Shadows Fall Brian Fair Meet & Greet at Purchase Street Records!

This past weekend, we headed to Purchase Street Records on Popes Island in New Bedford for the Brian Fair meet and greet. This unassuming parking lot with an adjoining Dunkin Donuts has become the mecca of Heavy Metal record shops(cds, cassettes too) on the East Coast. We hit up the shop around start time (1pm) and who did I find first in line? Youtube sensation and vinyl guru "The Flip Side with JC ", aka Joshua Costa. Now Josh and I go back to our teens and he's such a solid dude. I'm genuinely happy for all of his success with the channel. If you visit Purchase Street Records, you're more than likely to find him either behind the counter displaying his monthly recommendation or diving head first into the vinyl bins. Josh knows records and loves music. So it was no shock to see that he and his wife had brought copies of Shadows Fall "Of One Blood". Josh purchased one for himself and one to give away on his youtube channel (Mega CD & Vinyl Grail / plus we give away a signed Shadows Fall Album)

I brought along with me a Shadows Fall dvd called the Art of Touring (I picked up at Armageddon Records in PVD years ago) and a print out of my interview with him on this very blog. It was great to chop it up with Brian after all these years. I spent a good portion of the early to mid 90's following Shadows Fall around New England. I'd see them several times a year in small and large venues. Living in Springfield where they had a practice space, I'd oftentimes run into Shadows Fall guitarist Matt Bachand. I was fortunate to sit with Matt on Spineshank's tour bus years after I moved back to Southeastern Mass. Their last album "Fire from the Sky" had dropped around that time and we talked about that great recording.

Back to Brian. He's such a solid dude and makes everyone feel noticed when he's chatting it up. He signed both items I brought with me and we talked a little about the Dead, the work out videos I hope he starts doing again and seeing him play with Transient at the Brass Cat in Easthampton back in the day. Off I went with my signed items and my wife met Brian for a quick selfie. IT made my weekend. Brian would later put on a killer set in Providence with beloved metalcore act Overcast. There are some great videos of that set floating around on the internet this week. Check'em out!

A signed print out of Brian and I's interview for this very Blog!

All of this wouldn't have happened without Roger Chouinard the main man behind Purchase St. Records and the drum kit of an awesome band ALL SINNERS. If you are in the New England area, you must stop into the shop and while you're there pick up the latest ALL SINNERS release. This was another FREE meet and greet event put on by Roger and the shop. Such a rare occasion these days. It's events and people like Roger that not only keep Metal alive but also accessible to folks especially during this economy.

My signed copy of Art of Touring and a cool Hardcore Trading Card

See Links for More Info!
Purchase Street Records

Shadows Fall

https://www.allsinnerscult.com/site/about/

Do You Like a the Fuzz????

 

If you like a lotta fuzz, and not just a leetle fuzz, the brand new album by The Machine has got you covered..

THE MACHINE: ANOTHER SUN

If you have been reading my posts for a number of years, you have heard me rave about this band, and possibly you've noticed that I've included their music on quite a few of my stoner rock playlists.  Well they dropped another gem of an album yesterday, and I'm loving it.  This is the opening track; classic Machine:

The Machine are from the Netherlands.  

They are:

David Eering : Guitar, Vocals, Sitar, Synthesizer, Theremin, Percussion

Chris Both : Bass 

Klaas Dijkstra : Drums, Percussion

Check out the rest of Another Sun on Bandcamp here.

Best of 2026 (May - August)

 2026 STONER ROCK & METAL

May - August

Fall Harvest

 

Ready to pick.....

MASTODON: MARROW DEEP

Only a year after the passing of Brent Hinds,  a new Mastodon masterpiece.

The first four tracks are about as strong an opening as any album has ever had.  Listen for yourself here.

Mastodon:

Troy Sanders – Bass, lead and backing vocals 

Bill Kelliher – Rhythm guitar, backing vocals 

Brann Dailor – Drums, percussion, vocals 

Nick Johnston – Lead guitar, backing vocals 

João Nogueira – Keyboards, synthesizer

REZN: CYCLES IN THE INFINITE DREAM

REZN's 2024 "Burden" was in my top ten albums of 2024, and their new album is just as good.

(It is technically not a fall album, having been released in July, but just go with it; it's still ripe for the picking)

I saw REZN open for Elder a couple of years ago, and they blew me away.

REZN are:

Rob McWilliams – Vocals, guitar, sitar

Phil Cangelosi – Bass, backing vocals

Patrick Dunn – Drums, percussion, sitar

Spencer Ouellette – Modular synthesizers, saxophone, lap steel guitar

You can listen to the whole album here.

The rest of these are ready for harvest soon, all to be released in September and October...

STONED JESUS: SONGS TO MOON

Stoned Jesus keeps getting better and better.  Last year's "Songs To Sun" was their best yet, and now, if the two pre-released tracks are indicative of the rest of the album, this one will top that.

Listen to this song twice, and don't be surprised if it's stuck in your head for the next three days; unbelievably catchy.

Igor Sydorenko – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards 

Andrew Rodin – Bass, Backing Vocals

Yurii Ciel – Drums, Backing Vocals

Listen to both pre-released tracks here.

MISSISSIPPI BONES:

MALADROIT BLUES FOR THE COLORBLIND

I own every one of Mississippi Bones' albums, and have played each one enough times that the vinyl or cassettes would be worn through, if I had bought them in those formats.  This band spoiled me for many years with the frequency of their releases, but this new one was four years in the making.  I can't wait to hear the rest. 

Mississippi Bones:

Jared Collins – Lead Vocals

Dusty Donley – Guitar

Derik Dunson – Guitar

Jason Rector – Bass

Jason Miller – Drums

Heather Collins? – Backing Vocals

(can't find confirmation but I think she's back in the band)

Pre-order here.

THE WELL: 

AND FLAMES RAN LIKE LIVING ANIMALS

The Well is one of my favorite bands of all time.  You may recall that they granted me an interview back in 2017.  Anyway, I am really liking the pre-released track, and can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

The Well:

Ian Graham – Guitar and Vocals

Lisa Alley – Bass and Vocals

Jason Sullivan

Pre-orders available here.

GRAVEYARD: FEVER

Here's another band where every single album is a masterpiece.  The band broke up in 2018, and it was like early Christmas when I learned that they're back with another album (and a new guitar player).  There will definitely be more than 10 albums that deserve top ten status this year.  To sound like a broken record, again I can't wait to hear the rest of this album!

Graveyard:

Joakim Nilsson – Lead vocals and guitar.

Truls Mörck – Bass guitar and vocals.

Oskar Bergenheim – Drums.

Pre-order here.

STINKING LIZAVETA: 

CASSANDRA: PROPHET OF DOOM

Ultra-original and ultra-cool instrumental trio Stinking Lizaveta are back, sounding familiar and fresh at the same time.

Stinking Lizaveta:

Yanni Papadopoulos – Guitar

Alexi Papadopoulos – Bass 

Cheshire Agusta – Drums 

Pre-order here.

STEAK: STEAK

Steak's "Acute Mania" and Sergeant Thunderhoof's "This Sceptred Veil" were my top two albums of 2022, in no particular order.  Knowing this, I pre-ordered this self-titled album before even listening to the pre-released tracks.  If the rest of the album is as good as those tracks, this will be high up my top albums list once again.

Steak:

Chris Haley – Lead Vocals

Reece Tee – Guitar

Tom Cameron – Guitar and Vocals

James Cameron – Bass

Dean Deal – Drums

Listen to all three pre-released tracks here.

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE: PERFECTH

There is no discussion of the history of "stoner rock" without mention of Josh Homme.  While the styles of music he plays have been diverse, it is inarguable that even in his mellower stages, everything he puts out is polished rock gold.  

Queens Of The Stone Age:

Josh Homme – Lead vocals, guitar, piano

Troy Van Leeuwen – Guitar, lap steel, keyboards, backing vocals

Michael Shuman – Bass guitar, keyboards, backing vocals

Dean Fertita – Keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Jon Theodore

You can hear both pre-released tracks here.

VALLEY OF THE SUN:

THE BLACKLIGHT SESSIONS

I love this band and have seen them tear it up live.  So many albums to look forward to this fall!

Valley Of The Sun:

Ryan Ferrier – Guitar, Lead Vocals

Chris Sweeney – Bass, Keyboards 

Johnny Kathman

Pre-orders here.