Doctor Smoke

Weapon (UK) – New Clear Power Review

Weapon (UK) – New Clear Power Review

By Steel Druhm on May 18, 2023 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, 45 comments

“I was an active metal listener for a good part of the NWoBHM era, but it seems for every Saxon and Raven there were countless smaller UK acts that never reached the ears of folks on my side of the pond. Weapon (or Weapon UK) were one of those “could have been” tales of a band in the early 80s that wasn’t able to launch that defining debut album in time. They had a single and a demo floating around in 80-81 and had some buzz but ultimately called it a day, not to pick up the sword again until 2011.” Ancient weapons in modern times.

Early Moods – Early Moods Review

Early Moods – Early Moods Review

By Steel Druhm on August 10, 2022 in Reviews, Doom Metal, 72 comments

“With a name like Early Moods, this promo looked very out of place bobbing about in the AMG promo muck. It sounds like something a 60s jazz artist would dub his debut album, and it doesn’t so much as hint at its doom on roids character. That’s a marketing shame, as the band offers a unique and interesting take on the style pioneered by the likes of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, Witchfinder General, and Trouble. Formed by musicians from various thrash and death metal projects, Early Moods came together to attempt a marriage of classic doom with traditional heavy metal ideas and melodies.” Heavy dudes, doomy moods.

Lucid Grave – Cosmic Mountain Review

Lucid Grave – Cosmic Mountain Review

By Carcharodon on July 19, 2022 in Reviews, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Metal, 22 comments

“I have recently come to the conclusion that it is sometimes a good exercise to deliberately review two records of the same genre back to back. Not to directly compare the two but to get one into the right mindset and to think about makes a great record in this particular field. And so it is that I find myself reviewing two stoner metal records in consecutive weeks. It’s lucky that I am not trying to compare them, however, as Copenhagen, Denmark’s Lucid Grave could not be more different—within the confines of stoner metal, anyway—from last week’s Holyroller.” Where the mountain meets the desert.

Doctor Smoke – Dreamers and the Dead Review

Doctor Smoke – Dreamers and the Dead Review

By Steel Druhm on September 4, 2021 in Reviews, Hard Rock, Occult Rock, Stoner Rock, 30 comments

“Ghost created quite the marketable niche for themselves when they introduced the whole “faceless ghouls and demon Pope paying homage to Blue Oyster Cult and Mercyful Fate” schtick. It shouldn’t have worked as well as it did, but their notoriety speaks for itself. Other bands tried similar recipes with varying degrees of success but none came close to capturing the secret ingredients in Ghost’s unholy special sauce. Ohio-based Doctor Smoke aren’t trying to ape those nameless ghouls so much as borrow the best parts of their sound to season their own proprietary slurry composed of hair metal, hard rock, NWoBHM, and a vague Foo Fighters appreciation.” Smoky bones and Ghost loans.