Turns Out It Wasn't The Final Countdown

 Call me ignorant, but I thought the band Europe went away after their big hit "The Final Countdown".

Apparently, they never stopped making music, and I found this on my YouTube feed this afternoon:

Pretty polished and very catchy, and makes me want to hear the rest of the album, which is due September 25.

What do you all think??

Metal Up Your Ears....

 AXE DRAGGER

Released yesterday, this album is bound to make a lot of "Best Of" lists at the end of the year.

As quoted from their Bandcamp page...

"Forged across state lines and fueled by sheer riff worship, AXE DRAGGER is the true supergroup heavy metal has been waiting for. Born from the long-distance communion of Fu Manchu guitarist Bob Balch and ex-Pentagram drummer Pete Campbell, the project achieved legendary status with the additions of original Pantera vocalist Terry Glaze and Dark Funeral bassist Fredrik Isaksson.

Soaked in the soaring 80s metal spirit of titans like Riot, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Dio and Armored Saint, and adorned with modern weight and production, their self-titled debut album is a timeless, earth-shaking beast, meticulously crafted crash by crash over a relentless year. AXE DRAGGER reloads the golden age of heavy metal in legendary fashion, staging a full-blown takeover of all headbangers' stereos worldwide. Prepare for the next heavy metal classic!"

Strong words, but this band delivers.  Hear for yourself.  I have had the pre-released tune "Axe Dragger" stuck in my head for over a week.

Here's another tune with a video:

Bob Balch's playing here, along with his work in the band Slower, shows he's not just a guitar god for stoner rock, but for heavy metal also.

Fredrik Isaksson: Bass

Minnesota Pete Campbell: Drums

Terry Glaze: Vocals

Bob Balch: Guitar

  

 STUFF I MISSED FROM 2025

(Part 3)

Here's another album from 2025 that should have been high in my rankings:

OTU: YOU'LL GET THROUGH THIS

Now here's one that I didn't really miss;  I bought it back in May, but didn't really recognize how great it is until the new year.  I liked it, but for whatever reason didn't play it much.  Recently I decided to revisit it, and realized what an absolute guitar legend Otu is on this album.  All twelve tunes have their own distinct feel, but each of them is sneakily completely bad-ass.  Here are two that might help get your attention, but all of them are worth your while if you like your music heavy.

Otu is a musical phenom, singlehandedly writing, playing and producing everything he puts out.  Perhaps you've seen some of his "If _________ Wrote ________" tunes on YouTube;  they are phenomenal.  To say that he nails every artist he attempts to sound like is an understatement, and now I am just starting to appreciate his own original songwriting.

Check out Otu on YouTube and on Bandcamp

Happy Thanksgiving

 

I really enjoyed this era of metal; what about you?

This is 25 years old now, but seems like yesterday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 STONEBIRDS: PERPETUAL WASTELAND

This French band from Brittany has been around since 2008 but are new to me.  Thanks to Ripple Music, I have found them and will definitely be checking out their earlier releases next.  I find this album addictive, and more engaging with each listen.  I love all six tracks, but these are two of my favorites:

 

Stonebirds are:

Fañch Le Corre : Vocal / Guitars
Antoine Delhumeau: Drums
Sylvain Collas : Bass/vocal

 

Sölicitör: Enemy In Mirrors

Seattle's Sölicitör is back with a full-length old-school heavy metal album, not sounding like, 

but clearly influenced by bands like Metal Church and Judas Priest

Sölicitör are (were):

Matthew Vogan - guitars
Patrick Fry - guitars
Damon Cleary-Erickson - bass
Johan Waymire - drums
Amy Lee Carlson - vocals

I say "were", because guitar player Patrick Fry has just left the band, and they are currently looking for a replacement.  If interested, see their Facebook page for requirements and how to apply for the job.

You can find this banger of an album on Bandcamp here.

Heavy Medicine

 Because I had a craving for this recently, I am sharing 

Have Some Heavy Metal

OK Grownman usually supplies the metal posts and I supply the stoner rock, but tonight I'm posting some choice metal from 12 years ago.  It came up on my shuffle, and I remembered how sick this album was, and in particular this tune: 

Los Buscadores del Movimiento Perpetuo (LBDMP) are from Buenos Aires.  

They are currently:

Hernán Pérez - Vocals
Lucas Martínez - Guitar
Guido Soldini - Bass

Damián Sagaian - Drums

Hope you enjoyed this memory, or heard something you didn't know about.

DIRTY PAGANS: FOREVER HIGH

Dirty Pagans' 2021 album "The Family" was my #3 favorite album of 2021, and they have exceeded expectations with their latest album, "Forever High".  Heavy as an elephant made of lead with a belly full of rocks, there are hooks and riffs galore, expert songwriting, masterful musicianship and intermittent tasteful injections of falsetto.  "Forever High" should satisfy metalheads and stoner rock fans alike, and should make a lot of top ten lists this year.  Here is the title track:

And here is the opening track:

Dirty Pagans are from Adelaide, Australia.  They are:

Matty Dee: Guitar, Vocals

Gregory 'Francisco' Challis: Guitar

James Russo: Bass

Jarradeesha Taylor: Drums

If you liked these tracks, check out the other six here, and go spread the word so these guys will keep making music for decades to come.

 

I have a soft spot for heavy music that does something different.

I came across this today and was pleasantly surprised.  The wooden flute-type instrument in conjunction with the guitar is a little dissonant at times, yet I still think this is cool.

I love how they got the crowd fired up with just the didgeridoo-type instrument, weird whistle, shouting and drums.  Enter the bonus weird rituals being acted out on stage, and I am compelled to share:

This band is new to me, but this has piqued my interest and I will be exploring their studio work.  I hope some of you dug it too.

On the Horizon...

LA CHINGA: PRIMAL FORCES

Vancouver's La Chinga produced one of my top ten favorite albums of 2018.  At the time, I described the album Beyond The Sky as "everything that was awesome about late 80's hair metal, without the cheesy parts".  In October, we're getting another album, and based on the pre-released track, I am expecting it to be in my top ten albums of 2023.  There are nine other tunes to come, but here is "Light It Up":

In late June, Pale Wizard Records released the Budgie tribute album "Never Turn Your Back On A Friend: 50 Years Later", and La Chinga had one of my favorite tracks on that album, a bonus cover of "Guts", the leadoff track from Budgie's debut album.  Here it is:

In my opinion, La Chinga are better songwriters and musicians than a lot of the bands that sold out huge venues back in the 80's.  I hope you'll pass along this great throwback metal to a friend or two and spread the word.

La Chinga are:

Jason Solyom: Drums

Ben Yardley: Guitar, Vocals

Carl Spackler: Bass, Vocals

For those of you who came for the Metal

 If you checked out the last post but wished it was metal, this one's for you...

This was Superheavygoatass, from Austin, Texas:

Russell Abbott - Guitar, Vocals

Tim Hurt - Drums

Brent Boepple - Bass

Derek Halfmann - Guitar

 That new TORSO album made me nostalgic for some early Possessor.  

Check this out; this is the first Possessor tune I ever heard; the one that converted me.  (There was no video then; in fact it was hard to find a picture or any info on the band members at that time)

This song was from the 2106 album "Dead By Dawn"

Out today......

 

TORSO: A CRASH COURSE IN TERROR

I've been a big fan of Possessor since Grownman turned me on to them back in 2016.

Guitar player/singer/writer Graham Bywater has released a solo project, and while less flamboyant than Rob Zombie, Graham has similarly infused great music with a horror theme, complete with striking cover art and uniquely artistic videos.  

Here's the second video:

(If you're not doing it full-screen, then you're not doing it right)

I previously posted the first video here.

I love Graham's take on heavy metal, and only wish this album were longer (it's 29 and a half minutes).  I will compensate by including some of my favorite Possessor tunes along with TORSO in my commuting playlist this week.

Happy Friday

 RAUNCHY DOUBLE FEATURE

The Death Wheelers is a Vancouver heavy instrumental band who are motorcycle enthusiasts and lovers of underground films featuring extreme deparavity.  Today they released two tracks at the extremely affordable name your own price.  This one has a video and is awesome.  I have never been disappointed with a Death Wheelers purchase.

This was released on Halloween.  It's a British band called TORSO, featuring Graham Bywater of Possessor, with a pre-released track from an album expected in late January.  Another great tune with an equally great video.

 LAS CRUCES: COSMIC TEARS

Las Cruces have been around since the mid 90's, but it's been over a decade (since 2009!) since they released an album.  They lost their drummer Paul De Leon last year to Covid, but have now released this masterpiece of an album, which I assume Paul played on.  They have a new singer, who is the whole package; range, presence and power.  Cosmic Tears pays homage to heavy music from four decades, with influences from 80's metal right through the current day.  Turn your volume up and listen for yourself:

Las Cruces are from San Antonio, Texas.

They are:

George Trevino - Guitar

Mando Tovar - Guitar

Jason - Vocals

Paul De Leon (rest in peace) - Drums

Jimmy Bell - Bass

Another great release from Ripple Music, go pick this up; you won't be disappointed.

-ULTRA

 METAL

Was writing a completely different post, but heard this and it's too perfect not to be shared.

I don't think Switzerland's neutral anymore; they opted for severe metal.

I'll show you what I had been writing next weekend.

JUST BECAUSE IT'S HEAVY 

This is "Earth Shaker" from Possessor's 2017 album, "The Ripper".

If your volume is high the song will earn its name.

I just downloaded the new Geezer album, as well as some pre-release tracks by Paralyzed and Electric Mountain.  I'll be sure to share any highlights next weekend.

 Sölicitör: All Debts on Death

Twenty Twenty Two

"Cities on flame", who I follow on Bandcamp, bought this and the album art compelled me to give it a listen.  Two tracks of '80's inspired metal will have you thinking of bands like Metal Church, Megadeth, Death Angel and Flotsam and Jetsam while you try to figure out exactly who they remind you of.  

I know that since I've become the primary writer here the name of the blog should really be 'Stoner Rock Textbooks' or 'Heavy Psych Textbooks', but today's post is pure unadulterated scathing heavy metal, true to the site's title.

Prepare to be devastated:

Sölicitör are from Seattle, and they've got a full-length album from 2020 that I suspect you'll 

want to check out as well.

They are:

Matthew Vogan - guitars
Patrick Fry - guitars
Damon Cleary-Erickson - bass
Johan Waymire - drums
Amy Lee Carlson - vocals

More next weekend, of course!

-ULTRA

HOT OFF THE PRESS

John 5 manages to simultaneously show off and keep it catchy.

John 5 manages to simultaneously wear a fancy trash bag and be awesome.

I guess the most appropriate thing to say is that the man is on another level. 

I saw a Youtube comment indicating disappointment that Dave Mustaine didn't have a guitar solo in this song.

One of the biggest reasons Dave Mustaine is such a huge icon in heavy metal is that he's always surrounded himself with elite guitar talent.  I'm pretty sure Dave recognized what John 5 was doing here and was content to maintain an auxiliary role.

PS: Google "John 5 and David Lee Roth".

You won't be disappointed.

-ULTRA out!