of the gloomiest tracks on the album. Quite unnerving in places especially towards the end of the song even despite the presence of melodic grooves appearing.

Second song A Hash Day’s Night is not anything remotely sounding like The Beatles. This is TONS play a turbo-charged style of Sludge/Stoner Metal with an extreme vocal presence with the harsh based growls that veer almost into Death Metal style but still falling into the side of WEEDIAN Metal. The music is fast and outbursts of frantic aggressive energy with the down-tuned guitars having a more violent presence that can be quite hard to listen to at first. However, the band’s spiky and fantastic self aware lyrics leave you wanting to hear more.

Third song Slowly We Pot showcases another wild down-tuned ride into TONS dark world. Psychedelic guitars and sounds collide superbly well against the harsh vocals yet again. The humour is pitch-black yet again with the band taking a more Doom Metal presence on these tracks. TONS do play a less threatening style of extended guitar riffs which I couldn’t help myself rock out to. The drumming is first rate that allows the music to grow and breathe naturally despite the harsh soundscapes being played everywhere. 

Fourth song Hempathy For The Devil opens with a cool WEEDIAN HEALTH WARNING which only adds to the band’s self aware and brilliant humour for this song. Perhaps the song that is most inspired by Church Of Misery and Bongzilla but still allowing TONS to deliver their own blend of devilish entertainment. The music is standard Stoner Metal fare but the down-tuned aggressive tempo allows the instrumental moments to fully shine. The vocals and lyrics are my favourite parts of the album. Yeah, the song is demonic but at least TONS are having fun with the WEEDIAN genre and perhaps turning the scene on its head. The instrumental work is first rate yet again.

The final two songs Ummagummo and Hashended allows TONS to end this album in highly convincing fashion with more down-tuned and REEFER based sadistic madness with gloomier Psychedelic elements on the closing stages of the album with TONS almost moving into the Post-Whatever genre when the heavy instrumental parts appear before returning to their normal style of music that closes the album superbly well.

Hashension is TONS finest album to date and no doubt this album will make a mighty impression with the WEEDIAN/Sludge/Stoner Metal underground scene for many years to come.

This is one of the most brilliantly entertaining albums of the year and that’s why this record is an Album Of The Year contender.

TONS and Heavy Psych Sounds have done it again….

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Hashension will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from September 30th 2022.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp