The Belgian group FIRE DOWN BELOW has with their second album release "Hymn Of The Cosmic Man" made themselves one of the most interesting grungier space rock band out there at the moment, where influences from classic bands like KYUSS and TOOL runs in their veins, a good mix in other words. Heavy distorted riffing, melodic harmony, cleaver vocals around a superb rhythm section with tricky and neat variation in the structures makes this album a treat for your ears.
From the grandiose and doomy instrumental opening tune "Red Giant" and the faster paced rocker "Ignition/Space Cruiser" sets trail how wildly this album sprawls, almost that they looses track of them self but manages to remain on the edge. "Saviour Of Man" is a catchy and wild rocker, "The Cosmic Pilgrim" is a swelling, gritty thing to the opposite atmospheric and softer tune "Nebula". "Ascension" opens up with a babbling guitar sound, that slowly builds up before it levels up in a soft crescendo until it's time again. The album closer "Adrift In A Sea Of Stars", is monster the clocks in just over 11 mins, the tune is made in two parts where the first half have a rockier approach and the second is more progressive and instrumental with superb lead melodies and interesting musicianship.
That this follow up to the 2016 debut, "Viper, Vixen, Goddess, Saint" is a big step forward, well done guys. "Hymn Of The Cosmic Man" was released on June 8 via by Ripple Music. The album was mixed by Brad Boatright (WINDHAND, SUNN O))), BELL WITCH)
Sum: A grandeur Belgian release that should check up!
A beautiful Vinyl release of the album
Members
Sam Nuytens on the drums
Jeroen Van Troyen on rythym guitar and vocals
Kevin Gernaey on lead guitar
Bert Wynsberghe on the bass guitar
Today's tune is the rocker "Saviour Of Man", enjoy!
“The sickest desert group of all time”, as apparently Brant Bjӧrk described YAWNING MAN.
The Californian rockers YAWNING MAN have released the album "The Revolt Against Tired Noises" on December 6, 2017, an album that showcases the band’s talent to drift away with their adoring listeners across a dusty plain of companionship and innovation.
The aural experience of YAWNING MAN summarizes as an intense yet graceful kaleidoscope of polyphonic musical textures. Dramatic and flowing, dark, intense and emotional. July 2018 finds the band releasing their most musically exciting recording to date with their 6th full-length LP, "The Revolt Against Tired Noises" on the ambitious up and coming independent label, Heavy Psych Sounds. The songs on this release are described as “an emotional and visceral expression of pure melodic darkness and beauty”, the album was recorded at Gato Trail Studios in Joshua Tree, CA and produced and engineered by friend and long time collaborator, Mathias Schneeberger (Mark Lanegan, Greg Duli, SUNN O))), EARTH, THE OBSESSED).
YAWNING MAN consists of:
Gary Arce: Guitar
Mario Lalli: Bass
Bill Stinson: Drums
Mathias Schneeberger: Keyboards (Songs 1 - 5)
Rob Peterson: Drums (Ghost Beach)
A full European, UK, North American / Canadian, and South American tour is in planned to support the release.
Today's tune "Ghost Beach" is taken from the album "The Revolt Against Tired Noises", the tune was recorded by Sebastiaan van Bijlevelt at Galloway Studio, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, enjoy!
RED FANG, the metal heads from Portland, Oregon are back with new tunes.
After three years of vigorously touring the world, RED FANG re-emerge with their latest and fourth full-length album, "Only Ghosts". Produced by the legendary Ross Robinson (AT THE DRIVE IN, THE CURE, SLIPKNOT and many more) and mixed by Joe Barresi (QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, KYUSS, MELVINS), "Only Ghosts" consists of 10 new tracks, where all the singles keeps the band's signature, high-impact, hook-filled, hard rock.
RED FANG is composed of guitarist and vocalist Bryan Giles, bassist and vocalist Aaron Beam, guitarist David Sullivan and drummer John Sherman. The band has released three studio albums: Red Fang in 2009, Murder the Mountains in 2011 and Whales and Leeches in 2013. The fourth album "Only Ghosts" will be released on October 14, 2016
The Vinyl is pressed in following versions.
First Press
4750 x Black Standard Gram
3500 x Hot Pink Standard Gram *European Retail Exclusive* (Not available through Relapse.com)
1000 x Gold Standard Gram *Retail Exclusive* (Not available through Relapse.com)
1000 x Gold with Black Splatter *Band Tour Exclusive* (Not available through Relapse.com)
1000 x Hot Pink Inside Clear with Black and Gold Splatter *Relapse.com Exclusive*
300 x Hot Pink / Gold Half 'n Half with Black Splatter *Relapse.com Exclusive*
Today's tune "Shadows" is taken from the new and upcoming album "Only Ghosts", due out October 14, 2016 on CD/LP/Digital via Relapse Records. The Video is Directed by Whitey McConnaughy.
From Wellington, New Zealand the sludge metal four-piece BEASTWARS abide by one steadfast maxim: Obey the Riff.
BEASTWARS could be described as "A mongrel mix of KYUSS, NEUROSIS, HIGH ON FIRE, KYLESA, BLACK COBRA, FU MANCHU and the mighty GODFLESH". Heavy riffages for heavy times, some real sonic soothsayers utilize the chaos that engulfs our world as ammunition for their defiant howls into the abyss.
"Blood Becomes Fire" is of course released on a beautiful Vinyl (:
Todays tune "Rivermen" is a nice piece with Whiskey soaked vocals and slow heavy riffs taken from the second album "Blood Becomes Fire", Released 2013. Enjoy!
This week we have a high mountain stoner rock band LUNA SOL, fronted by veteran singer and lead guitarist David Angstrom (HERMANO, SUPAFUZZ). Angstrom moved to the mountains just north of Denver in 2012 and started soaking in the strange but relaxed mountain communities around him. Inspired by the local news and folklore, Angstrom started writing the songs that would become “Blood Moon” and put together LUNA SOL with local musicians, drummer Pat Gill (THE FEDS, ’76 PINTO), guitarist and vocalist Shanda Kolberg (THE SWANKS), and bassist and vocalist Shannon Fahnestock (THE SWINDLERS).
The first turn with Blood Moon was with very limited information, a great stoner album on a note what I had. "KYUSS", jesus! Was the first thing that hits me. Then I found out that it's David Angstrom new band :) Also notice that John Garcia is singing on one song so I guess that was the cause my judgement. Anyway...
Blood Moon is a real rocker, stoner rock with a heavy southern rock vibe. It sways in a hypnotic desert way. From the first riff-heavy tune to the last, very freaking high quality tunes and an excellent production that makes this record even more fun to listen to. The tunes are cleaver, slow and
dreamy with really strong good-old-fashioned songs.
Blood Moon starts of with a real strutter "Bridges", softish guitar with some cool licks along with a heavy bass kicks it off, the tune accelerate until it's time for Angstrom crunchy vocal to make it's mark. Excellent start of the album. The album continues with slower grunge like "Death Mountain"and the happy smile is on and the volume is going up a bit.
The 3:rd track "December" where John Garcia (VISTA CHINO, HERMANO, KYUSS) adds vocal on is a dirty piece about snowing in December! "Leadville"is a marvellous tune with a great groove. Nick Oliveri (VISTA CHINO, KYUSS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) plays bass on "Pretty Rotten", that is a real monster, up-tempo with heavy riffing with cocaine eyes. "Operator" slows down but gets even heavier and adds in a bit psychedelia. "Standley Lake" and "Your War" are two tunes that have a spiced up the stoner with some blues and more clean singing. Excellent guitar work and the Hammond part on the "Your War". The album ends up with "In The Shadows"
Songs "Leadville", "Standley Lake" and "Death Mountain" all come with stories from Angstrom that seem like bizarre mountain folklore, like cautionary tales read to children in books with colorful drawings. Angstrom clearly loves the morbid strangeness with a fascinated curiosity of his new homeland and shares it with us here on Blood Moon.
The album was recorded at Sierra Estates in Colorado, and the album artwork was designed by celebrated Denver tattoo artist Christel Perkins of Sol Tribe. The basic tracks were finished in a week, and in keeping with the long-standing tradition of the stoner and desert rock communities, members of the Luna Sol extended family tree contributed additional elements to the recording. Dean Smith (SUPAFUZZ) supports with playing the bass "Bridges", Dandy Brown (HERMANO, ORQUESTRA DEL DESIERTO) is playing the bass and Greg Martin (KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS) contributes with slide guitar on "Death Mountain". John Garcia (VISTA CHINO, HERMANO, KYUSS) adds vocal "December", Nick Oliveri (VISTA CHINO, KYUSS, QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE) plays bass on "Pretty Rotten", Jason Groves (SUPAFUZZ, ASYLUM ON THE HILL) plays bass on “In the Shadows" and Dizzy Reed (GUNS N’ ROSES) delivers a keys performance on the Hammond B3 for “Your War.”
John Garcia calls “Blood Moon” “a dark twisted ride down the mountain… It rocks.”
My summary is simple, if you dig KYUSS and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, then you need this!
LUNA SOL consist of:
Dave Angstrom - Guitar, Vocals
Shanda Kolberg - Guitar, Vocals
Shannon Fahnestock - Bass, Vocals
Pat Gill - Drums
Today's tune "December" taken from "Blood Moon", the video clip is live where LUNA SOL performs "December" at the Marquis Theater, Denver CO on 9/4/2015.
Monday, new week, time to introduce the "Record Of The Week".
"Living Ghosts" is the second album from the Canadian trio WE HUNT BUFFALO consisting of Ryan Forsythe (Vocals/Guitar), Brendon Simpson (Bass/Vocals) and Brandon Carter (Drums/Vocals).
"Living Ghosts" reminds me of a fruit and not any common fruit as orange or banana, the fruit I have in mind is Chilli, to be more precise. It changes colour nicely during growth, first green, then orange and later take the most fenced blood-red hue. The album sprawls and changes directions during it's play time and touches many different genres, it's really hard to add "Living Ghosts" in a specific tray, almost as if they have to create a new one.
"Living Ghosts" is really fresh and becomes stronger the more you listen. It starts grand with the magnificent instrumental "Ragnarök" which then melts into "Back To The River", a well packed heavy riffery machine that will blow you away, reminds partly of MASTODON, then the record accelerate to a more punkish, slimy, dirty rock n’ roll with "Prairie Oyster". With the 4th track "Hold On" the album take it first turn to the left with a new direction, still heavy but with a more melodic progressive approach (hey FAIR TO MIDLAND), the album continues in this path with killer tune "Comatose". On the 6th track the band hits the break and slows down and gives us the beautiful "Fear". Then it makes another turn, this time to the right and let us flow away with the guitar driven melody of the tune "The Barrens" (The chorus sounds almost like WITCHCRAFT). I slobbers already like a dog and "Looking Glass" plays in my head and follows the previous tune in style. I giggling a bit inwardly and wondering how this will this end. "Walk Again" takes the album to another direction and I start to wonder, is this still the same band. The vocal part is filled with sorrow and regret, the music is more lay back and slowly grows until it fades out in to a psychedelic noise. The album closer "Transcandemic" is a nice well crafted piece that ends the album with a dignity.
If you are into bands like KYUSS, MASTODON, FAIR TO MIDLAND, WITCHCRAFT or Heavy rock, Grooves, Stoner, Desert rock then this is something for you. "Living Ghosts" is a amazing album with a lot of great passion, soul and drawn out grooves, a album that you should not miss!
Today's tune "Back To The River" is taken from "Record of The Week" "Living Ghosts"
New week and it's time to present this week's "Record of the Week".
No one can fool this man anymore: As a cult figure of the Palm Desert scene, as founder and drummer of the unfortunately no longer active Stoner-Rock legends KYUSS and a permanent member of VISTA CHINO (formerly KYUSS LIVES!), the formation around KYUSS colleague JOHN GARCIA, BRANT BJORK is washed with all (musical) waters. Now he is sailing under his own flag and proves once again that his multi-instrumental skills know no creative boundaries. With his excellent occupied Low Desert Punk Band and the brand new album "Black Power Flower" and this week's "Record Of The Week".
The album "Black Power Flower" is a pretty straight-forward rock and roll album, but with the heat of Nevada desert shimmer and some hard hitting dusty crunch riffs with funky elements in the tunes that makes this piece to end up to something else. The first tune "Controller Destroyed" sets the tone for the rest of the album, it's a heavy piece with a SABBATH influence starting point that turning into some old slow punkish stuff, until itevens itselfto a morehypnotic stoner-likecreation. The album feels very fresh and new even if you feel KYUSS and VISTA CHINO in the layers. The sound is comfortable for the ears, without
becoming repetitive and dull even if it's noisy and messy is the mix right where it should be.
I just love when he scrubs his guitar through all sorts of psychedelic effect pedals and skillfully mixes Stoner Rock, Blues and Doom-bonds to a feverish hazy brew to create "Black Power Flower"
“Black Power Flower” is an excellent album, it grooves with great toughness, it flowslike aun-pannedgoldstream filled with the perfect amount of psychedelic with out getting high as soon you step into the water.
Brant Bjork hails from Palm Desert, California, where he began gigging at the age of 13. By high school Brant had begun Kyuss with locals Josh Homme, Chris Cockrell, (later Nick Oliveri) and John Garcia. Kyuss was signed to Elektra and became the first desert rock band to achieve international success by spearheading a musical movement that brought heavy and psychedelic sounds back to rock and roll and served as a prototype for all “desert/stoner rock”.
In 1993, Brant left Kyuss and moved to Humboldt to flip pizzas and play soccer. Too much rain moved him back to his natural habitat where he started an independent record label, EL CAMINO, played drums in hardcore punk band De-Con; and played guitar with desert legend Mario Lalli in Fatso Jetson. In 1996, Bjork hooked up again with Homme, to begin the DESERT SESSIONS saga and work on what became Queens Of The Stone Age. However, Brant decided to take the road less travelled and rock with his surf buddies Fu Manchu, an adventure that took him into the studio for five records and around the world in four years.
Feeling the need to embark on his own personal musical journey, in 1999 Brant released his first solo record, JALAMANTA, on premier independent label, MAN’s RUIN. (Re-released in 2003 on DUNA RECORDS.) This landscape record certainly has underlying rock elements, but is more of an embodiment of fluidity in motion between cool jazz, break beats and Rasta grooves. Bjork plays all of the instruments on the record and sings with such a quiet soul and conviction it not only confirms Bjork as one of the baddest rock drummers of our time, but also legitimises him as a premier talent on all levels. Bjork's follow-up and heaviest record, CH'E, was recorded and mixed in three days with Alfredo Hernandez (drums) and Dave Dinsmore (bass), and truly captures Brant’s classic rock & roll roots. In 2002, Brant released his third solo record, BRANT BJORK AND THE OPERATORS on DUNA RECORDS. The Operators record demonstrated Brant’s capabilities indicative of his formative years being spent in the 80’s underground and creates a low-brow, hi-fi approach to traditional new wave. This record convinces us that Cheech & Chong and The Cars must have had a love child… named Brant Bjork.
On Bjork’s fourth solo record, KEEP YOUR COOL, Brant rocks, swings and soars to new heights by cutting through the petty and getting back to the sweaty. This record takes you from insightful, unconcealed testimonials to getting laid in the back seat of a trans-am. With the momentum of these four highly diversified albums under his belt, Brant Bjork takes an even more interesting turn with his latest and most introspective and laid-back record to date, LOCAL ANGEL. With this record we are assured that Brant Bjork is first and foremost a songwriter, with drums taking a quiet backseat on this one. His bittersweet lyrics and warm vulnerability allows us to feel pains and emotions generally untapped in rock music. The first Brant Bjork and the Bros group record, SAVED BY MAGIC, was released in August 2005 on DUNA RECORDS, followed by SOMERA SOL in the Spring of 2007. In 2008 PUNK ROCK GUILT was the first release on Bjork’s new label LOW DESERT PUNK and his sixth solo release to date. Recorded in Dave Raphael’s fully analog basement studio in the outback forests of New Jersey, Punk Rock Guilt clearly expresses his need to make a no-bullshit and full-on rock record.
As a philosophy, artistically and otherwise, Brant Bjork has always stayed true to his Punk Rock roots as the corner-stone of his creative energy. "To do your own thing, your own way, for your own reasons". Being an independent artist with no shame and a keen sense of humor, Brant Bjork took the term Punk Rock Guilt and simply let it represent his personal Rock-n-Roll freedom.
In March 2010, a new album called GODS AND GODDESSES was released on LOW DESERT PUNK.
Brant Bjork and his band have toured for much of the past years all over Europe, The States, Canada, and Australia. Their live shows are fast becoming recognized as the best live rock and roll going and as Aussie rag put it, “The closest thing we’ll get to seeing the Hendrix Experience.”
The Vinyl is released as a strictly Limited WEED Edition to 200 Copies Only incl. 180g Gatefold LP in orange Vinyl + Exclusive BRANT BJORK Slipmat and A2 Poster. New Solo Album 2014 from the Stoner Rock Cult Figure Brant Bjork ( ex-KYUSS, VISTA CHINO )
Todays tune "Controller Destroyed" live @ Up in Smoke Festival 2014. Taken from the latest release "Black Power Flower"
Propane Propane is heavily fuzzed out 70's rock and a medium dose of sexadelica.
The Swedish band found sanctification in the warm, heavy and groovy sound of bands such as Kyuss, Dozer, Electric Wizard, Sleep, Truckfighters and Earth but also the heavy psychedelic world of the 60-70's. The band was formed 2008 and is based in the southern parts of Sweden, in the deep and windy but beautiful woods of Småland.
Indigo is a massive 10 track album with all from uptempo hits to mind-crushing weight. "A awesome mix-tape with all the good elements of fuzz-rock, stonerrock and 70's rock, Indigo has something for everyone.."
The Vinyl is very Limited 200 copies on each colour versions 180 gram, handnumbered gatefold sleeve with insert.
Members:
Jakob Gill - Drums Niklas Andersson- Bass Guitar Benjamin Thörnblom - Guitar & Vocals Rickard Swahn: Guitar
The band also have releases a "never-ending-online-rare-and-weird-tracks-compilaton:
"An All Kinds Of Weird Shit Hits Collection" Continuously updated and available for free at: Bandcamp
Todays tune "Cosmic Hideout" is taken from the first full-length album "Indigo", released 2012.
The forth track on this year's disc is a really dusty, heavy guitar riffage thing that really will kick your butt so hard that you will hit a pile of dirt somewhere in Arizona.
John Garcia sings awsome, Brant Bjork whips the drumskin like a beast, Nick Oliveri are dancing on the bass strings and along with Bruno Fevery who playes so hard that his guitar screams.
Turn up the volume and close your eyes until you feel the grit in the eyeball, then you are in paradise, awesome tune!
New week, which means a new album may carry the nice trophy ”Record Of The Week”!
This weeks album is named ”Peace”, that's is the debut album of the American stoner rock band Vista Chino, formed 2010 by former founding members of Kyuss Brant Bjork and John Garcia, along with Belgian born guitarist Bruno Fevery and former bassist Nick Oliveri. Originally known as Kyuss Lives!, a lawsuit forced the band to change its name before releasing this album.
Guest appearances include Mike Dean of Corrosion of Conformity and former founding Kyuss bassist Chris Cockrell appear on one track apiece.
Napalm Records released the record on 2xLP in colored versions of red, green, blue, orange, gold, bone, and black. Along with a limited edition digipak version of the CD featuring 2 bonus tracks.
This a really confident album, that this will be a really classic in this genre is almost sure, this might just be the comeback of the year.
"Peace”, surly shows it's time that these gentlemen earn the acknowledge of their work, as ”Peace" is a excellent album, might be the best stoner rock album this year.
Todays tune "Sweet Remain" is taken from the debut album "Peace", The tune is an exceptional song in that it provides a very intressting experience with a great vocals by Garcia and with deep rumbling riffs and Bjork's engaging song-writing ability.
Swedish Colossus sets the mood forthis Saturday, true to their name, this powerful trio performs a headstrong metal with roots deep
in the impenetrable mire of the stoner/doom/sludge tradition nuansed with
streaks of progressive rock, post metal and psychadelica.
A wide blend of influences
are entwined and results in an accomplished and coherent music that is as direct
and powerful as it is multi layered and meandering. Names that are commonly
mentioned in relation to Colossus are Mastodon, Neurosis, Kyuss and Tool.
In spring 2012 Colossus entered Top Floor Studios and came out with a heavy and
organic full length debut that not only outshines the EP on every topic but aims for
a whole other level of musical composition and soundscape. The album has been
mixed by Pontus Norgren and is guested by Lars G Petrov of Entombed and
drummer extraordinaire Morgan Ågren of Mats/Morgan Band, Frank Zappa.
Todays tune "Pillars of Perennity" (featuring Lars G Petrov "Entombed") it's taken from the upcoming album "Wake", is an album that I really look forward to, of course on the real format Vinyl "Hint".
Listen to ”We Hunt Buffalo - Back To The River" on Spotify 
