Stoner Rock

Yer Metal is Olde: Kyuss – Kyuss (Welcome to Sky Valley)

Yer Metal is Olde: Kyuss – Kyuss (Welcome to Sky Valley)

By Grymm on June 3, 2014 in American Metal, Stoner Rock, Yer Metal Is Olde, 6 comments

“I am not ashamed to admit this, but it takes something incredibly special for me to be excited about a simple signpost. A benign, innocent sign nestled in the desert roads of California that, when looked at, conjures up memories of guitars blaring through bass amps, thundering drums, heartier-than-chunky-soup bass, and weed-and-beer soaked vocals about high temperatures, brushing your teeth, and calling the desert home. A sign that resonates within the souls of those who have experienced the musical memories it brings forth. A sign that, whenever viewed, causes people to proclaim, “DUDE!!! FUCKING KYUSS!!!””

Blackfinger – Blackfinger Review

Blackfinger – Blackfinger Review

By Dr. Fisting on January 20, 2014 in 2014, American Metal, Dark Star Records, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Releases, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 2 comments

“If the prospect of Trouble without longtime vocalist Eric Wagner seems like a bad idea, the thought of Wagner without Trouble is simply a question mark. Other than his Lid project back in the ’90s, the man hasn’t done much outside of his main band, leaving us to wonder what Eric Wagner might sound like if left to his own devices. And it seemed like we’d never find out, given his lack of output since leaving Trouble back in 2007. Finally, after a six-year absence, Wagner re-enters the music world with his new band, dubbed Blackfinger.” There are a few big Trouble fanboys on the AMG staff and they were all atwitter over this release. Should they be? Should you?

Domovoyd – Oh, Sensibility Review

Domovoyd – Oh, Sensibility Review

By JF Williams on October 8, 2013 in 2013, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Svart Records, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 0 comments

“Finland has a dark legacy within the subterranean world of doom metal. Browsing the Encyclopaedia Metallum’s list of Finnish bands reveals the likes of funeral doom pioneers Thergothon and Skepticism, as well as other underground stalwarts of the genre such as Wormphlegm, Shape of Despair and Stabat Mater, to name a few. Indeed, the Finns do not fuck around with their doom – perversion, depression, sadism and Lovecraftian horror is the name of the game. Even the more traditionally oriented Reverend Bizarre was similarly steeped in lyrical and musical despondency alongside their trademark tongue-in-cheek snarkiness. Yet, here we have relative newcomers Domovoyd. Somewhat of an anomaly within the country’s pitch-black doom metal reputation, Domovoyd is a stoner doom group that looks to the likes of Electric Wizard, Sleep and The Sweet Leaf for inspiration.” A new and exciting band and a review of same by a new and exciting writer for AMG. JF Williams is here to discuss doom, stoner rock and all things Sabbath worshipping.

Monster Magnet – Last Patrol Review

Monster Magnet – Last Patrol Review

By Steel Druhm on October 5, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, American Metal, Heavy Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Stoner Metal, 4 comments

“That sketchy van is back in town. You know, the one with New Jersey plates, mushrooms and wizards painted on the side and the “Free Candy” bumper sticker. And as usual, there’s more smoke pouring from the tinted windows than from the tailpipe. That can only mean Monster Magnet is back to drop more of their spaced-out, stoner-themed hard rock to conjures the era of bongos, free love and lava lamps. Coming off 2010s masterful Mastermind release, Dave Wyndorf and company had some big sandals to fill.” So how do you fill a sandal exactly? Monster Magnet fills it with rowdy, stripper club friendly rock and that can’t be a bad thing, can it?

Obelyskkh – Hymn To Pan Review

Obelyskkh – Hymn To Pan Review

By Natalie Zed on September 27, 2013 in 2013, Doom Metal, Exile On Mainstream Records, German Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Post-Metal, 2 comments

“Bavarian doom barons Obelyskkh have turned to pagan imagery for the basis of their third full-length release, Hymn To Pan. A mix of doomy psychedelic and stoner sludge, the title of the record is drawn from a poem “Hymn of Pan” by romantic writer Percy Bysshe Shelley. Pan, a pagan god of wild places, music, and sexual freedom, is evoked with delicacy as a muse in Shelley’s poem, whereas Obelyskkh most definitely appeal to the goat-limbed gods darker and more lecherous side.” Anyone in the mood for A Midsummer’s Night Doom? Did I mention the “sexual freedom” part? This stuff sells itself!

Windhand – Soma Review

Windhand – Soma Review

By Steel Druhm on September 6, 2013 in 2013, American Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 9 comments

“Windhand is like the next door neighbor who walks around his front yard in tidy whities whilst swigging from a can of Rheingold ®. You want to like him, but he makes it really tough. As purveyors of super fuzzed-out, monolithic stoner doom, they’re often mentioned in the same breath as Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats; likely due to the groovy, 60s/70s style vocals they utilize. However, where Uncle Acid writes relatively short, hooky doom-rock anthems, Windhand opts for huge, laboriously slow, long-winded odes to mammoth distortion similar to Electric Wizard and Dopesmoker-era Sleep.” Windhand, the cult heroes of ginormous stoner doom/drone are back to oppress the masses with the power of THE RIFF! Will Steel Druhm be oppressed? He’s always so damn anti-authority, so who knows?

Nymf – From the Dark Review

Nymf – From the Dark Review

By Steel Druhm on September 2, 2013 in 2013, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Swedish Metal, Transubstans Records, Doom Metal, Heavy Metal, Stoner Metal, 2 comments

“Every now and then AMG himself deigns to drop an unknown chestnut of metal into my promo bin and demands my thoughtful analysis. From past experience, these have ended up being quite enjoyable surprises (Dofka, Degial). Now he’s provided me with From the Dark, the second release from the obscure Swedish stoner/doom act Nymf which walks the line between typical stoner acts like High on Fire and Orange Goblin, American trve metal like Argus and more traditional doom like Candlemass.” Rough n’ ready stoner/doom from Sweden sounds mighty good and Steel Druhm would usually order it from the menu, but will Nymf satisfy him or get sent back to the chef along with some choice words?

Vista Chino – Peace Review

Vista Chino – Peace Review

By Jordan Campbell on August 29, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, American Metal, Napalm Records, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Heavy Metal, Stoner Rock, 2 comments

“No, this isn’t the title of the second Palmsszzzzzzzz record. Vista Chino is the mercifully rechristened Kyuss Lives! (A moniker so abysmal that even something like Kinda Kyuss would’ve been an acceptable alternative.) John Garcia and Brant Bjork’s resuscitated baby now has a name befitting something classier than a casino-circuit cabaret act, and they’ve got eyes on reclaiming the long-abdicated stoner / desert rock throne. 2013 is becoming the year of comeback records: Gorguts, Carcass, and now Kyuss. Well, kinda ,
Kyuss.” There’s a special sandy place in many hearts for the desert rock of classic Kyuss. Can the members of that seminal act recapture the magic with the awfully named Vista Chino? Jordan Campbell reports from Sky Valley.

Hexvessel – Iron Marsh Review

Hexvessel – Iron Marsh Review

By Steel Druhm on April 27, 2013 in 2013, 3.5, Finnish Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Svart Records, Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal, 8 comments

“Things seem to come on threes, be they good, bad or some combination thereof. As proof of this cosmic law, this week has graced me with three examples of stoner/doom/retro music: Ghost, Spiritual Beggars and now Hexvessel. I hadn’t heard of this oddball, psychedelic group of Finns until their No Holier Temple album last year, and I found myself quite taken with their folksy, trippy and hypnotic take on 60s and 70s rock.” And now they’re back with an EP that tells the rest of the story! Are you ready for more Finnish forest folk? You better be!