GENTLE BEAST - Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) (Album Review)

Release Date: March 07th 2025. Record Label: SixteenTimes Music. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) - Track Listing:

1.Planet Drifter 

2.Voodoo Hoodoo Space Machine

3.Mammoth Roams

4.Witch of the Mountain

5.Lodestone

6.Endless

7.Riding Waves of Karma 

8.Revenge of the Buffalo 

9.The Last Smoke

Members

Timo Dinter - Vocals

Manuel Ciofalo - Guitar

Janek Huschke - Guitar

Tobias Rickli - Bass

Alexander Streit - Drums

Review

Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) is the new album from Swiss Psych/Stoner Rockers GENTLE BEAST who conjure up a mighty COSMIC GROOVE with this record. Inspired by the likes of FU MANCHU, Truckfighters, Monster Magnet and KYUSS, the band standout with their own sound that is powered with raw Garage Rock intensity which appears within lead vocalist Timo Dinter’s sublime vocals. 

The sound is quite raw and highly unapologetic with a heavy FUZZ ROCK sound that sees GENTLE BEAST more concerned with AMPLIFIER and DESERT ROCK heaviness which is seen throughout the excellent batch of opening tracks of Planet Drifter, Voodoo Hoodoo Space Machine and Mammoth Roams. 

There’s an element of Post-Stoner, Psych Rock and Post-Doom trippy sounds and vocal imagery which is quite familiar to fans of HOWLING GIANT and KING BUFFALO. The album is expertly fantastical where you can tell by the names of the songs and the album itself. That’s one of the albums main strengths with GENTLE BEAST aiming high for FANTASY THEMES but still offering a highly realistic Stoner Rock/Metal sound.

GENTLE BEAST are at their best when they weave melodic Post-Doom sounds and subtle Prog Rock changes to create an uplifting style of monolithic grooves which have a deft Post-Rock vibe to them. Tracks such as Witch Of The Mountain, Lodestone and Endless continues with the musical backdrop of Stoner Rock, Doom, Prog and Space Rock interludes with nonstop and flawless instrumental passages courtesy of Manuel Ciofalo (Guitar), Janek Huschke (Guitar), Tobias Rickli (Bass) and Alexander Streit (Drums) bringing a sense of Psychedelic wonder to the album.

Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...from outer space) is spectacular and thrilling entertainment that plays out like a psychedelic and kaleidoscopic soundtrack to a long forgotten science fiction “B Movie” from the 1960’s and 1970’s. I mean that as a huge compliment and Timo Dinter’s vocals perfectly captures that sentiment with his vocal delivery moving between Hard Rock, Alt Metal and Stoner Rock which have a certain “chameleon” like effect to them.

The final tracks of the album are the heaviest and most far out moments of the record especially with Riding Waves Of Karma and The Last Smoke having enough creative instrumental power to destroy all Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier within this dimension and beyond. 

Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) is not your standard Stoner Rock album from a narrative view but it scores high by delivering HUGE SOUNDING RIFFS and having quite a serious sound despite the fantastical energy that GENTLE BEAST have created here. This is an undeniably “EPIC” STONER ROCK/METAL album in every sense of the term.

Outstanding. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Metallist PR for the promo.

Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via SixteenTimes Music from Friday 07th March 2025.

Links

Facebook
Instagram
Sixteentimes Music

DITCH - The Traveler (Album Review)

Release Date: February 14th 2025. Record Label: Dark Skies Coming. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Traveler - Track Listing:

1.Jabba 

2.Everyone I Know 

3.The Traveler

4.Destruction Derby

5.Year of the Pig

6.The Bloody 9

7.Pod Racing 

8.Broncola

9.Desert Sun

Members

Douwe de Wilde - Bass, Vocals

Eric Hazebroek  - Guitars, Backing Vocals

Alexander de Goede - Drums, Backing Vocals

Review

Desert/Stoner Rockers Ditch new album The Traveler is a rip-roaring adventure through the strands of Desert Rock, Fuzz, Psych, Stoner based grooves. This is the band’s first album in over a decade and it’s a stark contrast to their 2014 debut album “Boca Do Inferno”. The band have supported and shared the stage with some of the biggest names the scene has to offer since then and has perhaps seen the band honed their creative craft at an alarming rate compared to their 2014 debut album and their 2021 EP “Coldfoot, Alaska”.

The Traveler is fuelled by the classic and trademark sounds of the Desert, Fuzz and Stoner Rock scene but Ditch go one better and write songs written around classic Science Fiction lore like Star Wars being a huge influence which you can hear within the outlandish opening track Jabba. This track has a seedy element which makes this a fun ride and one aspect you won’t see within the Disney Star Wars Universe and is more aligned to the original George Lucas universe. See if you can spot the camp classic Death Race 2000 influence on the later stages of the record.

The lyrics are quite outrageous in places but at least Ditch have done their homework for Star Wars for this track and for other parts of the album. Ditch are continuously aiming for quite a modern sound despite shades of classic elements of Garage Rock, Punk Rock and Doom Rock appearing. If you dig the sounds of Lowrider, Truckfighters, FU MANCNU and KYUSS but with a streetwise Psychedelic and Science Fiction attitude then DITCH are the band for you.

The Traveler is boosted by a collection of great tracks that get down to the gritty and seedy side of Desert/Stoner Rock whilst adding a distorted Psychedelic vibe to their music. With a free-flowing style of storytelling being applied, the band aren’t afraid to show their tender side especially on the excellent title track The Traveler but the lyrics give a more apocalyptic vibe. The vocals from Douwe, Eric and Alexander are superbly melodic despite the OTT themes they’ve written for this track.

This shows you how diverse and the excellent use of crazy creative energy Ditch brings to the table for this album. There’s something for everyone as it’s an album that never outstayed its welcome. Deep and meaningful distorted sludgy grooves become part of the album which builds upto epic instrumental passages which reminds me of LOWRIDER in so many ways.

Other standout tracks include: Destruction Derby, Year Of The Pig, Pod Racing and Desert Sun where Ditch conjures up sounds you don’t develop or go the way you expect. There’s a “leftfield” and “outsider” vibe to Ditch’s musical energy which they play with supreme enthusiasm and that is one of the albums main strengths in how it’s so familiar and downright original at times. You never know what to expect and Ditch plays that style of music to their advantage. 

The production values are superbly handled with a distinctive “Garage Rock” and “DIY” flow allowing Ditch to make a true name for themselves within the underground scene with this record alone. The Traveler is an absolute joy and is sure to entertain the whole Desert/Stoner Rock scene with its charming grooves and thrilling slice of Science Fiction storytelling but with a massive COSMIC appetite.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Metallist PR for the promo.

The Traveler will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Dark Skies Coming from Friday 14th February 2025.

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp

Dutch Stoner/Desert Rock Act DITCH Drops Video of “Jabba” Off Upcoming Album “The Traveler”!

Dutch Stoner/Desert Rock Act DITCH Drops Video of “Jabba” Off Upcoming Album “The Traveler”!

The Hague’s stoner/desert rock band DITCH has shared a new video for “Jabba”, opening track of the band’s forthcoming album “The Traveler”, set to be released on February 14th via Dark Skies Coming. Don’t miss it if you are a fan of Kyuss, Vista Chino, Fu Manchu, Clutch, and Black Sabbath!

Watch the video of “Jabba” here: 

“The Traveler” is available on 180 grams orange marble vinyl and digipak (both limited to 200 pcs.). Pre-order your copy on Bandcamp: https://bit.ly/4a9jZF8

After almost 2 years of hard work DITCH has completed its first full-length album since the release of the critically acclaimed debut “Boca Do Inferno” (2014). An album containing 9 tracks written and fine tuned over the last few years, turned into a dynamic and diverse collection of songs. Sometimes hinting to the kings of 90’s stoner rock, but always with a modern and unique twist and a prominent style of their own. Huge, pounding drums, massive fuzz-heavy guitars, and roaring bass, complete the wall of sound many listeners crave. Yet there’s also room for dreamy, space-y segments, plus a variety of tempos. 40+ Minutes of what stoner rock/stoner metal is all about!

In the last 14 years DITCH stormed stages in several countries to spread the word of its fuzz heavy wall of sound with tons of desert groove. They were able to share the stage with fellow stoner enthusiasts like Komatsu (NL), Candybar Planet (NL), 1000Mods (GR), Belzebong (POL), Monster Truck (CAN), Five Horse Johnson (USA), God-sized (UK), The Grand Astoria (RU), Hemplifier (MT), Witch Piss (BE), Baardvader (NL), and Atomic Vulture (BE). The debut album “Boca Do Inferno” caused quite a stir, and the space rock instrumental closer of that album, “One Way Trip to the Sun”, has turned into a bonafide online cult hit with 3.3 million streams on Spotify and even more on YouTube in the last couple of years. In 2021 the band returned to the fray with a brand new EP, “Coldfoot, Alaska”.

Don’t miss DITCH on tour!

February 14th: Popradar, Den Haag (NL). For info: https://tinyurl.com/yurb6tds
February 22nd: De Beuk, Barendrecht (NL)
March 15th: De Keldr., Mechelen (BE): https://tinyurl.com/tyxe77wc

DITCH is:

Douwe de Wilde - Bass, Vocals
Eric Hazebroek - Guitars, Backing Vocals
Alexander de Goede - Drums, Backing Vocals

DITCH Online:

Website | Facebook  Instagram | Bandcamp

Thanks to The Metallist PR for all of the info.

Stoner Rock Band GENTLE BEAST To Release New Album “Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier from Outer Space”

Stoner Rock Band GENTLE BEAST To Release New Album “Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier from Outer Space” on March 7 via Sixteentimes Music; Stream The New Single “Planet Drifter”!

After the recent songs “Revenge of the Buffalo” and “Riding Waves of Karma”, the quintet delivers a new foretaste of what we can expect from the album with the song “Planet Drifter” - stream/download it below!

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/8kdhn9hn
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4eta383p
Apple Music: https://tinyurl.com/532x6t36
Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/ywrykywj

Pre-order “Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier from Outer Space” on Bandcamp:

https://bit.ly/3Pt9Zgp

The new album by GENTLE BEAST is a fuzz-fueled odyssey that has something in store for every stoner rock fan. The nine tracks pay tribute to the genre's greatest elements, from driving riffs to doomy bass walls, psychedelic interludes and spherical vocals. Always with a wink, the lyrics about stoned witches, vengeful buffaloes, roaming mammoths and lost space travellers deliberately leave out no stoner rock clichés. Combined with an examination of serious topics such as meritocracy, climate change and conspiracy theories, the record also aims to strike a critical note.

GENTLE BEAST means fuzzy, powerful desert rock riffs paired with spacey melodies. As the name suggests, a love child between mystical gentleness and wild beast. Inspired by genre masters like Kyuss, Fu Manchu, Truckfighters or Red Fang, the five-piece from Basel has dedicated itself to low-tuned guitars, raw vocals, and heavy psychedelic sounds.

The core of the band has always been the rough voice of frontman Timo Dinter and the distorted guitar walls of Manuel 'Cioffi' Ciofalo and Janek Huschke. Tobias Rickli on bass and Chris Wild on the drums have most recently completed the band. To date, they have played over 50 shows, supporting renowned bands such as High Reeper, DUEL, Monkey3 or King Buffalo.

Enclosed you can see the artwork by Manuel Guldimann.

Tracklist:

1. Planet Drifter

2. Voodoo Hoodoo Space Machine

3. Mammoth Roams

4. Witch of the Mountain

5. Lodestone

6. Endless

7. Riding Waves of Karma

8. Revenge of the Buffalo

9. The Last Smoke

The album was recorded by Marc Obrist at Hutch-Sounds. Mixed by Magnus Lindberg at Redmount Studio. Mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studio. Photos by Yannick Sehn. Logo by Marco Giana.

Photo by Yannick Sehn

GENTLE BEAST is:

Timo Dinter - Vocals
Manuel Ciofalo - Guitar
Janek Huschke - Guitar
Tobias Rickli - Bass
Alexander Streit - Drums

GENTLE BEAST Online:

Facebook
Instagram
Sixteentimes Music

Thanks to The Metallist PR for all of the details.

Dutch Stoner/Desert Rock Act DITCH Reveals Details of New Album “The Traveler”; Watch The Visualizer for “Everyone I Know”!

Photo by Aidyn Hazebroek

The Hague-based stoner/desert rockers DITCH are proud to announce that their new effort, entitled “The Traveler”, will be released on February 14th via Dark Skies Coming. The album, available as digipak and orange marbled vinyl, will feature 9 brand-new tracks for the fans of Kyuss, Vista Chino, Fu Manchu, Clutch, and Black Sabbath!

A visualizer video is online for the song “Everyone I Know” – watch it now! 

Pre-order “The Traveler” on Bandcamp: https://bit.ly/4a9jZF8

After almost 2 years of hard work DITCH has completed its first full-length album since the release of the critically acclaimed debut “Boca Do Inferno” (2014). An album containing 9 tracks written and fine tuned over the last few years, turned into a dynamic and diverse collection of songs. Sometimes hinting to the kings of 90’s stoner rock, but always with a modern and unique twist and a prominent style of their own. Huge, pounding drums, massive fuzz-heavy guitars, and roaring bass, complete the wall of sound many listeners crave. Yet there’s also room for dreamy, space-y segments, plus a variety of tempos. 40+ Minutes of what stoner rock/stoner metal is all about!

In the last 14 years DITCH stormed stages in several countries to spread the word of its fuzz heavy wall of sound with tons of desert groove. They were able to share the stage with fellow stoner enthusiasts like Komatsu (NL), Candybar Planet (NL), 1000Mods (GR), Belzebong (POL), Monster Truck (CAN), Five Horse Johnson (USA), God-sized (UK), The Grand Astoria (RU), Hemplifier (MT), Witch Piss (BE), Baardvader (NL), and Atomic Vulture (BE). The debut album “Boca Do Inferno” caused quite a stir, and the space rock instrumental closer of that album, “One Way Trip to the Sun”, has turned into a bonafide online cult hit with 3.3 million streams on Spotify and even more on YouTube in the last couple of years. In 2021 the band returned to the fray with a brand new EP, “Coldfoot, Alaska”.

The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Hans Pieters / The People’s Noise. Additional backing vocals by Luuk Penterman & Marjan Welman. “Jabba Speech” by David Dressen.

This is the definitive tracklist of “The Traveler”:

1. Jabba (6:22)
2. Everyone I Know (3:06)
3. The Traveler (7:14)
4. Destruction Derby (3:23)
5. Year of the Pig (5:44)
6. The Bloody 9 (5:01)
7. Pod Racing (3:29)
8. Broncola (revisited) (3:46)
9. Desert Sun (3:09)

DITCH is:

Douwe de Wilde - Bass, Vocals
Eric Hazebroek - Guitars, Backing Vocals
Alexander de Goede - Drums, Backing Vocals

DITCH Online:

Website
Facebook
Instagram
Bandcamp

Thanks to The Metallist PR for all of the details.

Introduce Yourselves - MEN OF MAYHEM

What is the origin and meaning of your band name “Men of Mayhem”?

The origin of our name comes from a well-known TV series from a few years ago that talked about a gang of motorcyclists. 

In particular, the wording "Man Of Mayhem" was a sort of recognition that only those who had shed blood for the club could obtain.

We thought it was a very strong concept and reflected a bit what we want to do on stage: give it our all.

How you decided that stoner was the genre you wanted to play?

It's actually pretty much what we've always done. In fact, the band was born from the merger of two other bands dedicated to stoner, doom or something similar.

Can you give a brief history of the band of how it came together and where it is today?

The band was born in 2015. That was a very difficult year for me. Due to family problems it was not possible for me to continue my Firelord project and therefore I was stopped.

Meanwhile Sergio (the guitarist) after the dissolution of another band, had decided to take out some old songs he had written and enlisted Giulio and Alessando on drums and bass.

At that point they needed a singer and thought of asking me. 

After the first rehearsal it was clear to everyone that it worked, and shortly thereafter Men Of Mayhem was born. 

We soon started playing concerts, and the feedback from the audience was very good, and we went into the studio to record our first album Inner Freedom with Danny Giordana, sound engineer for Monster Magnet.

Our sound was not yet very personal, but it soon became so, as we continued to rehearse and play concerts, always obtaining good results with the public, even going so far as to participate in the Doom Metal Fest in Malta in 2016 and in the Doomsday Survivors in Milan.

In 2016 we entered the studio to record our second album Doomed To Life, which we were very satisfied with and which now showed a very personal and better defined sound.

Unfortunately, however, family problems caused the band to break up, just when we felt we were about to take off.

Then we arrive at the beginning of 2024, when Sergio and Giulio met and decided that the

time was ripe to reform the band. Unfortunately our bassist Alessandro preferred to follow another path, but we found an excellent replacement in Alex Raster.

Now we are back to playing live and we are composing new songs.

What can people expect from your music?

I hope that people find in our music a burst of energy, that it is engaging and that it is useful for venting the stress and frustrations of life. I hope you find in the lyrics confirmation of certain thoughts that sometimes remain unexpressed.

What people can expect from your upcoming re-release of “Doomed To Life”?

I hope that those who have never listened to it will be pleasantly surprised and will start following us.

Where can people find you on Social Media?

https://menofmayhem.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/menofmayhem999

https://www.instagram.com/men_of_mayhem_999

Thanks to The Metallist PR for all of the details.

Black Citrus - Glass Mountain (Album Review)

Release Date: September 13th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: Cassette/Digital

Glass Mountain - Track Listing:

1.Crowded Sky 

2.Shadow of Your Light 

3.Amor Fati

4.7th Song

5.Dionysus' Eyes 

6.One of Us

7.Spit on a Shore

8.Glass Mountain 

Line-up:

Andrius Katinas – Guitar, Vocals

Augustinas Bėkšta – Bass, Vocals

Vaidotas Segenis – Drums

Review

Glass Mountain is the debut album from Psych/Doom/Stoner Metallers Black Citrus who deliver a heavier, aggressive and more daring style of music compared to their 2021 debut EP. The tone is more dramatic and quite gloomier with a Progressive Sludgier direction starting to emerge from the shadows of their Alternative Metal vibe the early parts of the record relies upon. 

Black Citrus have a subtle nineties edge that merges Shoegaze, Grunge and Stoner Metal melodies with an early-to-mid noughties Post-Metal delivery which is quite aggressive within the excellent batch of opening tracks Crowded Sky, Shadow Of Your Light and Amor Fati that allows the band to set the creative tone and melody for the whole record.

The music can be quite catchy at places even with the dark lyrical themes that Black Citrus have written for this record. Heavy jagged instrumental passages has echoes of Ambient Rock interplay before the Alternative Jagged guitars builds upto a fast-paced narrative with excellent heartfelt vocals to match.

Black Citrus could be considered Dark Rock or even Gothic Rock in places as they bring a wicked sounding 1980’s Gothic sound to their debut album but still manage to convey outbursts of modern day Psych, Doom and Stoner Rock which works even better with the low-key Post-Rok interludes within the quieter moments that appear within the album. 

The album works best when Black Citrus operate at maximum volume with a seedier and fuzzier attitude that allows them to play heavier and faster styles of music on tracks such as: Amor Fati, 7th Song and Dionysus Eyes. These tracks alone sees the band asset their own Progressive Stoner Rock/Metal dominance and creating their own style of music that allows them to deliver endless waves of Psychedelic Doom with that emotionally charged DARK ROCK persona shining through within the epic vocals from Andrius and Augustinas fully sealing the deal.

Glass Mountain can be quite distorted and powered along by subtle flashes of AMPLIFIER DISTORTION which the band use more and more to their complete advantage on the final stages of the record especially within the final two tracks of Spit On A Shore and Glass Mountain which are perhaps the standout tracks on the whole album.

Black Citrus are a highly inventive band taking many daring risks within this album and delivering an emotionally charged and dynamite based release that deserves your maximum attention.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Metallist PR PR for the promo.

Glass Mountain will be available to buy on Cassette/Digital from Friday 13th September 2024.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Deville - 20 YEARS (Album Review)

Release Date: August 09th 2024. Record Label: Sixteentimes Music. Formats: DD/Cassette

20 YEARS: Tracklisting

1.Dust 

2.The Hand That Feeds

3.Lava

4.What Remains

5.Serpent Days

6.Deserter

7.Pigs With Gods

8.Gold Sealed Tomp

9.Wrecked

10.Rise Above

Review

Swedish Psych Stoner Metal legends DEVILLE celebrate their 20th Anniversary in epic style with their new album 20 YEARS. The band have gone through their hugely impressive back catalogue where they’ve picked their most famous tracks or the “HITS” shall we say and included two new tracks. A track called DUST and a cover of NIN classic The Hand That Feeds.

DUST is the track that opens this excellent greatest hits package with and DEVILLE bring a fresh perspective to their trademark Fuzz/Doom/Stoner Metal grooves with a slight GRUNGE and PSYCHEDELIC aspect appearing. There’s a sublime Alt Rock atmosphere that allows the fast-paced and sludgy guitars build up a dynamic rhythm which is quite anthemic and hook orientated. The vocals are solid throughout with perhaps a Commercial Hard Rock appeal being added which DEVILLE are quite adept at providing.

The second track is the stirring cover of The Hand That Feeds. It would have been cool to see DEVILLE choose a heavier, darker and despairing offering from NIN but The Hand That Feeds is perhaps the perfect track that falls in with the overall journey of 20 YEARS. The cover is more muscular, aggressive and fast-paced with a kinetic Post-Punk energy compared to the original. Not wholly different but allows DEVILLE to deliver their own superb sounding cover.

The rest of the album sees DEVILLE selecting a mean collection of choice cuts that shows the band have been releasing a string of superbly written and hard-hitting anthems such as Lava, What Remains and Serpent Days. Each track shows a snapshot of what the Swedish Psych/Fuzz/Desert Rock/Stoner Metal scene sounded like at that specific moment in time. As you have moments inspired by KYUSS, FU MANCHU and Monster Magnet but with that Swedish Stoner Metal grit and vibrant Psychedelic energy which can be quite DOOM based.

Other standout tracks include: Deserter, Play With Gods, Wrecked and Rise Above. 

DEVILLE undoubtedly had a challenging time on what tracks to include from their extensive discography and they could have included other tracks for their great albums. However, this doesn’t stop 20 YEARS being a perfect representation of what DEVILLE have become today compared to their early years and that’s one of the legendary bands to emerge from the Swedish Stoner Metal scene.

20 YEARS could act as the perfect gateway into the world of DEVILLE for the casual fan and still act as a wonderful record for their dedicated fan base to add to their record collections.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to The Metallist PR for the promo.

20 YEARS will be available to buy on DD/Cassette via Sixteentimes Music from Friday August 09th 2024.

Links

http://www.deville.nu
http://www.facebook.com/devilleband
http://www.youtube.com/devilleband
http://www.instagram.com/devilleband
https://open.spotify.com/artist/29xpUzbL2gwBW0VuHU26G8?si=wrQaMyq1SJyzro50Li6INQ