Wheel Of Smoke - Live At Libertad 2026 (Album Review)

Release Date: May 01st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Live At Libertad 2026 - Tracklisting

1.Degeneration 05:32

2.Beamed 05:20

3.On a Wave 07:48

4.Stream of Time 08:33

5.Sun Go Down 09:25

6.Feral 07:59

7.The Pilgrim 09:18

8.Song of Saturn 13:33

Review

Psych/Prog/Stoner Rockers Wheel Of Smoke return after a seven year absence by releasing their live album Live At Libertad 2026. The record which was recorded on 05th April 2026 at café libertad in Leuven, Belgium sees the band play a collection of their most well known tracks built up across their excellent discography. If you’re new to Wheel Of Smoke’s world then the band plays a great style of Psych Rock, Space Rock, Prog Rock, Stoner Rock and other stellar sounds from the area of Classic Rock.

This record has a stripped back atmosphere which captures the band perfectly in a raw vibrant “LIVE” setting and you can tell that very minimal work was done in the recording studio / behind the scenes for this album. There are a lot of rough sounding moments captured on this record which only adds to the overall effect as it allows the listener to be part of the action. This is quite an involving and long drawn out album but it’s never boring with Wheel Of Smoke changing their musical style and delivery through various stages of the album.

There’s a sublime “Jam based” energy to Wheel Of Smoke of how they delve into the area of Sixties and Seventies Psych Rock then adding levels of modern Stoner Rock heaviness when you least expect this. The majority of the tracks are powered by an expressive style of Instrumental Rock with influences such as Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Earthless and The Doors can be heard for the best sounding moments on the album.

Wheel Of Smoke are quite hard to describe as they have a "chameleon" approach to their music with some wonderful Spaced Out And Ambient effects emitting from the vastness of the actual venue itself. The music can be quite “Jazzy” and “Experimental” in places which allows the grounded Progressive and Post-Rock elements to hold everything together on tracks such as: Degeneration, Beamed, On A Wave, Sun Go Down, The Pilgrim and Song Of Saturn.

Live At Libertad 2026 is quite an involving album with Wheel Of Smoke delivering a highly engaging seventy five minute live album where there’s plenty of fantastic instrumental solos to lose yourself in. Wheel Of Smoke fully commit themselves to their musical craft on this album and their entire performance can only be described as a “masterclass of instrumental rock music”. 

It’s great to see Wheel Of Smoke back releasing new albums and I’m hoping they will be releasing new music in the very near future as they’ve been sorely missed. This album is proof of that and I’m hoping the underground scene welcomes the band back with open arms and help promote this great live album like their lives depended on it.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Exclusive Album Premiere of WHEEL OF SMOKE New Album - SONIC CURE

Wheel of Smoke was born 2005, and have since been dwelling within the Belgian underground rock scene. They create a smoking mix of heavy, 70’s & 90’s tinted rock, blended with a dash of space and psychedelics. The music varies from mesmerizing and melodic to pumping straightforward rock&roll. Wheel of Smoke is a musical journey which invites you to join them in realms of cosmic inferno!

Having played many gigs, they are experienced stage hitters, creating spheres of musical and heavy sweetness. Wheel of Smoke joined stages with bands like Baby Woodrose, Hypnos 69, Sungrazer, The Machine, My Sleeping Karma, Ten East, Grifter, Doctor Cyclops, Güacho,… the band has cooperated on several occasions with organizations like Orange Factory and Yellowstock Concerts.

In march 2011 a first album In Sense was released. 2013 saw a new full length Signs of Saturn. 2015 gave birth to an EP called Enter The Pyramid. The band’s latest effort, Mindless Mass, saw release in 2016. Since 2017 they are joined by Johan Overloop, an expert analogue synth builder and player. This made their sound more spacious and broader in spectrum.

The new album ‘Sonic Cure‘ explores the more adventurous side of psychedelic rock and incorporates post-progressive psych-rock elements and harmonic vocals. The concept of the album is based on a fictive story of an unknown far-off planet with giant loudspeakers embedded into its surface that served as sound-healing ritual temples for its alien inhabitants. Let Wheel of Smoke take you on the journey for the quest of Sonic Salvation…

Wheel of Smoke - Sonic Cure will be released digitally, on CD and on limited edition vinyl on November 29, 2019.

You can hear the album now with this exclusive album premiere thanks to Tom at the ever awesome PolderRecords

The album was produced by Wheel of Smoke, recorded & mixed by Erik Heyns & Felix Theunissen at Hype Studio, Mechelen. Mastered by James Plotkin.

Band Members

Erik Heyns: Guitar & Vocals
Tristan Michiels: Bass & Vocals
Jouk Op De Beeck: Drums
Filip Remans: Guitar
Johan Overloop: Analogue Synths

Tracklist

A1. Sonic Cure
A2. Brainshaker
A3. Beamed
B1. On a Wave
B2. Electric I

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Wheel Of Smoke - Mindless Mass (Album Review)

Release date: July 09^th 2016. Label: Self Released. Format: DD/Vinyl

Mindless Mass – Tracklisting

1.Degeneration 06:17

2.Ruins 03:18

3.Bad Shepherd 06:03

4.Unnamed 05:54

5.Synchronicity 03:39

6.No More TV 06:20

7.Feral 07:59

Band Members

Filip Remans - Guitar, vox

Erik Heyns - Guitar, vox

Jouk Opdebeeck - Drums

Tristan Michiels - Bass, vox

Review

Wheel Of Smoke new album - Mindless Mass - is a Prog Rock influenced kind of Hard Rock/Stoner Rock. It has quite a classic sound to it with modern flourishes of Stoner Rock. The vocals do take some time getting used to. Though give it a few songs and you'll seen be right at home especially if you're a long-time fan of Classic Rock, Hard Rock and Stoner Rock. The production is good for the most part and the instrumental work is the main highlight of the entire album.

Opening track - Degeneration - is a fast moving number with heavy moments of pure classic Desert Rock groove. It’s hard not to be swept away by the infectious grooves of the whole album. It's a well put together album with the seven songs showing a band their love for all things loud Stoner Rock.

Second track - Ruin - is more a punk/blues take on Stoner Rock with rough and ready impressive vocals telling adding more flair. I dig the rough and ready appeal of Wheel Of Smoke's music. As it has a more direct approach and you can Wheel Of Smoke is a proper band. They're not interested in a highly produced sound. They would rather let their music do all the talking. It's high energy Punk/Stoner Rock that sees the album contain a huge amount of great riffs.

Songs such as: Bad Shepherd, Unnamed, No More TV and Feral - see Wizard Of Smoke try their hand playing psych and grunge at different parts of the album. The standout tracks have to be Bad Shepherd and Feral as the band create perhaps the albums most exciting moments.

As I stated before the instrumental work is the main highlight as the band create a high amount of heavy moments to lose yourself in. The second half of the album is where the album truly comes alive as Wheel Of Smoke settle into a fine rhythm and creates some loud noise for you to enjoy. It can be quite progressive, experimental and psychedelic at times. This album is perhaps catered for the more adventurous listener than the casual listener. As the mood and delivery of the album changes at a frantic pace. It may be quite off-putting for some but cool as heck for other.

Overall, Mindless Mass is a hugely enjoyable album from start to finish. If you want a rawer kind of Desert/Stoner Rock then Wheel Of Smoke is the band for you.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp