Stoner Rock

Glitter Wizard – Opera Villains Review

By Cherd on April 15, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Hard Rock, Heavy Psych Sounds Records, Non-Metal Metal Things, Psychedelic Rock, Punk, Stoner Rock, Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, 45 comments

“The AMG higher-ups fancy themselves benevolent despots. That’s because they allow us relative freedom to choose our own promos and surprise us with pizza and hobo wine office parties now and then. Occasionally they’ll even offer tepid praise after our reviews are published. Sure, the quarterly beatings leave marks, but they rarely break the skin. Then again, if they see us getting too comfortable, they’ll assert their authority by assigning reviews that leave us just enough rope to hang ourselves. They might make brutal boi Kronos review symphonic power metal, or give our morose Muppet a jaunty pirate metal sing-along. For reasons beyond my understanding, they saw the words Glitter Wizard in the promo sump and thought, “Now there’s a stop-bang pooper doop if we’ve ever seen one, and we know just the writer for the job.”” Feel the opera.

Wendigo – Wasteland Stories Review

By Treble Yell on March 12, 2019 in 2019, Doom Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Self-released, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, 37 comments

“I don’t know when it happened but at some point I become Cardinal Treble Yell, Debut Album Inquisitor to the twisted church of AMG. Once tallied it was a surprise to discover that debut albums made up a sizable portion of my body of work, so much so you could say I wasn’t expecting it. No one expects it. The chief reason for this is a desire to discover unknown bands…and expose myself to unfamiliar sounds…unknown bands and unfamiliar sounds… My two reasons are unknown bands and unfamiliar sounds…and also because I’m late when it comes to claiming promos… My three reasons are unknown bands, unfamiliar sounds and late promo picking.” Cardinal of the Wasteland.

My Diligence – Sun Rose Review

By Huck N Roll on January 30, 2019 in 2019, Belgian Metal, Mottow Soundz, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Progressive Metal, Stoner Rock, 60 comments

“One of these days, I’m going to have to visit Belgium. You see, not only did this fine little country spawn my favorite album last year, but it is spitting out a couple more interesting bands in 2019, starting with the horribly-named My Diligence. Honestly: I don’t mean to start a review on such a negative note, especially when the music far surpasses the name, but it’s just not a great moniker. That aside, what My Diligence bring to the table is an intriguing progressive stoner mix influenced by a few solid bands. Think of the harmonious stoner-pop sensibilities of Torche, the progressive leanings of Elder, and a dash of Queens of the Stone Age’s quirkiness, and you’ve got an idea of what this band’s second album, Sun Rose, is all about.” Stone the Sun.

Aver – Orbis Majora Review

By GardensTale on January 17, 2019 in 2019, Australian Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Ripple Music, Stoner Metal, Progressive Rock, Stoner Rock, 128 comments

“There’s something special in the water, air, or spider-venom in Australia. More and more, the Land Down Under is becoming a hotbed for top class progressive metal, and I’m getting to a point where I’ll blindly leap onto anything labeled Aussie prog, even if it has a cover as baffling as Aver’s Orbis Majora. Who thought ‘now all these naked space ladies need is having their arms melted together, getting them stuck to a giant bile-green orb, and replacing their heads with purple planets?'” Orbs of reckoning.

Deathchant – Deathchant Review

By Huck N Roll on January 7, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, King Volume Records, Proto-Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Reviews, Stoner Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock, 27 comments

“Let’s ease into 2019, shall we? After a climactic December that saw about a million Things You Might have Missed posts, nearly two dozen Top Ten(ish) lists, and a few more outstanding releases, it’s time to let our collective breath out, sit back, and strap in for what we all hope will be a stellar year for metal. And while early January might not be blessing us with any albums that will stick around until list season, there are a few that are worth digging into. Is this shorty (a mere seven songs and 30 minutes) from Los Angeles’ Deathchant one of those? If you’re into psychedelic proto-rock, with all sorts of other spices added in, then this eponymous debut just might kick-start your year.” Death the halls.

Sons of Lazareth – Blue Skies Back to Gray Review

By Carcharodon on December 13, 2018 in 2018, Argonauta Records, Italian Metal, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, 19 comments

“I don’t do well in the heat. This n00b is a strictly cold-weather creature. Despite this, I do very much enjoy stoner-desert rock. I’ve done so ever since I first encountered Kyuss’ seminal Welcome to Sky Valley. So imagine my excitement when the promo bin – manifesting in the ominous shape of Steel Druhm – threw me Blue Skies Back to Gray, the debut album from Italian stoners Sons of Lazareth.” Left to die.

Thunder Horse – Thunder Horse Review

By Huck N Roll on December 11, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, BC/TX Records, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Rock, 40 comments

“I’m going out with a bang on my last review of the year. Well, maybe more like a cannonball fired into a vat of molasses. This eponymous debut from southern sludge band Thunder Horse packs a wallop, kind of like being struck on the side of the head by, oh, I don’t know, a Crowbar?” A Thunder Horse of course, of course.

Juniper Grave – Of Hellions and Harridans Review

By Huck N Roll on December 4, 2018 in 2018, Reviews, Scottish Metal, Stoner Rock, Wasted State Records, Stoner Rock, 23 comments

“Listen, by the time December rolls around we don’t want to review new albums. We’re too busy listening to our favorites of the year to bother with new releases. But I’m a sucker for female-fronted blues-rock and occult bands–I love Blues Pills and Sabbath Assembly, and last year I had Pristine’s album high on my list–so when Juniper Grave’s debut landed in our promo pit, I had to grab it.” Hellions, Harridans, Huckster.

Witchthroat Serpent – Swallow the Venom Review

By Kenstrosity on November 20, 2018 in 2018, Doom Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Stoner Metal, Svart Records, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, 42 comments

“Witchthroat Serpent, a stoner doom outfit hailing from Toulouse, France, has an interesting concept. Instead of the run-of-the-mill trips endemic to stoner doom, this trio chose a darker avenue, focusing on ritualistic substances rather than those recreational.” Addicted to cults.

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – Wasteland Review

By Steel Druhm on October 10, 2018 in 2018, English Metal, Reviews, Rise Above Records, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, Stoner Rock, 32 comments

“Less is more. That little witticism has become the AMG mantra because it’s so very true. Most 75-minute albums are less enjoyable than a 45 minute version would be. Three Taco Bell Hard Taco Supremes are a better choice than six. It’s just how the world works. When it comes to the creepy stoner rock of Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, this rule proves especially accurate. Though I loved their second album, Bloodlust and found their whole night stalker shtick endearing, I’ve never felt the same about any of their later releases. Wasteland is their fourth full-length and the recipe remains the same.” Creepy uncles and bad trips.