My Top 100 Stoner/Doom Albums of 2023

Intro

This is a massive list, at least the longest thing I’ve ever attempted to write. It’s not a perfect list, especially when I consider the bands I left off. But in the spirit of absolute honesty, if I didn’t listen to an album in repeated sessions, mostly due to time constraints, I couldn’t justify putting it on this list. It’s not fair, but I had to draw the line.

Another line I drew was no compilation albums, with one exception, which is more of a concept album by two separate bands. It was a hard decision to make, but I’m comfortable with it. For now…

2024’s List will have significant changes. I will separate the EP’s from the LP’s, and add the compilation category. More work, but if I do it right it shouldn’t take that much more time.

Massive thanks to Stephanie (Doomcakes) for being part of the team this year. In case you didn’t know, she is wisely starting her own blog. As soon as she’s live, I’ll post a link. I also took the liberty of using her blurbs on the albums she introduced me to.

Back to it: here’s my list!

My Top 100 Stoner/Doom Albums of 2023

100. HOPE HOLE – BEAUTIFUL DOOM

Just one of the most original and quirky albums of the past few years, and a total joy to listen to. I even got to interview the band; you can see it here!

99. FORMATION RITUAL – DOORS TO THE DEAD

Just listening as I write this makes me realize this could easily be a Top 10, and probably is for a lot of folks. Great blend of 70’s, 80’s and current stuff, and easy to put on repeat.

98. HAKKON – THE FIFTH CESSATION

Really? Seriously? These guys are just emerging from some bedroom in Indonesia? According to research conducted by the honorable Frazer Jones they are. You can link to his research here. The Opeth is strong with this one, in all the right ways!

97. LORD KINBOTE – CALM LIKE CASTLE BRAVO

Maybe I’m just getting old and nostalgic for some old-fashioned Grunge-tinged hard rock with catchy riffs. Either way, Lord Kinbote fits the bill. My immediate reaction to the rousing opener, Castle Bravo, was like hearing a searing Stone Temple Pilots riff for the first time. Oh, this is gooood.

96. WITCHSKULL – THE SERPENT TIDES

Witchskull is a very un-gentle reminder that old-school, kickass Doom-adjacent metal is far from dead. Nothing earth-shatteringly original here, just world-class heavy rock with more than a nod towards traditional Doom a la Pentagram, The Obsessed and other down-and-dirty denizens from the decades past. The only problem: no Bandcamp!

95. SUPERTZAR – EPIC TRUTHS AND FANTASIES

It has a modern, acoustic and melodic opening more akin to chilled-out Monolord, until their inner Iommi comes out with a thunderous riff that lies somewhere between Sabbotage and Mob Rules. Supertzar claims on their Bandcamp that they came together during a Monolord/Conan concert, and that fits. But it’s the fact that the whole album is so fresh and vibrant, that’s the big surprise here. Primo stuff, and Epic Myths and Fantaisies lives up to its lofty name!

94. WE FOLLOW THE EARTH – LIGHTBEARER

That’s the best thing about Lightbearer. I forget about other stuff once I’m immersed in the soundscape. There’s something about creepy, doomy space concepts that absorb me into the blackness of their vision. Spaceslug is generally my standard for that kind of trip, but We Follow The Earth has added another dimension to my outer worlds. Check out the full review here.

93. KADABRA – UMBRA

Atmosphere oozes from the pores of this heavy slab of contemporary Doom. Lots of folk call this “proto,” “retro” and all those things. But back in the day, things were rarely this good, from start to finish.

92. AGLO – BUILD FEAR

Deep, growling vocals are a tough thing for me to get past. Most of the time. AGLO has such a compelling, dark guitar tone with a bass and drum section that grooves so hard it compels me to embrace the bleakness. This is Doom/Death that never loses sense of pace and purpose: resistance to this Riffage was definitely futile. Favorite track: Storm of Fears.

91. FORMULA 400 – DIVINATION 

I have to admit, sometimes I get a little obsessed with the dark, artsy stuff. When it goes too far, that’s when I need a little bit of fun. Formula 400 is A LOT of fun. Heavy riffs, chugging grooves and a timeless version of RAWK!!!! The open road was made for stuff like this!

90. LOVE YOUR WITCH – A JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN

It took me a while to get into A Journey Into the Unknown. But thanks to Love Your Witch’s excellent social media presence, and a few gentle nudges from my fellow Doom Charts colleagues, I had that much need a moment of clarity. What the fuck was my problem? This is Bluesy/Thrashy/Stoner/Doom goodness that showcases a variety of styles, world class guitar playing and vocals that add up to one heck of a good time. Highly recommended! 

89. NEW DAWN FADES – FOREVER

I see a lot of other writers declaring how a full-length from New Dawn Fades will be one of their most anticipated LP’s of the year, and I totally get this. New Dawn Fades digs deep into hard rock traditions and picks out the choicest slabs. This is a force to be reckoned with, and I hope it happens soon. 

88. DREAD SPIRE – ENDLESS EMPIRE

I definitely have a soft spot in my heart for anything that comes out of Davis, California, the home of the legendary Thin White Rope! I lived five minutes away from Davis for about 15 years, and it still feels like home to me. Dread Spire brought the patchouly-scented atmosphere of underground Davis with a bang. Opening track Endless Empire is a straight ahead monster riff that shows a heck of a lot of promise. The best thing about The Endless Empire is that it’s only the beginning of, what I hope is, a long and productive future for these guys. I also have a soft spot in my heart for fuzzed-out bass/drum duos, and this definitely scratches that itch!

87. SOLAR TRIP – SOLAR TRIP

This is a Stoner/Psychedelic experience from start to finish, and one of the few releases where I recommend not listening to it in a car. It’s very easy to get lost in it, and your mind might wander a bit. I recommend something with more of an adrenalin hit on the road, especially for long drives. This produces more serotonin, oxytocin and GABA than anything else. Operate heavy machinery with caution.

86. THE MAGPIE – THE MAGPIE

What is comes down to is this: The Magpie has unleashed a challenging album that is well worth delving into. Every aspect of this release is carefully crafted, from the incredibly unique vocal delivery, to the overall use of guitars, to generate atmosphere and not take the spotlight off of anything else. And check out our YouTube interview here!

85. MYSTIC MAJESTY – SPEAK YOUR MIND

 I highly recommend giving this a serious listen. It’s the perfect compliment for heavier appetites who need a break. But I gotta warn you, once you dig in and follow the lyrics, this might be one of the “heaviest” albums of the year. I suspect that this will grow on more and more people as the year progresses, and if it doesn’t it will be one of those gems that gets rediscovered years later.

84. GHOROT – WOUND

Opening track Dredge is the ultimate power Doom intro. This is relentless, heart-pounding stuff that makes a lot of “heavy” music sound kinda meek. A pure, unadulterated assault that leaves no room for compromise. Epic!

83. EVIL LEAF – SLOW BURN

Bands like Evil Leaf are a glimpse into our future, a bellwether for the health of Stoner/Doom as a whole. After the stellar releases from the likes of Faetooth, Sisteria, Godless Sons and Desert Wave, I’d say we’re in prime shape. I also think music like this can bring more people to the heavier side of things, and will easily attract people from other genres, like Traditional metal.

82. BLOOD CEREMONY – THE OLD WAYS REMAIN

For years, Blood Ceremony has been one of the most highly respected bands in the entire heavy underground, which I never quite understood. While I found the concept compelling, the delivery was a little too ”Stylized” for me to get into. The Old Ways Remain changes that to the point that I can go back and appreciate their earlier albums. I think this is what happens when bands continue to refine their sound: a statement album the brings the best out of the prior catalog. What really stuck out to me was the overdriven sound of the guitars, no fuzz required. I think this album literally redefines who Blood Ceremony is.

81. TO YO – STRAY BIRDS FROM THE FAR EAST

Psych can easily fall into cliche’s and tropes at times, especially when using traditional instruments. I mean, how many times have we heard Asian scales to make music exotic and “psychedelic?” Have no fear: this is the real thing, a rocking, sprawling, and emotive tour through another culture’s take on modern psych.

80. SORCIA – LOST SEASON

Bluesey, gnarly, with haunting dual-vocals, Lost Season is like a collage of all your favorite Stoner/Doom/Sludge elements. Bands like Sorcia are continuing to refine the idea of Doom, incorporating retro and sludge into something uniquely their own.

79. STONE NOMADS – AT THE GATES OF SOLITUDE

For those of you who like a more Blackened approach to their Doom, this is one you’re going to love. Stone Nomads brings another eclectic version of Doom that sways from an operatic atmosphere, to psyched-out fuzz, and back to traditionally chugging awesomeness.

78. LORD MOUNTAIN – THE OATH

It takes a lot to get me into a New Wave of British Heavy Metal mindset, but Lord Mountain manages to insert enough traditional Doom to make you wonder if Cathedral had this in mind on some of their lesser offerings. Hundreds of bands have tried to make an album like this. Lord Mountain succeeded!

77. SIGNO ROJO – THERE WAS A HOLE HERE

As I go back and listen to this list, I feel like a signature sound for 2023, or the 20’s in general, is starting to form. Influenced by everything that’s come out since the late 60’s, the chords are varied, the singing is aggressive and the rhythms tend to groove. It’s a chaotic sound, and Signo Rojo is a big part of it. This album sounds essential!

76. SHADOW OF JUPITER – PORTA COELI

Yeah, if I started a band, it would be Shadow of Jupiter. The only problem is: could I live up to strategically controlled releases? I don’t think they’ve reached peak anticipation with the general fans of Stoner/Doom, but a lot of my colleagues sure are beginning to talk. Porta Coeli is hopefully only the beginning of something big!

75. MOON COVEN – SUN KING

It’s clear that Moon Coven has really put the work in fine-tuning their signature sound, proving themselves able to play multiple styles and do it well. If you can do that, the sky’s the limit. With this kind of talent and ambition to branch out and improve, I have a strong feeling that they’ll be (even more) successful. This is a band that absolutely refuses to stagnate.  -Stephanie (Doomcakes) full review

74. EIGHT FOOT MANCHILD – SHRINE OF THE ORANGE SUNN

Doom played with brass is nothing new. Check out Brown Sabbath if you wanna hear classic Sabbath with horns and brass, for instance. What Eight Foot Manchild does is completely original. Their songs and arrangements are unlike anything else in the Heavy Underground, with a focus on originality and a deliberate melding of Doom and traditional brass sensibilities, with a heavy dose of humor. My interview with Dylan explains things better than I could ever write.

73. MALKASIAN – THE MACABRE

Sean Malkasian made an interesting choice last year. He released a live version of his album The Macabre months before the studio release. As usual, I prefer the live version. It’s raw, intense, and feels closer to the music Sean had in his head. But damn, both versions deserve to be on your playlist. I had a chance to talk to him about: I think you’ll enjoy it!

72. FATMAS – EXTERNAL INTERNAL FLAME

Some albums just aren’t all that easy to pigeonhole. I guess that’s why we have “Post Rock” as a general catch-all for things Shoegazey, Stonerish, and just a bit Progressive. I love this album because of the journey it takes me on, and somehow each listen I find something else to surprise me. My only regret is I didn’t write a full length review on it…

71. AIWASS/AWWKS – THE EASTERN SCROLLS

I have very few rules for this Top 100 list, and one of them was no compilations. That’s more a case of poor planning on my part, not anything against them. Regardless, since The Eastern Scrolls is a concept album performed by two of the best bands in the Heavy Underground, an exception had to be made. This is an unexpected gem that turned my expectations on their ass.

70. SLOW – ABIMES

I didn’t get to nearly as much Doom as I expected to in 2023. In fact, I almost missed Abimes 1 entirely because I was focused on all sorts of bright-shinies, and starting to wrap things up. On a pure Doom list, this is easily a Top 5. But this is Funeral Doom, folks, and it’s exceptionally crafted. I predict non-stop listening in February. This is when I will miss other things because I’m too busy listening to Slow!

69. BANDSHEE – BANDSHEE III

It’s no secret that I absolutely love Bandshee, one of my favorite things this year is watching them grow, explore, and live up to their potential. A frequent guest on our YouTube channel, I’d probably pay money to hear Romana sing the phonebook while Stephen crushed it with his inventive chord progressions.

68.DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE – SYSTEMIC

I’m as wary and weary of virtue-signaling as an Anheuser Busch executive. But there is a time and place for it, for taking a clear stand and sending a direct message, no matter how uncomfortable. Doom Metal is the exact place that this should happen, in my opinion. The unflinching honesty, earnestness, and musical agility on this album alone would put it in my top five. The fact that the artists believe that Doom is the most effective means of expression is what strikes me the most.

67. GODTHRYMM – DISTORTIONS

Yes, I love how eclectic Stoner/Doom is becoming. But Doom is still where my heart and spirit reside. I need something Classic, something low and slow that takes it’s time and gives me something to dive into and go “aaaaahh, yesssss.” Godthrymm is that band for me right now, and Distortions is that album. For fans of Monolord who need something other than Monolord, who can’t carry the scene by themselves, check out this band.

66. GIANT SLEEP – GROUNDED TO SKY

 Oh…?…here’s the Stoner, Rock, Metal that you need, whatever you want to call it. I mean, yeah, these guys can play complicated rhythms, 64th note arpeggios and the usual “Progressive” tropes. But they can also bring in something I’m finding all too rarely these days: Balls. Swagger. With a touch of emotional texture, just enough to catch one’s breath… 

65. THUNDER HORSE – AFTER THE FALL

Released on Ripple Music, this Texas-based outfit brings a spin on Doom that’s totally unlike the usual suspects. There’s an energy and anger on this album that reminds of what Soundgarden brought to the Grunge-era. Full-tilt swagger and badassery that makes you want to take a stand and SCREAM against the dying of the light. This is invigorating stuff that has no room for whining or hunching one’s shoulders in defeat. When life kicks you in the ass, then it’s time to kick it in the nuts!

64. MEAN GREEN – MEAN GREEN

Hard to avoid this release from North Carolina’s Mean Green. Heavy and dense as the native clay soil, dank as the stuff they probably smoke. Which is bad: smoke in lungs is never a good thing. But it makes for an album so intense and full of love for their favorite bands that it comes across as the latest release from a legendary band, not a first release. The buzz is strong with this one, beyond the obligatory reefer references. I’m a Boomer, I can write that with a straight face.

63. YEAST MACHINE – RISE OF THE YEAST

There is a band that has set up shop squarely in the gray area between stoner rock and grunge. That band is called Yeast Machine. With riffs fuzzy enough to be secure in the stoner genre and vocals that smack a bit of Jim Morrison, this band captures the essence and feel of the height of grunge. Yeast Machine does a great job of creating that bright and soaring, yet melancholy sound characteristic of the time. To say that this millennial is pleased to hear this album would be a gross understatement; talk about nostalgia in the best way.
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, CleanAndSoberStoner)

62. MONDO DRAG – THROUGH THE HOURGLASS

This is the most 70s album I’ve heard in a while. I swear, Mondo Drag summoned their inner Three Dog Night with a heaping helping of Grand Funk Railroad on Through the Looking Glass. Play this to a certain type of Boomer in a vulnerable state, and they’re gonna have a serious flashback. The keyboards owe as much to Klaus Schultze as they do Pink Floyd, especially on the Jean-Michele Jarre opening of Passages. Essential 2020s Heavy Psyche!

61. THE GATE – SCUM

While Eight Foot Manchild is built on humor as well as brilliant instrumentation, The Gate is more focused on the uglier, “doomier” side of things. The Gate is the more “serious” of the two. Heck, in many ways their musical approach has as much akin to Black Metal as it does Doom. First and foremost, however, this is Doom completely and firmly rooted in jazz. And in every possible way, it rules!

60. SLOW WAKE – FALLING FATHOMS

This is high-caliber Stoner/Psych that’s probably going to stick with me for years. Lake Erie may be a joke to most of the country, but there’s something magical about the lake that Slow Wake has captured perfectly. I think if you close your eyes, Falling Fathom will evoke your favorite body of water as well, with a dazzling display of song-craft and Heavy Psych perfection that hits like a hybrid of Elder and Somali Yacht Club. 

59. RAGANA – DESOLATION’S FLOWER

There is something going on in “Doom”, it’s becoming more eclectic, bringing in a surprising number of artists who, on the surface, could be making more money or even attention in a different genre. Ragana presents a stark version of Doom, with severely blackened vocals, vulnerable yet full of rage. Don’t let the artistic sensibilities and gender of the band fool you: This isn’t “woke” so much as savagely aware…

58. MAMMOTH CARAVAN – ICE COLD OBLIVION

It hurts to put Ice Cold Oblivion at #58. Dammit, this shit rocks. Heavy, heavy balls swing on this beast. This is Top 10 material for those who need their Doom hot and nasty with a swagger that can only come from Arkansas.

57. KIND – CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

Kind has always been a band that brings a little “more” to the party than just killer riffs and a groovalicious rhythm section. They also bring a subtle sense of humor and an elevated approached all things heavy. While they might not necessarily be “progressive,” they’re certainly ambitious in ways that are always surprising and engaging. They also do harmonies that DON’T sound like Alice in Chains!

56. SUSPIRIORUM – SUSPIRIORUM

Suspiriorum is the best example of why I’m sometimes frustrated with EP’s. When I hear a great one, like this one, I get frustrated because there isn’t more. I totally understand that in this day and age, EP’s are essential. But something this good demands at least 45 minutes of uninterrupted awesome. This is fantasy occult-rock at its best. Great recording, excellent song writing and first-rate performances. It just screams for more!

55. MEDICINE HORSE – MEDICINE HORSE

Medicine Horse is Doom growing up and changing with the times, moving way beyond a white boy sausage fest and deeper into the culture. It’s always been the music of the repressed and forgotten, and lately it’s taking on a more diverse worldview. Medicine horse is 7 fierce and angry tunes squeezed into a 34 minute runtime. A beautifully bleak and blacked debut!

54. LORD VELVET – ASTRAL LADY

This one was love at first listen for me. Everything is there: talented musicians giving us a lovely combination of doom, stoner, proto metal, psychedelic rock, heavy blues with the amazingly powerful vocals of Taylor Webb soaring above it all. The band members themselves come together with a variety of musical influences including 70s rock, heavy psych, punk, doom, and the likes of Arthur Brown and Pagan Altar to create something amazing. Every single song on the album is good, and is varied and well-rounded. Astral Lady is one of those albums you can tell when you listen to it that it has the makings of a great live show. Lord Velvet, in nutshell, is a group of not only super talented but super cool dudes. My only complaint is I’m not sure I can wait for their next album! Bravo! – Stephanie, AKA Doomcakes

53. THE SLOW ATTACK – HIGHER THAN THIS

Fuck me, these guys are good. As in, you gotta get this, stream it, download it, buy it and give these guys some cash. Well, if you’re dying for good old-fashioned hard and heavy rock with solid hooks, a screaming rhythm section and guitar-hero dudes WAILING and letting it rip – this is it. Otherwise, this is a hard pass if you prefer Lover Boy on your 80’s Rock Classics playlist.

52. BLOODTHORNE – COSMIC PASSENGERS

When anyone asks me, “what is Stoner/Doom?”, this is my new answer. Elements of both styles combine to give a classic yet fresh take on some of the darkest, dankest riffs so far this year. Two things make this stick out for me: the real, unprocessed vocals and subterranean fuzzed-out bass holding the whole thing together. 

51. THE KEENING – LITTLE BIRD

A few bands are rising from the ashes of Subrosa, and The Keening is the perfect continuation of the legacy. Free to play with more folk and even chamber music inspirations, Rebecca Vernon’s abilities are firmly on display. Heavy music continues to evolve, and Little Bird is another example of where it can go.

The Top 50

Okay, now we’re heading into the deepwater. If you’ve read through this up to this point, on behalf of the amazing bands, thank you! I am aware with every word that I write that the last 50 bands I’ve written about could easily be in the top 50 of any given list.

But now it’s time to kick it up a notch…

50. DOMKRAFT – SONIC MOONS

If you’re just getting into the world of Stoner/Doom, put Domkraft on the essential bands to listen to and know. This is Heavy Psych taken to the extreme of Doom. A force that refuses to relent in any way, and yet Sonic Moons dials things back just enough to make this their most accessible album to date. This rocks hard, and a little quicker than I’m used to. And that’s a good thing!

49. MOUNTAINS OF MISERY – IN ROUNDNESS

Speaking of misery, I’ve been pretty miserable without new Spaceslug for the past couple years. Kamil Ziółkowski, the drummer for my favorite Space Doom project of all time, branches out on In Roundness. The album has most of the greatness of Spaceslug with some acoustic textures thrown in for good measure. But don’t worry, this is still essential Heavy Psych, but with a couple of slight twists.

48. DUSKWOOD – THE LAST VOYAGE

Duskwood’s The Last Voyage is awe-inspiring on so many levels. This is highly-refined Hard Rock on par with Steak, and even Hermano on the more Stoner side of things. It’s a fantastic album to put on, LOUD, and jam to with some of the best vocals this side of John Garcia. Even better, they’ve released a concept album that doesn’t suck. In fact, you’ve got two earlier albums to bliss out on if, like me, this is your first spin and you want to dig in some more!

47. MULE THROWER – CUTS

I’ve been aware of Mule Thrower since he released that song and the incredibly difficult song, Reggie. I mean, damn, son, that EP was whacked! The first song was a silly little ditty with a bit of meaning behind, whereas Reggie is this bastard amalgamation of Weedeater, Primitive Man and Dope Skum. I can’t lay claim to understanding it, but I sure as shit feel it. 8 minutes of your darkest, dreamlike realism with a heavy dose of outrage. I’m not entirely sure what Reggie did, but someone sure is pissed off about it.

46. REZN – SOLACE

This is one of those albums I didn’t review this year, and that’s my loss. REZN’s Solace is an extraordinary combination of power and ability. It swings from classic Windhand worship to soulful, progressive passages that go beyond any influence or genre. This is Stoner/Doom/Psych that’s easy to get lost in. REZN truly redefined themselves with this one.

45. HIPPIE DEATH CULT – HELICHRYSUM

Hippie Death Cult proves that it’s not what happens to your band that’s important, it’s what you do with it. What they did was perfect, and nothing against their prior lineup, but the vocals of Laura Phillips take them to another league. Even better, HDC have blazed their own trail and released an album that makes them stand out in a very, very crowded field. This is not your fathers’ Stoner/Doom.

44. OMEGA SUN – ROADKILL

Once I get Omega Sun in my head, it lingers there for a while. The vocals are just enough like John Garcia to evoke feelings of familiarity without being a Kyuss clone. But it’s the strength of the songs, and the confidence in the writing, that sets Roadkill above the thousands of bands who try to do this. This like buying that perfect pair of jeans that feels so right, it’s like you had ’em forever.

43. THE GREAT GRAY FUNK – THE GREAT GRAY FUNK

Sometimes, you don’t know how badly you need a band or an album until you hear it. I badly needed this album when I was struggling leaving corporate counseling to depend on my own private practice. That might be a little too personal, but that’s what The Great Grey Funk is to me, my personal solace when I’m not sure what I’m doing. There’s so much going on in this album, from moody intros, to smokey jazz-club vocals and on to full on metal pyrotechnics. For those searching for that kind of blend, this one’s just for you!

42. TIDAL WAVE – THE LORD KNOWS

I didn’t “get” Tidal Wave at first. I wrote it off as a mediocre Stoner, until Pat from Monster Riff showed me the light, and Lord Knows I was wrong! You can check out some of our YouTube discussions here. The bottom line is what I thought was mediocre and derivative was actually a sharp sense of humor with an extensive knowledge of Stoner/Doom that exceeded my understanding. The Lord Knows has been on heavy rotation ever since. Primo!

41. EMBR – EMBR

This might be the most talked about and anticipated album of the year among a lot of my friends. For a first album, EMBR had a lot of buzz, and it lives up to it. This sounds like a mature band’s third album, not the opening salvo. I definitely hear some early 2000s Nu Metal tone in the guitars, but none of the baggage that goes with that scene.

40. SKULL SERVANT – ASTRAL APOTHECARY

Somehow, against all rational probability, this EP fricking slays! It sounds as if these kids were breastfed on sour goats’ milk with an endless loop of Reverend Bizarre, Candlemass, Electric Wizard, Pentagram and Cathedral pumped into their nursery while their nannies were performing obscure and unspeakable rites in the basement.

39. BEWARE OF GODS – POST APOCALYPTIC DOOMED LOVE AFFAIR

Heavy, dark, and stunning don’t begin to cover it. This is industrial-tinged Doom with an almost George Harrison sense of melody and structure. Ridiculous description, right? But I stand by it, as BOG is crafting a sonic tableau of hellish riffs and heavenly choruses. His concepts are too big for an EP: bring on the 2 CD megamix!

38. BURN RITUAL – GRAVE WATCHER

Grave Watcher twists and turns beyond influence and into a near-perfect brew of all things dark and heavy, and then back again. Grave Watcher is a must-have for fans of pure contemporary Doom, especially fans of Haunted, Monolord, and once again, Windhand. Jake has an original take on the genre, but never strays too far from the low-and-slow template so many of us love…and crave.

37. SEUM – DOUBLE DOUBLE

Music like this is hard, nasty, disturbing and difficult for a dude with my background and taste to understand. Still, something about it compelled me to keep going back. The result is one of my favorite albums in recent memory and something that’s altered my musical DNA. I think that’s what the best art does- it changes you. Consider me changed.

36. WYNDRIDER – WYNDRIDER

We’ve heard at least 1000 bands do this before. Wyndrider is one of a dozen, maybe, who do it right. When I put this on, I totally forget how many decades I’ve been listening to this style of music. It sounds new, refreshing, and heavy as shit. This isn’t made for mass consumption but for fanatical conversion.

35. HIBERNAUT – INGRESS

Ingress by Hibernaut is one of my favorite releases so far this year. There’s a spirit, a vibe to it that reminds me of the bad ol’ days…when you had to know about a release after you read about in a fanzine, or your friends shared it with you with hushed tones and wild eyes. This is rousing Doom with more than a taste of old-school Traditional Metal.

34. DEMONS MY FRIENDS – DEMONS SEEM TO GATHER

How good is it? Well, here at HQ, I was giving the album a second pass on my headphones when I saw Newbie Doomer mouth, “what’s wrong?” Once again, I had tears in my eyes listening to yet another band come out of nowhere and lay it the fuck down. As in stomping the fucking terra with a emphatic WOMP that lets you know they’re here, and they must be reckoned with.

The song that caused an involuntary discharge of saline? Make Them Pay. There’s nothing in the first 1:50 of this 3:13 long song that even hints at what’s about to happen. But that’s when the My Arms, Your Hearse nod to Opeth kicks in, followed by a totally unexpected Brian May guitar tone, bringing it back around to chest-thumping, fist-pumping perfection. My Boomer neck got a bit strained trying to headbang. It ain’t a pretty sight…

33. DEAD FEATHERS – FULL CIRCLE

Overall, I can hardly find words to express how proud I am of the progress this amazing band has made in a very short time. It’s very evident that they’ve grown and matured as a band and as individual musicians. That renewed vitality is palpable throughout the entire album. Dead Feathers was great before, and they’re even better now.  – Stephanie aka “Doomcakes”

32. ALMOST HONEST – AMISH HEX

Almost Honest is one of the many casualties to my schedule in November. This definitely deserves a full length review, but I can rest easy knowing that Kyle SB “dropped the mic” with his excellent review on Stoner Hive. He nails it when he declares that The Hex of Penns Woods catapults these guys into another league.

This is just fun, exciting, excellent stuff, and damn good storytelling!

31. LIE HEAVY – LIE HEAVY

Raleigh, North Carolina’s Lie Heavy is one of the few, true throwbacks to another era. Heavy, heavy-ass blues that would have fit on the Man’s Ruin label back in the 90s, around the time that Orange Goblin was making waves. This is primal stuff: not quite Stoner, not quite Metal, and not quite giving a shit. And they absolutely SLAY live!

30. BELL WITCH – THE CLANDESTINE GATE

I have one of the most important and accomplished Doom bands in history at #30? Yep. My honest reaction when I first heard this was complete exhaustion. I believe that Bell Witch is in danger of going to the well too often. Don’t get me wrong, this is an incredible work of art and worthy of being #1 for a lot of people. I just hope they don’t go here so often that they become a trope, or a band that more people praise than actually listen to them.

29. DOPE SKUM  – GUTTER SOUTH

That opening riff sets the tone, chords that harken back to an older time and place. It’s “dank,” not in the current sense of the word, but old and musty and hard to get rid of. It’s the kind of riff that bores itself into my brain and keeps digging long after the song is over. The only reason Gutter South isn’t in my top 10 is that this is just the beginning. Check out our interview, and you’ll see what I mean.

28. DOPELORD – SONGS FOR SATAN

Dopelord doing what Dopelord does is always special. It’s easy to take it for granted unless you go all the way back to 2012s Magick Rights. Listen to the whole discography, and then just appreciate that they haven’t changed a thing, just got better at their brand of Doom. All Hail!, and all of that…

27. RRRAGS – MUNDI

This is the album I always wished would be released back in the 70s, but never really was. Mundi is 81 minutes of 80-proof Heavy Psych goodness aged for 50 years in an oak barrel buried in some basement in Antwerp, unearth and tapped in a cloud of dubious spores. It’s an album that sounds like it invented the genre in 1968, and everything that came after was a cheap, orange, plastic ashtray of a knockoff.

26. ASTRAL CONSTRUCT – TRAVELING A HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS

Instrumental Space Rock stuff is always hit-and-miss for me. Unless there are actual bass lines beyond the root of the chord, I tune out quickly. Same with the drums: if it comes across as a drum machine in perfect tune, I’m outta here. Astral Construct avoids the cliches while honoring the lineage, and isn’t afraid to get heavy while digging deep into their psychedelic foundation. This is soulful and emotive stuff, and one heck of a trip on headphones.

The Top 25

If you’ve made is this far, on behalf of all the bands, thank you! Here’s where it got impossibly tough. These really are my top 10 for the year, there just happen to be 25 of them.

25. TITANOSAUR – ECHOES

Titanosaur is relentless music for a relentless age. We are all either living in, or witnessing, one huge world-wide shit show lately. We can crawl under our beds and whine, or we can strap on a guitar and rage against the dying of the light. This is prime Industrial/Traditional/Doom-laden metal that actually has something to say. Which he did on this interview!

24. KING POTENAZ – GOAT RIDER

What makes good Doom? It’s a lot of things, actually. But when it comes right down to it, tone, the primal sound of the guitar, is what gets me hooked in 20 seconds or less. Yeah, I love progressive elements and music that pushes the boundaries. But dammit, this, THIS is what it comes down to more often than not. And King Potenaz brings it!

23. CLOUDS TASTE SATANIC – TALES OF DEMONIC POSSESSION

Clouds Taste Satanic. A part of me thinks that’s all I need to write. I mean, they set the standard for Instrumental Doom in almost every way. But there’s more to this band than that. Their depth of musical knowledge is second and none, and they overtly channel their influences with a sense of humor and wit that matched only by their musical prowess. If you’ve ever been curious about the instrumental side of Doom, I think this album is the perfect starting point for both Clouds Taste Satanic and the rest of the genre, especially if you have a taste for pretentious, overblown 70s Prog.

22. THEY WATCH US FROM THE MOON – COSMIC CHRONICLES: ACT 1

The more that I do this, the more music I listen to, the more I pay attention to the vocals. It’s kind of weird, because I don’t recall that being a major point of focus for me. For whatever reason, vocals make or break an album for me nowadays. I mention this because The Cosmic Chronicles has some of the best vocal work and recording I can remember hearing. That the music is heavy, cosmic, and engaging is an added plus. I can’t get enough of this album, and this band could be HUGE!

21. AIWASS – THE FALL

Personally, I think The Falling hasn’t even begun to gather a following. It has the potential of being a legacy work. An album that marks the exact time when the band literally goes to the next level of their evolution. That’s one of the many things I’m obsessed with in reviewing and commenting on Stoner/Doom, and I live for that moment when I hear an album that marks that exact moment of transition. We talk about it here:

20. DOZER – DRIFTING IN THE ENDLESS VOID

Dozer doesn’t break any new ground with Drifting in the Endless Void. They simply make another statement proving that there probably wouldn’t even be a Stoner/Doom scene without them. They sound just as vital as they did in 1995 when Kyuss and Sleep left a vacuum in their wake. For anyone beginning their journey into Stoner/Doom, this is a great place to start.

19. STONED JESUS – FATHER LIGHT

At times heart-wrenching (evident in the songs Father Light and Thoughts and Prayers), other times bold and confrontational (as in the songs CON and Get What You Deserve), this album is an amazing record of human experience during an incredibly trying time period. Especially knowing the current situation the band is facing, it’s impossible not to emerge from listening to Father Light a bit jarred emotionally and most definitely thoughtful.

This album has the power to both resonate with us personally as individuals but also helps us relate to each other. And that, my friends, is why music, combined with the written/spoken/sung word, is one of the most beautiful things a person has the fortune of hearing and feeling in their lifetime.

– Stephanie aka “Doomcakes”

18. AURALAYER – THOUSAND PETALS

If you like to live on the edge and have no regard for mindless compliance or conformity, this might just be the ticket. But I gotta warn you, Auralyer gives the middle finger to all the Gate Keepers claiming Rock is Dead. This is Aurlayer saying, “oh yeah? Hold my beer, bitch.” These riffs are fierce…

17. SAINT KARLOFF – PALEOLITHIC WAR CRIMES

I don’t think bands like Saint Karloff make albums to extend their fanbase. They do extend it, but I don’t feel like that’s the point. Paleolithic War Crimes comes across to me more as a reward for sticking with Stoner/Doom for decades. It’s a gift that gives you everything you could ask for: riffs, groove and a heavy dose of Heavy Psych. Thank-you, Saint Karloff!

16. THE FULCRUM – COLLIDE

Collide is one song after another of tightly written songs with fantastic hooks, addictive riffs and a sound all their own. This is top-tier Heavy Rock that demands to be listened to. The best thing about it for me is the production, and the sense that this is exactly how they’ll sound live.

15. GREEN LUNG – THIS HEATHEN LAND

It’s hard to pin Green Lung down. It’s like they exist to celebrate and honor every age, every form, of Doom and Heavy Rock, especially the bands forgotten or ignored over the decades. I hear more than just a bit of Bernie Shaw-era Uriah Heep in album closer Oceans of Time and Tony Martin-era Sabbath scattered all over the place. Each song is like discovering another hidden gem, with reference and respect without being a clone of any one thing. It took a while to grow on me, mostly because Green Lung doesn’t record the album you want as much as give you the one you really deserve.

14. WIZARD TATTOO – FABLES OF THE DAMNED

Look, your either gonna buy or stream this now, or you’re gonna wait 10 years or more until someone else pulls this out of the air and it gets celebrated for the classic that it is. You, gentle reader, have the opportunity to experience 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.

One last thing though: it might not “click” right away. But I’m confident that, for a majority of you, this will become an album that you go back to quite often. Maybe not daily like I do, but often enough. - Review, July 15th

13. BORRACHO – BLURRING THE LINES OF REALITY

Borracho has always been good, but I don’t remember them being this good. This is on a whole different level, and I can’t wait to go deep into their back catalog and catch up on what I’ve been missing. For this writer, this is solid Top 20 AOTY material. Blurring the Lines of Reality makes it clear that there’s room at the top of the genre, and we have another band that can join the likes of Elder and King Buffalo representing the best that Stoner/Doom can offer.

12. AHAB – THE CORAL TOMBS

I don’t think I’m too off-base to observe that some of the greatest artistic achievements of this era have come from the depths of Doom overall. Ahab is an example of a band that uses the form to express things in a way no else has been able to achieve since the days of Mussorgsky, Beethoven, Sibelius and Mozart. I know I’m heavily biased, but gawd-damn it, this album is a work of art, from start to finish. One of the finest albums I’ve heard, regardless of genre.

11. CHURCH OF MISERY – BORN UNDER A MAD SIGN

I will simply never understand Tatsu Mikami , the bassist/leader and only permanent member of Church of Misery. For one thing, watching the dude play bass makes my tendonitis flare up out of sympathy for what he’s putting his body through. Secondly, what exactly is his commentary, if any, on the subjects he addresses? Thirdly, how in the hell can a patch-work band thrown together seemingly at random put out an album of Pure Doom with the most propulsive groove since the first three Orange Goblin albums? This is stellar stuff, y’all, and even though it’s #11 on my list, it’s still an Album of the Year contender. As for Rise Above Records’ policy regarding Bandcamp- no comment.

The Top 10

This is it, but before we get to the top 10, it’s time for a word from our sponsor. It seems like forever that the Doom Charts have provided us with the ultimate list of awesome albums from the Heavy Underground. Without them, none of us would probably be here: not the writers, not the fans, and not the bands.

Being part of this group is one of the most significant accomplishments of my life. I’m honored to call them friends and humbled to call them colleagues.

Now, back to my favorites among my favorites…

10. SLOMATICS – STRONTIUM FIELDS

I’ll never forget the first time I heard Strontium Fields. Newbie and I we’re flying from Raleigh to New York for Desertfest. We were flying on the smallest airplane I’ve ever seen, let alone been on. Sardines have more breathing room in a can that we had on that flight. I’m not a small guy, and I took at least five minutes to get that damn seatbelt around my waist. I was prepared for a little over an hour of totally miserable…

I downloaded the album on Tidal, my streaming service of choice. I had a whole bunch of stuff I was going to listen to on the flight, but Slomatics was all I got to. This might not be a genre defining album, but it sure is a band defining one. This is traditional Doom in every sense, and at the same time they manage to inject enough originality to almost make a feel progressive. Absolutely stellar!

9. FAERIE RING – WEARY TRAVELER

Stoner/Doom is older than Death, Thrash, Progressive, Speed, Black, Nu or any other form of Heavy Metal. It makes no sense to me at all that kids who still deliver pizza are out rocking, playing, and writing music that can challenge hundreds of bands that are old enough to at least remember Badmotorfinger when it first came out. These guys show anyone willing to listen how it can be done. We should all accept nothing less than the unbridled and untamed power of Faerie Ring. This is the kind of Heavy Metal that can restore your faith.

8. GRAVEHUFFER – DEPART FROM SO MUCH EVIL

This is when I figured out that the Ghost Pepper I ate when I began this journey turned out to be stuffed with a Peyote button. I’ve heard psychedelic, good stuff, that doesn’t come close to this. This goes beyond anything my Prog friends could dream of, and doesn’t follow Prog’s rigid guidelines anyway. I make no secret that I use music to alter my consciousness, get the neurotransmitters pumping, and replace the thrill I got with heavy crank and alcohol use.

Gravehuffer delivers that experience, without a doubt. But that RUSH has a deeper level to it, mostly due to the band members putting themselves out there and producing what I suspect is a highly personal recording. There are deeply held religious and moral convictions in Depart From So Much Evil, which is where the Peyote comes in. It’s extremely viceral.

7. HAIL THE VOID – MEMENTO MORI

Momento Mori becomes a juggernaut of tone, pace, atmosphere and emotion. It caught, and kept, my attention. What comes up for me, everytime, is the depth of the whole thing. From back when I was a kid, this is Heavy Metal in the old and traditional sense of the term. It’s like all of the DNA from the 70’s through today is infused into this work. It harkens to a time when we didn’t have Thrash/Black/Death/Nu and all the other factions that make so much of heavy music tribal. Not that those styles are in any way represented. Quite the opposite: it’s as if those other forms didn’t exist, and Hail the Void isn’t trying to incorporate them.

BTW, this is the most-read review I’ve ever posted. You can check it out here

6. SATURNA – THE RESET

Right from the start, opener Your Whimsical Selfishness took me on an emotional journey of Heavy Psych Blues the way only Youngblood Supercult and Steak can do. By the time I got to Made of Stone, I realized this is one of the finest albums I’ve ever heard. 

For me, it defines what the 70s mystique actually is: solid songs, stellar lyrics, tastey guitars and a killer rhythm section. In other words, the real “retro” of the current scene is nothing more than great songs filling up a whole album. Maybe we did lose that fundamental spirit in the 80s. In any event, this is timeless music for rock fans in search of the greatest thing they haven’t heard yet.

Maximum overconsumption is highly recommended!

5. HOWLING GIANT – GLASS FUTURE

I’ve tried, oh my how I’ve tried, to listen to contemporary Prog. There are only so many djent-adjacent riffs, 64th-note arpeggios, and erratic time signatures I can take. Which is why I’m so grateful for Howling Giant, Elder, Messa, The Great Gray Funk and Gravehuffer.

I’ve always known there was greatness in Howling Giant. Even I couldn’t imagine what they accomplished in Glass Future. It’s an epic album, a deep album, and an immensely satisfying album. The musicianship is as mind blowing as the songs and hooks that they incorporate. This is phenomenal, progressive Stoner/Doom that’s every bit as exciting and invigorating as anything else in the genre.

4. RITUAL KING – THE INFINITE MIRROR

From the acoustic flourishes of opener Flow State to the resolution of the final chord of the title track, this is a virtually perfect album. The writing, recording and production is a thing of beauty. I can’t help but notice the influence of Elder and King Buffalo- not on the song writing or style, but the trend towards massive works of art and…magnificence.

What truly separates The Infinite Mirror is the flawless production. I don’t mean audiophile per se, but every nuance of this album is captured and produced with care and attention. One of the best headphone experiences I’ve ever had with a Heavy record, of any era.

3. ACID KING – BEYOND VISION

Acid King was Stoner/Doom before Stoner/Doom was cool, or even a thing. The other foundational pillars of the scene flamed out, quickly.

“Color Trails is on my headphones, the eerie, lonesome guitar floating above the deep drone of the bass, the synthesizer giving voice to a counter-melody. Writing this has re-written history for me. My “Mount Rushmore” of guitarists is being re-arranged. My mind has been altered, my perception sharpened. My entire sense of the history of the heavy underground has undergone a substantial revision.” -review, July 2023

A lot of classic bands are on this list. Acid King is the closest in spirit and execution to the younger bands in this Top 100.

2. BARONESS – STONE

I’ve had no shortage of albums that have left me in awe over the past 48 years or so. Add Stone to that list.

Baroness has always had one of the worlds foremost guitarist and songwriters in John Baizley. Add Gina Gleason to the mix, and they embarrassingly have two of the greatest guitarists the world. And any “Top 10 Guitarist” list that doesn’t have Gina Gleason on it is just wrong…

But the big thing about Baroness is that the bassist and drummer, Nick Jost and Sebastian Thomson are every bit as good as John and Gina. It’s crazy, and every second of Stone has that disciplined talent pool on full display. I totally believe that in order to find a band equivalent sheer ability, you have to go to your favorite incarnation of King Crimson or Zappa.

All of that means nothing if you don’t have the songcraft to match, and Stone delivers. Baroness has a distinctive sound, but that sound is composed of a gazillion different elements. In the end: only Baroness could have written and recorded it. It’s the perfect Baroness record.

1. SNAKEMOTHER – SNAKEMOTHER

“There can be only one!”

-The Kurgan

I’ve agonized over this for the past few weeks as I wrote this list. I didn’t actually decide my #1 until I wrote this intro, just now.

It’s hard for me to justify a debut album from an unknown band as the #1 album on a list that includes Dozer, Acid King, Green Lung or the other 99. Debut of the year? Sure. Best vocal performance on a doom metal album? Absolutely. Song of the year? No problem.

And yet, none of that matters when you know in your heart and mind that this is it. The best thing I have heard all year. An album I am confident I will listen to year after year, and will probably sound even better as time goes on. This is a highly refined form of Doom, on par with Messa and at times, YOB. It hits HARD, then back off to set you up for another pummeling.

As powerful and crushing as the music is, there’s a lightness and effortlessness to the performances that take it beyond the genre of “Doom”, while remaining unmistakably DOOM. Snakemother are like a combination of Faetooth meets Messa with a dose of Opeth, YOB and Trouble, a dash of The Bangles and a hint of Bananarama. It all comes together to form that most elusive gem: The Perfect Album

Wrapping up!

That’s the list. Well, not THE list, but my list. I encountered roughly 573 albums in 2023, so this is the top 17% of everything I heard. This means a lot of worthy bands aren’t on here. 

Another thing is that Stephanie had a lot of output, and I didn’t get to listen to everything she did. I hear rumors that she will be listing her top albums, and I hope everyone bookmarks her page when it’s live!

Finally: THANK YOU! We never anticipated the success of this blog this year, and we’re still catching our breath. We never could’ve imagined that tens of thousands of people would check out a Clean and Sober team writing about Stoner/Doom!

But you did, and on behalf of all the bands, we appreciate it more than we could ever tell you.

               -SWSpiers, 12/28/23, 2:27 PM