Fireball Ministry

Guardian of Lightning – Cosmos Tree Review

By Steel Druhm on July 15, 2020 in Reviews, Stoner Metal, 12 comments

“Heavy metal. Rock n’ roll. Attitude. Swagger. These are all good things, and if you can blend them together just right, they can create a great thing. Brazilian upstarts, Guardian of Lightning call their style of music “thunder metal” and they employ a lead bass in lieu of the traditional lead guitar as a kind of secret weapon. On their Cosmos Tree debut, this beefy threesome openly threatens you with a good time, taking a stoner metal style with plenty of attitude and making it as weighty and burly as possible.” Good wood.

Castle – Deal Thy Fate Review

By Steel Druhm on October 17, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, Reviews, Ripple Music, Doom Metal, Occult Rock, 33 comments

“In the world of occult-themed, vest-clad doom metal, Castle has been on quite the run, seemingly defying the Law of Diminishing Recordings. From their hard-hitting 2011 debut through to 2014’s Under Siege, they pushed all the right buttons to make their doom rock resonate and chill the soul.” Breaking the Law.

Beggars – The Day I Lost My Head Review

By Steel Druhm on August 7, 2018 in 2018, Greek Metal, Hard Rock, Reviews, Rock of Angels Records, Stoner Rock, 54 comments

“Stoner rock is just about the most simplistic style out there, and oftentimes it’s at its best when stripped down even further to its core elements – riffs, vocal hooks and fuck you attitude. This is the rudimentary recipe Greek power trio Beggars bring to their stoner attack on their fifth album, The Day I Lost My Head.” Greek heads are gonna roll.

The Necromancers – Servants of the Salem Girl Review

By Master of Muppets on August 16, 2017 in 2017, Doom Metal, French Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Ripple Music, Stoner Metal, Stoner Metal, 77 comments

“Hailing Satan from Poitiers, France, they knock politely for 20 seconds before bursting in to commandeer the stereo. We’re listening to Servants of the Salem Girl now, and that’s that. Within moments the air is thick with fuzzy guitars, and unless somebody’s handling the snacks poorly then I believe I’m also getting a whiff of brimstone. In short order, Servants gets and keeps heads moving the good old fashion way: bitchin’ riffage and songs about the Devil.” The Dark Lord of Partying.

King Hitter – King Hitter EP Review

By Steel Druhm on March 11, 2015 in 2015, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Plastic Head Music, Restricted Release Records, Reviews, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, 30 comments

“I’m sure many of you have a big soft spot for C.O.C.’s Blind album, and in that regard, I’m no different. It’s become a genre classic and been showered with endless accolades since it’s release almost 25 years ago (that metal is olde!). A big part of the album’s appeal for me is Karl Agell’s gritty, tough-as-nails vocal performance. He was by far the best vocalist C.O.C. ever had and it’s a perpetual bummer he recorded but one album with the quasi-iconic band.” Dancing with the dead is so 1991, but it’s great to hear from this guy again anyway.

Orange Goblin – Back From the Abyss Review

By Steel Druhm on October 3, 2014 in 2014, Candlelight Records, Doom Metal, English Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, 3 comments

“The pub gremlins known as Orange Goblin are back and once again, they’ve been fed after midnight and doused with way too much cheap beer and rotgut whiskey. For the uninitiated, that means more rowdy outlaw biker rock filled with southern blues, doom and stoner influences that all get sent crashing into the rocks of macho bravado and testosterone. Following up 2012s enjoyably soused A Eulogy for the Damned, Back From the Abyss keeps the sketchy pool hall chic intact and adds more dumbbells, prison tattoos and Lemmy-isms for a potent potable of in-your-face, no bullshit biker metal.” Grab the moonshine and the brass knuckles, the Goblins are back in the bar!

Blackshine – Soul Confusion Review

By Steel Druhm on March 30, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 3 comments

“And now for something completely different. Blackshine is an underground Swedish act sporting an interesting blend of thrash and hard rock. Though I’ve seen them refered to as “death n’ roll,” I never found that to be an apt descriptor. Their sound is like a raucous blend of First Wave Bay Area thrash, Motorhead, Sentenced, a wee bit of Wolverine Blues-era Entombed and a smattering of stoner/biker rock.” If that sounds like a heady brew of influences, join Steel Druhm as he gets his Blackshine on.

Victor Griffin’s In-Graved Review

By Steel Druhm on March 22, 2013 in 2013, 4.0, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Svart Records, Doom Metal, 13 comments

“As a long time fan of American doom pioneers Pentagram, I’ve been an admirer of Victor Griffin’s playing and his bluesy, but street tough style. Sure, he borrowed a lot of his sound from Tony Iommi, but he made it his own by mixing it with the sound of Cream-era Clapton and a touch of Hendrix. When he left Pentagram, their stock dropped precipitously, and when he returned for their Last Rites opus, everything was right in the doom world again. I enjoyed most of the material from his Place of Skulls outing, so when I heard of the new Victor Griffin’s In-Graved project, I expected solid results, which this delivered, along with a few surprises.” Doomy biker rock? Does Steel Druhm need to say more? Well, he will anyway because he’s wordy!

Bloody Hammers – Bloody Hammers Review

By Steel Druhm on February 11, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Soulseller Records, Death Metal, Heavy Metal, 11 comments

“Its clear the whole “occult retro doom/rock” thing is here to stay, like it or not. With entities like Hour of 13, Castle, Occultation, Devil’s Blood and Ghost already throwing on the vest, hailing the 70s and generally receiving good press, you can expect newcomers to keep popping up like hippies at a grow-op. Bloody Hammers is one of those filthy, dirty hippies (saddled with a name that implies a death metal barrage).” I know what you’re all thinking. Why won’t Steel Druhm stop shoving retro doomy vest metal at us? Well, I shove because I love and here’s more vest to add to the rest!