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The Reviewer As Gatekeeper in the Heavy Undergroud
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…
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My Pivot to Headphones: The “Stonerphile” Vision
The 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.
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bear: a lesson in the healing power of nostalgia from Friendship Commanders
Friendship 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.
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The Top 12 Heavy Rock Albums of September ’25
This 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.
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Faetooth: Labyrinthine Is the Perfect Soundtrack for a ‘Soul-Crushing’ Time
Faetooth: 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…
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Black Sunrise- Drowning
Prelude 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- DrowningBlack Sunrise- Drowning
Prelude 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- Drowning
KALX Live: Dread Spire
Oakland’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
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1000mods: Riff Note Double Take
One of the things I was most excited about when the opportunity arose to write for Monster Riff was our regular feature Riff Notes. The idea of dropping science on a band, album or song that I’m obsessing over in the moment sounded super fun. So, for my first Riff Notes, I wanted to take…
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Rhune Festival: Back to the Future in a Post-Ozzy World!
We 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…
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Glowing Brain: Memory Distortion
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 DistortionGlowing Brain: Memory Distortion
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…
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