Stoner Rock

The Flight of Sleipnir – V. Review

The Flight of Sleipnir – V. Review

“I was only quite recently introduced to The Flight of Sleipnir. Since their formation in 2007, they have produced a steady stream of albums, with last year’s Saga being their best effort so far. Though based in Colorado, The Flight of Sleipnir follow the path of figuratively every folk metal band ever and take inspiration from Scandinavian folklore; yet both aesthetically (just look at that gorgeous album cover!) and sonically they have managed to distinguish themselves from the hordes of other Viking worshippers.” Stoner Viking doom sounds cool enough, but can this eight legged horse get off the ground?

Things You Might Have Missed 2014: He Is Legend – Heavy Fruit

Things You Might Have Missed 2014: He Is Legend – Heavy Fruit

“Once upon a time, in the days of MySpace, there was a band called He Is Legend. They had the misfortune of association with the mid-2000’s metalcore scene, and worse yet, they had a long way to go in the songwriting department. Over time they went through awkward growth spurts, thankfully ditching their core trappings, but struggling with finding their own style.” Mr. Fisting rings in the holiday season with the very first of our “Things You Might Have Missed” recommendations, and this time, it’s all about the fruit!

My Brother The Wind – Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One Review

My Brother The Wind – Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One Review

“Harmony pervades Once There Was A Time When Time And Space Were One. Not in the strictly musical sense, but in its idyllic unity between typically opposed characteristics. Time and space, old and new, science and nature. Sweden’s My Brother The Wind returns on this, their third record, to peacefully entrance and impart their wholly-improvised instrumental Space Rock on the rushed and pressured masses.” God knows we all need a break from the pressures of modern life!

John Garcia – John Garcia Review

John Garcia – John Garcia Review

Kyuss were Gods (capital G intentional). You can argue with me, and you would be dead wrong and quickly shunned for all eternity. In the band’s short timespan, they cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the desert rock/stoner metal arena. One thing that can be argued is the band were greater than the sum of its splintered parts.” The voice of Kyuss is back from the desert.

Vista Chino – Peace Review

Vista Chino – Peace Review

“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.

Spiritual Beggars – Earth Blues Review

Spiritual Beggars – Earth Blues Review

“One of our readers recently commented that we convinced him the only independent bands were stoner/doom bands. That sentiment is surely understandable given the enormous volume of the stuff cropping up these days. It’s not limited to independent bands either, as Spiritual Beggars clearly demonstrates again on album number eight, Earth Blues. Since Michael Amott’s (Arch Enemy, Carcass) long-lived stoner/retro-rock project clearly isn’t going away, you might as well put on the obnoxiously colorful tie-dye shirt (the theme this time appears to be radioactive orange) and enjoy the homage to all things late 60s/early 70s.” Set the lava lamps to “wake and bake” and get settled into your bean bag chairs, the Spiritual Beggars are back to shake your VW van! Steel Druhm shook off his contact high to tell you if this is worth your free love.

Acid Witch – Stoned Review

Acid Witch – Stoned Review

Toward the back of the Big Book of Metal Ingredients there is a little known concoction. It calls for one part Saint Vitus, one part Cathedral and one part Necrophagia. To that mix, add creepy church organs, horror movie samples and trippy/psychedelic flourishes. Finish by generously seasoning with magic weed, baking heavily and voila! You get Acid Witch and Stoned is an apt title indeed since this will give you a sore neck and a serious case of the munchies. This is the second album by these death/doom/stoner weirdos from Michigan and they stay true to the odd sound pioneered on their 2008’s debut Witchtanic Hallucinations and provide another wack0, tongue-in-cheek trip through metal and reefer madness. While I highly doubt this will find a very big audience, it’s a pretty entertaining, heavy yet silly slab o death/doom and unlike anything else out there.

Monster Magnet – Mastermind Review

Monster Magnet – Mastermind Review

Monster Magnet is one of the coolest band names ever, hands down, don’t argue. As for the music they’ve produced, I’ve been back and forth on it over the years. I liked their first two albums with their over-the-top 70’s psychedelic, fuzzed out, space rock worship and I always thought Dopes to Infinity was their crowning achievement in terms of rock songwriting. After that things seemed to go downhill as they drifted toward a more commercial rock sound lacking the style that originally drew me in. Despite this drop off, I never lost respect for band mastermind Dave Wyndorf because he was churning out stoner rock before it was called stoner rock and WAY before it became hip, trendy and “retro.” Like his band, Mr. Wyndorf has had his share of ups and downs but there is no disputing that the guy is stoner rock personified and a living, breathing throwback to another musical era. Therefore, it’s with mucho gladness I report that Mr. Wyndorf and Monster Magnet are back on top in a big way with their eighth album Mastermind.