Stoner Metal

Ruff Majik – Seasons Review

By GardensTale on April 22, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, Plug Music Agency, Reviews, South African Metal, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Metal, 29 comments

“Located at the very tip of the African continent, South Africa may win the prize for ‘Most Accurate Country Name,’ challenged only by the uniformly low and flat Netherlands. Metal, however, is not what the nation is generally known for (apartheid and the guy who directed District 9 both rank higher, for instance.) In our extensive archives, only 9 articles bear a ‘South African Metal’ tag. Until today, that is, because Ruff Majik come forth from the shadows of Pretoria, the South African capital.” South Africa rising.

Eagle Twin – The Thundering Heard (Songs of Hoof and Horn) Review

By GardensTale on April 8, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Southern Lord, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge, Stoner Metal, 29 comments

“Mythology has always been a popular subject of metal. Of these, Norse legend is the first and foremost, to the point of cliche, by anything ranging from cheesy power to pummeling death metal. But Sumerian and Egyptian have their fans as well, and even a few Asian and South-American wellsprings have proven fruitful. One underused source of ancient stories is that of Native American culture, a loose collection of mythologies of the many tribes that once roamed the North-American continent, which often worshipped the great beasts of the plains and the elements that provided for them. Eagle Twin, consisting of singer/guitarist Gentry Densley (Iceburn) and drummer Tyler Smith, sought to correct this lack of appreciation with the Native American inspired The Thundering Heard (Songs of Hoof and Horn).” Tribal thunder.

Realms of Vision – Through All Unknown Review

By GardensTale on April 6, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Creator-Destructor Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 41 comments

“Archetypes of Californian stoner Fu Manchu have inspired a ton of followers. After all, the lighthearted, straightforward fuzz rockers have a style that does well on any stage, in any form, and is easily duplicated even by less experienced musicians. But picture a saloon full of personifications of these fun-loving cowboys. Imagine them laughing, drinking beer and playing cards in good nature. Then a silence falls as the door swings open. A gruff figure in the opening, clad in black, eyes the room wearily, a crumpled cigarette protruding from dry lips in a scarred and stubbled face. The silence holds as he approaches the bar and orders a whiskey in a dark-brown voice. That fellow is Realms of Vision, a new face in town, armed with an eight-pounder called Through All Unknown.” Riff slingers and hell raisers.

Black Wizard – Livin’ Oblivion Review

By Eldritch Elitist on March 4, 2018 in 2018, Canadian Metal, Listenable Records, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 26 comments

“I’m not, nor have I ever been, a stoner. This has more to do with the fact that lil’ Eldritch wasn’t cool enough in school to have friends who smoked weed than it does with any particular disdain for marijuana’s effects, and as a result, I’ve never really understood the appeal of stoner rock/metal. I have a great appreciation for traditional doom bands that can mold slow ‘n’ low sounds into something emotionally compelling, but the stoner approach is typically too lethargic and lacking in proper melody for me to embrace as a relatively straight edge bystander. Bearing this stance in mind, know that you, dear reader, may derive significantly more mileage out of Black Wizard’s fourth LP, Livin’ Oblivion, than myself.” Of weeds not done.

The Atlas Moth – Coma Noir Review

By Saunders on February 20, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Prosthetic Records, Reviews, Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Rock, Sludge, Stoner Metal, 2 comments

“Shape-shifting Chicago act The Atlas Moth exorcised some particularly nasty personal demons on 2014’s bleak, The Old Believer album. Although failing to hit the glorious highs of predecessor An Ache for the Distance, it proved a mature, emotionally raw and harrowing chapter in the band’s career. Not content to repeat themselves, The Atlas Moth return in a decidedly more chipper mood, by their despondent standards, serving up an energetic and refreshingly upbeat collection of tunes that widens the scope considerably beyond the psychedelic sludge tag they are frequently saddled with.” Like an Atlas Moth to the flame of judgment.

Blackwülf – Sinister Sides Review

By GardensTale on February 20, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Reviews, Ripple Music, Stoner Metal, Stoner Metal, 0 comments

“Ah, the sun-scorched desert of California. The birthplace of stoner metal with the rise ofKyuss, the arid plains are infertile for all but rocking grooves and fat riffs. Though the movement spread worldwide, including the current stoner peak in Sweden, there’s still something about bands rising from the original dustpan. Blackwülf are attempting the same with their catchy brand of accessible stoner, judging by their sophomore full-length Sinister Sides.” Desert riffs and fuzzy gifts.

Fu Manchu – Clone of the Universe Review

By Huck N Roll on February 6, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, At the Dojo Records, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Stoner Metal, 21 comments

“Consistency is the opposite of AMG’s Law of Diminishing Recordings™. Not a lot of bands can lay claim to this positive attribute. Saxon are the reigning Kings of Consistency when it comes to NWOBHM: they will never release an album that will be at the top of anyone’s year-end list, but they’ll never put out a dud either. In the stoner rock realm, Fu Manchu are that band.” Riffs on demand.

Cities of Mars – Temporal Rifts [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

By GardensTale on February 3, 2018 in 2017, Argonauta Records, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, Swedish Metal, Things You MIght Have Missed 2017, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 16 comments

“Social media has had a major impact on our lives. From reading racist diatribes on Facebook to constructing shelves from things that were never meant to be shelves on Pinterest, few are completely outside the bubble. One positive change is the short distance between artists and fans. Take Cities of Mars, for instance. Earlier this year, my girlfriend was randomly added by these unknowns from Sweden. Fast forward a few months and we were chatting them up after a show in Antwerp, two in a crowd of a dozen including the opening band, the earthshaking riffs that’d emanated from the cafe’s ten square foot stage still ringing in our ears. You may now be thinking: “GardensTale, you’re abusing your power as an AMG writer just to plug a band we’d never hear otherwise, just because you met them!” And you’d be right, but I wouldn’t do that if Temporal Rifts wasn’t a sweet, solid and succinct slab of spacey stoner doom.” Nepotism and Neurosis.

Weedpecker – III Review

By El Cuervo on February 2, 2018 in 2018, Polish Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Reviews, Stickman Records, Stoner Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, 54 comments

“It’s entirely unsurprising that Weedpecker reside on the same label’s roster as Elder. Both feature groovy, stoner riffs, are progressive and are drug-fueled to differing extents. Fortunately, unlike Elder, Weedpecker aren’t unrelentingly average; in fact, they’re drastically superior.” Superior drugs make for superior rock.

Dvne – Asheran [Things You Might Have Missed 2017]

By GardensTale on December 16, 2017 in 2017, British Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge, Stoner Metal, Things You MIght Have Missed 2017, Wasted State Records, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 65 comments

“Flow. Like love, it’s a word that’s difficult to describe, but you know it when you experience it. It’s the feeling of losing yourself in a task or a game, becoming one with the activity, balancing perfectly on the edge between skill and difficulty. No frustration, no boredom, and no sense of time or place. If you’ve ever found yourself looking up from an activity after ten minutes and find out three hours have passed, you’ve experienced flow.” Like an everflowing dream.