Italian Stoner Rock Trio HUMULUS unleashes new single "Standing in the Sun" new album “Smuggler’s Cave” out this fall on Ripple Music!

Italian Psychedelic Stoner Rockers HUMULUS share the second track taken from their forthcoming new album "Smuggler's Cave", due out this October 9th on Ripple Music.

Stream new Humulus single Standing in the Sun 

Smuggler’s Cave marks HUMULUS’ fifth LP and their second outing with vocalist/guitarist Thomas Mascheroni. Following 2023's Flowers Of Death, the band spent two years traversing Europe’s stages, and it was in the cracks between tours that the improvisations for this record took root. True to form, the band returned to the rehearsal room for marathon sessions, capturing hours of raw interplay, isolating the sparks and forging new songs from the embers.

On this album, those riffs hit harder and land with greater certainty than before, yet HUMULUS’s sonic hallmark remains intact: a deft pivot from rhythmic, classic stoner crunch into more psychedelic and introspective depths. As always, lyrics arrived after the music, with the title track serving as a thread for the rest of the record, leading the listener through mysterious settings, tales of wizards, cemetery dreams, damned souls and the shade of dark forests. A high-voltage delivery that fills the air with electricity and will compel anyone who worships at the altar of Dozer, Truckfighters, Lowrider, Greenleaf. Don't miss the previous single Rise and Fall!

It will be released on October 9th on LP, CD and digital, with preorders available now from Ripple Music.

New album "Smuggler's Cave" - Out October 9th on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

Humulus is an Italian psych-stoner power trio formed in Brescia, Italy in 2009. Born from the heavy lineage of Kyuss, Karma to Burn and Orange Goblin, they quickly built a reputation across southern Europe with their crushing debut on Go Down Records.

A lineup shift in 2015 flipped the script. New frontman Andrea Bellicini pushed the band into trippier, more dynamic territory through longer songs, richer atmospheres and a sound that outgrew stoner orthodoxy. The years that followed saw Humulus touring non-stop with European festival runs (Freak Valley, Desertfest Belgium, Up In Smoke), and a string of acclaimed LPs that veered from doom-laced riffage to sprawling psychedelic meditation. Another mutation came in late 2022 with the arrival of Thomas Mascheroni, reigniting the band’s chemistry and leading to a fresh creative burst. They hit the road again, sharing stages with heavyweights like Colour Haze and Monkey3, while steadily forging new material.

When founder Giorgio Bonacorsi stepped back in 2026, the remaining core members enlisted Fabio Giacomini to complete the lineup and write their most ambitious work yet, to be released in the fall 2026 on Ripple Music.

Humulus links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Ripple Music links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

UK Heavy Rock Pillars STEAK to release new self-titled album on Ripple Music and Stickman Records this October 9th; new singles available now!

UK progressive stoner rock spearhead STEAK have announced the release of their fourth studio full-length "Steak" this October 9th, in collaboration with Ripple Music (North America) and Stickman Records (Europe & UK). Stream the first two singles "Cometh" and "Luxury Junk" now!

London-based heavy rock heroes STEAK have recently released their new single Luxury Junk, the latest track from their forthcoming self-titled studio album, due this fall through Ripple Music (North America) and Stickman Records (Europe/UK).

Following the badass, comic-inspired first single Cometh (designed by Schoph and animated by director Samuel Smith), "Luxury Junk" offers another glimpse into the band's next chapter, expanding on STEAK's unmistakable blend of crushing riffs, desert rock grooves and immersive sonic weight. Equal parts hypnotic and hard-hitting, the track explores themes of escapism, excess and emotional detachment, wrapped in a hazy atmosphere that balances raw heaviness with an almost otherworldly sense of longing.

One track after another, the UK quintet continues to showcase the depth and diversity of their upcoming album, further building anticipation for what promises to be one of the band's most ambitious and powerful releases to date.

 
New album "Steak" - Out October 9th on Ripple Music (North America) and Stickman Records (Europe/UK) - Preorder coming soon

Hailing from London, STEAK have established themselves as a key force within the global desert rock and stoner scene. Known for their relentless riffs, hypnotic grooves, and high-energy live performances, the band has built a strong following across Europe and beyond.

Blending elements of classic heavy rock with modern fuzz-drenched intensity, STEAK continue to push their sound into darker and heavier territories while staying rooted in the spirit of the desert rock movement. Self-described as a “shit kickin’ band”, their ethos reflects the raw, no-frills energy that defines both their recordings and their explosive live shows. Earlier this summer, the band joined Nashville heavy rock giants All Them Witches as special guests on selected tour dates, further cementing their reputation as a must-see act within the heavy underground scene.

Steak links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Ripple Music links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Stickman Records links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the detials.

Heavy Prog Rockers MR.BISON share new single "Bright Shadow" from upcoming new album "The Garden of Forgotten Dreams" out September 25th on Heavy Psych Sounds

Italian heavy prog goldsmiths MR.BISON present their haunting new single "Bright Shadow", taken from their upcoming studio album "The Garden of Forgotten Dreams" to be issued this September 25th on Heavy Psych Sounds Records.

Watch new video "Bright Shadow" below + listen to the single on all streaming services

"A haunting and dreamlike song about lost memories, unrealized possibilities, and the echoes of the past. Set within a mysterious garden of light and shadow, it explores regret, longing, and the fragile boundary between dreams and reality...”

The Garden: a magical place where lost dreams don't fade, but grow like silent flowers. Each petal holds an unfulfilled wish, each scent a memory left behind. In this garden, those who enter rediscover parts of themselves they thought lost and understand that nothing should be forgotten if it has touched their heart.

Sprawling psychedelia collides with prog precision on MR.BISON's new album "The Garden of Forgotten Dreams", all propelled by swirling melodic scales that ascend into the stratosphere and dynamics that breathe with volcanic intensity. This sixth studio album is undoubtedly their most epic and immersive album yet, one that will win over fans of Elder, King Buffalo, Weedpecker, Naxatras.

About the main album theme, the band comments: "The garden is the image that recurs most frequently throughout the album. We chose it as a metaphor for a refuge, a place where we can nurture our natural inclinations, let them grow and blossom, and where we can also keep our shadows and lights hidden. Where our secrets, our most authentic truths, our aspirations and our dreams, can therefore remain guarded until we are ready to reveal them to those who can contain and appreciate them." Check out the album's debut single Cosmic Tide!

MR.BISON "The Garden of Forgotten Dreams" - Out September 25th on Heavy Psych Sounds

TRACKLIST:

1. Cosmic Tide
2. The Garden of Forgotten Dreams
3. Bright Shadow
4. Astray
5. Turn to Stone
6. The Sunrise
7. River Moan
8. Old Hue

MR BISON is a rock band that melds heavy psychedelic sounds with progressive elements and evocative soundscapes. Formed in a small coastal town in Tuscany, Italy, the band has reinvented their sound over the course of four albums from stoner rock to heavy psychedelic and progressive sounds, firmly establishing themselves in 2018 with the acclaimed Holy Oak and the great concept album Seaward in the 2020, which suddenly brought them touring around Europe and US many times, attending the best festivals on the scene. The foursome released Echoes From the Universe in February 2024 via Heavy Psych Sounds, reaching many international Best Albums lists — including a top spot on the prestigious Doom Charts — and followed by touring across Europe, the US West Coast Tour and the UK and numerous festival appearances.

Their new concept album The Garden of Forgotten Dreams was produced and recorded by guitarist Matteo Barsacchi, mixed by Richard Behrens (Elder, Kadavar) at Big Snuff Studio in Berlin, and mastered by Carl Saff in Chicago and Adam Ayan (Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam) in Portland. The band has already been confirmed to play Stoned From The Underground, Blackdoor Fest and other summer festivals, and will be touring Europe and the UK again in the fall of 2026.

MR.BISON is

Matteo Barsacchi - Guitar / Synth
Matteo Sciocchetto - Voice / Bass
Davide Salvadori - Guitar / Synth
Lorenzo Salvadori - Drums

MR.BISON links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Holystone - Accepting Omega (Album Review)

Release Date: July 17th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Accepting Omega - Tracklist

1.The Prophecy (Jaws of Victory) 04:10

2.Brave Design 02:51

3.Guided by Stones 05:01

4.Procession 06:32

5.Sleepwalker 03:50

6.The Accomplice Pt.I (The Offer) 01:42

7.The Accomplice Pt.II (Father's Funeral) 05:38

8.Cavitation 05:34

9.The Oracle Speaks 04:21

Members

Drums - Jonny Pickvance

Bass - Jack Bratt

Extra bass - Madi Morris

Guitar - Wolfe Peterson

Vocals - Madison Morris & Wolfe Peterson

Review

Doom/Grunge/Stoner Metallers Holystone return with a heavier and spacier sound compared to their 2024 debut album East of the Sun, West of the Moon. Their second record Accepting Omega operates in the same vicinity of the likes of TORCHE and FLOOR with a sludgy melodic soundscape developing from very early stages. However, there are still familiar musical steps of Grunge, Psych and Doom Metal that were first laid down on their excellent debut album.

There’s a deeper scope on melody, aggression and spaced out surroundings that feel more fully fleshed out which is perhaps down to the inclusion of new band member Madison Morris who is now on Bass and Vocal duties though I think previous bassist Jack Bratt lends a hand here on some of the tracks. Accepting Omega is a sludgier excursion in darker, deeper and heavier territory whilst keeping an epic style of modern “Doom-Pop” landscapes. 

You can feel influences such as Soundgarden, The Melvins and HUM lending a creative hand which still allows Holystone to still sound downright original in their own right. The DOOM & GLOOM aspect does give way to more melodic passages that gives Madison a great chance to shine on the emotionally charged vocal passages that appear from time-to-time. With some screeching guitars and levels of distorted feedback giving an uneasy feeling at times, Holystone aren’t afraid to to develop a heavier and threatening style of Space Rock and Cosmic Doom with some intense instrumental passages moving into the DRONE stratosphere.

The lyrics can be quite “POPPY” and “INDIE” based with the surrounding Post-Whatever elements transforming into a faster style of music where different psychedelic vibes transform into ethereal extended instrumental jams that will sure delight fans of the mighty MELVINS and SOUNDGARDEN.

Sometimes the album does sound like it has two different approaches with how the music is fully delivered which isn’t surprising since half of the album was recorded by Jack Endino (Tracks - 1, 2, 4, and 8) and Dave Catching (Tracks - 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9). However, this works to the album’s favour as this record keeps you on your toes as you don’t know what to expect next. Holystone has delivered an actual record that feels like the actual elements are battling against each other but in an amazing “QUIET vs LOUD” or “HEAVY vs CALM” dynamic. 

This is about the third time I’ve written a review for this album and previous versions focused on track-by-track analysis which I wasn’t fully happy with. All I can say is to go into this record and expect a journey that takes many unexpected twists and turns throughout the whole Grunge, Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal dynamic. Accepting Omega feels like a record broken down into individual chapters where the parts don’t necessarily fit the way you expect and you have to make your own conclusions. Though, the end result is a journey that’s absolutely hypnotic and superbly breathtaking to listen to with Holystone delivering classic RIFFS through every track going.

The vocals are superbly delivered throughout with Madison and Wolfe Petersen working brilliantly well together but also sometimes against each other in the most adventurous moments of the whole album. This record has a completely destructive cinematic feel which allows Holystone to be absolutely fearless with their music especially on tracks such as: The Prophecy (Jaws Of Victory), Brave Design, Procession, The Accomplice II (Father’s Funeral) and The Oracle Speaks.

Accepting Omega is an absolute joy to listen with Holystone blending those intense gloomy aesthetics to a non-stop energy of modern day Doom/Stoner Metal that ultimately dares to be completely different.

This is a record you seriously need to listen to right now. As Holystone may be primed to become one of the next breakout acts to emerge from the underground scene. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Accepting Omega is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

HASHTRONAUT: fall US tour announced - Denver stoner doom trio HASHTRONAUT to take over the West Coast this fall!

Denver, Colorado's stoner doom specialists HASHTRONAUT announce an extensive West Coast fall run, to kick off in Denver this October 2nd, to spread the weedy gospel about their acclaimed debut album "No Return" on Blues Funeral Recordings.

Red-eyed at the crossroads of thunderous stoner sludge and towering doom, HASHTRONAUT daze and inebriate the riff-obsessed masses on this planet and beyond. Released in 2024 on Blues Funeral Recordings, their acclaimed debut album "No Return" is a resiny slab in the grand tradition of weed-fiend odysseys from Sleep to Bongzilla, an intoxicating and pummeling trip with a lungful of potent hook-doom and strikingly anthemic vocals, hailed as "the most perfect weedian debut album of 2024" by Outlaws of the Sun and "the next big thing in stoner metal” by Clean and Sober Stoner.

HASHTRONAUT are now set to rise from the Mile High City and descend upon the West Coast with a battery of bone-crushing riffs and earth-shaking low-end, as they announce an extensive string of shows for October. Get those bongs ready...

Hashtronaut fall US tour: October 2026:

10/2 - Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
10/3 - Albuquerque, NM - Ren's Den
10/4 - Phoenix, AZ - Linger Longer Lounge
10/6 - El Centro, CA - MEXCA
10/7 - San Diego, CA - Tower Bar
10/8 - Los Angeles, CA - The Redwood Bar
10/9 - Palmdale, CA - Transplants Brewing Co
10/10 - Berkeley, CA - Spats
10/11 - Reno, NV - The Alpine
10/13 - Sacramento, CA - Cafe Colonial
10/15 - Tacoma, WA - The Valley
10/16 - Portland, OR - Shanghai Tunnel
10/17 - Seattle, WA - Belltown Yacht Club
10/18 - Port Angeles, WA - Little Devil's Lunchbox
10/20 - Bellingham, WA - TBD
10/21 - Olympia, WA - Wild Child
10/22 - Eugene, OR - John Henry's
10/23 - Boise, ID - TBD
10/24 - Salt Lake City, UT - TBD
10/25 - Grand Junction, CO - Cafe Sol

HASHTRONAUT launched into orbit from their Denver-based Mission Control in the summer of 2020. Coalescing through a string of hazy jam sessions during the darkest days of the pandemic, the four-piece began playing live the minute they could, and it took only a few gigs to solidify their electrifying reputation in the Colorado heavy scene. With a distinct sonic identity that channels classic elements from Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy to mainstays of the modern canon like Windhand and Monolord — along with their collective love of vintage gear, walls of speakers and the sweetest leaf of all — HASHTRONAUT’s galactic tones, colossal riffs and driving rhythms have begun spreading to the farthest corners of the universe.

Keeping momentum high on the heels of a self-released EP and opening slots for icons like Pallbearer, Bongzilla and High on Fire, HASHTRONAUT released their debut LP "No Return" on New Mexico-based independent label Blues Funeral Recordings to great critical acclaim in the spring of 2024. 

Stream "No Return" at this location and get your copy via Blues Funeral Recordings!

HASHTRONAUT is

Robb Park - Guitar
Daniel Smith - Bass/Vocals
Michael Honiotes - Drums

HASHTRONAUT links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Spotify

BLUES FUNERAL RECORDINGS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

Kosmo Kraut Trio HIJSS shares new "s.w.a.n." video; new album "hijss" out September 18th on Heavy Psych Sounds!

Genre-splicing northern Italian power trio hijss teams up with The Sleeping Shaman to present their new video "s.w.a.n", taken from their forthcoming sophomore album "hijss" landing this September 18th on Heavy Psych Sounds.

Watch new video "s.w.a.n." at this location or below

"A high-octane collision of fuzzy grunge riffs, motorik rhythms, post-punk grit, and dizzying space-rock atmosphere." — The Sleeping Shaman

From Northern Italy summits through clouds and airplanes comes hijss. Stimulated by the musical instinct of band leader Lois Lane (guitar & vocals), drummer Maurice's ferocious hits and bassist and keyboardist Pan’s catchy scales, their fearless sonic explorations does not only scratch the surface but goes deep under your skin.

Drawing from grunge rock and post-punk as much as modern space rock, this boundary-free unit propels itself into the stratosphere in a giant blaze of crunch and groove. hijss hit with a fierce punk attitude, seamlessly combining their gritty riffs, pulsating basslines and kraut-infused madness with frontman Lois Lane's Wyndorf-esque croon. The outcome is their own melting pot called "kosmo kraut". Watch their latest video for vicious cycle!

New album "hijss" - Out September 18th on Heavy Psych Sounds

All three band members come from a wide musical background, yet their common denominator is without a doubt their punk attitude. hijss puts genres in the background zapping from punk over blues to space and psychedelic rock. The outcome is a melting pot called "cosmic grunge". That means whatever you want it to mean. Their debut album "stuck on common ground" was released in the spring of 2024 through Heavy Psych Sounds.

HIJSS links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

10,000 Years - Esox Lucifer (Album Review)

Release Date: August 07th 2026. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Esox Lucifer - Tracklist

1.Beasts Of The Northern Wild

2.Pursuit Special

3.Fleur de Sledgehammer

4.Church Of The Red Museum

5.Alien Tactics 

6.Two Million Stones 

7.Paranoidium 

8.Esox Lucifer

Lineup

Alex Risberg - Bass/Vocals

Erik Palm - Guitars

Alvin Risberg - Drums

Review

Esox Lucifer is the fourth full length album from Doom/Stoner Metallers 10,000 Years where the band have partially swapped the Cosmic surroundings of Space for a grounded and cerebral approach for this record. The heavy Spaced Out themes are still there but 10,000 Years have opted for an intense melodic style of Sludge/Stoner Metal more accustomed to the likes of The Sword, KYLESA, BEASTWARS and Torche. They still pack the almighty aggression of their musical heroes HIGH ON FIRE but it’s good to see 10,000 Years adapt their musical style to a more modern sound which you can hear through the likes of Beasts Of The Northern Wild, Pursuit Special and Fleur de Sledgehammer.

The sludgy surroundings opens the music to violent blasts of Thrash Metal along the way with a highly energetic style of Post-Doom, Ambient Rock and Post-Rock which perhaps makes this the band’s most mature record to date especially musically speaking. The vocals and lyrics have a more reflective energy to them when compared to their previous records. Esox Lucifer throws a few curveballs along the way with 10,000 Years moving into Shoegaze territory which allows lead vocalist Alex Risberg to deliver some startling and emotionally charged vocals along the way.

This record still features the same intense and action packed sounds the band made their names with but this record allows 10,000 Years to constantly evolve onto greater musical heights especially when the Psychedelic and Cosmic passages appear that holds everything together. The soulful Ambient themes become more gloomier on tracks such as Church Of The Red Museum, Alien Tactics and Esox Lucifer. There seems to be an unwavering intent of Progressive Metal energy that becomes more part of the action of the later stages of the record. 

The production values are superbly realized with a sound that’s both crisp and quietly distorted which allows the band to explore different musical sounds they haven’t experienced before. This is still a band who revel in creating Sludge/Stoner Metal mayhem but why not add some standout Psychedelic and Post-Stoner grooves along the way which 10,000 Years pull off with great style and full commitment from start to finish. 

Esox Lucifer is perhaps the next musical and creative evolution from 10,000 Years which should hopefully catapult them onto bigger and greater things from the confinements of the heavy underground scene. They have the songs, talent and creative vision to move onto the next level of their musical careers and this record is a testament to that fact. This is an outstanding record on every singular level. 

10,000 Years have delivered another album of the year contender in their already impressive discography. If this is your first time to their highly destructive world then be prepared for a true masterclass of modern day Sludge/Stoner Metal.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Esox Lucifer is available to buy now via Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

Links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Dutch Stoner Rock Heavyweights THE MACHINE share new single "Drop/See"; new album "Another Sun" out October 2 on Blues Funeral Recordings & Awe Records!

Dutch heavy psych and stoner rock trailblazers THE MACHINE release the first single and video taken from their long-anticipated eighth studio album "Another Sun", to be issued on October 2nd via Blues Funeral Recordings (UK and North America), and Awe Records in cooperation with Stickman Records for Europe. Check out "Drop/See" everywhere now!

For the better part of two decades, THE MACHINE have carved out a reputation as one of the most genre-defying acts to emerge from the European underground. Doused in space and soaked in riffs, the power trio of David Eering (guitar/vocals), Chris Both (bass) and Klaas Dijkstra (drums) has continually redefined its sound, balancing a deep-rooted love for stoner rock with excursions into heavy psych, progressive rock, doom, '90s alternative and expansive space rock. As one of the frontrunners of Europe's second wave of stoner and heavy psych, the band established an early landmark with the now cult-classic Solar Corona before continuing to evolve with every release that followed.

Watch The Machine's new video "Drop/See" at this location + listen to the single on all streaming services

Recorded in the fall of 2025 at Evolver Studio, Eering's newly built recording facility in Dordrecht, Another Sun captures what is arguably the strongest incarnation of THE MACHINE to date. Intricate in groove and rich in dynamics, it digs deeper into classic heavy-toned songcraft while leaving ample room for the free-flowing jams that have always been central to the Dutch trio's identity.

Rather than reinventing themselves, THE MACHINE sharpen their unmistakable sonic fingerprint and deliver a powerful, sun-baked and definitely face-melting 45-minute masterpiece. "Another Sun is an important milestone to me personally, after a couple of years with (apparent) reduced activity of the band – it‘s the first record with this great lineup and the first one that I recorded at my own place Evolver Studio. Without the intention to do so, I think we managed to honor a more old school The Machine vibe while also stepping into the future. Can’t wait for this one to be released and to play shows in support of it," says frontman David Eering.

LP and CD preorders are available now via the band's own imprint Awe Records (Europe) as well as Blues Funeral Recordings (UK and North America).

THE MACHINE "Another Sun"
Out October 2nd on Blues Funeral Recordings (UK/North America)
Awe Records / Stickman Records (Europe)

Already announced with a surprise full-album performance at this year's Roadburn Festival, Another Sun signals the beginning of a new chapter for THE MACHINE. After nearly two decades as one of Europe's most consistently adventurous heavy rock bands, the trio now steps onto a broader international stage, reaffirming their place alongside legendary Dutch acts like 35007, Beaver and 7Zuma7, while finally bringing their expansive blend of stoner rock, heavy psych and space-driven grooves to a much wider audience.

THE MACHINE is

David Eering - Guitars, vocals, sitar, synthesizers, theremin, percussion
Chris Both - Bass guitar
Klaas Dijkstra - Drums, Percussion

THE MACHINE links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Awe Records

Blues Funeral Recordings links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Swedish Sludge Metal Trio FIREBREATHER to release new album "Blood That I Spill Turns To Fire" on Heavy Psych Sounds, first track streaming!

Swedish sludge metallers FIREBREATHER have signed to Heavy Psych Sounds Records for the October 16th release of their new full-length "Blood That I Spill Turns to Fire", and premiere the title track via Doomed & Stoned today!

Check out new track Blood That I Spill Turns To Fire

Firebreather formed in Gothenburg in 2016, rooted in crushing, sludge-doused doom from the very beginning. Never wavering from that commitment across all three of their incendiary full-length releases, the trio has pursued weight with purpose, not as spectacle, nor as an exercise in excess, but as the only language broad enough to hold the emotional reach and sonic heft of their sound.

The music arrives in a way that writes itself with no distance between the words and the sound; they rise from the same cursed ground, and that honesty has become the band's defining force.
Firebreather is a band that never postures or asks to be admired for their heaviness- and to see them live is to experience exactly why. Their weight takes on another life entirely. The band’s towering tone and consuming grit don't fill a room so much as alter it. Volume presses against the body before the first lyric lands and riffs arrive like shifting earth. The drums don't drive the songs forward; they anchor them while the line between sound and physical force begins to disappear.

Years spent crossing Europe and North America have only sharpened that purpose, and a decade on with a fourth album on the way via the notorious Heavy Psych Sounds Records, Firebreather remains exactly where it belongs. Head down. Volume up.

New album "Blood That I Spill Turns to Fire"
Out October 16th on Heavy Psych Sounds (LP/CD/digital)

FIREBREATHER is

Mattias Nööjd - Vox/guitar
Jacob Madetoja - Bass
Joakim Olsson - Drums

FIREBREATHER links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram | Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Sludge/Stoner Metallers 10,000 YEARS Release New Song PARANOIDIUM From Upcoming New Album

Sludge/Stoner Metallers 10,000 Years release the excellent third single PARANOIDIUM from their epic forthcoming new album EXOS LCIFER that is due out August 07th 2026 via Ripple Music.

10,000 Years say this about the song:

"In celebration of our appearance today at Krökbacken Festival, Swedens Mekka of heavy, we are super stoked to drop a little surprise for y’all: a third single from our upcoming new album ”Esox Lucifer”!

The song is called ”Paranoidium” and it’s the penultimate track on the new album. It’s heavy on riffs, melody and weirdness, just how we like it.

We hope that you enjoy ”Paranoidium” too and that you keep an eye out for ”Esox Lucifer” on August 7th!”

The Lowdown

10,000 Years are set to return with their long-awaited new album, once again pummeling the world into oblivion! Delving deep into existential dread and dark lore, Esox Lucifer drifts through deep space with the same sci-fi, horror, and fantasy obsessions that have always fueled the band. Esox Lucifer delivers the riff-centric, melodic stoner metal that 10,000 Years has become known for, all driven by Erik Palm’s guitar wizardry and searing solos, the thunderous anchor of Alvin Risberg’s drums, and Alex Risberg’s fuzzed-out bass and fire-driven howls. The result is the band’s most ambitious work to date — one that will easily win over fans of Torche, High On Fire, The Sword and Kylesa!

10,000 YEARS "Esox Lucifer" - Out August 7th on Ripple Music (LP/CD/digital)

Formed in the plague year of 2020, 10,000 Years has wasted no time forging their signature brand of skull-crushing stoner metal. Across three records in as many years — including II, which earned them a nomination for Best Metal at the Swedish Independent Grammys (Manifest) — the band has proven relentless.

Their 2024 release, All Quiet On The Final Frontier, saw the Riff still reigning supreme, but with a newly melodic edge described as "an experience that’s as heavy as it is spiritual" by The Sleeping Shaman and "the psychedelic-stoner embodiment of science fiction" by Ghost Cult Magazine. The album marked their debut on Californian label Ripple Music, introduced powerhouse drummer Alvin Risberg on wax, and locked into perfect symmetry with Erik Palm's guitar wizardry and Alex Risberg's thundering bass and howling vocals. A massive leap forward into new and hugely exciting territory, which will be sealed with their upcoming album Esox Lucifer, coming in the summer of 2026.

10,000 Years lineup

Erik Palm – Guitars
Alex Risberg – Bass/Vocals
Alvin Risberg - Drums

10,000 Years links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Ripple Music links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Stay Dead - Beneath The Weight Of Worlds (Album Review)

Release Date: July 24th 2026. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Beneath The Weight Of Worlds - Tracklist

1. Empty Pages

2. White Noise (feat. Troy Sanders)

3. Electric Mistress (feat. Matt Pike)

4. Chrysalis (feat. Eryka Fir and Aiwass)

5. What Happened To Rock N' Roll

6. Fever Dog (Original cover)

Lineup

Ryan Garney – Vocals

Rusty Miller – Lead guitar

Blake Carrera – Guitars & synths

Christopher Borrelli – Bass

Kenny Shillingburg – Drums

Review

Stay Dead is the latest supergroup to emerge from the Heavy Underground scene who are made up of members from High Desert Queen, Hollow Light and Fear The Victor, However, that only tells half the story with guest appearances from legends such as Matt Pike and Troy Sanders. You also have appearances from Eryka Fir (Coma Hole) and AIWASS along for the ride. Stay Dead’s debut album Beneath The Weight Of Worlds is quite a complex, brooding, philosophical and emotionally charged statement of the human condition.

The record blends levels of Doom, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Prog Metal and Psychedelic elements with some detours into areas of Post-Rock, Thrash, Space Rock and Groove. This is a very multi-layered record from the very start with influences ranging from Mastodon, High On Fire, ELDER and NEUROSIS with also the band’s members ever present musical projects. Lead vocalist Ryan Garney seems to be everywhere these days and that’s a good thing where he can shine a light to his incredible vocals once more. 

Ryan leaves the musical heavy lifting to his colleagues and famous friends where they all brilliantly succeed in laying down pummelling grooves that will give your body a tough physical challenge whilst rewarding your mental wellbeing when everything is said and done. The whole record relies on hard-hitting lyrics and intense vocals which come alive through tracks such as Empty Pages, White Noises, Electric Mistress and Chrysalis. 

Beneath The Weight Of Worlds does have a grimy and sludgy exterior where the Post-Doom and Post-Stoner thematics work amazingly well with the intense gloomy melodic moments. The most hard-hitting track has to be the excellent second track White Noise which really does touch upon some tough themes which gives Stay Dead a more vindictive appearance than you initially realise until you hear the actual song which leaves you on a more hopeful message.

The flashes of Post-Whatever and Psychedelic melodies is a great way for Stay Dead to introduce a natural way of creative storytelling with the guest appearances of their friends to find common ground to play great music with. The majority of the album is emotionally wrought with complex grooves allowing Stay Dead to align themselves more closely to the likes of Pallbearer and YOB but with a distinctive Hard Rock quality keeping everything grounded.

However, I will say my favourite aspect or track of the album is Stay Dead’s insane and gloriously entertaining cover of the classic track Fever Dog. Fever Dog is from the classic movie Almost Famous. A classic movie directed by Cameron Crowe which was inspired by his early days in the Seventies working for Rolling Stone Magazine and being shown the seedier side of the Heavy Rock scene from the legendary bands of the day. If you haven’t seen the movie then I implore you to watch it now. Watch both versions, the theatrical cut and the even better director’s cut.

Within that movie, there’s a fictional band called Stillwater whose “famous” track “Fever Dog” is played throughout the movie. That song was written by Nancy Wilson of the band Heart and film director Cameron Crowe. This track is pure Seventies HARD ROCK excess but Stay Dead give this a slamming modern day Sludge Rock/Stoner Rock makeover which stays true to the original. (Apologies for the slight historical lesson there. Almost Famous is one of my all-time favourite movies).

Beneath The Weight Of Worlds is how a “supergroup” should deliver their debut album with its fearless attitude and non-stop supply of impactful grooves from start to finish. The legendary record label Ripple Music is releasing this album so you know this is going to sound great. As Ripple Music never put out a bad record within their entire lifetime. 

As we say sometimes in the United Kingdom, Beneath The Weight Of Worlds is the “MUTTS NUTS” or “DOGS BOLLOCKS”  which means outstanding, top-quality, or one of the absolute best things out there. Well, you get the picture!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Beneath The Weight Of Worlds is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music. 

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