Yawning Balch - Volume Three (Album Review)

Release Date: February 21st 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Volume Three - Track Listing:

1. The Taos Hum (20:26)

2. Winter Widow (14:02)

Members

Gary Arce – guitar

Bob Balch – guitar

Mario Lalli – bass

Bill Stinson – drums

Review

Psych Stoner Rockers Yawning Balch make a welcome return with Volume Three and it’s another gloriously hip and sonic odyssey into the Desert/Stoner Rock abyss with a tranquil Post-Rock movement becoming more prominent on this album. Welcoming Mario Lalli back into the creative fold for this chapter. Gary Arce, Bob Balch, Mario Lalli and Bill Stinson weave epic soundscapes and progressive rock imagery into the whole album with beautifully played melodies that are mostly played at a softer level of heaviness compared to the previous two volumes.

The album is made of two tracks The Taos Hum and Winter Window running for thirty five minutes in length. The songs have similar ideas and themes as each other but are structured quite differently with The Taos Hum being more spiritual and contained by a dominant Post-Rock sound. Yawning Balch are still capable of playing HEAVIER grooves when the time calls for it. 

However, for the most part the record allows Yawning Balch to explore areas of Space Rock and Cosmic instrumental jams that is perhaps closer to Yawning Man’s style of music than FU MANCHU though there’s epic bursts of aggressive Stoner Rock that appear out of nowhere to showcase why Bob Balch is an integral part of this group and not here just to make up the numbers.

Second track Winter Window opts for delicate Desert Rock touch with moments of melodic Post-Ambient sounds laying down the groundwork for Yawning Balch to bring a heavier and spaced out sound. This is perhaps the most meditative track that Yawning Balch has written to date with a sense of bleakness and hopeful surroundings being played at the same time. The song has a “LESS IS MORE” approach with Yawning Balch brilliantly maximising the minimal space, sound effects and instrumental passages to its full potential especially on the later stages of the record. 

Volume Three is a majestic and brilliantly cinematic album with Yawning Balch on FIRE throughout. With superb production values, Yawning Balch are fastly becoming one my favourite collaborative projects currently within the Desert/Stoner Rock scene and with the power of Heavy Psych Sounds behind them yet again, I’m hoping there are many more exciting chapters to come from Yawning Balch as they’ve delivered another “must have” record to own with Volume Three.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Volume Three will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from Friday February 21st 2025.

Links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Spotify

Hallow's Victim - Witchcraft, Rituals and Funeral Dirges (Album Review)

Release Date: January 21st 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Witchcraft, Rituals and Funeral Dirges  - Track Listing:

1.False Magick Propaganda 07:32

2.No Mercy 06:28

3.Snake Eyes and Devil´s Lust 06:44

4.Hexes & Maledictions 05:39

5.Funeral Dirges 05:43

6.Midnight Sorcerer 05:28

Members

Hector Gonzalez - Vocals

Siniestor - Drums

Alain Toledo - Guitars

Lucas Bravo - Bass

Review

Witches, Rituals and Funeral Dirges is the new live album from Chilean Doom/Stoner Metallers Hallow’s Victim who take their name from the classic SAINT VITUS album. You can hear a deep love, respect and admiration to Saint Vitus on this album alone with nods to other legendary bands such as Black Sabbath and Electric Wizard. The record has a rough sounding and quite seedy appeal with the whole album being recorded live. The majority of these tracks located here are from the bands 2023 release False Magick Propaganda.

Hallow’s Victim weave a classic Proto-Doom and Occult Rock based groove into their overall sound with a firm emphasis on LOW & SLOW gloomy mechanics that is from the Black Sabbath old school of AMPLIFIER RIFF and GUITAR REVERB which is present throughout the whole album. The songs are mostly powered by classic DOOM METAL instrumental passages with a firm reliance on Sludgy guitars with a subtle WEEDIAN influence coming through the AMPS.

The opening tracks of False Magick Propaganda and No Mercy are superbly heavy with a classic style of Proto Doom which touches upon areas of Classic Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and even seedier FUZZ based moments which adds a dark level of cynicism to the mix. The vocals from Hector Gonzalez are perfectly suited to Hallow's Victim style of music as he brings a passionate Doom Metal style persona to the role which is perhaps inspired by the likes of WINO and Jus Osborn at times. 

Hallow’s Victim play their way through a great selection of tracks that stays true to the rules of the classic Proto-Doom Metal sound with some cool sounding riff-centric grooves on tracks such as Snake Eyes And Devil’s Lust, Hexes & Maledictions and Midnight Sorcerer with those tracks being the standout moments of the whole record.

Witches, Rituals and Funeral Dirges is an excellent record that allows Hallow’s Victim to play to their creative and musical strengths which should gain them some notice within the underground scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Polish Stoner/Doom Rock Vand VOLT RITUAL presents single "The Giant Awaits" from upcoming "Swamp Lake City" EP

VOLT RITUAL are on their quest for the ultimate riff. The band was formed in Bielsko-Biała, Poland in the middle of year 2020. First rehearsals took place in an abandoned and cold house – anyway, a volt ritual requires only electricity. Since the beginning they have been focused on delivering heavy riffs and high-energy grooves. Main sources of inspiration were, and are to this day, Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet, Black Sabbath and Electric Wizard.

Self-titled debut album got released in June 2022 and from that time the band actively plays live shows with fellow riff mongers. December 2022 brought a new single “Droga 2023”, departure of founding member, drummer Marcin and arrival of Tomek, whose drumming skills take the band’s sound to the new level. With Tomek on board the band recorded an EP “Return to Jupiter” which got released on February 2, 2024 and brought answers to all questions about ancient ruins, cold outer space and high voltage. In the middle of the year Joanna took over the low frequencies department.

Year 2025 brings a new EP titled “Swamp Lake City” and of course more live shows.

Band comments their upcoming release: "These two songs have been with the band since the very beginning, yet they needed some time to get their final form. Armed with classic stoner riffs we wander through the Solar System and face the ultimate gothic horror"

Music for new EP was recorded in 2024 and all were mixed and mastered by Roch Gablankowski. Cover artwork was done by Mateusz Węgrzynkiewicz. Album will be released on February 2, 2025 on digital format (pre-save) and limited CD.

PREMIERE!

Listen to the "The Giants Awaits" song

at 666MrDoom Youtube channel https://youtu.be/TsVC5I8mkCo

at Rob Hammer Youtube channel https://youtu.be/vadTTJnXDs4

Tracklist:

1. The Giant Awaits
2. Miasto Wśród Bagien

Thanks to Solid Rock PR for all of the details.

MAD ACT - Party Off (EP Review)

Release Date: January 29th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Party Off  - Track Listing:

1.Crash 

2.Sleep

3.Doom Party

4.Call Of The Void

Review

Party Off is the new EP from Post-Metal trio MAD ACT who incorporate Sludge, Doom and Stoner sounds into the mix. There’s a crushing Industrial beat that’s added very early on into the mix which gives the EP quite a Digital Hardcore feel which reminds me of The Mad Capsule Markets at times before MAD ACT settles for a harsh Sludge/Post-Metal groove. 

Opening track Crash is quite punishing with it’s endless shift of Industrial dynamics which could even see a diverse influence such as NIN appearing within the progressive Sludge/Post-Metal environments. The band then switched to a heavier and meatier style of Stoner Metal that blurs the landscape of riff-centric grooves that is quite intense and psychedelic at times. MAD ACT delve into Experimental creative waters for a chaotic style of music that matches the lo-fi and violent production values that Party Off ultimately contains.

Second track Sleep settles for a more straightforward Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Rock opening with plenty of fuzzy passages that soon transforms into a sublime Post-Sludge vibe with little traces of Industrial beats becoming BIGGER and more PRIMAL without losing the focus of the solid foundations of the Sludge/Doom Metal template that serves MAD ACT superbly well on this track alone. This is the standout track on the EP as you begin to see the true MAD ACT starting to form and fully appear. There’s riffs galore within Sleep and with a dedicated sense of rhythm and melody, the full nine minutes quickly goes by. That’s not to say that MAD ACT don’t venture into heavier areas of music as they do but it’s the Psychedelic energy contained within this track that kept me fully and emotionally invested throughout.

Third track Doom Party returns to the harsh Post-Metal/Industrial landscape with minimal Ambient noises appearing and MAD ACT playing at a deliberately slow tempo for the first few moments of the song. It’s quite bleak and opaque at times but the small flashes of Post-Doom and Post-Stoner energy make the journey worthwhile before exploding into a heavier style of Sludge/Post-Metal beats. The song is still cautiously slow but with a menacing purpose. The drumming is simply superb and allows the rest of the music to grow naturally. The track definitely earns it’s “DOOM” aspect of its title as MAD ACT fall under the “DOES IT DOOM” category and this track most definitely does that.

The final track Call Of The Void has similar themes and sounds to the standout second track Sleep but with a heavier dependence on the gloomy Post-Whatever sounds that appeared within the other two tracks. It’s quite melancholic at times with the Psychedelic sounds once again allowing MAD ACT to conjure up and play a different style of Instrumental Rock/Metal.

Party On is an excellent and altogether different style of Instrumental Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal with MAD ACT keeping the listener on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Hopefully the band won’t leave it another six years to release their next record. As this is a must have release for fans of Instrumental Rock/Metal music who like their music with extra BITE and AGGRESSION. 

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to MAD ACT for the promo.

Party Off Fortress will be available to buy on DD from Friday 29th January 2025.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp

UK Caveman Doom Titans CONAN release new track "Frozen Edges Of The Wound"; new album "Violence Dimension" out April 25th on Heavy Psych Sounds

UK battle doom legends CONAN announce the release of their anticipated seventh studio album "Violence Dimension" on Heavy Psych Sounds this April 25th and unleash an earth-shattering first track "Frozen Edges of the Wound" today.

“A song for anyone fighting, whether that be an external or internal foe. Have strength for death comes to us all, just don’t make it an easy kill.”

Get crushed by Conan's new single "Frozen Edges of The Wound"

In 2024, Conan signed to Heavy Psych Sounds as a recognized name and one of the foremost acts of their generation, wildly influential in their home country of the UK and well beyond; headliners in practice and theory alike. Their fifth LP, 2022’s ‘Evidence of Immortality,’ brought a dark ambience to coincide with its outright attack. With experiments in darkwave and synth adding breadth to the stated root purpose of aural force, it’s never been harder to guess where the next few years might take their sound, but whatever’s coming, Conan will make it kill. The better part of two decades later, their reliability remains unshakable. Which you want when your band is so heavy that the floor and your ribcage both start to vibrate.

About their new album "Violence Dimension", the band comments: "Violence Dimension is our 7th full-length release. We have come quite a distance in time and space since we released Horseback in 2010. One thing that binds us all is violence, be that within a video game, or in a movie or on the daily news. Violence affects our daily life, perhaps more than love or kindness ever will. We are all bound by death, whether we like it or not. This release explores the hinterland between being scared to live and bring scared to die, and punches holes in the idea that we must live our life by one set of rules. We all live in the violence dimension, and there is no escape.”

"Violence Dimension" will be issued in various limited vinyl editions, classic vinyl edition, CD digipack and digital, with preorders available now from Heavy Psych Sounds.

New album "Violence Dimension" - Out April 25th on Heavy Psych Sounds - PREORDER

TRACKLIST:

1. Foeman's Flesh
2. Desolation Hexx
3. Total Bicep
4. Violence Dimension
5. Frozen Edges Of The Wound
6. Warpsword
7. Ocean Of Boiling Skin
8. Vortexxion (Bonus Track)

Conan’s doom is singular. Carved of granite. Yes, of course there’ve been changes since guitarist/vocalist Jon Davis founded the group in 2006, but the intention at the time toward superlative heavy – tonal extremity wrought with impressionist lyrics stripping ideas to the core where sometimes the whole line is just one word; they’ve always called it “Caveman Battle Doom” – remains at the root of everything they’ve done since. And across five studio records in the decade from 2012-2022, Conan have set the standard by which much of “heavy” anything is judged. And in comparison, most is found wanting.

But for every time you’ve heard about Conan’s music being like galloping steeds or frost-covered sharp-peaked mountains, etc., imagery of largesse and violence, the truth is Conan are an exercise in frequency. It’s the low resonance that shakes your chest, the depth of the bass – now handled by David Ryley (ex-Fudge Tunnel) – the push of air from Johnny King’s kick drum, or the way the dark-fuzz distortion of Davis’ guitar is offset by shouting vocals cutting through that sometimes punishing onslaught, rarely to offer comfort so much as add viciousness to the crash, plod and pillage.

Asia tour 2025

2/24 – Moonstep, Tokyo, JP
2/25 – Bears, Osaka, JP
2/26 – Nine Spices, Tokyo, JP
2/27 – Jack Studio, Taipei, TW
2/28 – Rave By Phil's Studio, Singapore
3/2 – Mr. Fox Livehouse, Bangkok, TH

New Zealand tour (with Borer)

3/6 – Valhalla, Wellington
3/7 – Sydenham Underpass, Christchurch
3/8 – Double Whammy, Auckland

Australian tour (with Pallbearer)

3/12 March – Max Watts, Melbourne
3/13 – Lion Arts Factory, Adelaide
3/14 – Crowbar, Sydney
3/15 – Crowbar, Brisbane

CONAN is

Jon Davis - Vocals/Guitars
Johnny King - Drums

David Ryley - Bass

CONAN links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Spotify

HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS links

Website ⎜ Facebook ⎜ Bandcamp ⎜ Instagram ⎜ Youtube

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for all of the details.

Dorre - Fortress (Album Review)

Release Date: February 22nd 2025. Record Label: Lay Bare Recordings. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Fortress  - Track Listing:

1. Two Crawled Up The Mountain - 9:37

2. Human Cyborg Relations - 5:28

3. Carbonite - 7:48

4. Ender - 10:40

Members

Adriaan De Raymaeker - Rhythm guitars

Wolf Overloop - Drums

Erik Heyns - Lead guitars

Jan Greveraars - Bass

Brecht De Rooms - Vocals

Review

Belgian Psych/Doom/Sludge/Stoner necromancers Dorre return with their new album Fortress and the record is a gateway into a new style of abstract heaviness with the band touching upon moments of Post-Metal, Prog Metal, Hard Rock and Gloomy Space Rock. The sound is influenced by the likes of ISIS, Mastodon, Monster Magnet, The Mars Volta and UFOMAMMUT with its highly adventurous and experimental themes which can be quite Avant Garde and Jazz-centric at times.

 However, Dorre never loses their precise Doom/Sludge Metal focus with the vocals having quite an aggressive and surreal tone which comes to life superbly within the epic opening track Two Crawled Up The Mountain. With a helpful dose of Psychedelia, Space Rock and hallucinogenic ambient themes that all conjure up moments of paranoia within the lyrics on the early stages of the album. 

It’s great to see how Dorre evolved into a band with sublime vocals which is quite different to the instrumental post-metal surroundings they originally started with. Brecht De Rooms adds a cinematic level of storytelling to Dorre’s sound and they’ve added Jan Greveraars on Bass since their last record. Jan’s bass is more ethereal and perhaps fully tuned into a Progressive delivery which suits the outlandish sound that Dorre accomplishes here.

Second track Human Cyborg Relations is a cunning blend of Jazz, Post-Rock, Sludge Metal and Prog Metal that a delicious Tech Metal vibe being added with a fascinating “STOP/START” delivery which almost explores a more “EXTREME” side of Post-Metal before Dorre pull back and play a classic style of Sludge/Stoner Metal that offers the most riff-centric grooves on the whole album. This is perhaps my favourite track on the album as it’s the perfect fusion of Experimental Metal and Straightforward Rock and Roll with moments of first rate Psych Rock passages.

The final two tracks of Carbonite and Ender leans heavily into areas of music played by the likes of CAVE IN, Mastodon and ELDER but with a frantic Jazz Metal atmosphere taking complete control especially on Carbonite. Even at this late part of the album, Dorre are still finding time to experiment, refine and recreate their sound with endless feedback loops, ambient sounds and avant-garde vocals whilst never losing sight of their Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal backgrounds.

The final track Ender is the other standout track with Dorre wisely allowing themselves maximum time of around eleven minutes to play the most out there type of music on the album but one that is perhaps the easiest style of grooves and riffs to listen to on the more catchiest parts of the record. 

Fortress is an absolute MONSTER of a record and it’s an album by Dorre to always think outside the box that entertains the listener on a huge level from start to finish. In this type of form, Dorre are simply unbeatable and in a league of their own. With moments of sheer brilliant and devastating brutality, Fortress is a record that deserves to be heard by the biggest audience possible.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Dorre for the promo.

Fortress will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Lay Bare Recordings from Saturday 22nd February 2025.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Hexjakt - Hexjakt (EP Review)

Release Date: January 31st 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Hexjakt  - Track Listing:

Rites of Fire 8:05

Thunderous Skies 8:12

Valley of the Dead 4:50

The Flood 7:49

Members

Hampus Henningsson - Guitar/Vocals

Toni Åkerman - Bass/Vocals

Dan Nordin - Drums

Review

Hexjakt are a Swedish Doom/Stoner Metal band who add a menacing Sludge Metal attitude to their music Their debut EP sees the band’s music bound by the unearthly domains and gloomy rules set down by their forefathers such as Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard and even High On Fire when Hexjakt decides to play that aggressive Sludge Metal sound. There’s a long drawn out distorted FUZZY amplifier groove inspired by the classic teachings of Black Sabbath.

There’s quite a progressive energy moving amongst the darkened masses of the excellent opening track Rites Of Fire which shows Hexjakt include that trademark SWEDISH DOOM/STONER Metal energy into the mix which allows the album to be quite abrasive and focused on more reverb based pastures. The vocals are quite grizzled and from the old-school of HARD ROCK and HEAVY METAL dominance with a touch of modern aggression that matches the sublime “CAVEMAN” or “PRIMAL” lyrics that truly come to life on tracks such as Rites Of Fire, Thunderous Skies and The Flood.

If you ever wondered what CONAN would sound like if given a SWEDISH based makeover then Hexjakt are perhaps the closest you’ll get to that vision. The instrumental sounds are LOW & SLOW and quite deafening in places. There’s a subtle rhythm that appears content and confident throughout with a punishing rhythm section allowing the sludgy guitars to conjure up a classic style of Sludge/Stoner Metal that crackles with violent excitement when the Psychedelic/Sonic visions appear.

Hexjakt's self-titled EP may not be the most groundbreaking style of music it doesn’t need to be. The underground scene will no doubt worship at the ALTAR and CHURCH of HEXJAKT where the riffs speak volume. Hexjakt pays huge respects to the legendary bands of the genre whilst forging some downright brutally original grooves of their own towards the later stages of the EP. The production values are quite LO-FI based but matches the whole sound and creative vision which makes this such an outstanding record to release as your debut release.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Hexjakt for the promo.

Hexjakt will be available to buy digitally from Friday 31st January 2025.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram