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Gozu – Revival
Stoner rock is no stranger to silly song titles (“Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop,” anyone?), and Gozu has embraced this concept wholeheartedly. Revival, their third record, contains such fine tracks as...
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Foghound – The World Unseen
This Baltimore band can trace its lineage—and its rhythm section—back to stoner-rock outfit Sixty Watt Shaman, who put out a couple rippin’ records on Spitfire at the turn of the century. And like with...
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Mos Generator – Abyssinia
I was a pretty big fan of Mos Generator’s last album, Electric Mountain Majesty, which was released in 2014. It was a solid blend of retro-rock and proto-doom that’s got me jonesing for the follow-up,...
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Truckfighters – V
Album number five from these Swedish stoner-rock stalwarts comes out late September, with domestic distribution by Century Media. I actually didn’t own any of Truckfighters‘ previous albums until I saw...
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Tiebreaker – Death Tunes
Now, we know that Norway is known almost as much for black metal as it is for cross-country skiing, but when it comes to stoner rock, most of the action is happening across the pond in Sweden. Hell,...
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XIXA – Shift and Shadow 12” EP
A deeper look at the grooves pressed into the Shift and Shadow 12” EP by XIXA. XIXA released its debut full-length album earlier this year (discussion of that release will be coming in the very, very...
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Backwoods Payback – Fire Not Reason
I last heard from Backwoods Payback about five years back, when they released their Momantha record on Small Stone, a pretty decent dose of southern-fried heavy rock from a band outta Pennsylvania. In...
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The Second Coming of Heavy Chapter IV: Red Mesa/Blue Snaggletooth split
Like I said when I reviewed Chapter 3 of this compilation, Ripple Music has become somewhat of a tastemaker in the stoner-rock scene, a modern-day Man’s Ruin or MeteorCity, if you will. And they’ve...
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Craneium – Explore the Void
Well, it seems the Swedish stoner-rock sound has seeped across the sea to Finland. Craneium hails from Turku, and has been kicking around for five years now, although this is the first record of theirs...
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Lo-Pan – In Tensions EP
Columbus heavy rock crew Lo-Pan is kicking off 2017 in style with this five-song, 22-minute EP. The grizzled tour veterans head out with “Go West,” a slower, sludgy stomp that kinda reminds me of...
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Vermilion Whiskey – Spirit of Tradition
I’m sure I’ve said it before, but I’m a sucker for some good ol’ southern-style sludge metal. Actually, when I reviewed Forming the Void’s new record outta Lafayette, Louisiana, one of those dudes got...
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Familiars – This Water That is Warm (I Will Join Soon)
Though they’re actually from a small town somewhere north of the city, I’ve had the chance to see Familiars open for a whole buncha heavy/stoner rock bands in Toronto these past few years. The...
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Moonbow – War Bear
What do you get when you cross a BMX racer with Hank III, Valley of the Sun and Steve Earle? (No, not that Steve Earle…) In this case, you get Moonbow, an outfit formed by singer/biker Matt Bischoff...
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Woodhawk – Beyond the Sun
I’ve been hearing a bit of buzz about the Calgary fuzz-rock scene lately. Apparently, there’s a whole legion of bands now that musta grew up on Chron Goblin and the recently reunited Hypnopilot (a...
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Steak – No God to Save
Mmm, Steak… These heavy rockers from the desert plains of London have returned with their second album on the always tasty Ripple Music. Don’t let the Dischargey album title fool ya—these guys play ‘r...
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Lung Flower – Effigy
Once more, an independent band puts higher profile bands to shame. Lung Flower play seriously heavy groove metal in the vein of Pantera and Black Label Society. The packaging and art for this CD shows...
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Slow Death Lights – self-titled
Anything with Brant Bjork’s name on it has gotta be good, right? When I heard that this local Toronto outfit travelled all the way down to the California desert to record two tracks at Bjork’s own...
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Pallbearer + Kayo Dot @ Lee’s Palace, Toronto, 30 August 2017
Are we all doomed out yet? Over the last seven or so years, doom metal has risen from its moldy grave like a fiend from a ‘70s Hammer Horror film. Consequentially, this trendy reincarnation has spawned...
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Dead Quiet – Grand Rites
Though they might be a new band, Dead Quiet are no strangers to the vaunted Vancouver heavy rock scene. Featuring former members of Barn Burner and 3 Inches of Blood, these dudes have already toured...
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Denizen – Songs from the Kraken EP
I’ve been a big fan of this French outfit since their Whispering Wild Stories album, which was practically the perfect blend between Fu Manchu and Eyehategod. Denizen have put out a couple more albums...
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