2024 #30 - #21 Best Stoner Rock Albums

 2024 Top Twenty Stoner Rock Albums (#30-21)

This is the first time I've ever done a year-end top 30, but I would argue that there was so much great music to come out this year that picking 20 albums wouldn't do the year justice.  I'm confident that all of these albums in my #30-21 are, deservingly, in someone else's top 10. 

 

#30: Duel: Breakfast With Death

Much more "In Your Face" than the previous album, "Breakfast With Death" rocks hard.

#29: 1,000 Mods: Cheat Death

Greek band 1000 Mods have been at it for a decade and a half, and keep getting better with each release 

#28: Cortez: Thieves And Charlatans

Another band that's been making great music for a long time and continues to get better and better.  Cortez is one of four Massachusetts bands to make my top 30 albums of the year

#27: Old Blood: Midnight Climax

Old Blood's "Acid Doom" was one of my favorite albums of 2020.  Here they are again, with a more polished and more musically diverse release that is well worth your time

#26: Sundrifter: An Earlier Time

This is a really impressive album.  Hints of Queens of the Stone Age, Radiohead and lots more.  Excellent songwriting and a unique sound.  Another band putting Massachusetts stoner rock on the map

#25: Sergeant Thunderhoof: The Ghost Of Badon Hill

Sergeant Thunderhoof produced my favorite album of 2022, and the fact that this gem of a follow-up  album is at #25 this year only goes to show how great of a year this has been for stoner rock

#24: UFOMAMMUT: Hidden

Italian masters of all that is heavy continue to tear the bottom end out of our speakers and to floor us with bone-crushing soundscapes.  Hidden is their most creative album yet.

#23: Melvins: Tarantula Heart

Another Melvins release, and another round of musical surprises.  As usual, it will take several listens to lock onto what these Melvins are laying down, but the reward is worth it.  There are usually a couple of tunes per Melvins album that I'm not into, but I very much appreciate every song on this one.

#22: Mirror Queen: Dying Days

A Mirror Queen album is an instant purchase for me, and this one is my favorite so far.  Mirror Queen for me are a modern-day Blue Oyster Cult: fantastically creative arrangements of classic hard-rock sounds

#21: The Obsessed: Gilded Sorrow

Doom legends for four decades now, The Obsessed graced us with this classic early in the year, and it's been getting consistent play here ever since.  Scott's guitar sound is unmistakable, and hall-of-fame worthy.

ULTRA'S SUPERBOWL SUNDAY STONER SOUNDS

In honor of Eagles vs. Patriots, which promises to be yet another classic, let's have a Philadelphia vs. Boston Stoner Rock Showdown:

First up, in green and silver, Philly's all-instrumental band SERPENT THRONE with 
"Speed Queen": 

Next up, Boston's own OLDE GROWTH hits back with "Warrior Child".  This is very unique stuff; just bass and drums, but really creative and super heavy.

Those were two bands who haven't released an album in quite some time.  Now for two from 2017:

Philadelphia's STINKING LIZAVETA with "Witches and Pigs".  

Now Boston's CORTEZ with "Walk Through Fire (In the Shadows of the Ancients, pt.I)":

One more from the Boston area, just because I can't help myself: "..And The Gods Made War/ Visions Of Gehenna"

There are only winners in this stoner rock battle, but we're most likely due for another close contest in Superbowl LII today.  (do the Pats ever blow anyone out in a Superbowl?)  

Hoping to see another Pats win, and entertaining a fantasy of a Pats blowout, even though I know the Eagles are too good for that.

Happy Sunday, and GO PATS!

-ULTRA

CORTEZ: The Depths Below

NEW STONER ROCK FROM BOSTON

It's been five years since Cortez' last full length (self-titled) album, and they have improved their skills by a significant amount.  They have clearly put a lot of time and effort into this release, and it is worthy of your $8 if you are a fan of stoner rock.  These guys have taken a huge step towards Stoner Rock Kingpin status.  My early favorites on this album are the trilogy "In The Shadows Of The Ancients", parts I, II and III (tracks 3-5) but here is a good starter track, entitled "Dead Channel": 

Here's track #2, "Poor and Devoid":

And here is my favorite from their 2012 self-titled album, entitled "Nice Try".  I have shared this track with quite a few people over the years.  

Cortez is:

Matt Harrington - vocals 
Scott O'Dowd - guitar & backing vocals 
Alasdair Swan - guitar 
Jay Furlo - bass & backing vocals 
Jeremy Hemond - drums

Gonna keep it coming next weekend.  Until then, over and out  

-ULTRA