Greenhead - Subherbia (Album Review)

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

Subherbia - Tracklisting

1.Subherbia 28:39

2.Indigo 06:59

3.All-Seeing Eye 03:32

4.Nature's Pyramid 05:57

5.Purple God 07:47

Members

Nick Groves - Guitar/Vocals

Ian Andrew - Drums/Vocals

Alex Dixon - Bass/Vocals

Review

Subheriba is the debut album Psych/Doom/Stoner Metallers Greenhead and they play a style of music they call “Stonecore” as they include elements of Punk, Sludge and Hardcore into their highly trippy blend of WEEDIAN METAL. Greenhead are quite bold by starting their album with the epic title track running for over twenty minutes in length. This is a creative choice that pays off big time as Greenhead play an astonishing array of trippy grooves and intense melodies that allows Nick Groves (Guitar/Vocals), Ian Andrew (Drums/Vocals) and Alex Dixon (Bass/Vocals) to fully show off their superb musical talents throughout.

Greenhead demonstrates areas of Thrash, Speed and Post-Metal in their music which appears within the first half of the standout title track. The track shows how Greenherd tackle Prog rock passages and Ambient Rock surroundings which is helped along by elements of expressive free-form Jam Rock for the most part. Though expect touches of bands such as CAVE IN, PRIMUS, The Melvis, Mastodon and Mutoid Man to appear within this wicked style of WARPED STONER based madness. 

Greenhead focus on playing more riff-centric fare for the remaining tracks on the album but still keeping with their out of control “CREATIVE” outlook on tracks such as Indigo, All Seeing Eye, Nature’s Pyramid and Purple God. The highly volatile style and utmost reliance of Experimental Stoner Metal sounds might be too jarring for some but it does allow Greenhead to have an unsettling quality and unpredictable edge to their music. 

However, the album is never boring and brilliantly thrives on its highly unpredictable and unforgiving nature which sees the band have quite a SCHIZOPHRENIC identity at times which is one of the best parts of the record as you never know what to expect next. 

Subherbia isn’t going to be for everyone but if you’re on the lookout for a band with a unique voice who aren’t afraid to take HUGE creative risks with their music then Greenhead are the band for you. There’s a ton of great instrumental solos which fully embraces the “PARANOID” style of Stoner Metal which should delight fans of Philip K. Dick as well. I know that’s a bold statement to make but wait until you hear the whole album in full and make your own conclusions.

My own verdict is that Subherbia is not perfect by any means but it’s the Psychedelic and Warped journey the record takes you upon where you’re treated to a wholly original style of Stoner Metal to pulverize your senses with.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

 

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Coltaine - Brandung (Album Review)

Release Date: September 05th 2025. Record Label: Lay Bare Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Brandung - Tracklisting

1.Tiefe Wasser 01:51

2.Memories Of Ice 04:38

3.Keep Me Down In The Deep 05:50

4.Black Coral 02:06

5.Wirbelwind 02:14

6.Above The Burning Sand 06:04

7.Maelstrom 03:06

8.Brandung 07:43

9.Solar Veil 02:46

Members

Julia Frasch - vocals, percussion

Moritz Berg - guitar

Benedikt Berg - bass, cello, percussion

Amin Bouzeghaia - drums

& additional guitar on Black Coral,

Wirbelwind, Brandung, and Solar Vein

Review

Coltaine are back with their latest offering Brandung and whilst the songs maybe shorter than the ones held on their previous release that doesn’t mean Coltaine are cutting corners with the emotionally charged grooves they’ve made their name with. Far from it. As Brandung is an emotionally charged release that transcends multiple genres, themes, sounds and delicate ambient passages for a record that’s musically complex but also emotionally rewarding throughout.

Coltaine are perhaps defined as a Post-Doom/Post-Metal collective with flashes of Black Metal, Psych Rock. Post-Rock, Drone and Orchestral sounds for a bold, grand and musical statement that has influences such as Chelsea Wolfe, Wolves In The Throne Room, Godspeed You Black Emperor helping their creative cause.

The music is stripped back to its rightly cold hearted score which is also helped by the excellent recording duties and production values contained on the record. I was quite surprised to see my Jan Oberg (EARTH SHIP and GRIN) on mixing and mastering duties on this album. He pulls out all the stops as usual making Coltaine sound absolutely unique with a fresh spin on the whole Post-Doom/Blackened Post-Metal sound. Credit must also go to recording engineers Gregor Rieth & Amin Bouzeghaia as well. So production values get a major THUMBS UP from me.

Now back to the actual album itself with Brandung being quite a highly original style of evolving Post-Metal sounds with that ice-cold Blackened Metal drive with Julia Frasch’s vocals being beautiful, dynamic, aggressive and quite destructive within the heavier moments especially on tracks such as Memories Of Ice, Keep Me Down In The Deep, Above The Burning Sand and Brandung.

The album itself feels like one lengthy song broken down into individual chapters with each offering haunting melodies, ice-cold lyrics and captivating storylines to show how Coltaine have evolved brilliantly ever since their inception back in 2022 though some members were part of the much missed WITCHFUCKER. The excellent use of different musical instruments adds a sublime ETHEREAL vibe that appears within the shorter tracks of Tiefe Wasser, Black Coral and Wirbelwind.

The shorter tracks are perhaps the most dominated by Orchestral and Post-Rock movements which adds a sense of CINEMATIC sounds to the whole album. Though, Coltaine does add “extra” spice to the mix within the shorter tracks with outbursts of Julia’s intense screams and sudden shift into Psychedelic paranoia laced with Post-Black Metal intrigue. 

Brandung is a richly observed and emotionally charged album with Coltaine breathing new life into the whole Post-Doom scene with complex rhythms, vocal harmonies and epic Post-Metal soundscapes combining for one of the most intense and beautifully realized records you’ll hear this year.

Words by Steve Howe

 

Thanks to Coltaine and All Noir PR for the promo.

Brandung is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Lay Bare Recorrdings.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Exclusive Premiere Of Southern/Sludge/Stoner Metallers TEMPTATION'S WINGS New EP STORMFORGED

Temptation's Wings release their outstanding new EP - STORMFORGED - on Sunday 07th September but we're ahead of the game and we have an exclusive premiere of the whole EP which you can listen to below. Thanks to the amazing folks over at Desert Bloom PR.

Expect over eighteen minutes of finely tuned of highly memorable Southern/Stoner/Sludge Metal that will appeal to fans of DOWN, Corrosion Of Conformity, CROWBAR and High On Fire. You can also expect some classic Proto-Metal grooves being added for a slight mythical and fantastical twist.

Stormforged will be available to buy from all good digital stockists from Sunday 07th September 2025.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Desert Bloom for the PR Details.

Syncolima - Move Mountains (Album Review)

Release Date: September 05th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Move Mountains - Tracklisting

1.Gluten Free Toast 03:18

2.Mistakes Were Made 05:34

3.Shipwrecked 05:31

4.Black Dog And The Bleak Sky 05:25

5.Kill All The Billionaires 04:42

6.Ouroborus 04:35

7.Move Mountains 04:17

8.The House We Build 05:08

Members

Chris Daughton - Bass

Joshua Morgan - Vocals/Guitar

Harry Redfern - Drums

Review

Heavy Metal/Stoner Metallers Syncolima return in a big way with their hard-hitting new album Move Mountains and it’s a record that has huge ideas throughout that’s delivered with supreme confidence that could allow the band to be the natural successors to the mighty Orange Goblin who have sadly called it a day.

Syncolima are their own band with their own creative ideas, themes and seedy grooves but they operate within the same heavy Stoner Rock/Metal territory where they fuse elements of other areas of Heavy Rock such as Grunge, Desert Rock, Psych, Sludge and certain Ambient vibes.

Move Mountains has a contemporary and social vibe hidden within the lyrics as the band provides a sly commentary on the modern world. The whole record flows along at a great pace but it gives you a lot to think about within tracks such as Gluten Free Toast, Mistakes Were Made, Kill All The Billionaires, Move Mountains and The House We Build.

This is most definitely an “ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT” record with some of the powerful statements included by Syncolima. However, if you’re not here for the political and social commentary then you’ll be treated to a wide assortment of epic sounds forged by the likes of KYUSS, Orange Goblin, Clutch, Soundgarden, Black Sabbath and King Buffalo when the band play surreal Psychedelic Spaced Out melodies.

The album is constantly evolving and moving forward compared to Syncolima’s previous two records with the help of outbursts of aggressive Thrash and Speed Metal beats that appear from time to time. This melodic change allows Syncolima to demonstrate their technical ability by moving from a certain Post-Doom/Post-Stoner attitude to the classic era of Heavy Metal which means there’s never a shortage of kick-ass riffs.

I was surprised by the distorted and trippy instrumental effects that appear on the record where everything quite Spaced Out with some thrilling guitar solos to match. The vocals from Joshua are excellent as he delivers with a passionate and emotional quality which fully sells the overall message of the album. Chris and Harry provide a superb rhythm section which can be quite NOLA and BLUES ROCK obsessive at times. Joshua provides guitars which are quite dynamic and equally aggressive with the other band members' performance on Move Mountains.

Move Mountains is the album where Syncolima “come of age” and finally become a great “KICK-ASS” Stoner Rock/Metal band in their own right that should see them playing some of the biggest and most well known stages within the Heavy Rock Scene. Ignore this record at your peril. As it’s simply superb and needs added to your record collection now.

Words by Steve Howe

 

Thanks to Sickset Media for the promo.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

Polish Stoner Rock heroes WEEDPECKER sign to Heavy Psych Sounds!

Poland's heavy psychedelic rock pioneers WEEDPECKER ink a worldwide deal with Heavy Psych Sounds Records for the release of their anticipated fifth studio album, the reissue of their sophomore full-length "II" as well as the booking of their next European tour!

About joining the HPS roster, the band comments: “We’re excited to announce that Weedpecker is joining the Heavy Psych Sounds family. It feels great to team up with a label that shares our vision, and we can’t wait to share the next chapter of our journey with you all.”

Forged in Warsaw, Poland in 2012, Weedpecker emerged from the creative union of brothers Piotr and Bartek Dobry. Their mission was to weave dreamy, expansive psychedelic rock with the raw gravity of stoner and grunge. Throughout the decade, the band solidified its reputation with three critically acclaimed albums, delivering some of the most revered heavy psych anthems the scene has witnessed.

After the powerful release of “III” in 2018, the band entered a new chapter as longtime members Bartek Dobry, Robert Kulakowski, and Grzegorz Pawlowski moved on. Weedpecker re-emerged in 2020 with a revitalized lineup, welcoming members of Dopelord and Major Kong. This new incarnation debuted not only fresh faces but also an expanded sonic palette, introducing keyboards to their live performances.

Their latest chapter, “IV: The Stream of Forgotten Thoughts” (2021), fully unveils this evolved identity. The album effortlessly flows from mellow psychedelia to blistering rock explosions, all anchored by their signature melodic heavy riffage.

Through transformation and growth, Weedpecker continues to affirm its place as one of Europe's most essential and exciting psychedelic acts. Stay tuned as more details regarding the new album and "II" reissue will be revealed soon!

Weedpecker links

Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Heavy Psych Sounds links

Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the details.

Exclusive Album Premiere Of Sludge/Stoner Metallers PIECE Brilliant New Album RAMBLER'S AXE

Rambler’s Axe: Berlin Sludge Band PIECE Sharpen Their Sound on a Crushing Second Album"

Berlin’s PIECE swing back hard with Rambler’s Axe, their second album and heaviest slab yet.

The production strikes a perfect balance between raw, unfiltered intensity and a fuzzy, huge but still punchy sonic landscape that brings out every riff and nuance of PIECE’s intense performance.

Drawing inspiration from the likes of Crowbar, High on Fire, and Eyehategod, PIECE carve out their own path through molten soundscapes and warlike intensity.

Massive down-tuned guitars, cavernous drums, and vocals that howl somewhere between rage and ritual.

Lyrically, the album drifts through myth, violence, and inner ruin — warlike imagery meets personal collapse. Their second album is darker, deeper, and more focused — out Friday 5th of September via This Charming Man Records.

The Berlin-based band delivers a powerful blend of sludge metal, doom, and rock 'n' roll. Inspired by bands like Crowbar, High on Fire, and Eyehategod, they fuse the raw aggression of their members' musical roots in hardcore and punk with the crushing heaviness and riff-driven sound of sludge and heavy metal.

We're excited to premiere the brilliant and hard-hitting new album from PIECE thanks to the great folks over at CZ! Promotions.

Thanks to CZ Promotions for the details.

Rambler's Axe is available to buy on now on DD/Vinyl via This Charming Man Records.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

HOWLING GIANT drop new video single 'Beholder I: Downfall' taken from forthcoming album "Crucible & Ruin"!

HOWLING GIANT reveal the video clip 'Beholder I: Downfall' as the next single taken from the cosmic stoner metal trio's forthcoming album "Crucible & Ruin". The third full-length by the Nashville, Tennessee band has been slated for release on October 31, 2025, via Magnetic Eye Records and is available for pre-order here: https://spkr.store/collections/howling-giant

Watch the video for 'Beholder I: Downfall' here:

"Our current single 'Beholder 1: Downfall' is a riff-driven heavy hitter, and in my opinion is one of the heaviest songs on the record", bass player and vocalist Sebastian Baltes states. "It was a pleasure to collaborate with Jerry Roe again on the video, having previously worked with him on the clip for 'Glass Future'. It has been particularly exciting for me to follow the journey of this song from its inception with a simple riff to a full blown song and the making of the video. I can hardly wait for you all to hear this track live!"

Video credits

Directed, shot & edited by Jerry Roe of Friendship Commanders
Filmed at South X Sea

Tracklist

01. Canyons
02. Hunter's Mark
03. Archon
04. Lesser Gods
05. Beholder I: Downfall
06. Archivist
07. Scepter and Scythe
08. Melchor's Bones
09. The Observatory
10. Beholder II: Labyrinth

HOWLING GIANT take another huge step on their third full-length "Crucible & Ruin", a collection of sparking ideas, captivating melodies, and heavy riffing close to perfection - quite a feat of on-point songwriting for such a still young band!

This is the band's first album to feature new fourth member Adrian Lee Zambrano. Although the guitarist and synth player arrived somewhat toward the end of the writing process, he was still able to add his mark with cool textures on the record. The extra guitar certainly adds even more punch to HOWLING GIANT's sound, which delivers a slightly more aggressive approach compared with predecessor "Glass Future" (2023).

It also helped the overall feel of "Crucible & Ruin" that this is the band's first album to be entirely recorded in a proper studio setting as opposed to their home studio, "the bunker". HOWLING GIANT even leaned into some raw band live takes to capture the emotion in the room.

Lyrically, "Crucible & Ruin" explores the story of the clash of a novice deity against the forces of primordial chaos as an overarching theme that loosely connects the songs. This is also reflected in the album artwork, which was painted by the mother of guitarist and vocalist Tom Polzine, featuring a unique style of alcohol ink on yupo paper.

HOWLING GIANT hail from Nashville, Tennessee, USA, sidestepping the self-proclaimed Music City's assembly line of modern pop country while taking inspiration from the brilliant songwriters and virtuoso session players that keep the town's musical legacy burning bright. Fertile ground for a preeminent fuzz-psych power trio, now turned quartet, who consciously live in the pocket of that lineage!

Following a trilogy of EPs, "Howling Giant" (2015), "Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 1" (2016), and "Black Hole Space Wizard: Part 2" (2017), HOWLING GIANT struck a chord with critics and fans on their debut full-length "The Space between Worlds" in 2019. "Glass Future" proved a gargantuan leap for the band that now featured Sebastian Baltes, son of legendary ACCEPT bass master Peter Baltes. Released in 2023, "Glass Future" brought their outstanding musicianship and triple vocal attack fully into stride.

HOWLING GIANT storm forward once more in defiant refusal to remain still. Having grown into a four-piece as well as in their prowess as musicians and songwriters, "Crucible & Ruin" is an album at least as big as their name. Don't take our word for it, just give it a spin – or two or three...

Line-up

Tom Polzine – guitar, vocals
Zach Wheeler – drums, vocals
Sebastian Baltes – bass, vocals
Adrian Lee Zambrano – guitars, synthesizers

Guest musicians

Kim Wheeler – additional synths and EWI on 'The Observatory'
Adam Nohe – additional percussion on 'Beholder I: Downfall'

Produced by Neil Tuuri, Kim Wheeler, and James Sanderson
Engineered by Neil Tuuri at Amish Electric Chair Studios, Athens, OH (US)
Additional vocal tracking by Kim Wheeler in Nashville, TN (US)
Mixed by Neil Tuuri at Amish Electric Chair Studios, Athens, OH (US)
Mastering by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Mastering, Portland, OR (US)

Artwork by Susan M. Davies
Layout by Łukasz Jaszak

Links

https://www.facebook.com/howlinggiant
https://www.instagram.com/howlinggiant
https://www.facebook.com/MagneticEyeRecords
https://www.instagram.com/magneticeyerecords

Live - With CASTLE RAT

01 OCT 2025 Asheville, NC (US) Eulogy
02 OCT 2025 Raleigh, NC (US) Chapel of Bones
03 OCT 2025 Charlottesville, VA (US) The Southern Cafe and Music Hall

Live With ANCIIENTS

04 NOV 2025 Columbus, OH (US) Ace of Cups
05 NOV 2025 Indianapolis, IN (US) Black Circle
06 NOV 2025 Chicago, IL (US) Live Wire Lounge
07 NOV 2025 Toronto, ON (CA) Lee's Palace
08 NOV 2025 Montreal, QC (CA) Piranha Bar
09 NOV 2025 Ottawa, ON (CA) Dominion Tavern
11 NOV 2025 Boston, MA (US) O'Briens
12 NOV 2025 Portland, ME (US) Geno's
13 NOV 2025 Providence, RI (US) The Parlour
14 NOV 2025 New York City, NY (US) Woodshop
15 NOV 2025 Philadelphia, PA (US) Kung Fu Necktie
16 NOV 2025 Baltimore, MD (US) Mobtown Ballroom
18 NOV 2025 Nashville, TN (US) Arcane Workshop
19 NOV 2025 Chattanooga, TN (US) JJ's Bohemia
20 NOV 2025 Huntsville, AL (US) Mad Malts
21 NOV 2025 Jacksonville, FL (US) The Albatross
22 NOV 2025 Bradenton, FL (US) Obscura

Thanks to All Noir PR and Magnetic Eye Records for the details.