THESE JUST OUT!

 

DEAD MEADOW: VOYAGER TO VOYAGER

A brand new Dead Meadow, with the last bass tracks ever laid down by Steve Kille, who succumbed to cancer last April.  This was released today, but after one listen I believe it will land in my top few favorite Dead Meadow albums.  Check out the lead track:  

The incomparable Dead Meadow, originally from Washington D.C.:

Jason Simon: Guitar, Vocals

Steve Kille: Bass

Mark Laughlin: Drums

L'IRA DEL BACCANO/YAMA: TEMPUS DEORUM

L'Ira Del Baccano produced one of my top 10 favorite albums of 2023, and now they have a new single, released in a split with a band I had never heard before, but am so glad I found.  Also released today, this album has already blown me away.  Check out these amazing tracks:

This is so freaking heavy:

And here is the band that caused me to pre-order this album:

Yama are from The Netherlands.  They are:

Alex Schenkels: vocals, bluesharp
Sjoerd Albers: guitar
Peter Taverne: bass
Joep Schmitz: drums

L'Ira Del Baccano are from Italy.  They are:

Alessandro “Drughito” Santori - guitar
Roberto Malerba - guitar/synth
Sandro “fred” Salvi - drums
Ivan Contini Bacchisio - bass

And finally, released three weeks ago today, (and it's been in my car playlist shuffle ever since), is this masterpiece from a band that keeps getting better with each release:

THE DEATH WHEELERS: THE ECSTASY OF MOLD

The Death Wheelers add to their bag of tricks with each and every record.  Easily one of the best stoner rock/heavy psych/doom instrumental bands of all time, these tunes never drag or get stale.  The Death Wheelers are masterful songwriters and musicians, and take no prisoners.  Even though it's early, I am confident this will remain one of my favorite albums of 2025 when December rolls around.  Here is one of 10 tracks that each rate a 10 out of 10:

The Death Wheelers are from Quebec, Canada.  They are:

Max ‘the axe’ Tremblay 

Hugo ‘red beard’ Bertacchi 

Richard ‘the bastard’ Turcotte 

Ed ‘back from the dead’ Desaulniers

If you want more Stoner Rock, check out my Stoner Rock #29 Playlist here.

Until next time.

Stay Heavy!!!

2022 Top Ten Albums

 

2022 Top Twenty Stoner Rock Albums (#10-1)

The second half of my top 20 heavy rock albums list for 2022. One song from each album, beginning with album #10 and finishing with album #1. 

Artist/Album/Track info displayed for the first 10 seconds of each tune.

Each tune is one I've never posted or included in a playlist.  
The idea is that since these are the best albums of the year, they're deep enough that I don't need to 
re-post in order to make a classic playlist:

And remember: Top Ten lists exist to spread the word on great music.  If you know some great music that I missed, don't get mad; drop a link to your own list and I'll check it out.

In case you're courageous enough to play it and have it finish at midnight, the playlist is an hour one minute and 3 seconds, plus whatever ads Youtube plays.

                                                                                                           

#10: "The Faceless King" by Vitskär Süden.

  Great complex heavy psych.  Think heavier Pink Floyd and you'll be in the right neighborhood.  

I'm confident others will pick this as their number 1 album, and I understand why.

#9: "Oh Death" by Goat

In back to back years now, Goat has put out a heavy psychedelic rock masterpiece, 

and now they've wormed their way into my head 

and climbed the ladder of what I prefer to listen to. 

#8:  "Creature Features & Cult Classics" by Mississippi Bones 

A full-length Mississippi Bones release is a guaranteed top 10 album for me, and the rate at which they produce GREAT rock music is mind-boggling.  There needs to be a stronger word than underappreciated when it comes to Mississippi Bones.

#7:  "King" by Gnome

These are the tunes every garage band is going to want to cover.  Hundreds of epic and forceful guitar riffs, seamlessly intertwined into a masterful soundtrack for a story about an endangered race fighting for its life.  A Youtube comment noted that the story parallels that of Ukraine.

 

#6: "Force Form Free" by Dead Meadow

This is a more spacey heavy psych, but also top 10 worthy heavy psych from 2022.  For those already familiar with Dead Meadow, I think you'll agree this is in the discussion for their best album.  For those unfamiliar with these stoner rock veterans, "Force Form Free" is an excellent place to start.

(then go back and start with album 1, and go in order)

#5: "Innate Passage" by Elder 

          

Now we're on the prog side of heavy psych, but again more top 10 worthy heavy psych from 2022.  

Elder continues to amaze.  Hard to say this is not their best album.

#4:  "Primordial" by Telekinetic Yeti        

Alex Baumann said it started out as a challenge to "see how heavy we can make it with just two people".  He and Rockwel Heim have succeeded in producing an album more badass than just about everyone else.  "Primordial" is my #4 album of 2022.

#3:  "Take All You Can" by Freedom Hawk

I loved the Meteor City Freedom Hawk albums, and really liked all the others, but "Take All You Can" is Freedom Hawk's most perfect album yet.  Freedom Hawk is American guitar rock, with a positive energy and a weirdly wholesome vibe.  I can't get enough of this album, and in many other years this would have been my top album

#2:  "Acute Mania" by Steak

Steak has achieved a new level of songwriting.  The degree of planning and forethought shown on this album is rivalled by only one other album this year.

#1:  "This Sceptred Veil" by Sergeant Thunderhoof

"This Sceptred Veil" is that other album.  There were two perfect albums in 2022, and these finished in the same order of hours of enjoyment provided to me that year.

Happy New Year
ULTRA  

 

COMING SOON

DEAD MEADOW: FORCE FORM FREE

Dead Meadow are back with a new album they began work on in 2021, some 23 years after their first album back in 1998.  I've always loved Dead Meadow's unique spacey, fuzzed out take on stoner rock, and am really looking forward to hearing this new one, due to hit "the shelves" on December 9th.

The band describes this album as spacey and dreamy at times, grimly propulsive at others.  This pre-released track falls into the 'spacey and dreamy' category.  

Dead Meadow states that they are "continuing their effortless exploration of the transporting, astral-gazing form they’ve spent their entire existence pushing forward."

Right on.  

Dead Meadow are currently featuring their original lineup:

Jason Simon: Guitar and Vocals

Steve Kille: Bass

Mark Laughlin: Drums

WITCHFINDER: FORGOTTEN MANSION

I've already played the two tunes on Witchfinder's June release, "Endless Garden", countless times.  I came to appreciate both tunes more and more with each listen, as I got sucked into their unique sonic atmospheres, combining heavy with melodic and spacey components.  Their sound is more aggressive than Dead Meadow's, but just as unique.

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to hearing five more tunes on November 18th.

Here is the pre-released track, "Ghosts Happen To Fade":

Witchfinder are from Clermont Ferrand, France.

They are:

Clément Mostefai: vocals, bass
Stanislas Franczak: guitar
Thomas Dupuy: drums
Kevyn Raecke: keyboard

There will be guest vocals by Haldor Grunberg, on the track "Marijuana"

As you know, sharing music is my passion and I appreciate  you checking in each week

DEAD  MEADOW: The Nothing They Need

Twenty Year Career Converges to This Masterpiece

Steve Kille, Jason Simon, their three drum players over the years, and Corey Simon (extra guitar) have all gotten together to create Dead Meadow's finest release, entitled "The Nothing They Need".  This is my favorite, finally replacing my previous favorite, their self-titled debut album.   All the releases in between are high quality as well, but this one is overall a bit more energetic, with a bluesy heaviness on every track, and the production quality is excellent, really emphasizing the talent of each musician.  

No band over the years has managed to sound so sleepy and dreamy, while keeping words like "heavy" and "Sabbath-y" appropriate.  Here is one of my favorites, "Nobody Home":

Now another great one, "Here With The Hawk":

As mentioned, "The Nothing They Need" has contributions from former drummers Mark Laughlin and Stephen McCarty, as well as guitarist Cory Shane, but the current core lineup is:

Jason Simon: Vocals, Guitar

Steven Kille: Bass

Juan Londono: Drums

2018 is really promising to be an epic year for Stoner Rock, with this classic joining releases from Weeepecker, Fu Manchu and Crypt Trip, and a new Freedom Hawk album about to be released.  I need extra hours in the day just to be able to listen to all the great music I've already added to my library this year.  I've got a couple of things to share next weekend as well.  Until then, keep it heavy!

-ULTRA