While it's impossible to confuse Planet of Zeus with Clutch, I am not the only one to note some parallels between them. Both bands have had an uncanny ability to evolve while still satisfying their fans' expectations. Both bands play energetic riff-heavy rock and excel live.
Since Grownman invited me to post for this site in 2014, I have reviewed the last three Planet of Zeus albums and professed my love for each one of them. I pre-ordered this one before even listening to the pre-released track. Listening to it only reinforces my 'evolving while satisfying fans' expectations' comment. These guys are elite songwriters and musicians, and I can't wait to hear the rest of this album.
Here's the official video for "Baptized In His Death". I will plead "no idea" on what's going on in this video, but the song kept me watching until the end
Planet of Zeus are from Athens, and have been tearing it up since 2008.
Have a Heapin' Helpin' of Some Rock 'n' Roll With Me....
Stoner, That Is; Sit a Spell; Take Your Shoes Off...
These Just In:
FU MANCHU: THE RETURN OF TOMORROW
Three Decades Of Fu Manchu
And you'd never even know it; this is as aggressive and energetic as anything they've ever put out, and probably their greatest masterpiece. Well-written, catchy and extremely heavy, this album is a must-own, soon-to-be stoner rock classic. I am just going to feature the first two tracks, and will just say there are eleven other tracks just as great as these.
Bob Balch deserves a Stoner Rock Artist of the Year award, but more on that later.
The legendary Fu Manchu are:
Scott Hill: Guitar, Vocals
Bob Balch: Guitar
Brad Davis: Bass, Vocals
Scott Reeder: Drums, Vocals
GREENLEAF: THE HEAD & THE HABIT
Swedish Veterans Return To Destroy
Here's another band who has yet to burn out. Twenty four years after their initial release, Tommi Holappa's Greenleaf are back with yet another elite and essential album (sound familiar?)
This album just came out yesterday, but here are two of my early favorites:
Greenleaf are all elite musicians, and are:
Arvid Hällagård – vocals
Tommi Holappa – guitar
Hans Fröhlich – bass
Sebastian Olsson – drums
RIFFLORD: 39 SERPENT POWER
Third Time's The Charm
You can't name your band Rifflord without having a bad-ass sound, and while both of Rifflord's first two albums do a great job of justifying that title, this new release is definitely my favorite. Rifflord tunes are usually under 5 minutes long but pack tons of ideas and lots of aggression into those spaces. Quite often in the first albums I'd find myself wishing they lingered on a particular riff a bit longer. 39 Serpent Power has me saying "that was perfect" after each tune. This is another album that was released yesterday, but I've been playing it a lot and here are two early favorites:
Rifflord are from South Dakota. They are:
Wyatt Bronc: Bass, Vocals Douglas Jennings Barrett: Drums Tory Jean Stoddard: Keyboards Samuel Hayes: Guitar Dustin Vano: Guitar
WIZZERD: KRONIA
Relative Newcomers Are Elite Rockers
Wizzerd have been making awesome stoner rock for less than a decade, but especially with this release deserve to be ranked among the best stoner bands out here. Kronia has it all; truly interesting and elite songwriting, excellent musicianship, unique sounds, and really cool vocals. This makes a third album released yesterday that I can't get enough of, and again I'm going to share with you two early favorites:
Kronia really has the feel of an EP, clocking in at just under 24 minutes total, but it seems another release entitled "Saturnalia" is slated for October. I can't wait.
Wizzerd are from Montana. They are:
Jhalen Salazar: Guitar, Vocals
Jamie Yeats: Guitar Sam Moore: Drums Layne Matkovich: Bass
High Desert Queen has been around for a few years, but I first became aware of them when I heard their split with Blue Heron on Ripple Music's "Turned To Stone" series. I featured tunes from both bands on my "Stoner Rock: May 2023 - August 2023" playlist, and loved the three High Desert Queen tunes enough that I instantly pre-ordered this new album when it went on sale a couple of months ago. The video for the title track, as well as the album itself, were released today. A very entertaining video and a truly epic song. Hear for yourself:
I love the whole sound; this will definitely end up as one of my favorite albums of the year, and I will be immersing myself in this album all week and beyond. Here is the pre-released track, along with the accompanying video:
That manager may have missed the boat with the protein shakes and the gym memberships, but he sure hit the nail on the head with the promotional sunglasses.
High Desert Queen are from Austin, Texas.
They are:
Ryan Garney: Vocals
Rusty Miller: Guitar
Phil Hook: Drums
Morgan Miller: Bass
You can find this gem of an album here, and might be interested in checking out he band's website here
I fell in
love with this band from the time I discovered “Time Travel Dilemma” back in
2017. Since then Spaceslug has had
instant purchase status with me every time they release a new album. Each album takes me by surprise in some way,
as their songwriting evolves.
“Leftovers” really took me by surprise with its largely acoustic guitar
sound, but eventually became my favorite album.
Now that I was expecting more of that, Spaceslug surprises me
again. Not quite a return to any
previous sound, but reminiscent of albums like “Memorial” and “Eye Of The Tide”
at times. “Out Of Water” overpowers you
with a wall of guitar, bass, drums, unique vocal harmonies and lots of subtle
complexities to the songwriting.
The
opening track, “Tears Of Antimatter”, is as good a track as any to start with,
and is best listened to loud:
There is a
long list of Polish stoner rock bands that have legendary status in my book,
with Spaceslug and Weedpecker being my two favorites.
Spaceslug
are:
Bartosz Janik: Guitar, Vocals
Jan Rutka: Bass, Vocals
Kamil Ziolkowski: Drums, Vocals
TAKE TWO:
UFOMAMMUT: HIDDEN
(artwork by Malleus Rock Art Lab)
MASSIVE WALL OF SOUND (2)
Ufomammut are another band that engages you with a full-scale sonic assault. Lots of bottom and lots of depth. Much like Spaceslug, Ufomammut really can't be adequately compared to any other band due to the uniqueness of what they do. "Hidden" sees their songwriting evolve to another level, with lots of nuances to be enjoyed with repeated listens.
Again, I am going with the lead track, and again I recommend excessive volume to really appreciate this band. Relax and let the tune take you where it will. This is "Crookhead":
Ufomammut are from Italy, and have been producing skull-crushing heavy psychedelic rock for about a quarter of a century now. Not getting complacent in the least, they have produced my favorite album in their lengthy discography. They are:
Poia – Guitars and Fxs Urlo – Bass, Vocals, Fxs and Synths Levre – Drums & Fxs Ciccio – Soundlord
From the band's website:
VERY IMPORTANT: UFOMAMMUT= UFO: U(nidentified) F(lying) O(bject) – MAMMUT: italian for mammoth “UFOMAMMUT” should be pronounced in the italian way, sounding like “oofomammoot”…
Sundrifter, Leather Lung, and now Black Pyramid make three Massachusetts bands to put out albums that rank among the year's best.
This tune sets the backdrop for the remainder of the album
Did you, like me, get your hopes up when you heard there's new Black Pyramid album, but worry that after all this time the music might not be as good?
If so, I can tell you that as soon as you play the opening track, you'll be starting to realize that you just bought the best Black Pyramid album there is.
Black Pyramid are:
Andy Beresky – guitar, vocals, keyboards, effects Eric Beaudry – bass, effects, vocals Andy Kivela – drums, percussion, keyboards, effects, vocals
Saturday, May 11, 2024
DOOM BLANKET BINGO
This came out last year, but I'm just stumbling upon it.
BOG MONKEY: HOLLOW
Bog Monkey are from Atlanta. They are different and VERY heavy. I'd like to add that the drum player is a boss. (Don't you think this tune has a bit of a beach blanket bingo vibe, but in a doomy style?)
"Facemint" is my early favorite, and did I mention that the drum player is bad-ass?
As far as I can tell, Bog Monkey are:
Zach(right): Guitar & Vocals
Joji(left): Bass
Doug(center): Drums
By the way, the album art is dope; it would make for a really cool black-light poster.
A shamelessly long playlist full of cool music that's come out in the top third of 2024. The last three tunes would make a great playlist by themselves I think.
