1968 - Ballads Of The Godless (Album Review)

Release date: July 06th 2018. Label: Hevisike Records. Format: CD/DD

Ballads Of The Godless – Tracklisting

Devilswine

Screaming Sun

Temple Of The Acidwolf

S.J.D.

Chemtrail Blues

McQueen

The Hunted

Mother Of God

Members

Vocals – Jimi Coppack

Guitar – Sam Orr

Bass – The Bear

Drums – Dan Amati

The Lowdown

1968 return with their debut full length album - Ballads Of The Godless. The band released their debut EP to minor critical acclaim last year and that release showed how 1968 sound was very hard to define. Ballads Of The Godless sees 1968 opt for a more straightforward sound that merges elements of Psych, Classic Rock, Stoner Rock and Grunge. The primary influences for the band on this album seems to be Kyuss and Alice In Chains.

Opening track - Devilswine - has a twisted Kyuss Desert/Stoner Rock sound but with Alice In Chains style vocals and dark gloomy lyrics that has the band creating heavy FUZZ based sound. 1968 add a heavy psychedelic groove to their music and the album revels in it's gloriously heavy Grunge/Stoner Rock sound.

Second song - Screaming Sun - carries on the same psychedelic sound with the band adding soulful vocals that soon builds upto a more volatile atmosphere. You can hear elements of classic sounding Truckfighters style FUZZ but the band adds a more doomier feel with the bleak and reflective lyrics contained within the song.

Third track - Temple Of The Acidwolf - is where the album becomes way too trippy and psychedelic compared to other songs on the album. The band counter balance this with huge sounding Layne Staley inspired vocals and this allows 1968 to create the best song on the album. This is gloriously heavy and full of different progressive sounds that leave you wanting more.

Fourth song - S.I.D. - is an acoustic number that allows the band to play a more soothing style of music. The second half of the album follows the same path with 1968 focusing more on their Psychedelic Heavy Sound. The standout songs on the second half have to be: McQueen and Hunted - as this is where the band thrive creating a more distorted and drone based sound. You can even here elements of Classic Rock and Blues Rock being played on different parts of the album.

1968 manage to create highly original music of their own. Especially when they play a more distinctive psychedelic rock/metal groove. Ballads Of The Godless is an album that has something for everyone and one that has everlasting appeal across the whole Hard Rock/Heavy Metal spectrum.

If you're a fan of Psych, Classic, Desert Rock, Grunge and Stoner Rock then Ballads Of The Godless is as good as it gets. An outstanding record.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Curtis at Dewar PR for the promo. Ballads Of The Godless will be available to buy on CD/DD via Hevisike Records from July 06^th 2018.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Band To Check Out - 57 DOWN

Members

Matt Chapman - Bass

Billy Law-Bregan - Bass

Johnny Mittens - Vocals

Daryl Hocking - Drums

The Lowdown

Here’s a very cool band to check out by the name of 57 DOWN. The band are from Lincoln, UK and they play a heavy blend of Stoner Rock, Punk Rock and Progressive Rock.

What makes them even more different is that the band have two bassists within their ranks and no actual guitar players. This allows 57 DOWN to create a Stoner Rock sound with definite raw power. The band have a certain NOLA style quality around them especially on their superb new song – It Feels Good To Let Go.

57 Down have supported bands such as Regulus and Ritual King recently.

The band have a few songs streaming on their SoundCloud Page. Two of them you can download for free. So headover to 57 Down Facebook Page and give this band a like.

Lets hope there is an EP or Full Length Album being released in the future. As I want to see what 57 Down can do with an actual release.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | SoundCloud | Spotify

UK Festival News - End Of The World Festival 2018

End Of The World is a celebration of the best of the UK's stoner and doom underground, focussing especially on the South-West but showcasing talent from all over the country. 

The first instalment in 2017 saw big players like Elephant Tree, Morass of Molasses and Grifter take the stage, and this year the lineup is completed by heavyweights such as Gurt, Monolithian and Sergeant Thunderhoof.

The event takes place between The Underground and The Junction in Plymouth on 07.07.18.

The bands playing are:

Gurt

Monolithian

Sergeant Thunderhoof

Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters

Cybernetic Witch Cult

Morass Of Molasses

Voodoo blood

Thuum

Gévaudan

Trevor's Head

Silverchild

Witch Tripper

Sail 

Six Sins till Sunday

Battle Ready Bear

Tickets can be found on the site here:

www.endoftheworldfestival.com

SKULL MOUNTAIN: RIPPLE MUSIC, DHU Records, Kozmik Artifactz and Twin Earth Records Team Up For SKULL MOUNTAIN

Over a year in the making! Perhaps the world's first Four-Label collaborative effort to bring together some of the best heavy psych, stoner, doom from both sides of the Atlantic. Two US-based labels, Ripple Music and Twin Earth Records, join forces with two European-based Lables, DHU Records and Kozmik Artifactz to bring forth a double album of epic proportions, something so massive it could only have it's own monolith, Skull Mountain.

Each Label showcases one full album side of it's signature sound, each song previously unreleased or unreleased mix. The entire album mastered to perfection by Tony Reed at HeavyHead. Inside the gatefold, Tarot cards display the four element theme of Skull Mountain with each Label represented by it's own signature element, Ripple-Water; Twin Earth-Earth, DHU- Fire, and Kozmik- Air. Accordingly, each label has a limited amount of vinyl available in it's own signature elemental color, Ripple-Blue, Twin Earth - Green, DHU-Red, and Kozmik- Clear

 That's right! Only 500 of these stunning 2xLP albums were pressed, with each label only having 125 in it's signature color. Once they're gone, they're gone.
An epic introduction into the worlds of North American and European heavy music. A monumental journey to Skull Mountain Track Listing: Side Ripple The Watchers - Starfire (Cosmic Nebula mix) Kingnomad - Dewer's Hollow Blackwulf - The Tempest (Black Tide mix) Vokonis - Celestial Embrace Side Twin Earth Alastor - Blood on Satan's Claw Kabbalah - Abomination Starts that Move - Give It All Away Haunted - Crossmoth Side D.H.U. Disenchanter - More Evil Than Thou Dawn - Day of the Lord Witch Ritual - Drawing Down the Moon Youngblood Supercult - Sticky Fingers Side Kozmik The Heavy Eyes - Home Devil Electric - Devil's Bells Red Spektor - Devil's Keeper
Hair of the Dog - My Only Home

Links:

Ripple Music | DHU Records | Twin Earth Records | Kozmik Artifactz

Turtle Skull - S/T (Album Review)

Release date: May 17th 2018. Label: Art As Catharsis. Format: CD/DD

Peace – Tracklisting

1.No News is Bad News 06:55

2.Take It Or Leave It 08:26

3.Eden 06:08

4.Empty Ships 08:23

Members

Dean McLeod

Charlie Gradon

Julian Frese

Dan Frizza

Tobia Blefari

Review

I wasn't fully sold on Turtle Skull debut album when I first listened to it. Maybe because the band create a different Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal sound. As they merge pop based melodies and vocals with heavy psychedelic doom/stoner metal sounds. Then again if it worked for Mars Red Sky then no doubt it can work for Turtle Skull. Though both bands sound very different to each other. I'm describing how Turtle Skull weave pop style sounds against the Doom/Stoner Metal atmospherics that the album fully contains.

Opening track - No News Is Bad News - opens with drone based guitar that blends elements of Psych, Doom and Stoner Rock for a heavy trippy sound. The vocals softens the mood as Turtle Skull build their heavy riffs on solid poppier foundations. The band fully take flight with a sublime progressive guitar riff that drifts between the different genres that Turtle Skull have included here. There is a dreamy sixties psychedelic vibe being played in the background that is paired against a free-flowing Doom/Stoner Metal backdrop. You may not realise this at first but Turtle Skull use a heavy amount of Drone based noises. This gives their music a slight unsettling feel.

Second track - Take It Or Leave It - is a darker neo-psychedelic number with the band playing a faster style of music. The trippy FUZZ based elements become the main focus with Turtle Skull's music building upto a faster and aggressive momentum.

The final two tracks - Eden and Empty Ships - continue with the hybrid and heavy progressive Doom/Fuzz/Pop/Stoner Rock sound have devilish fun creating. My only criticism is the album can be too repetitive at times with certain riffs and vocal arrangements that seem to go on for too long. It's only a few parts of the album but it did drag in places. I do admire Turtle Skull for creating a highly inventive and original sounding album at times.

The production is perhaps the best part of the album as Turtle Skull's music sounds fresh and dynamic. Even when played at a low volume this album is superbly heavy and overflowing with rich inventive ideas.

Turtle Skull have unleashed one of the truly weirdest psychedelic Doom/Stoner Rock albums I've heard this year. This is a trip worth taking over and over again.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

Graveyard - Peace (Album Review)

Release date: May 25th 2018. Label: Nuclear Blast Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Peace – Tracklisting

1. It Ain't Over Yet

2. Cold Love

3. See The Day

4. Please Don't

5. The Fox

6. Walk On

7. Del Manic

8. Bird Of Paradise

9. A Sign Of Peace

10. Low (I Wouldn't Mind)

Members

Joakim Nilsson – Guitar & Vocals

Jonathan Ramm – Guitar

Truls Mörck – Bass

Oskar Bergenheim - Drums

Review

Greetings All,

Sweden’s Kings of Psychedelic Blues Rock, Graveyard, have recently released their new full length entitled Peace. The bands fifth record is an impressive collection of 10 smoking tracks of high energy retro rock. These guys have a sound that mimics early Rolling Stones, Kinks and 13th Floor Elevators and mixes in that of 70’s rock bands Atomic Rooster, Bang, Captain Beyond and early Pentagram. Peace has a familiar feel, while still sounding unique and exciting. The sound is inviting and warm, but with heavy dose of psych inspired grit. Graveyard is, and has been, the real deal.

The album explodes with the driving, raucous It Ain’t Over Yet. An intense rocker with AC/DC inspired vocal delivery. Cold Love is a bluesy, rumbling lament to some long lost heartbreak,  See The Day is a slower tempo track with a deeper, meditative feel. The band channels their inner Doors vibe, and even bring in a little Hammond organ with the Roadhouse Blues style stomp of Please Don’t. The band keeps a similar vibe with slowed down, groovy vibe of Del Manic, with a warning to heed chorus. I am a sucker for a 60’s inspired pop song. The band delivers in spades on The Fox. A perfect little piece of fuzzed out perfection.

The band brings their full on swaggering rock groove with Walk On. The band brings the 60’s pop back for a bit with the unique  Bird of Paradise before bringing the full on rock n roll assault of A Sign of Peace, with it’s driving drums and killer guitar work. The record closes with the guitar heavy swagger and jam heavy feel of Low (I Wouldn’t Mind). A bombasti rocker to close out this killer set.

The album title seems to resonate throughout the record, be it pleas for world peace, neighbourly peace, or the eternal search for inner peace. Graveyard have handed us another classic. This record is a bit more reminiscent of their earlier releases. If you dig those records, you will dig on Peace. Highly Recommended!

- Todd S

Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou

Words by Todd Stealey

Links:

Facebook

Drive By Wire - Spellbound (Album Review)

Release date: February 23rd 2018. Label: Argonauta Records/Minstrel Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Spellbound – Tracklisting

1.Glider 03:26

2.Where Have You Been 04:27

3.Mammoth 03:58

4.Apollo 05:11

5.Blood Red Moon 04:43

6.Superoverdrive 03:44

7.Van Plan 04:00

8.Lost Tribes 04:20

9.Devil’s Fool 03:15

10.Lifted Spirit 04:04

11.Spellbound 04:16

Members

Simone Holsbeek

Alwin Wubben

Jerome Miedendorp de Bie

Marcel Zerb

Review

Spellbound is the new album from famed Dutch Psych Desert/Stoner Rockers – Drive By Wire. The album is full of the usual heavy Desert/Stoner Rock vibes and it’s a highly entertaining album from start to finish. It’s never going to win any awards for originality but what does in the realm of Desert/Stoner Rock. Drive By Wire’s strongest asset is lead vocalist Simone. As she fully rules this album with her highly charismatic, passionate and soulful vocals.

Though Drive By Wire is very much a team effort with Alwin, Jerome and Marcel creating heavy sounds for Simone to match her eerie and powerful vocals to. Songs such as Glider, Where Have You Been and Superoverdrive some of the best songs heard on the first half of the album. As Drive By Wire create some of their heaviest riffs of their career to date. The music drifts from Desert Rock to heavier style of Stoner Metal and it’s good to see Drive By Wire progress from their earlier albums.

The second half of the album is where Spellbound impresses the most as the album fully kicks into life with superb lyrics that have a classic Desert/Stoner Rock feel. If you’re not moved by the heavy grooves of Van Plan, Lost Tribes, Lifted Spirit and Spellbound then there is no hope for you.

The production is impressive. Though there are a few moments where I wanted more VOLUME to make Drive By Wire’s music truly standout. As it feels slightly muted. Other than that minor complaint Drive By Wire have delivered another standout album to add to their already impressive back catalogue. The band have just celebrated their 12^th anniversary as a band. With albums such as Spellbound you can see Drive By Wire being around for a whole lot longer.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp