DEATHCHANT - KOVA (Album Review)

Release Date: September 25th 2026. Record Label: RidingEasy Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

KOVAc - Tracklist

1.Enemy 

2.Red Sun

3.Funeral Pyre

4.Reverie

5.Worshipper

6.Ruin

7.KOVA

8.Forgiveness

9.Requiem

Members

Thomas J Lemieux - Guitars, vocals, keys, bass, additional sounds & loops

Doug Stuckey - Guitars, vocals

Quinn-George Camacho - Bass

Nick "Joose" Mcdonnell - Drums

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers DEATHCHANT return with their most personal and reflective record to date with KOVA which is named after their late friend Davey Kova. The record contains all the great musical ingredients that made DEATHCHANT’s previous albums fully stand out. KOVA allows Deathchant to offer a more personal experience for listeners to immerse themselves with the band with emotionally changed lyrics, fast-paced melodies and deft Classic Rock touches that forces a challenging “LIGHT vs DARK” progression into the mix.

The sound has that classic TWIN GUITAR energy that reminds me of the likes of THIN LIZZY, WISHBONE ASH, BARONESS and MASTODON which the band are quite known for. With an aggressive backdrop of Psychedelic and Doom-Pop surroundings making a commanding appearance on tracks Enemy, Red Sun and Funeral Pyre which makes me reminisce when the mighty BARONESS made music as good as this within their classic RED and BLUE period.

However, DEATHCHANT stand on their own creative ground with epic POST-DOOM and PSYCH ROCK themes that manifest into epic stadium sized Sludge Rock grooves with the excellent vocals telling an emotionally rewarding story despite some of the tough bleak themes currently being played out.

DEATHCHANT experiment with Ambient, Space Rock and Cosmic chasms on this record which brings a forceful atmospheric drive whilst keeping that Classic Rock delivery with a distinctive Blues Rock and Doomed Out persuasion forming behind the scenes on tracks Funeral Pyre, Reverie and Worshipper closing the first half of the album in great fashion.

The music is unapologetically fast paced with DEATHCHANT playing some of the heaviest sounds of their career. There’s a lot of amplifier distortion and sludgy reverb appearing when you least expect this which adds a gloomy sense of realism and gritty determination into the mix. 

KOVA offers the perfect balance between “LIGHT vs DARK” movements as DEATHCHANT never shy away from using their real life personal experiences into this record which makes this 100% authentic within the Heavy Rock world. The second half of the record is equally as stunning as the first half with DEATHCHANT diving right into a diverse style of Prog Rock melodies that branches out into areas of Heavy Psychedelics which transforms into a hallucinogenic style of Doom/Stoner Metal sounds with some eerie soundclips being added along the way.

Other standout tracks on the record are: Ruin, KOVA, Forgiveness and Requiem though that’s the whole second half of the album I’ve just mentioned. I should say all of the tracks are great as each other with KOVA allowing each song having their own personal story to tell whilst adding some different sounding grooves to settle the deal. The second half perhaps relies more on Post-Doom and Post-Stoner soundscapes with an uplifting Heavy Psychedelic core.

KOVA is a resounding success on every level and is DEATHCHANT’s most masterful and awe-inspiring record to date. With rich sounding and superbly realized production values, DEATHCHANT have released another sublime album that should solidify them as one of the most electrifying and grounded Doom/Stoner Metal bands currently around today.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the promo.

KOVA is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via RidingEasy Records.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Doom/Heavy Metallers EARLY MOODS Announce Third Album READY FOR THE GRAVE. Produced By Toshi Kasai (Melvins, TOOL). Pre-Order Available Now

Elements of the past, present, and future coalesce within the spell cast by Early Moods.
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The Los Angeles band channel the sludge-born spirits of seminal doom metal and beckon them to attack even faster with a jolt of NWOBHM guitar-craft and a twist of thrash attitude. The quintet—Alberto Alcaraz [vocals, keys], Oscar Hernandez [guitar], Eddie Andrade [guitar], Elix Felciano [bass], and Chris Flores [drums]—transfix with otherworldly transmissions of cosmic and catchy heaviness.
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After years of meticulously shaping a signature style, they clearly and confidently perfect their vision on 2026’s Ready For The Grave.
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“Our sound is more honed,” notes Elix. “We’ve found our identity. I think it takes a couple of albums for most bands. This record isn’t too far removed from what we’ve done in the past, but the songwriting has certainly matured. You can hear the chemistry. You can feel the mood changes in specific songs and all of the dynamics. It’s really alive.”
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During 2026, they recorded Ready For The Grave at Cyan Sound Studio with producer Toshi Kasai [Melvins, Tool]. He invariably inspired them to level up.
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Pre-order - Early Moods - Ready For The Grave from RidingEasy Records

Listen To Early Moods - Ready For The Grave

Links

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Doom/Stoner Metallers DEATHCHANT Announce New Album KOVA And Premiere New Song/Video For ENEMY. Album To Be Released Via RIDINGEASY RECORDS

We are all at the unforgiving whim of life’s extremes. For every moment of overwhelming sorrow, there’s another of indescribable bliss. For every death, there’s a birth. For all of the darkness, there’s just as much light.

Deathchant have never shied away from extremes. Their sound seamlessly oscillates from high-octane rubber-burning riffs and gravelly chants to purring feedback and melodies as expansive as the desert at night. After gathering millions of streams, earning enthusiastic acclaim, and an endless string of packed shows, the Los Angeles, CA quartet—Thomas J Lemieux a.k.a. TJ [guitar, vocals, keys, bass], Doug Stuckey [guitar, vocals], Quinn-George Camacho [bass], and Nick “Joose” Mcdonnell [drums]—explore life’s highs, lows, and everything in between on their fourth full-length LP, KOVA [RidingEasy Records].

Named after their late friend Davey Kova, it’s simultaneously a raucous send-off worthy of a Viking, an introspective look at manhood, and a dyed-in-the-wool badass barnstorming hard rock record.

“To me, Deathchant means very intense brotherhood and friendship,” observes TJ. “I have a truly safe place to express every facet of myself. Even though we’re really heavy, this is also a vehicle for me to explore softer sides of music and wear my heart on my sleeve. For the last nine years, it’s allowed me to be a raw nerve. It was often brutal, because we lived our lives in the world of motorcycle culture, drugs, and partying. At the same time, I always had space for reflection. We implicitly trust one another. It’s rare for a friendship—let alone a four-way working relationship. I recently became a new dad, went through a divorce, and experienced serious loss. All of these massive shifts fed into the music, making it angrier, but more revealing and intimate.”

Back in 2018, Deathchant began to make noise on the West Coast. The group captivated a cult-like audience with the self-titled Deathchant [2019], Waste [2021], and Thrones [2023]. They landed looks from CBS News, Angry Metal Guy, and It’s Psychedelic Baby Magazine who marveled at their “combination of rumbling noise, chiming guitar melodies, bluesy boogie, NWOBHM thrash, and punk fury.” Plus, they ignited the YouTube channel Jam In The Van with a fiery performance and canvased the globe on tour, playing at festivals such as Psycho Las Vegas, Desertfest Belgium, Keep It Low Festival, and SonicBlast Festival.

While writing KOVA, they said goodbye to its namesake.

“My best friend Davey Kova was a dude who white-knuckled life, treated each day like it was his last, took chances, rode fast, and partied hard, but he was the sweetest guy you could ever meet,” sighs TJ. “It’s a weird way to live, yet it’s beautiful. He passed away during the writing process. The record seemed to finish itself after that. The album is a eulogy to not just Davey, but countless friends we’ve lost in the last couple of years.”

TJ helmed the album as producer and sent it off to Kurt Ballou’s legendary God City Studio in Salem, MA where Zach Weeks mixed it. Sonically, it maintained the edge that fans have come to know and expect with some slight tweaks.

“KOVA is different,” affirms the frontman. “I expounded on the lyrics more than I usually would’ve, because the subject matter is so personal. The vocals are also bit dryer and more intentional. You really feel it.”

The opener and first single “Enemy” definitely sets the tone. Feedback groans until a melodic lick pushes the song into overdrive. It culminates on an ominous refrain, “You’re the enemy…Keep the enemy close.” Fret-burning leads entwine at a breakneck pace, bleeding into a screeching solo drenched in wah and echo.

“It’s lyrically related to ‘Mirror’ from Thrones,” he reveals. “You’re ultimately realizing that you are your own worst enemy. So, you’re drowning the ego and being real with yourself about who you are. It’s aligned with the overall concept.”

Then, there’s the two-part title track “Kova (Crawl) Intro” and “Kova (Crawl).” On “Crawl,” acoustic strumming creaks beneath a soulful tear-soaked verse as he laments, “I heard that little boy go quiet, with heavy hearts we said goodbye.” Its heavier companion stomps forward on a swinging rhythm and chugging groove. Offering up a coronation over power chords, the hook booms with bravado, “Call him the king of wild hearts.”

“I was initially writing the song with a vague character in mind,” TJ goes on. “Davey died, and it became clear that the song was fully about him. That’s really when the chorus came to fruition. You’re watching someone slowly kill themselves in a tragic way. The acoustic and heavy versions are equally important. The two parts resemble the ripple effect Davey’s two sides had on people—the dark and the light sides.”

Then, there’s “Worshipper.” A fiery riff smolders in the foreground, giving way to a sample of Shannon Lay above distant gothic strings. “It’s dark as fuck,” he sighs. “I was dwelling in a really pessimistic place with a negative world view. I was depressed and drinking a lot. I had a few people around me who were leaning into Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, religion, and therapy. All of those things may be wonderful. However, they can also give a narcissist an artillery of weapons to use against others. ‘Worshipper’ embodies the weaponization of spirituality by a fake person on a soapbox. You’re worshipping a false prophet.”

“Forgiveness” hinges on bluesy guitar transmissions and a dusty vocal. TJ muses, “Truth is a chamber of bullets and echoes of friends.” Flanked by wailing six-string cries, he accepts, “The curtain keeps closing, but it’s too late to leave now. Goddamn.”

“The lyrics lined up with everything else,” he says. “It’s the human existence of battling addiction and living life to the fullest.”

Ultimately, this is the soundtrack for waking up and going full throttle in pursuit of whatever drives you.

“We’re lucky to be able to tell stories of a legend who’s not with us anymore,” TJ leaves off. “When you have good friends and bandmates around you though, the phoenix rises, and something beautiful comes out of that loss. Life is tough, incredible, and gnarly. Go ahead, embrace who you are, and keep going.”

KOVA is available for pre-order now on CD/DD/Vinyl and will be released by RidingEasy Records from September 25th 2026.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the details.

Lauren Lakis - Deadlights (Album Review)

Release Date: May 08th 2026. Record Label: RidingEasy Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl.

Deadlights - Tracklisting

1.There

2.Heaven Felt Too High

3.I Fall Apart

4.The Other Side

5.It's So Amazing

6.Deadlights

7.No Ones Around Now

8.Love Like A Dog

9.I Want You Here

10.With That Body

Review

Deadlights is the debut album from multi-instrumentalist Lauren Lakis and this record takes a mature approach with it’s great style of Alt Rock, Shoegaze, Psych, Grunge, Post-Rock and some gloomy heaviness that showcases a fondness of the Nineties Rock scene. Inspired by the likes of HOLE, Deftones and HUM, Lauren never plays it safe by merging some haunting themes and real life experiences into the album. 

Lauren has experienced some tough moments in life such as losing multiple family members and friends to addiction. Her mother was in a major car accident that left her paralyzed.  Unfortunately, after the car accident, Lakis’s mother’s health deteriorated, and Deadlights was recorded over the last year of life

I’m majorly surprised at how majorly uplifting and therapeutic that Deadlights actually is and you have to respect Lauren for not adding a truly dark aesthetic into the album. The record has its fair share of Classic Rock and Poppy moments filtered through the album. The instrumental work is super tight especially on the early tacks of There, Heaven Felt Too High and Fall Apart which allows the record to expand into areas of Progressive and Psychedelic textures with a sullen Indie Rock mood which remains constantly grounded.

If you dig bands such as SLOW CRUSH and SOM then you’ll be surprised by what is played here. Sometimes the music can be quite melancholic and bittersweet but there’s a hidden emotional depth that gives you a brief insight into what Lauren has experienced in her life.

Deadlights is at its best when Lauren plays a heavier and aggressive style of Shoegaze, Grunge and Alt Rock melodies which become more dominant on tracks such as It’s So Amazing, Deadlights and No One’s Around Now. There’s a real “storyteller’s” theme emerging from Lauren’s vocal performance which shows real maturity that keeps everything dynamically powerful which leaves the listener utterly captivated. 

The album will surprise you at how heavy it gets with brief glimpses of Post-Doom atmospherics that appear mostly within the second half of the album and that where perhaps the “DEFTONES” influence mostly comes into play.

The last few tracks Love Like A Dog, I Want You Here and With That Body are my favourite parts of the record as Lauren creates some beautifully played music that once again moves across an emotionally charged style of Post-Rock and Shoegaze with a grizzled determination that allows the music to flow naturally. The lyrics are quite profound with Lauren ending the record with a hopeful message and attitude.

What’s even more surprising is the label who is releasing this label. RidingEasy Records are releasing Deadlights and they’re not really known for releasing Shoegaze/Alt Rock albums but KUDOS to the label for releasing something different.

However, this is Lauren’s moment to impress and she does with this absolutely majestic album which should allow Lauren to become more well known within the Shoegaze scene. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the promo.

Deadlights is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via RidingEasy Records.

Links 

Official | BandCamp

HÖG - Blackhole (Album Review)

Release Date: August 22nd 2025. Record Label: RidingEasy Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Blackhole - Tracklisting

1.Don't Need You

2.Life Too Late

3.BLACKHOLE 

4.Bring You Down

5.City Witch

6.Shallow Earth

7.My Mind (Is Getting Heavy)

8.Free

Members

Adam - Drums

Daniel - Guitar/Vocals

Bobcat - Bass

Review

Blackhole is the debut full length album from HÖG a band who specialise in Sleazy, Grimy and an aggressive Street Level style of Doom/Stoner Rock. The added use of Proto-Metal, Punk Rock and Heavy Rock attitudes all lends itself with HÖG being more obsessed with the formative years of Seventies Heavy Metal than today’s more streamlined sound. Though,HÖG do immerse themselves with modern day Psychedelic and Fuzz Rock surroundings from time-to-time. 

If you like bands such as Motorhead, Saint Vitus, Black Sabbath, Budgie and Blue Cheer then HÖG are sure to impress with their hybrid style of grimy HEAVY RAWK & ROLL. The attitude is pitched at the right level with the elements of Proto-Doom and Garage Rock being played at the right level on tracks such as Don’t Need You, Life too Late and Blackhole. The vocals from Daniel vary from grizzled Doom Rock/Metal to a more free flowing Blues Rock energy to add extra SPICE to the record.

HÖG play a high amount of screeching moments on this record which could easily be considered as Speed Metal in places with a frenzied Punk Rock atmosphere allowing some classic musical shredding appearing from the whole band. Daniel’s guitars dominate the seedy landscape with Adam’s drums and Bobcat’s bass adding a whole level of destructive HEAVY METAL tone which becomes heavier and faster with each passing track.

I can see why RidingEasy Records signed HÖG to their impressive roster. As HÖG play like their lives depended on it and stick with that classic Seventies Proto-Metal/Doom Rock formula which has allowed RidingEasy Records to continuously release great records over the years. HÖG do become more driven by a classic HEAVY METAL sound that drifts between the Seventies and Eighties scene with great appetite on tracks such as Bring You Down, City Witch and Free containing some of my favourite moments with the music being superbly heavy and a super fresh creative approach.

There are some sublime “quieter” Classic Rock moments that allows HÖG the perfect chance to bask within their low-key melodies and prove they have a great ear for subtle Blues Rock passages which allows each band member to fully shine through with superb musicianship of the highest order to the closing stages of the record.

Blackhole also sees an OCCULT ROCK vibe appearing on City Witch that feels full on MOTORHEAD going down the OCCULT DOOM route with its stripped back production values that makes it worth the album purchase alone. 

HÖG’s debut album is a mighty collection of great tracks that’s primed for sheer entertainment. The record is not the most original sound but what HÖG do so well is to inject their own personality into their music which leaves a lasting impression with its PISSED OFF attitude that will have you coming back time and time again.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the promo.

Blackhole is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via RidingEasy Records

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Magick Potion - Magick Potion (Album Review)

Release Date: November 08th 2024. Record Label: RidingEasy Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Magick Potion - Track Listing:

1.Fever Dream 05:36

2.Empress 04:03

3.Love With A Wizard 05:54

4.Chateau Nights 06:15

5.Never Change 03:38

6.Pagan 04:03

7.Ultraviolet 03:20

8.Wild Perfumes 05:57

Members

Dresden Boulden on Guitar and Vocals

Triston Grove on Bass

Jason Kendall on Drums

Review

Magick Potion are blasting full speed onto the scene with their self-titled album, boasting an impressive and nostalgic nod to the late 60’s and early 70’s. The band wears their influences on their sleeves and it’s evident in the songs as you hear a plethora of bands from the bygone era. Not only are the songs themselves steeped in the vein of classic rock in style and composition, so too is the production, truly taking the listener back in time. 

I can promise that you will hear the many bands that have influenced Magick Potion along their musical pathway as they are scattered across the album. In fact, they will put a smile upon your face when you make the connections. Magick Potion are convincing in their efforts to revamp the sound of the past. The thing is, they never truly rip-off anyone, they make it all their own with a fresh take upon proto-metal, heavy rock, and psychedelic ideas in a spectacular fashion. 

Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Dresden Boulden, bassist Triston Grove, and drummer Jason Kendall, the power trio from Baltimore have created a spellbinding formula with this release. The vocals obviously differ from the more upbeat songs to the slower ones, ranging from the higher register voice cracks on ‘Fever Dream’ to lighter more reserved moments such as on ‘Pagan’. 

Proto-metal blues-based rock guitar riffs with just the amount of fuzz indigenous of the time warp Magick Potion demonstrate fill the album, as do the hammer-on riffs, and string bending guitar solos. ‘Empress’ is an example of the band dipping their toes into the blues, while ‘Never Change’ is a proto blast from the past. 

‘Love With A Wizard’ flaunts the surging bass lines and sliding of the strings, though the album is full of impressive bass playing as it weaves and walks throughout the album. The drums are amazing. I love the style of playing, and the sound of the kit. I believe on a few occasions I even heard some timpani being played. Just listen to the percussion on my favorite track ‘Chateau Nights’ if you need further confirmation of the complexities and talent of Mr. Kendall. 

I’ve always felt the flow of an album is especially important and this one has that special type of movement, as it never stagnates, never losing the listener along the way. You could easily believe this was released in ’70 or ’71 and you could file it between any vintage albums of that period. Though the heavy underground retro scene may not be as populated as it was five or ten years back, Magick Potion has conjured up the evidence that it has never truly disappeared, nor will it. 

Words by Jon McGough

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the promo.

Magick Potion self titled album is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via RidingEasy Records

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Psychic Trash - Psychic Trash (Album Review)

Release Date: November 17th 2023. Record Label: RidingEasy Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Psychic Trash - Psychic Trash  - Tracklisting

1.Ocean Song

2.Uncanny Valley

3.Underlings

4.House Of Butterflies

5.Odysseys Away

Members:

Max Dameron (guit/vox)

Sam Ford (drums/vox) 

Review

Sludge/Doom/Punk/Stoner Metal upstarts Psychic Trash maybe a new name within the underground scene. However, this band used to be known as Wizard Rifle who released some great albums within the fifteen years they were active as a band. The band are quite a different creative unit compared to their previous incarnation with Psychic Trash focusing upon a more Punk Rock and Garage Rock sound which is perhaps down to Max and Sam having relocated to Detroit.

Their self-titled album still contains many similarities to Wizard Rifle with their distorted Sludge/Stoner Metal sound being vividly Psychedelic but with a more outlandish and chaotic Punk Rock sound with hints of Motorhead-esque carnage being added for different parts of the album. The album contains five tracks with Psychic Trash showing a keen ear for distorted mayhem and surreal melodies which is captured superbly well within the opening track of Ocean Song.

Psychic Trash perhaps use their Noise Rock creative environment to act as the building blocks to deliver their manic grooves for this seriously fucked up but still brilliantly entertaining debut release. The sounds are always vivid, jagged and in some cases quite jaw-dropping considering how this band is actually a DUO. You feel there are more members in the ranks as they play at such at a LOUD VOLUME with progressive layers of chaotic Psychedelic Sludge/Stoner Metal energy. The Speed Punk or Speed Metal vibe allows the band to break out in violent and aggressive sounding guitar shredding and intense drumming.

Psychic Trash do add moments of tender based Psychedelic Rock vocals and bittersweet vocals which come into play on the outstanding second track Uncanny Valley which opens with an uplifting and heartfelt at first before Psychic Trash unleash a torrent of ugly and seedy Punk/Thrash/Sludge grooves that evokes the gritty spirit of The Melvins with the raucous Sludge Metal sounds of bands such as Red Fand and TORCHE. For certain moments, the band offer the familiar sounding Wizard Rifle themes within the more melodic parts of the track.

Psychic Trash continue to distance themselves further away from their previous incarnation with a subtle style of Sludge/Stoner Metal dominance that brings their newly found admiration of Garage Rock, Noise Rock and Punk Rock into the forefront with vivid styles of reckless guitars and scuzzy drumming becoming quite dominant on the final tracks of Underlings, House Of Butterflies and Odysseys Away.

The album does become more seedy and sinister with Psychic Trash delivering violent manic energy with their vocals but the music remains quite adventurous even with the chaotic nature of the instrumental work changing into Post-Rock stylish surroundings within the sublime fourth track House Of Butterflies. 

Psychic Trash is an easy album to follow and to fall in love with. The record has quite an addictive quality to it all even with the “Weirdo” or “Gonzo” musical up-tempo changes contained throughout the whole album. The end result is a bold, bleak, catchy and highly inventive record with a band redefining themselves for the better. 

If you’re a fan of Wizard Rifle then you’ll no doubt enjoy this brilliantly weird and expansive sounding album. The production values are quite surreal but allows Psychic Trash to have a highly original and demented presence of their own. The record has a first rate supply of neverending riffs that will leave you shaken to the core. 

Wizard Rifle maybe dead and buried but long live PSYCHIC TRASH.

Kudos to RidingEasy Records for releasing this wonderful album. Add this to your collection now. You won’t regret it. Outstanding stuff.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the promo.

Psychic Trash will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via RidingEasy Records from 17th November 2023.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

DEATHCHANT - Thrones (Album Review)

Release Date: October 13th 2023. Record Label: RidingEasy Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Thrones - Tracklisting

1.Canyon

2.Thrones

3.Mirror 

4.Mother Mary

5.Chariot

6.Hoax

7.Earth

8.Tomb

Members

T.J. Lemieux - Vocals/Guitar

George Camacho - Bass

Doug Stuckey - Guitar

Joe Herzog - Drums

Review

Sludge/Stoner Metallers DEATHCHANT return with their mighty impressive third album Thrones and it sees the band offer their Thin Lizzy sludgy outlook with a more gloomier presence whilst still maintaining their sweet-natured grooves heard on their previous albums. The album is built upon an impressive array of classic Heavy Rock sounds with the muscular attitude of The Melvins in certain places. DEATHCHANT play with an aggressive and speedy Punk Rock attitude which you can hear on the early stages of the album on tracks such as Canyon, Thrones and Mirror. 

The Psychedelic Doomed out presence of the album also offers a more personal record from DEATHCHANT with the gloomy emotionally charged lyrics contained throughout. Some moments do see the band drift into more Post-Rock or Post-Stoner based territory especially on the more mellower elements of the album whilst still offering a cool subtle style of sludgy riffs that build upto a heavier flow.

DEATHCHANT never ceases to amaze me at how many different styles of Classic Hard Rock they include on all of their albums whilst merging with the trippy Sludge/Stoner Metal grooves and that have a remarkably fresh vibe with subtle hints of epic storytelling heard within the lyrics. There’s a more dominant DOOM ROCK sound appearing on the later stages of the record on tracks such as Mother Mary, Hoax and the final standout track Tomb. 

With the classic dual guitars of T.J. Lemieux and Doug Stuckey provide that classic THIN LIZZY inspired sound where the exciting instrumental jams appear. Drummer Joe Herzog and Bassist George Camacho also deserve their fair share of the plaudits with the impressive work by laying down the groundwork for T.J. and Doug to work upon. As Joe and Doug make an outstanding rhythm section which gives DEATHCHANT their powerful Heavy Rock sound.

Thrones also benefits from fabulous production values with T.J. producing along with ace sound engineer Steve Schroeder. DEATHCHANT hit upon some serious themes on this album that gives their album a more mature sound. However, despite the gloominess of the album DEATHCHANT still plays epic amounts of uplifting Sludge/Stoner Metal that lives long in the memory once the album ends.

Thrones is DEATHCHANT’s best album to date and allows dedicated followers of the band to have another Album Of The Year contender lay upon them. Awesome stuff.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to RidingEasy Records for the promo.

Thrones is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via RidingEasy Records.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram