Hunden - A Calming Press (Album Review)

Release Date: 03rd January 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

A Calming Press - Tracklisting

1.Escape Trajectory 03:23

2.Subtext 02:09

3.Statuesque 03:03

4.In Season 02:08

5.Healer 02:36

6.A Calming Press 04:01

7.Prix Fixe 05:36

8.Opportunity 02:23

9.Late Future 02:15

Members

Toby Reif - Guitar / Vocals / Piano

Nick Schmitt - Bass / Backing Vocals

Adam Paduch - Drums / Backing Vocals

Review

A Calming Press is the debut album from Hunden who put the “RAWK” back into Stoner Rock with their emphasis on big meaty, tasty and catchy riffs which have a slight Punk Rock groove. The band have influences ranging from TORCHE, Red Fang and The Offspring appearing within their music. I can maybe detect a slight HUM influence on the more Heavy Psychedelic and Shoegaze moments of the record. The songs are always LOUD, FUN and BOISTEROUS  with a Sludge Rock sound that even has a Noise Rock element on tracks such as Escape Trajectory, Subtext and Statuesque.

There is a style of OUTSIDER ROCK appearing within the lyrics which is where I feel the Punk Rock energy comes from which gives A Calming Press quite a volatile sound with Hunden still being a hugely likeable act. There’s a sense of warmth coming from the band’s music even when they’re being quite aggressive and destructive at the same time which comes across mostly within the early stages of the album.

 

Hunden do reach deafening levels of Stoner Metal which has an air of distortion on certain parts of the which reminds me of early era TORCHE in places whilst keeping that highly melodic style before knocking you out with a Sludge Metal riff that comes out of nowhere before changing back into a Doom-Pop melody. 

Other great tracks to check out are: In Season, Healer, A Calming Press and Prix Fixe. These tracks contain the most impressive and heaviest moments where Hunden start playing their own definitive style with the album offering moments of genuine nostalgia and modern day sounds that left me wanting to hear more.

A Calming Press maybe could have done with a few more tracks to stretch it over the thirty minute mark. As Hunden starts to be making genuine waves of originality with the final two tracks of Opportunity and Late Future before the album ends. That’s my only complaint for an otherwise brilliantly impressive debut album.

The production values are outstanding that allows Hunden to sound EPIC from start to finish. Overall, A Calming Press is a fantastic debut release which I hope the Doom/Stoner Metal Community will welcome with open arms. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe 

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Ancient Vvisdom - Master Of The Stone (Album Review)

Release Date: 26th January 2024. Record Label: Argonauta Records. Formats: CD/DD

Master Of The Stone - Tracklisting

1. Sold My Soul To Satan

2. The Adversary

3. Apollyon

4. World’s Demise

5. Ashes From On High

6. Master Of The Stone

7. Demon Est Deus Inverses

8. The Devil’s Sermon

Members

Nathan Opposition

Michael Jochum

Review

Master Of The Stone is the new album from Occult Rockers Ancient Vvisdom and their first new album in almost five years. It’s great to see Ancient Vvisdom continuing their relationship with Italian Powerhouse label Argonauta Records for this album. 

The rockers are on fine demented Satanic form with a spellbinding array of Hard Rock, Doom Metal and Stoner Metal grooves that all form dark tales to Lucifer himself which you can tell throughout the album. However, there’s a lot more to Ancient Vvisdom’s music than paying homage to the Lord Of Darkness which advises folks to stay true to themselves whatever their beliefs.

Ancient Vvisdom play a classic style of Acoustic Doom or Acoustic Rock alongside the blistering Heavy Metal sounds that are played on the album. This record has many similarities with their classic debut album A Godlike Inferno with the switching of Acoustic Rhythms and Electric Guitars to great effect.

The opening stages of the album are quite dark and bleak with opening tracks Sold My Soul To Satan and The Adversary setting up the scene which is what we come to expect from Nathan and Michael who form this great band. The lyrics are influenced by the greater Occult and Satanic themes which is part of Ancient Vvisdom’s creative DNA. The instrumental sounds have a lot more Heavy Metal swagger compared to previous releases with moments of Thrash Metal and Groove Metal which gives the record a more THUGGISH sound. This is quite a different sounding Ancient Vvisdom record but there’s a lot of fun to be had amongst the Occult based demonic energy that’s played on the album.

Masters Of The Stone has a more Apocalyptic energy which becomes ever more present as the album marches on through great tracks such as Apollyon, World’s Demise and Ashes From On High. There’s also a warped Psychedelic energy appearing on the heaviest moments of the album which gives a more unsettling feeling to the album.

Ancient Vvisdom show their softer side with their acoustic songs such as World’s Demise which could have easily come from their landmark release A Godlike Inferno. The song is powered along by sublime vocals and an exquisite acoustic guitar which is perhaps more Gothic Doom than Americana. The lyrics are quite subversive that could even describe the horrible events going on in today's world.

Master Of The Stone also features a few guest musicians, Vanek from the band MIDNIGHT does a guest guitar solo on the track Ashes From On High. Matt Sorg from the bands RINGWORM and Shed The Skin does a guest solo on Sold My Soul To Satan and Noah from NUNSLAUGHTER also played guitar on a few tracks as well. This is perhaps the reason why the album is perhaps more HEAVY METAL focused but still remains a wonderful sounding Ancient Vvisodm record in its own right.

The album is on the short side clocking in around thirty minutes but Ancient Vvisdom get the job done in providing the world of Occult Rock and Doom Metal with another exquisite record to satisfy their Demonic and Satanic cravings with. With excellent and rich sounding production values, Ancient Vvisdom are back to reclaim their place as one of the best Occult Rock bands within the scene. 

Welcome back guys. You’ve been missed. Master Of The Stone is an essential release. I’m hoping that Master Of The Stoner is given the vinyl treatment further down the line. As it’s a great record that deserves to be released on vinyl. 

Words by Steve Howe 

Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the promo.

Master Of The Stone will be available to buy on CD/DD via Argonauta Records from January 26th 2024.

Links

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SLOWER - Slower (Album Review)

Release Date: 26th Janaury 2024. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

SLOWER - Slower - Tracklisting

War Ensemble - (E Willems, A Barrysmith, B Balch and P Bergstrand)

The Antichrist - (E Willems, A Barrysmith, B Balch and P Bergstrand)

Blood Red - (E Willems, A Barrysmith, B Balch and P Bergstrand)

Dead Skin Mask - (E Willems, A Barrysmith, B Balch and P Bergstrand)

South Of Heaven - (E Willems, L Pleasants, B Balch and S Reeder)

Members

Bob Balch - Guitars

Amy Barrysmith - Vocals

Laura Pleasants - Vocals

Peder Bergstrand - Bass

Scott Reeder - Bass

Esben Willems - Drums

Review

SLOWER is the new supergroup or collaborative project featuring members from bands such as FU MANCHU, Monolord, Year Of The Cobra, Lowrider and KYLESA. Their self-titled debut album is a tribute album to the mighty SLAYER where SLOWER take some of their most famous and heaviest tracks which is then given a Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal makeover. The music is stripped back and slowed right down which feels more aligned to the actual members' respective bands with an atmospheric drugged out sound throughout. 

Amy Barrysmith (Year Of The Cobra) provides vocal duties for the majority of the album with Laura Pleasants (KYLESA) taking over on the final track South Of Heaven. Amy puts in a truly magnificent vocal performance on the tracks that she appears with Laura providing superb support within South Of Heaven. The vocals are obviously a stark contrast to the original versions by SLAYER. The songs sound quite different with SLOWER playing a stripped back and droned out style of music which only draws out the finest sounds from the Doom/Sludge/Stoner based scene. There's a slight Post-Doom or warped Psychedelic sound which first comes into prominence on War Ensemble which runs past the ten minutes mark.

Subtle flashes of Atmospheric Sludge Metal allows SLOWER to play ferocious and aggressive levels of sound though which are never going to match the violent depths that SLAYER are rightly known for. The down-tuned flow of the song is quite a genius touch which allows each band member to to play their part in delivering music that sounds very original at times especially on War Ensemble, The Antichrist and Dead Skin Mask. Though, all of the songs are equally as good as each other. 

The songs are further modernised by SLOWER adding Heavy Psychedelic and Space Rock sounds throughout the album whilst still keeping the harsh vision and flow of the original tracks. SLOWER perhaps play a more Progressive style that some SLAYER fans may disagree with. However, this album brings a more cinematic build-up and quality to the songs which is helped by the long drawn out style of grooves that can even be dramatically bleak in places. 

This album is part of the "LOW & SLOW" community of Doom/Stoner Metal which some of SLOWER members are prominent members of with their own respective bands. You can hear elements of almost every band within the creative fabric of the record. So if you're a fan of certain bands but not others then you'll find a guitar riff, drum beat, bass line or intense vocals that will easily draw you into SLOWER's stripped back and slow-paced world.

SLOWER's self-titled album is one of the most original "covers' albums I've heard next to BEASTWARS most recent album Tyranny Of Distance. Another brilliant and similar release was a Doom/Stoner Metal band releasing a "covers" album but with their own unique style. This maybe a "one-off" creative exercise for SLOWER but I'll always be hopeful for further exciting releases from the whole line-up of SLOWER. 

Slower is an unmissable release and one that needs serious investigation by the legions of SLAYER fans and from the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal scene as well. Awesome stuff and another sublime release from Heavy Psych Sounds. So you know with Heavy Psych Sounds behind this great release that it's going to sound bloody LOUD, BRILLIANT and AGGRESSIVE throughout. 

Words by Steve Howe 

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Slower will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from January 26th 2024.

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SLOTH - SLOTH (Album Review)

Release Date: December 31st 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Sloth - Sloth - Tracklisting

Hit And Run

Heavy Duty Thunderbolt

Sloth

Members

Alex Al Zouri - Guitar

Tom Svoboda - Bass

Marian Musil - Drums

Review

This isn't the USA based Doom/Stoner Metal band SLOTH but the Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal Sloth from Brno, Czech Republic. Both bands have even released a self-titled album but that's where the similarities end. As this version of Sloth play a good old fashioned style of Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal with Heavy Psychedelic sounds that has a slight stripped back approach which is more closer to distorted Doom Metal with some vintage rhythms that crackles with highly kinetic FUZZ based energy.

The album runs for around thirty one minutes across three great tracks where Sloth will appeal to fans of bands such as Clouds Taste Satanic and Belzebong. The ever present Black Sabbath influence is there though Sloth adds moments of Classic Hard Rock and Post-Whatever vibes to present an album that isn't afraid to slow the pace right down for a more moody atmosphere that becomes slightly Blues Rock based on the gentler moments played on the record.

The album opens up with suped up and speed punk obsessed number Hit And Run. This allows Sloth to showcase their fantastic blend of raw-sounding street level instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal with a certain streetwise rhythm coming through the creative ranks. There's a few moments where Sloth plays a slower and stripped back style of Instrumental grooves which allows the FUZZ ROCK attitude of the album to become more dominant.

I would guess the "REAL MAGIC" of the album and where Sloth impresses the most is on the final two epic tracks of Heavy Duty Thunderbolt and Sloth. Both of these tracks combined offer twenty six minutes of intense grooves which brings a constant change in tone and melody when Sloth slows the mood right down before unleashing heavy duty AMPLIFIER DISTORTED sounds that can be quite deafening in places. The notes are perhaps slightly too drawn out in places but Sloth are quite inventive with their music especially within Heavy Duty Thunderbolt which has a nightmarish kaleidoscopic element when the screeching guitars appear. 

The final track Sloth sees the band add a Progressive attitude to their music which doesn't distil the Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal flow at all. This is the most aggressive and maybe original composition held on the album. The sludgy guitars allows Sloth to add an extra layer of heaviness to their long drawn out instrumental style with a creepy Post-Doom/Post-Stoner movement that slowly transcends into epic Psychedelic Weedian jams.

Sloth's self-titled debut release is a quality sounding release that will impress the Instrumental Doom/Stoner Metal masses. 

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe 

Links

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SlowRepeaT - Abra Cannabra (Album Review)

Release Date: 04th January 2024. Record Label: Herby Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Abra Cannabra - Tracklisting

The Astronomer's Sign

Essence

Tomi Wizard

Desert

Fuara

U N Eye

Members

Ben Salomon - Vocals/Guitars/Bouzouki/Synths

Shai Leder - Bass/Backing Vocals

Yair Tavior - Drums/Percussion

Review

Abra Cannabra is the debut album from Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metallers SlowRepeaT who also play warped glitchy noises within their WEEDIAN and DOWN-TUNED creative outlook. The album has a very hollow and sludgy aesthetic sound which only adds to the gloomy surroundings of the whole album. The notes whilst melodic in places also sees SlowRepeaT pay homage to bands such as Black Sabbath, SLEEP and Shrinebuilder with the bands reliance on the low-end BASS GUITAR leading the way. The record has traces of Cosmic Rock with mind-altering Trance levels of distorted noises which allows SlowRepeaT to become masters of their own Spaced Out Domain.

There is an aggressive style of free-flowing AMPLIFIER DISTORTED rhythms within the opening stages of the album which can be heard on the sublime tracks of The Astronomer's Sign and Essence. You can be forgiven for mistaking this as an instrumental album from the opening song alone but the vocals from Ben Salomon appear within Essence that have a certain Church Of Misery approach to them. Ben's vocals are quite distinctive with the rough and ready destructive appetite that appears from them. The lyrics are continuously seedy and draw upon the classic era of Doom/Stoner Metal with the music perhaps becoming the main focus of the entire record. SlowRepeaT long drawn out Instrumental jams spliced with Heavy Psychedelic based murky grooves. 

Abra Cannabra becomes a more interesting release with SlowRepeaT delving further into the Space Rock/Cosmic Rock environment of their music. As the music becomes more GROOVE based with a deceiving style of depth and heaviness that allows SlowRepeaT to bring moments of Distorted Drone and Paranoia to the mix on tracks such as Tomi Wizard and Desert. The LOW & SLOW delivery of Abra Cannabra is what allows the true levels of heaviness from SlowRepeaT to fully explore the different areas of Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal which drifts from one epic riff to the next. The vocals on Desert are perhaps best described as Gregorian based chants that match the harsh and desolate down-tuned FUZZY and SLUDGY grooves that confidently moves into Drone Metal territory. 

The final two songs of Fuara and U N Eye offer a brilliantly satisfying conclusion to a stunning debut release with SlowRepeaT playing all the right long drawn out notes to entice listeners with. The production values are quite harsh and abstract in places but it allows SlowRepeat to deliver their music with a certain sense of adventure and even reckless abandonment which leaves you wanting to hear more. 

Abra Cannabra is a breath of fresh air to the underground Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal scene and I can see SlowRepeaT making a mighty impression within the scene and perhaps the Doom Charts themselves. Add this great album to your record collection right away. It's seriously that good...

Words by Steve Howe 

Thanks to SlowRepeaT for the promo.

Abra Cannabra will be available to buy on CD/DD from SlowRepeat from January 04th 2024.

Abra Cannabra will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl from Herby Records from January 04th 2024.

Links

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Désirée Hanssen Owner Of LAY BARE RECORDINGS - Favourite Albums Of 2023

Désirée Hanssen is the owner of ace underground record label Lay Bare Recordings. Désirée is well known from helping out at the legendary Roadburn Festival and Burning World Label and Mail Order over the years.

However, Désirée is best known to most music fans of being the owner of Lay Bare Recordings who've had a great year themselves releasing records by artists such as RRRAGS, BISMUT, GHOROT, and MODDER to name but a few. 

Désirée was kind enough to present her favourite albums of 2023 which covers a wide selection. 

Check out Désirée's great selection below.

Predatory Void - Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being

Big|Brave – Nature Morte

Acid King – Beyond Vision

Wayfarer – American Gothic

Mizmor – Prosaïk

Apex Ten – Aashray

Royal Thunder – Rebuilding the Mountain

Dorthia Cottrell – Death Folk Country

Full of Hell + Nothing – When No Birds Sang

Blut Aus Nord – Disharmonium – Nahab

Lay Bare Recording Links:

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The Clamps - Megamouth (Album Review)

Release Date: 11th January 2024. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Megamouth - Tracklisting

1.Megamouth

2.Forty-Nine 

3.Freedom To Run (Down) 

4.Bill Jenkins

5.Blood

6.Cubomedusa

7.Roll Back The Years

8.Raze The Land

9.Bombs

10.Slippin' Away

Members

Ben - Lead Vocals/Guitar

Bely - Bass/Backup Vocals

Marcy - Drums

Review

Megamouth is the new album from Italian Punk/Garage Rock/Stoner Rock outlaws The Clamps and if you ever wondered what KYUSS and FU MANCHU sound like with a Punk Rock or Garage Rock twist then this album is the perfect answer to that question. The Clamps play a super fast style of catchy aggressive Stoner Grooves with a classic Psych Rock bounce within their music which comes across superbly well within the opening tracks of Megamouth and Forty-Nine. 

Bely’s bass is the most prominent sound you will perhaps notice on this album at first with his classic Stoner Rock style allowing Ben and Marcy on Guitars and Drums to build up that heavy domineering heavy bass sound to a more ferocious melodic style. The lead vocals from Ben are from the old school of Heavy Rock and Heavy Metal with comparisons to bands such as KYUSS, The Hellacopters and Motorhead are well deserved. 

There’s a sense of much needed social aggression within albums lyrics whilst still allowing Megamouth still having a fast and furious style of highly energetic street level fun where the grooves are AMPED UP TO THE MAX. There is no Prog Rock riff wizardry on this album. As The Clamps play good old fashioned ROCK AND ROLL where the RIFFS ARE KING.

The album is perhaps more focused on the 70’s Hard Rock and 90’s Stoner Rock movements throughout each individual track. The FUZZ ROCK attitude does owe a huge debt of gratitude to FU MANCHU but The Clamps still do their own definitive style on tracks such as Freedom To Run (Down), Bill Jenkins and Cubomedusa bringing a more subtle style of Surf Rock and Drag Racing influences to the party. 

The catchy and aggressive Speed Rock attitude continues into the final part of the album with The Clamps delivering the most aggressive and heaviest moments of the album on tracks: Roll Back The Years, Bombs and Slippin’ Away.

Megamouth is The Clamps most confident, self-assured, outrageous and superbly entertaining record to date. The first “must have Stoner Rock” album is here and it’s no surprise that famed Italian Stoner Rock/Metal label Heavy Psych Sounds is releasing this album. They had a fantastic year in 2023 and 2024 is already shaping up to be another brilliant year for one of the best labels in the business. However, this is The Clamps moment to shine. If you miss the good old days of Stoner Rock/Metal having a more streetwise or street level attitude with masses of Punk Rock credibility then Megamouth is the album for you.

Words by Steve Howe 

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Megamouth will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from January 11th 2024.

Links

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