Lo-Pan – Colossus
I didn’t love the last Lo-Pan album when it came out, but having seen ‘em live a couple times since, I can dig it. You could probably file this one under “Stoner Rock” with its big, fuzzy riffs, heavy...
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Goya/Wounded Giant split
Less than a week into 2015 and what will likely be the year’s best – or at least heaviest – split has already sold out. The split LP from Goya and Wounded Giant sold out in less than eight hours upon...
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Witchrider – Unmountable Stairs
Not gonna lie, when I see a self-professed stoner/occult rock outfit with the word Witch in its name, I kinda cringe a little (notable exception: Witch Mountain). And if we’re judging an album by its...
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King Hitter – self-titled
Though it’s not unheard of for me to review a band that’s completely unheard of, this North Carolina outfit comes with a bit of history—namely, frontman Karl Agell sang on Corrosion of Conformity’s...
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The Atomic Bitchwax – Gravitron
Haven’t heard from the Atomic Bitchwax in a bit—their last record, one-track, 42-minute instrumental The Local Fuzz dropped in 2011. But they’re coming in hot and fast with this new effort, 10 songs...
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Royal Thunder – Crooked Doors
I actually wasn’t that big a fan of Royal Thunder’s debut, CVI, when I first heard it. I gave it a cursory listen, and quickly determined that they were a buncha Led Zeppelin wannabes playing Reverend...
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Ghold – Of Ruin
So, I might be a little late on this self-proclaimed “Weight & Grunt” doom duo—which is just a nice way of saying they don’t have a guitarist. But hey, when it comes to this style of music, you’re...
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Connoisseur – Stoner Justice
Pretty sure I reviewed this when it was just an EP—but I can’t seem to find that write-up anywhere on the site. Anyhoo, Connoisseur is a marijuana-themed crust-punk outfit from Oakland—or Smokeland, as...
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Denizen – Troubled Waters
I was a big fan of this French outfit’s second album, Whispering Wild Stories, which came out over four years ago, back in 2011. Their sound melds the stoner grooves of Fu Manchu with some harsh...
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King Giant – Black Ocean Waves
King Giant’s previous album, Dismal Hollow, was more of a grower than a shower for me, but by the time I saw ’em live in Milwaukee last summer, I was fully a fan. Though they hail from the D.C. area,...
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We Hunt Buffalo – Living Ghosts
Man, what is it with B.C. bands and Bison americanus? Not only is the biggest East Van metal band not founded by Devin Townsend named after this majestic creature, but the next big buzz band happens to...
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Wizard Eye – self-titled
When I think Wizard Eye, the first thing I see are the dreads—their frontman’s got the longest ‘locks this side of Jamaica. But that’s not to say this Philly stoner/doom trio’s music isn’t memorable in...
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Gateway Drugs – Magick Spells LP (vinyl review)
The idea that a change of something as seemingly inconsequential as the format on which an album is presented (be it CD, cassette, vinyl record or mp3) can change the listening experience completely...
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Hound – Out of Space
This Philly power trio contains Ted Leo’s bass player and was once described as “neo-stoner.” Now, I’m not sure what that means, but if neo-stoner is to stoner rock what neo-conservatism is to...
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Sierra – 72
Really interesting backstory to this record. Kitchener trio Sierra has put out a 22-minute, one-song concept album about a murder that happened in their backyard in the early 70’s, and the dude who was...
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Zun – Burial Sunrise
Every scene has its unsung heroes. When it comes to desert rock, for every John Garcia, Brant Bjork and Scott Reeder, there are guys like Gary Arce and Mario Lalli, scene stalwarts that have received...
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Boudain – Way of the Hoof
This Louisiana outfit is named after a spicy Cajun sausage, so they’ve already whetted my appetite before I even press play. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that they hail from a town four hours north of...
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Miss Lava – Sonic Debris
This Portuguese stoner-rock outfit has actually been on my radar for quite some time, ever since they sent me a copy of their first CD back in ’09. (And yes, they still sent physical copies in those...
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Helhorse – self-titled
Because in Denmark, it’s H-E-single-hockey-stick. This Copenhagen-based sextet includes two guitars and two singers, one of whom also plays the piano, apparently. But these are no sons of northern...
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Mars Red Sky – Apex III (Praise For The Burning Soul)
The splendidly named Mars Red Sky have produced a really good album. I would sum it up as a cross between Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd ( I was reminded of the spacey dynamics of “Astronomy Domine,” for...
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