2025 Top Ten Stoner Rock Albums (#10-1)

Of course, there are great albums I'm unaware of, but here are my top ten favorite albums I've bought this year:

 

#10: Death Wheelers: The Ecstasy Of Möld

The Death Wheelers get better with each release.  They are now my favorite instrumental stoner rock band.  Every track on this is perfect, and if you told me it should be #1 on the list, I wouldn't argue.

#9: Nightstalker: Return From The Point Of No Return

I've always loved Nightstalker, and this is one of their best albums.  It soothes my soul.

#8: Dozer: Rewind To Return: Rarities, Singles And B-Sides

The fact that Dozer had this much quality unreleased music blows me away.  Even though this is older music, these gems were released this year, making this a top 10 album of the year.

#7: Stonebirds: Perpetual Wastelands

I didn't like this a lot the first time I played it, but I did seek it out again and started a sequence of events which resulted in every single one of these tunes being cemented in my head.

#6: Froglord: Metamorphosis

Froglord does not disappoint!!!

#5: The Riven: Visions Of Tomorrow

In a different era, I think this band would have been huge.  Great musicians and songwriters, and a flawless album.

#4: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs: Death Hilarious

This album is also perfect.  The creativity along with the sheer heaviness of their sound makes this band special.  I was close to making this album #1

#3: Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd - 50 Years Later

An impressive addition to the "50 Years Later" series of tribute albums.  Again, a situation where I didn't like all these covers at first, but they wormed their way into my head to the point where I love every single one.

2: Motorpsycho: Motorpsycho

Motorpsycho are consistently operating on a different plane than everybody else.  How they have been this good for this long is mind-boggling.

#1: Brimstone Coven: The Light Shines Not For Thee

How does anything beat that Motorpsycho album?  While I can't rationalize the answer, I can say that I've just played this one more often.  I've been playing it since I bought it, and that makes it my favorite album of 2025.

Happy New Year!!!!

I didn't have time to make posts for these, but if you're interested, you can find my #30-21 album picks here, and my #20-11 album picks here

LOOMING ON  THE HORIZON

Two upcoming albums which promise to be special

THE RIVEN:

Another great rock band from Sweden?  Go figure.  Check out this preview track, from the album which will be released on March 1st. 

BLACK LUNG: ANCIENTS

Hard to categorize, but definitely heavy while melodic, and bluesy while experimental.  Black Lung's last album really covered a lot of musical ground, and I expect this one to do so as well.  Here is the pre-released track, with the rest of the album due on March 8th.  Cool album art too, don't you think?
This is the title track, "Ancients":

 Here is one of my favorites from Black Lung's 2016 album, "See The Enemy".  The song is "Crooked Finger":

I am very much looking forward to these albums based on the strength of the pre-released tracks, and both bands' previous work.  Go forth and spread the word  on them.  

Until next time

-ULTRA

TOP TEN  ROCK TUNES OF 2017

Finishes with my pick for #1 Stoner Rock tune of 2017, but otherwise the order is simply determined by nice transitions.  This and the 2015 top ten albums playlist are my two greatest playlists to date.  

Even if you don't agree with my choices for top ten, I think you have to agree that these are ten awesome tunes, that flow really nicely into each other.  Let me know what you think:

Six of the ten songs are the lead track on that album.

Working on my top ten albums playlist - more challenging, because I try to use tunes that I haven't posted on the blog yet, almost to make the point that there are so many great tunes on each album, which is why they made the top ten.  

Back soon with more

-ULTRA

I Got Your 1970's Right Here

2017: 1970's Sympathizer

Check out these 1970's-inspired tunes, released in the current calendar year.  If you've got about 14 minutes, I've got three tunes that  if you close your eyes, will have you wearing your Foghat t-shirt and your knee-high tube socks before you can say WCOZ.  I am proud of the flow of this playlist, and hope you will hear it the way I do. 

70s Today from Ultra Sounds on Vimeo.

I have reviewed each of these bands within the last couple of months.  Hope you will spread the word on these awesome bands if you have not done so already.  

Over and out;  Back next weekend with some more stoner rock; until then, check out Grownman's posts; Over and out     -ULTRA

THE RIVEN - BLACKBIRD

New Stoner Rock, Released Within the Last 24 Hours

Got tipped off on this one by "FDJ" on bandcamp, and purchased after a single listen.  Not much information available on this band, but I am a sucker for bands with a 1970's sound, great guitar bass and drums, and fresh songwriting.  The Riven's "Blackbird" has all of this, in generous amounts.  Vocalist Charlotta is excellent, but this would still be a great album if she were left out.  

First, let's go with "Killer On The Loose", with a real retro feel:

Next, the lead-off track, "Ain't No Doctor".  Check out the diversity of awesome rock contained within this one tune.  This is a first release, but I can't imagine this is the first band for any of these people; it is simply too good:

You just heard two tunes off of this release, and these plus three others are available here for 4 euros, which translates into about 5 dollars.  
The Riven is:
Charlotta Ekebergh - Vocals
Arnau Diaz - Guitar
Max Ternebring - Bass Guitar
Olof Axegärd - Drums

Looking forward to learning more about this band, and hearing what comes next.  In the meantime, these five tracks tell me a lot.  Hope you have enjoyed these tracks too.  Until next time  -ULTRA