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 underground bands didn’t stand a chance against the likes of Cinderella, Ratt or whoever else media moguls declared as Metal. Back in the days when you had to know about a release you read about in a fanzine, or your friends shared with you with hushed tones and wild eyes.
Read More Hibernaut: Ingressnd yet, it goes beyond that. Because these moogerfoogers sound like they’re having a BLAST pumping out some of the most magically delicious tunes I’ve heard all year. Everyone gets the spotlight at the party. A band of equals who give one another room to do their thang. It’s fucking intoxicating.
Read More Faerie King: Weary TravelerThis is the kind of “fame” that Mean Green is dealing with, right now. They went from being totally obscure in their niche in Boone, to hundreds of people being aware of them, buying their album and wanting to see them. I think it’s a scary spot to be in. It’s hard to make sense of it, hard to know what to do with it.
Read More Mean Green: How Mean is the Green?March came in like a lion and left like a lion. No sheep were injured in the making of this list, that’s for sure. While there is a clear and obvious North Carolina focus in this list, they’re all deserved. North and South Carolina are definitely seeing a scene evolve, and it’s not all based […]
Read More My Top 10 Stoner/Doom Releases, March 2023The coolest thing about this gig is discovering just how many first-rate recordings are being reduced. This toughest thing is listening to the many first-rate recordings are being released. Dare Mighty Things is definitely one of those, and one that I missed last month when it was released.
Read More Dare Mighty Things with Emperors LairIf you hunger, CRAVE modern, post-rock-on-the-verge-of progressive, heavy psych with a dash of stoner, you should definitely add Hum to your collection. The entire album runs a mere 38 minutes, and every song comes across as the perfect, edited version of what the song should be. One is like a collection of my favorite bits of this kind of music, with none of the stuff I have to overlook in order to enjoy it.
Read More Late to the Party: Hum- OneIf you need a break from power chords and mystical musings from Mammoths and Goats and don’t mind some quirky mashups of almost every sub genre of rock since 1981, this is for you. In fact, for a select group of adventurous souls, this might make your Top 10 for the year and wind up on half a dozen of your playlists.
Read More Holy Toledo, Beautiful Doom by Hope HoleIt’s the kind of whiskey-strained voice that just gets the crowd pumping and challenges the guitars for dominance. The bass playing is low-down and up to no good, reaching deep into your gut and making it clear where the boogie lies. Plenty of air drummers are gonna be smashing the smokey haze with empty hands when they see these guys (and gal). I do not want this to end: I need at least another hour to soak in the hard and heavy vibes.
Read More The Slow Attack: Higher Than This!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.
Read More The Single Life: Dope Skum Drops Belly Lint all Over the PlaceRegardless, my personal experience and taste in music went for a wild fucking ride this month. It wasn’t always pleasant, but it sure was exciting! Here’s my Top 5 for February:
Read More My Top 5 Albums, February 2023