( editorial note: this list if full of WTF moments and choices. Stephanie has a tendency to go beyond even the unexpected, and she’s presenting a list that is making me go through each one, one at a time. I have no idea how she finds these bands, but as the editor of the small but mighty Cleanandsoberstoner, I’m glad that she does! -SWSpiers)
Well, I managed to do it. After struggling with getting back into my groove and plunging into this month’s new releases, I finally managed to come up with a list to submit to the Doom Charts. A short list, but a list nonetheless. Make no mistake, though; the albums on this list weren’t just haphazardly put there just so I’d have something to turn in. The reason it took me so long to come up with my submission is because I wanted it to consist of albums that truly stood out above the rest from some very talented bands.
So here we go, in descending order, my exact submission to the Doom Charts this month is as follows:
Doomcakes’ Top 9 Albums of November
9. Svartanatt – Last Days on Earth
Swedish retro rockers Svartanatt leapt onto my radar when I heard the insanely catchy single, Demons in the Night, in June. I eagerly awaited the release of the band’s full length album, Last Days on Earth, which dropped on November 3. Demons in the Night certainly set the tone for this album in the best way; it’s packed full of groovy, catchy, retro rock jams. There’s a definite 60s/70s vibe here with the heavy use of melodic organ. I also really liked the melodic, yet slightly husky vocals, which provided a bit of a unique twist. This is an album that you can jam to from start to finish with no complaints.
Favorite track: Texas Dance
8. Mos Eisley Spaceport – Further
Here’s one that really surprised me.
I’m not a big fan of space rock; I’m quite picky about what I like in that genre. So, when I saw a lot of music pages I follow on social media posting about this album the very day I was planning to submit my list to the doom charts. I figured I’d give it a quick listen, assuming there was a very slim chance that I’d like it. Wrong. This is a very cool album, full of variety. Sure you get a krautrock/space rock vibe, but I’d call it a bit understated. You also get a healthy dose of acid rock and retro rock; this album is overall more groovy than spacey. The songs vary between longer, complex compositions and shorter, rollicking tracks. This is quite a journey from start to finish and a very cool representation of space rock indeed.
Favorite track: Drop Out
7. Phantom High – Valley of Sickness
Here’s another one that can certainly be groovy, but it can also be equally heavy. Phantom High pairs the retro sound with heavy riffs and husky vocals, creating their own epic rendition of hard stoner rock. Valley of Sickness has the potential to appeal to rock, metal, and stoner/doom fans alike.
Favorite track: The Kraken
6. Saltpig – Saltpig
The primary thing that stands out to me about Saltpig is the sheer creativity behind their music. Take one look at their Instagram and you’ll get an idea of how they roll.
https://www.instagram.com/saltpigband/
Saltpig established early on that while they don’t want to follow the rules, they also don’t want to be creative just for the sake of being creative. I read that as a mission statement to always be genuine, and make the music that you yourself would want to hear. I absolutely love that. Is this doomy? Yes. Psychedelic? Definitely. Stoner? For sure. There’s definitely a strong influence from horror and occult themes. But at the end of the day, it’s Saltpig. You really have to go listen to them to see what I mean!
Favorite track: When You Were Dead
5. Robots of the Ancient World – 3737
If you like your doom with a side of big burly riffs that just kind of trample over you, look no further than Robots of the Ancient World’s 3737. This one is heavy, doomy, and a bit swampy, but still manages to be high energy. I was really intrigued by the single, Hindu Kush, and was definitely not disappointed by the rest of the album.
Favorite track: Hindu Kush
4. Adelaida – Retrovisor
Adelaida is a band from Chile that plays a gorgeous blend of alternative rock, grunge, indie, and shoegaze with an ethereal, dreamlike quality. Perfect for my fellow old grunge/alternative rock fans who want something different, but also something very chill. I should also mention that, as a general rule, I’m not a fan of shoegaze. However, Adelaida puts enough emphasis on the alt rock to keep me intrigued and entertained…and very calm.
Favorite track; Retrovisor
3. Kleazer – Signals
This is an album that filled me with feel-good energy nearly from the second it began. Kleazer combines stoner, desert, and garage rock here to create six tracks of super addictive goodness. Signals has been on heavy rotation for me since the day I first heard it, with no signs of slowing down.
Favorite track: Signals
2. Fool’s Idol – Autumn EP
Fool’s Idol is a psychedelic garage rock band from Australia that combines several styles to create their signature sound, and they do it with an infectious punk rock energy. Somehow, though, they manage to maintain a serene, dreamlike background at the same time. In trying to come up with a good way to describe the band’s sound, I noticed one of their tags on Bandcamp is “garage punk blues”. Ah, that’s it!
Favorite track: Autumn III
1. AcidSitter – Make Acid Great Again
When you think of a band called AcidSitter, the first thing that comes to mind is psychedelic rock. Well, ACIDSITTER is that and so much more. In spite of its tongue in cheek title, Make Acid Great Again is progressive, complex, intelligent, thoughtful, and mature. The lyrics delve into some pretty deep topics that will resonate with many listeners, and the progressive rock style helps to paint the picture that those lyrics describe. In a nutshell, you’re going to have a super groovy time, but you’re also going to have a good think while listening to this album. It was very obvious to me that a lot of hard work and creativity from some very talented musicians and songwriters went into Make Acid Great Again, and it certainly paid off.
Favorite track: Staywatch
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