When Italian heavy-psych band Desert Wave contacted me to review their recent album, ‘Deafening Silence,’ I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. This was the first time a band contacted me and followed through on the details. Being a small, independent site, this doesn’t happen every day. I had nagging questions: What if I […]
Read More 11 Reasons to Get to Know Desert Wave: An Interviewhe only other bands that have caught my attention like this in terms of story-telling and execution are Spaceslug, Howling Giant and Sergeant Thunderhoof. This is an instant classic that resets expectations for horror/fantasy in heavy music. Wow. Just…wow!
Read More Vitskar Suden: the Faceless KingIntro No excuses. I totally forgot to publish this back in June. My bad. On the other hand, this is worth bringing up this late in the year because it’s pretty darn good. Expectations are a double-edged sword. Most spiritual and religious guidance I’ve ever received is to ignore them, lest discontent be the result. […]
Read More Sergeant Thunderhoof: This Sceptered VeilThis is a genuinely stadium-worthy band. Ruby the Hatchet has enough pop hooks to dominate the radio, enough authenticity to develop a loyal following, and enough musical prowess to keep this going for a dozen or more albums. They should be performing at 10,000+ venues…
Let’s fucking make that happen. Buy the album, stream the hell out of it and go see ’em live. It’s the least we owe to a band this good.
Read More Ruby the Hatchet: Fear is a Cruel MasterThis is highly refined, majestic, relentless music that truly gets better when you realize just how much they don’t sound like anyone else.
Read More Late to the Party Mid-Week Quickie- Telekintic Yet: PrimordialMetal review sites have the ability to damage metal as a whole, but sometimes seem bent on taking lazy potshots and bands and genres to score points.
Read More Metal Gatekeepers: a rant30 years ago, before I entered recovery on a long-term basis, I saw Swervedriver, MonsterMagnet and Soundgarden at the Warfield in San Francisco. It was my first time seeing any of these bands, and I’d see Soundgarden a few more times. Rock was seriously changing back then, with the so-called ‘Grunge’ scene which was pitched […]
Read More The humanity of metal at the WarfieldWhen I first discovered Besvarjelsen on a Doomed and Stoned compilation, Doomed and Stoned in Sweden, I was hooked. Alone remains one of my favorite songs of all-time, and pretty much hit that ever-changing list immediately. Along with Messa’s She Knows/Tulsi, it remains on heavy-rotation four years later. But my reaction to the album, Vallmo, […]
Read More Besvarjelsen: AtlasI’ve always liked Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard. I’ve always respected them, listened to them, and added them to a few playlists. But I could never get past the silly name. No matter how ‘thru the veil’ Jessica’s singing sounded, how it gave me a rush and a tingle, they just didn’t win me over the […]
Read More Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard- The HarvestSo, I have this girlfriend. Which seems like a trite way to put it, doesn’t really describe the relationship we’re developing. Not only is she open to Stoner/Doom/Heavy Psych and all the underground stuff I dig, but she’s started her own blog. That’s just how she rolls: it’s not so much that I’m interested in […]
Read More newbie and relationship…