Heavy Metal Textbooks

CONTINUCOPIA

Here's a continuation of last weekend's cornucopia post:

Red Fang: Only Ghosts

Everything you expect from Red Fang: high quality, sincere, odd-ball, ass-kicking music with as many different takes on hard rock as there are tunes.  These guys are some bad-ass nerds.  Here is their video for "Shadows":

Throttlerod: Turncoat

I picked up my first Throttlerod album this year.  They have been putting out music for almost twenty years.  My take?  Very good hard rock.  I have several 'likes' on this album, and here is one of them:  "The Guard", the album's closing track:

(PS: Can't listen to "Gainer": the only track I dislike.  The rest of this is pretty worthy)

Thundering Herd: Backyard Junkyard

Leans more towards metal than stoner rock, but one of the things stoner rock means to me is "cool underdog rock band".  If these guys were more popular, I would not be reviewing them, but here is a really cool band tearing it up eleven times on their debut album.  Only five bucks on Bandcamp; lots to like here.  I look forward to hearing their progression over the years to come.

Asteroid: III

Seven years after their second album, I thought Asteroid was a band who had come and gone.  Both their first records are high on my list of "stoner rock" recommendations so naturally I was stoked when I found out there was a new album to be had.  My biggest complaint is that after all this time, the album is only thirty six minutes long.  A bit mellower than I expected too, but still as worthy as stoner rock gets.  Asteroid's albums have gotten shorter with each release though, which is the only reason you won't see them on my top ten list this year.  Here is my favorite off of III, entitled "Wolf And Snake":

Monkey 3: Astra Symmetry

Switzerland's Monkey 3 is the Pink Floyd of Stoner Rock.  If you appreciate attention to detail and mathematically sprawling tunes which are all about setting a mood, then Monkey 3 is for you.  And if you own any of their albums you know that Monkey 3 does not disappoint.  Here is "The Guardian", off of yet another classic album:

Baby Woodrose: Freedom

From Copenhagen (home of King Diamond!) comes Baby Woodrose, a psychedelic rock band founded by guitar player (and former drummer) Uffe Lorenzen, aka Lorenzo Woodrose.  Baby Woodrose sounds more like late 60's rock than late 60's rock itself.  Underappreciated rock of the highest caliber.  Here's "Open Doors" from the new album:

Once again, I could keep going and I might, but I have a specific album review in mind for next weekend, and it's a "doozie"; stay tuned.  In the meantime, stay tuned for whatever gems Grownman has on deck.  Over and Out!!

-ULTRA