I’ve come to realize that Fans are not only the first level of Gatekeeping, but potentially the most toxic and destructive. I’m a Gatekeeper Events have conspired to make me think about and come to terms with one inescapable truth: I’m a Gatekeeper It’s unavoidable. The very nature of writing about bands and music in […]
Read More The Reviewer As Gatekeeper in the Heavy UndergroudThe blog “Clean and Sober Stoner” is transitioning to focus more on headphones while maintaining its musical essence. The author shares personal experiences with audio obsession, recovery, and the need to appreciate music over gear. The mission now includes highlighting high-quality recordings in the stoner doom and heavy rock genres.
Read More My Pivot to Headphones: The “Stonerphile” VisionFriendship Commanders’ newest album hits all the nostalgic nerves for a few generations of listeners. From grungy guitar to no-nonsense drums and pristine vocals, they offer up an easy-to-digest meal that has something for everyone at the table.
Read More bear: a lesson in the healing power of nostalgia from Friendship CommandersThis Top 12 Heavy Rock albums is the hardest list I’ve ever written. Doom. Post Rock. Heavy Metal. Sludge. I believe each of these albums could become iconic, and ranking them just seems wrong on so many levels.
Read More The Top 12 Heavy Rock Albums of September ’25Faetooth: A Sign of the Times It’s been an absolute crap show of a year, hasn’t it? With political turmoil and a general sense of unease hanging in the air, it’s easy to feel like we’re all spiraling. After the political (or more precisely: cultural) assassination, I’ve seen people I love and respect giving in […]
Read More Faetooth: Labyrinthine Is the Perfect Soundtrack for a ‘Soul-Crushing’ TimePrelude to Black Sunrise Black Sunrise just released their new album, Drowning, and it’s making me appreciate where I come from. The southern shores of Lake Michigan are a sight to behold. To the west, the incredible Chicago skyline stands out like giants reaching toward the cosmos. To the east, the historic national landmark, the […]
Read More Black Sunrise- DrowningPrelude to Black Sunrise Black Sunrise just released their new album, Drowning, and it’s making me appreciate where I come from. The southern shores of Lake Michigan are a sight to behold. To the west, the incredible Chicago skyline stands out like giants reaching toward the cosmos. To the east, the historic national landmark, the […]
Read More Black Sunrise- DrowningOakland’s very own Dread Spire was featured on KALX, at UC Berkley, and this writer feels especially lucky to be the California kid on the team who got to see them
Read More KALX Live: Dread SpireWe Weren’t Invited to the Party As the casual, mainstream world of rock revels in the afterglow of the Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne final hurrah and deals with the aftermath of Ozzy’s passing, the stoner rock world shrugged its shoulders and declared, “WTF?!, where were WE in this conversation?” Well, “WE” definitely weren’t in Birmingham that […]
Read More Rhune Festival: Back to the Future in a Post-Ozzy World!I first discovered Oakland, California’s stoner-punk heathens Glowing Brain when I randomly chose their excellent 2021 album Brain Dust out of the Sleeping Shaman’s review portal, based solely on the band’s name and press release. It went on to become an album that I revisit often, and it regularly appears on my work playlists. The […]
Read More Glowing Brain: Memory DistortionHibernaut just released their 2nd album, Obsidian Eye. Not only does it dominate with a relentless groove like the bastard son of Sleep and Celtic Frost, but it apparently has mystical healing powers as well. The Mystical Healing Powers of Hibernaut- Obsidian Eye You see, I’ve been battling a nasty upper respiratory infection that’s kicking […]
Read More The Mystical Healing Powers of Hibernaut- Obsidian EyeHello, Marty Williams here. I wanted to offer, if I may, a brief history of my musical evolution, as I’m excited about the opportunity to share my thoughts and opinions on any and all things rock & roll , with an ear for All That Is Heavy, for Monster Riff. Music has been a massive […]
Read More Marty Williams: My Journey Into All That Is HeavyThe California Bay Area offers a vibrant heavy music scene, particularly spotlighted by the notable duo Dread Spire, whose unique blend of doom, sludge, and prog captivates audiences.
Read More Dread SpireBut what I’ve learned to accept is that Black Sabbath is intensely personal. It’s a lived experience, and that experience forms the definition of what Black Sabbath is.
Read More Why I Skipped Black Sabbath: Back to the BeginningThe worst part of Whitehovse’s The Mighty One is that it’s incredible. Frustratingly, agonizingly great. Not good, but great.
Read More Whitehovse: The Mighty One (The most frustrating Stoner Album in years)The Top 14 Heavy Rock Albums of any given month are a bit of a challenge. I’m a bit rusty, but I’ll give it a shot! March came in like a lamb and had me thinking things have FINALLY calmed down in the Heavy Underground. It ended with the roar of a Lion, as late […]
Read More The Monster Riff Top 14 Heavy Rock Albums of MarchI don’t know how to feel but I want to try. What I Was Made For is helping. I am neither an overly large fan nor a hater of Billie Eilish. The same applies to Greta Girwig’s Barbie. What I have become a decidedly significant fan of is Iress, emerging underground superstars on the increasingly stellar […]
Read More Iress Covers What I Was Made ForHarvest of Ash let us post an early stream of their second album, Castaway. I do these things with PR companies like Desert Bloom PR because they’re a great way to promote all three of us. And it’s always good stuff. You would think by now I would stop being surprised. I mean, I listen […]
Read More The Crushing Doom of Harvest of AshTidal Coltaine is one of the many bands that stick out to me when I’m browsing Instagram. When I saw that they opened for Messa last year, I knew I had to check them out. Holy Shit! I missed a Monster from 2024. This is primal, blackened yet Progressive Doom that should be a great […]
Read More Coltaine: Forgotten WaysBandshee debuts their single “The Long Road,” showcasing their evolving sound with intricate guitar work and potent vocals, marking an exciting start to 2025.
Read More Premiere! Bandshee: The Long RoadI got to interview with Linda from Scorched Oak, highlighting her evolution as a musician and the excitement surrounding their album, Perception.
Read More Heavy on the Bass: My Interview with Linda from Scorched OakThou is like a salve, a razor, a cut, a healed wound. They are the heartbreak you feel deep inside, the anger at the world, the fury of fate, the distraught and downtrodden given voice. They are the sound of the gutter as it rages against the rain.
Read More Thou and Thou: The Monster Riff InterviewIf you’re not familiar with IROH, you should be. The band draws comparisons to some fuzzy, Alt-Metal meets Stoner Rock staples like Queens of the Stone Age, Torche and Crobot. Last year, the band released the post-apocalyptic concept album THEY RIDE, which peaked at number 38 on the April 2023 Doom Charts, filled with blistering tracks and […]
Read More Single Premiere: IROH Release CCR cover ‘Sinister Purpose’ VideoThe Monster Riff Top 5 Heavy Albums for October: Sanguine’s desert rock charm, 40 Watt Sun’s emotional depth, Chat Pile’s intense noise rock, Blood Incantation’s genre blend, and Blue Heron’s nostalgic riffs.
Read More The Monster Riff Top 5 Heavy Albums for OctoberThe Monster Riff Top 5 Heavy Albums for October: Sanguine’s desert rock charm, 40 Watt Sun’s emotional depth, Chat Pile’s intense noise rock, Blood Incantation’s genre blend, and Blue Heron’s nostalgic riffs.
Read More The Monster Riff Top 5 Heavy Albums for OctoberPat’s blog, Monster Riff, stands out with clean design and sharp humor, unlike mainstream rock sites. Embracing newcomers and offering guidance, he has become a distinctive voice in the rock community. With Pat still involved, a new writer prepares to take the reins, recognizing Pat’s irreplaceable influence. Check out their interview on Youtube.
Read More Into the Pandemonium: The Next Phase of Monster RiffHere’s your first chance to hear Moon Womb’s first single, She Wolf, from their upcoming debut: North Carolina is bringing yet another band into the Stoner/Doom fold, courtesy of Firelight Records. Moon Womb is teasing us all with an eerily original take on Doom that you have to hear to believe. Even I’m surprised at […]
Read More Exclusive: Stream Moon Womb’s First Single, She WolfClean and Sober Stoner recently published their Top 100 Albums of 2023, but regrets missing out on great December releases. They highlight the top Stoner/Doom albums of the month, praising Dark Shaman for sticking to traditional Doom and Nebula Drag for their heavy psychedelic sound. They also commend AWWKS for versatility and Warcoe for creating a unique Metal sound. The author identifies EMBR as a standout release, showcasing refined riffing and exceptional vocal performance.
Read More My Top Stoner/Doom Albums of December 2023Top 10 albums of November: I know that a lot of us are probably a little panicked at the amount of work ahead of us as we slide into December. I feel the urge, the temptation to wrap 2023 in a nice package and a shiny bow. In the meantime, we still have 30 days left in a year this has been absolutely fantastic across the entire spectrum of the heavy underground.
Read More Clean and Sober Stoner Top 10 albums of NovemberExperience the greatness of Fables of the Damned and Wizard Tattoo now! Although I highly recommend buying them off Bandcamp and getting the lyrics to fully enjoy the experience.
Read More Damn This Wizard TattooSo, if I’m really honest about it, Clean and Sober Stoner is partially a good-natured jab at the rigidity of traditional recovery. But it’s also a jab at Stoner/Doom culture as well, and the obsession the scene can have with a certain flower bud. It’s not out of anger, it’s just that the two extremes are kinda funny when you step back and look at it.
Read More WTF Is Clean And Sober Stoner?This might be the best thing David Grohl ever worked on. I bet he wishes he never had to write it. I wish he didn’t, either. But here we are.
Read More Foo Fighters’ But Here We Are: A Clean and Sobering ReviewFinally, the time is here for my monthly list, this time going to 11. Check out the full list on the Doom Charts. But these are my favorites for the month, and I’m sure I’ll be writing about something I missed during this hectic month. Thanks for reading! My Top 11 Stoner/Doom Releases HIBERNAUT – […]
Read More My Top 11 Stoner/Doom Releases, May 2023I always flashback to opening bands from back in the day, usually some variance of White suburban punk band with a chip on their shoulder and a bad cocaine habit coupled with an inhuman tolerance to alcohol while wearing a ripped Blag Flag or Bad Brains t-shirt. This was certainly not that.
Read More Throwing Down Live at the Local 506: Imperfect Son, EvilLeaf and Lie HeavyCheck out my reaction video (live, with the the band). Hit ’em up on Bandcamp, maybe even throw them a buck or two for the single. Luurch is the real thing, and if the upcoming full release is anything like this, they might have a monster on their hands.
And if I had a small, independent label, I’d take a few notes…
Read More The Single Life: Luurch unleashes The Pull (AKA Giraffe Nuts)Evil Leaf have been great friends and supporters of this blog and YouTube Channel, and I don’t know what we’d do without them! They have a GOOD chance for a spot in a lineup that would give them great exposure and help take them to the next level. They’ve been working their asses off, and […]
Read More Vote for Evil Leaf!!!That might be the only flaw with Mystic Majesty and Speak Your Mind. It delivers the goods with a velvet-wrapped jewelry hammer and not a maul. An audience craving earth-shattering bombast may have missed this “stoner” gem.
Read More Late to the Party: Mystic Majesty- Speak Your MindThere’s an old concept in science called “the observer effect,” where just observing something changes it. In counseling, there’s the “observer-effect bias.” I think people in treatment can intuitively feel when that’s happening.
Read More 30 Years of Heavy Recovery: Chapter 5- Thirty“Memento Mori,” the latest album by Hail the Void, has been lauded as a major event in the world of Heavy Metal. The album is praised for its exceptional quality, solidifying itself as a clear contender for Album of the Year. The reviewer sees it as an extraordinary improvement from the band’s debut, drawing inspiration from the fundamental elements of classic Heavy Metal without imitating them. The musicianship and production are highly praised, particularly the vocals and the guitar work, displaying both respect for tradition and distinctive modernity. Rock has indeed died, and it now hails the void!
Read More Rock has Indeed Died, and It Now Hails the VoidThe author reflects on their journey through addiction, influenced by music and the tragic loss of Chris Cornell. Despite struggles with substance abuse, they found solace in music and eventually pursued recovery. The impact of Cornell’s music is acknowledged, yet the author is determined not to follow his path.
Read More RIP Chris Cornell