WENCHES - Stupid Sick (Album Review)

Release Date: July 11th 2025. Record Label: Various. Formats: Cassette/CD/DD/Vinyl

STUPID SICK - Tracklisting

1.Haulin' Ass Fault 04:08

2.Buzzkiller 03:25 

3.Boneless 03:55

4.When I Died 04:20

5.Kick It Down (feat. Chad Price) 03:16

6.Throw Me to the Wolves 03:04

7.Dearly Departed 04:27

8.Like Lightnin' (feat. Jonathon Newby) 04:48

Members

Jarod (guitar), James (vocals), Mike (bass), and Brad (drums)

Review

Post-Punk/Heavy Metal troublemakers WENCHES return with their second album Stupid Sick and it’s a whole load of rebellious fun with the band being influenced by the likes of MC5, MOTORHEAD, The Stooges and even Classic Hard Rock icons such as The Who and The Rolling Stones. The record is quite in your face with its turbo-charged Punk Rock sounds but really comes alive when WENCHES transform into HEAVY METAL riff maestros with a subtle Post-Punk energy holding everything together.

There’s no Progressive or Complex rhythms around on Stupid Sick as WENCHES are a first rate RAWK & ROLL band in every sense of the word. The songs are catchy and absolutely full with Streetwise attitude with Jamie’s vocals combining Garage Rock grit and the flamboyant attitude of Heavy Metal especially within the excellent batch of opening tracks of Haulin’ Ass Fault, Buzzkiller and Boneless. There’s a great style of NWOBHM themes merging with the classic Detroit Rock City scene on the sublime second track of Buzzkiller. 

It’s so refreshing to hear a band that just wants to rock out and get straight down to business in good old fashioned Rock and Metal music. There’s a ton of great instrumental solos performed by everyone within the band and when the Speed Metal attitude appears, WENCHES become a drastically different band where they have an air of excitement and danger to their whole creative outlook.

Stupid Sick merges sounds from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties era of Heavy Rock with a refreshing modern day aesthetic which is helped by the excellent work carried out by Carl Byers (Idiot, Graveripper, Usurp Synapse) who recorded the album and Don Fury (Quicksand, Helmet, Sick of It All) who mastered the record. So the band has some pretty big talent helping along with their creative journey.

WENCHES have also called upon the talents of Chad Price (vocalist of ALL, Drag the River, A Vulture Wake) on Kick It Down and Jonathan Newby (Brazil, JC Autobody and heavy supergroup Fixation Arc) on Like Lightnin’ who bring their own stamp of Rock & Roll authority within two of the finest tracks on the record.

The lyrics contained within Stupid Sick are very straight to the point but they match the outrageous mood of the whole album and it’s absolutely refreshing to hear even when they’re being way too playful and over the top at times. 

Stupid Sick is keeping the the true spirit of ROCK & ROLL alive with an unapologetic style of music that we don’t come across at all these days and WENCHES deserve all the critical plaudits coming their way. This is ROCK & ROLL the way it’s meant to be delivered. 

Outstanding. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to WENCHES for the promo.

Stupid Sick is available to buy from the links below:

The Ghost is Clear Records (CD) / Already Dead Tapes (CS) /  Master Kontrol Audio (Vinyl). 

Links

Official | BandCamp

Glowing Brain - Memory Distortion (Album Review)

Release Date: May 09th 2025. Record Label: The Ghost Is Clear Records (vinyl) and Master Kontrol Audio (cassette).. Formats: DD/Vinyl/Tape

Memory Distortion - Tracklisting

1.Long Hair Punks 02:39

2.Revenge Piñata 02:58

3.Crude Bastard 03:06

4.Bong Exhaust 05:55

5.Memory Distortion 03:10

6.Hole In The Skull 04:12

7.Creeping Debt 03:26

8.Bummer Machine 03:03

9.Dying On The Vine 02:22

10.Chilling Technology 05:56

Members

Conrad Nichols - Vocals, bass, guitar

Doc Miller - Guitar, vocals, synthesizer, organ

James Lyter - Drums and percussion

Review

Memory Distortion is the latest record from Punk/Metal upstarts Glowing Brain where they blend Speed Metal, Thrash, Hardcore and Stoner Metal sounds with socially conscious lyrics. The music is played at mighty fast pace with Glowing Brain inspired by the likes of Motorhead, Voivod, The Melvins, Mutoid Man and Suicidal Tendencies.

The songs are downright catchy and aggressive with Glowing Brain playing with a mighty “IF IT AIN'T BROKE, THEN DON’T FIX” attitude which we’ve perhaps heard a million times before. However, the band stays true to their Punk and Heavy Metal roots with songs that “GET SHIT DONE” and still leave you fully satisfied and wanting to hear more. 

The bass heavy attitude of the music from Conrad Nichol’s inspired BASS playing allows the other band members of Doc Miller (Guitar, Synths and Organ) and James Lyter (Drums and Percussion) to play with a more fearless HEAVY METAL delivery which comes across quite reckless on tracks such as: Long Hair Punks, Revenge Pinata, Crude Bastard and Bong Exhaust impressing throughout the first half.

I was quite surprised to hear and experience the band’s expedition into Psychedelic, Sonic and Spaced Out territory thanks to Doc Miller’s excellent use of trippy Synths and sound effects within the mighty fourth track Bong Exhaust which is perhaps my favourite track on the album. This is perhaps considered Glowing Brain’s PROG ROCK/METAL opus compared to the Punk and Speed Metal surroundings of the other tracks the album contains though the final track of Chilling Technology comes mighty close. 

Memory Distortion does feel inspired by the legendary Matrix franchise with the themes and lyrics Glowing Brain have constructed for the record. The mash-up of different sounds and genres from Glowing Brain is quite original and downright technically impressive especially when they blend Punk Rock with a gloomy Space Rock environment. 

The vocals from both Conrad Nichols and Doc Miller both have a “NO FUCKS GIVEN” attitude in how they’re delivered but it’s quite refreshing to hear these style of vocals that allows the message of the album to hit HARDER than you initially anticipate that left me quite breathless at times.

Overall, Memory Distortion is a wickedly subversive album that’s hidden under the pretence of a Punk Rock/Speed Metal/Stoner Metal album that makes it such an even better album on every level possible. This is stirring stuff with Glowing Brain delivering a masterclass of FUCKED UP and HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE grooves from start to finish.

You know what to do….

 

Words by Steve Howe

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

OVER-GAIN OPTIMAL DEATH - Die Underground (Album Review)

Release Date: March 28th 2025. Record Label: Riot Season Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Die Underground - Tracklisting

1.Die Underground 05:49 

2.No Lord 10:28

3.Oversleep 04:56

4.Fallen Woman 14:07

Members:

Jasso : Guitar/ Vocals

Luna : Bass

Backhaus + TJ : Twin Drums

Review

DIe Underground is the new album from Psychedelic Freaksters OVER-GAIN OPTIMAL DEATH and it’s my first exposure to their hyper violent style of Fuzz, Doom, Sludge, Noise, Stoner, Psych, Garage and Punk Rock carnage that awaits you on this album. Taking elements of Japanese Freakout music and joining this with intense slabs of Garage Rock is quite a highly inventive idea though the added levels of Speed Metal is quite something to behold. Parts Motorhead, MC5, Acid Mothers Temple, Mainliner and The Stooges is there to fully experience but as the classic saying from The Matrix goes:

“Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself.”

That saying is the best way to describe Die Underground as it’s brilliantly unique, violent and all over the place with the massive amounts of epic feedback and drug induced Speed Rock/Metal grooves that surrounds the entire album which starts forming on the excellent title track Die Underground before exploding into a volcanic mass eruption of experimental passages within the second standout track No Lord. 

The vocals are buried under a ton of distorted dirt, grime and noise which has quite a deep wave of paranoia to them. OVER-GAIN OPTIMAL DEATH brings an experimental and art-rock style of music which feels inspired by the 1960’s and 1970’s Rock Scene and these guys will perhaps feel out of place to the normal Stoner Rock mainstream. Though, I expect nothing less from the amazing Riot Season Records who are releasing this album and they are the KINGS of bringing brilliantly weird and extraordinary bands to my attention who don’t fit the standard underground sound. OVER-GAIN OPTIMAL DEATH is no exception with the final two tracks Oversleep and Fallen Woman allowing the band to close the album off in freakish and violently aggressive fashion which leaves you wanting to hear more before the dying seconds of the album. 

Overall, Die Underground is an absolute joy if you dig the experimental and crazed nature of the whole album as there’s a ton of violent grooves waiting to be discovered under the masses of psychedelic terror that OVER-GAIN OPTIMAL DEATH conjures up out of thin air.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Die Underground is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Riot Season Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Obnoxious Youth - Burning Savage (Album Review)

Release Date: October 18th 2024. Record Label: Svart Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Burning Savage - Track Listing:

1. Alpha Diabolos

2. Imminent Evil

3. Burning Savage

4. Lethal Revenge

5. Black Magic Whore

6. Torrents Of Black Blood

7. Ultra Death

8. Bitchkrieg

9. Ethereal Termination

10. Phantasma

11. Tornado Of Blades

12. Omega Therion

Members

Affe ”Phantasma” Piran - Vocals

John ”Zeke” Finne - Guitar

Frans ”Cult” Utterström - Drums

Edde ”Shit” Aftonfalk - Bass

Lukas ”Spine” Häger - Guitar

Review

Sometimes I like to step away from the music I usually promote here and check out music that I loved back in earlier years as a metal head. I was into Thrash Metal, Speed Metal and Death Metal big time back in my late teens and early twenties. So I was asked recently if I would review Obnoxious Youth’s new album Burning Savage and I jumped at the chance. As I was a fan of their previous two albums The Eternal Void and Disturbing The Graves.

The album continues the heavy and pissed off style of Thrash Metal and Speed Metal the band are known for. However, the band isn't afraid to add a sense of aggressive melody into their overall sound with moments of Classic Hard Rock and Psych Rock appearing along the way. They remind me of KVELERTAK in many ways with how both bands blend so many different genres together and offer a highly original style of HEAVY METAL that’s downright catchy and brutally thrilling at the same time.

Members of Obnoxious Youth have played in or currently play in bands such as Vorum, Undergång, Endtime, Reveal!, Morbus Chron, Century, Tøronto, Degial, Begravningsentreprenörerna, Entombed and No Future. Though don’t be expecting to hear a straightforward EXTREME METAL album as Burning Savage is anything but that.

Burning Savage may have a Blackened Metal identity but its creative soul is PURE and BRILLIANTLY entertaining at the same time. The vocals are on the extreme side with the music mostly powered through punishing beatdowns and fast-paced grooves that seem quite chaotic when first listening to the album. However, there is a ton of first rate creativity going on throughout the whole album with moments of Psych Rock, Prog Metal and Electronic beats that’s played against the non-stop frantic and deeply unapologetic sounds of Thrash Metal and Speed Metal.

Obnoxious Youth may live upto the classic and outdated tropes of Heavy Metal but they do this with real charm, conviction and huge talent. They have a ZERO FUCKS given attitude which mostly appears within their lyrics and the fucked up insanity of their music which is downright genius in places especially on tracks such as Alpha Diabolos, Imminent Evil, Burning Savage, Torrents Of Black Blood, Tornado Of Blades and Omega Therion.

With brief outbursts into Punk Rock lore and Occult Metal themes, Obnoxious Youth have really outdone themselves with Burning Savage with this being their most technically impressive and wonderfully entertaining album yet. The whole sound of the album will be too outlandish for some but for the majority of others Obnoxious Youth have crafted a brilliantly surreal album that allows them to have such a unique voice within the realm of HEAVY METAL.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to For The Lost PR for the promo.

Burning Savage will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Svart Records from Friday October 18th 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Cobranoid - Cobranoid (Album Review)

Release Date: August 18th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Cobranoid: Tracklisting

1.Flesh And Bone 03:48

2.Shimmer 04:54

3.Halfwit 05:12

4.N.E.S. 05:53

5.Doom Shark 05:07

6.Hyena 04:38

Members

Kyle Gaso - Guitar/Vocals

Logan O’Connor - Bass

Kevin Wylie - Drums

Review

Thrash/Doom/Speed Metallers Cobranoid make a barnstorming and aggressive entrance with their excellent self-titled debut release. Merging heavy slabs of Doom Metal that High On Fire are known for with the fast-paced delivery of Motorhead but with the added bonus of Thrash Metal all moulded within the classic Power Trio formation. 

One of our team here at the blog S Patrick Brooks has been telling me about this great band for the last few weeks and I said I would check them out. And BOY, wasn’t he right with this one. 

The one thing that makes this record standout is how gloriously FUN the whole thing is. You can tell the band are having fun playing their own blend of Speed Metal with the added bonus of Doom, Thrash and good old fashioned RAWK Music. Cobranoid play classic sounding THRASH beats like their lives depended on it especially within the sublime opening tracks of Flesh And Bone and Shimmer. 

Cobranoid adds a sludgy backdrop especially through Logan O’Connor’s excellent bass with Kyle Gaso demonstrating some fine THIN LIZZY guitar riff worship along the way. Kevin Wylie is just in pure BEAST MODE behind the drums which gives Cobranoid a true Heavy Metal sound whilst cornering the finer points of their Doom Metal sound. 

The lyrics can be quite subversive and politically charged, especially on the excellent third track of Halfwit. There’s a standout instrumental section which ranks as one of the best throughout the whole record even if it's not the heaviest. Cobranoid are at their most daring and more expressive as this song becomes heavier and heavier with each passing moment. The onslaught of aggressive Thrash Metal sounds that merges with Classic Hard Rock energy is something I didn’t expect how the song would end up.

Fourth track N.E.S. is rages into pure High On Fire territory but in a good way with Cobranoid installing a slight Psychedelic flavour which allows a primal Thrash Metal sound to fully lead the creative charge with a fine amount of instrumental sounds transforming into a Psych Doom movement. Kyle’s vocals are excellent with the perfect balance of Heavy Metal bravado whilst keeping with the appearance of classic Heavy Metal. The music is perhaps the star yet again with Cobranoid demonstrating a keen ear for melody along the way.

The final two tracks of Doom Shark and Hyena are the most action packed tracks on the record with Cobranoid playing their great style of combined Heavy Metal sounds with the Classic Hard Rock atmosphere allowing the “FUN” aspect of their record that I mentioned earlier in the review to be continuously part of the whole ride. The lyrics are quite subtle and perhaps self aware at times but it makes this such a downright thrilling spectacle of Heavy Metal sounds.

Cobranoid are busy at work for their second record due for release in 2025 and I have a feeling that the band will have a loyal and dedicated fanbase within the Doom/Sludge Metal underground scene thanks to this excellent debut release. 

Don’t let this record pass you by. The underground scene once in a while provides the world with a great band to fully get behind and fully root for. Well, Cobranoid are that type of band and this album is a must have release. So what are you waiting for. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Good Boy PR for the promo.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Details About Doom Metallers COBRANOID Upcoming Debut Album

Cobranoid has their first album coming out on Friday August 16th 2024 and I am so stoked for these guys. A hard-working Denver band, they have been honing their songwriting and performance skills for the last few years on the excellent Denver Stoner Doom scene, making a name for themselves and making new fans each time they hit the stage. I've seen Cobranoid quite a few times over the last few years. These guys always bring so much energy to their live performances. They are a straight forward, hard rocking, speed doom (their term) metal-as-fuck band. a powerful power trio, they literally make you feel the rock pounding through your chest when you're in the crowd. Now, finally, they have brought this powerful mix to the studio. Turn this up and check out some Cobranoid!

Cobranoid is Kyle McKeeman (vocals, guitar) Logan O'Connor on bass and Kevin Wylie on drums. These guys generously shared 3 tracks from their upcoming album and damn, all three are absolute high energy rippers. Here's my thoughts on the tracks:

NES. I'm immediately thinking damn. Heavy as FUCK. Kyle's vocals are raw and this song was recorded with a lot of intense energy. It starts off with a punch before a quick descent into heartfelt guitar riff and followed with sorrowful feeling harsh vocals. This song feels wonderfully dramatic and would perhaps be the epitome of what Cobranoid means by calling themselves "Speed Doom". Great heavy tone. Doomy but not oppressive. the drums are sharp and I like where they sit in the mix, providing excellent depth to this track in particular. it's a ripper, a super fun ride!

Flesh and Bone is the first single that has been released. Speed doom indeed! Crunchy guitars, pounding drums and deep bass propelled by semi growly vocals. Flesh and Bone is super hard driving, crushing METAL. This song is seriously metal as fuck, with a growl along chorus, headbanging riffs and guttural deep fills from both guitar and drums. Like so many great songs in this genre, Flesh and Bone gives one that Mad Max apocalyptic feel...more Road Warrior than Furiosa, this is gritty number and has a flashbacky, sepia toned feel to it. It's hot and raw and gritty.

 

Cobranoid describes themselves as Speed Doom and it's fitting. Their sound is reminiscent of High on Fire; Cobranoid blazes a galloping trail of riffs, charging forward straight into the void. The introspective interlude shows some maturing songwriting skills an adds inserting drama to what is a already complex track. There is story telling amongst the heavy riffs and this is a moody, horror driven doom song. Faster riffs kick in at the end of Flesh, the speed in speed doom prevailing as the song breaks from the darkness and runs off into a more trashy riff driven finale. It's a pretty amazing 6 minutes, seeming both longer and shorter than that time - in a way that makes me want to put it on repeat.

The last track I got to hear was Hyena. Hyena howls, mofos! It's a hard, straight up kick-your-ass rocker here y'all. I love the heavy heavy kick ass drumming on this one. Kyle's galloping guitars and bass and tough sounding vocals once again set a hard rocking tone. This stuff right here is battle jackets and engineer boots my friends. This is hard Denver rock that doesn't fuck around. Consider doing some yoga neck stretches before this little ditty cause your head with be rocking. Kyle's guitar tone hear is amazing. The recording captures the intensity of the amplification, and is mixed very well, showcasing all the players and placing the vocals in the proper place in the presentation.

This band has just gotten better and better since I saw them a few years ago. The first time I saw Cobranoid live they played a dirty version of Just Got Paid Today (ZZ Top). They reminded me of Wo Fat a little bit. Maybe I just felt like that after hearing them cover that song and it skewed my perception. These songs sound different in a great way. More thrashy and traditionally metal than I remember seeing them (just my opinion of course) and I love it. These songs are rippers, and I encourage everyone to check out the new single and definitely get this album on pre-order.

Words by S Patrick Brooks

https://cobranoid.bandcamp.com/track/flesh-and-bone

Olde Grale - Blood Of Fools (EP Review)

Release Date: April 20th 2023. Record Label: Salt Of The Earth Records. Formats: CD/DD

Blood Of Fools: Tracklisting

Separation Anxiety

Blood Of Fools

Senile Dementia

Unseen Reaper

Faith Healer

Members

Guitars: Greg Dawson and Chris "Hippy" Hughes"

Drums: Ryan Aubin and Kevin Farmer

Vocals: Doug McLarty and Daniel Allen

Bass: Mark Rand and Cory McCallum

Review

Doom/Stoner Metal underground heroes Olde and Grale have joined forces for a new musical project called Olde Grale and they're releasing their debut EP Blood Of Fools on 4/20 aka the WEEIDIAN Holy Day. If you're expecting a split EP then you'll sadly be mistaken. This is a new project where the band has doubled up on everything with the instrumentals and vocals department. So this is a band with two drummers, two bassists, two guitarists and two vocalists.

The EP is a mixture of Doom, Sludge, Stoner, Psych, Thrash and Death Metal leading the creative charge. You have both bands playing their own sound to a more extreme level in places. The music is constantly engaging with a vicious and ferocious sound to it which is brought to the party on the excellent opening track Separation Anxiety. 

The song brings a Hardcore and Thrash based element to the party. The "twin effect" delivery is used superbly well with each band member getting the chance to the shine. The rhythm section is my favourite part of this track. As the drumming and bass work is simply sublime with the heavy pounding rhythms. The sludgy aggressive guitars has a certain early High On Fire quality to it but the dual vocals brings a sense of panic and gloomy heaviness to the EP that offers at small hints of further brutality along the way. There's a kick-ass melodic section where Olde Grale move further into Post-Whatever realms with parts of catchy melodic Psych Doom/Stoner Metal having an uplifting feel to it all.

Second song Blood Of Fools opens with a slightly Droned and Distorted guitar groove with the pounding drums bringing a more HEAVY METAL charge along the way. Vocals have a metallic and classic heavy metal approach to them. The guitars make the song what it is with thunderous DOOMY riffs that bring along what we all love about the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene that has a more atmospheric vibe. The lyrics blend themes from both Classic Heavy Metal and Modern Day Sludge/Stoner Metal with the band touching upon Psychedelic Metal and Post-Doom flourishes for the more restrained parts of the track.

Third song Senile Dementia is one of the most interesting tracks on the EP with Olde Grale using a classic style of almost Operatic Doom for the vocals that first appear. The riffs are forged from Thrash Metal and Sludge Metal that allows their music to be more focused. Olde Grale become part of the Extreme Metal crowd with a violent style of vocals, grooves and twisted lyrics. There's an Atmospheric and twisted Post-Stoner appetite on this track but becomes more thrilling when the band switch to Thrash Metal beat-downs and breakdowns. Definitely my favourite track on the EP. 

The final two tracks Unseen Reaper and Faith Healer allow Olde Grale to play more distorted and dark creative visions especially with the more Droned out parts that appear on Unseen Reaper. The Thrash/Sludge Metal sounds brings that "Apocalyptic" or "End Of The World" vision the band have used for the majority of the EP. 

The instrumental work and vocals perhaps feel more in unison here on this part of the EP with every part and aspect of the EP relying on each other to move onto the next engaging part. These two tracks are both nuanced and contain some of the best instrumental work and vocals contained on the EP.

Blood Of Fools is an EP that offers a bleak, cold and despairing vision which is what you need for an EP such as this. The main creative theme for the EP is bold and insightful. This allows both Olde and Grale to try new and exciting different things for the record whilst offering fans of both bands something familiar to fully embrace and even ROOT for. 

Olde Grale have delivered an action packed spectacle with Blood Of Fools. The EP offers an Extreme style of Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal but if you're looking for fast-paced, aggressive and catchy grooves riffs then this is the real deal.

Hopefully we'll hear more from Olde Grale in the future.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Blood Of Fools is available to buy now on CD/DD via Salt Of The Earth Records.

Olde Links

Facebook | BandCamp

Grale Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram