ALBUM REVIEW: Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters, "Come & Chutney"

By Andrew Field

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 13/07/2018

Label: Riff Rock Records

 “Come & Chutney”is remarkable in so many ways, but perhaps most tellingly when the album ends you want to both play it again and go see one of their shows immediately. With no flab to be found on it, and packed with hooks which will lodge in your brain for months, “Come and Chutney” is damn near perfect.

“Cum & Chutney” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Doggy Bag Of Slurry

2). Krones Of The Kiln

3). Cojones Feos

4). Glue Ear

5). Gutlads

6). Gawdless

7). Doner Trump

8). Psychedelic Hallucinogenic Vagrancy

The Review:

Watching Chubby Thunderous Bad Kush Masters live is a truly life affirming experience. Few other bands lock in and groove like they do. Built on the thunderous rhythm section of drummer Mark Buckwell and four stringer Will Hart, with frontman Owen Karty laying ocean-sized fuzzed-up riffs and gravelly vowel-mangling vocals over the top, their sheer sonic power is matched by their fierce tie-die t-shirt and corpse-painted stage presence.

Whilst their debut 2015 EP “Earth Hog” was a sterling effort, it served more as a momento of their live shows than anything. Their songs on the 2017 “Special Split” with Ten Foot Wizard likewise. And so, one was left wondering if Chubby were to be one of those bands who never quite caught their onstage majesty on vinyl.

All such fears are swept away after just one play of “Come & Chutney”,and after several spins it’s clear the trio have created something quite special. We’re talking “candidate for album of the year” levels of goodness here. From the opening riff of “Doggy Bag Of Slurry” onwards, the Chubbs deliver 8 slabs of buzzsaw boogie and achieve the remarkable feat of making them all killer with no absolutely no filler.

Every track packs a punch and is an ear worm: we’re talking 40-odd minutes of vim, four-to-the-floor swagger, drug and kebab love, and a good old go at Donald Trump. Immaculately captured by Sam Thredder in his Cro’s Nest studio, Buckwell’s bass drum is constantly battering your head and driving each seismic anthem forward. Hart’s bass rumbles and thunders. Karty’s guitars are constantly set to stun. When Chubbyproperly hit their stride, on the majestic “Krones Of The Kiln”, they sound like the bastard offspring of ZZ Topcirca ”Rhythmeen”. Only better.

The best is left to last. Closing 10-minute wig-out “Psychedelic Hallucinogenic Vagrancy” turns off the fuzz and ramps up the heavy psych, starting with a beautifully plucked guitar motif then building through to an explosive organ-led finale featuring guests Chantal Brown of Vodun and Gary Harkin of Ten Foot Wizard. The song reeks of weed and sounds like 1969.

“Come & Chutney”is remarkable in so many ways, but perhaps most tellingly when the album ends you want to both play it again and go see one of their shows immediately. With no flab to be found on it, and packed with hooks which will lodge in your brain for months, “Come and Chutney” is damn near perfect.

“Come & Chutney”is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Astrosoniq, "Big Ideas Dare Imagination"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 02/06/2018

Label: Van Records

“Big Ideas Dare Imagination” DD//LP track listing:

1). King

2). The Great Escape

3). Mindless

4). KEPPRA!

5). Vision Factor

6). Freezen

The Review:

A year ago, Astrosoniq lost a close friend and sometimes band mate. His name was Bidi. He was a guy who clearly made an impact on the heavy rock scene of The Netherlands and beyond. As a tribute to their fallen brother, Astrosoniqtook to the studio and made this, their new album, “Big Ideas Dare Imagination.” The band brought in many friends to participate in the making, writing and performing of this album. It’s a group effort. It’s an album the band and their surrounding community needed to make.

Astrosoniq has been around for quite some time. The amount of recognition that they’ve received for their work is arguably underrated. Albums such as “Made in Oss” (technically an EP), “Son of A.P. Lady” and my personal favorite, “Speeder People”are incredibly adventurous. These albums push the borders of every genre in existence – yes, even that one – and they make it work. Doomy jazz with a country twang? The Wizards of Oss master it.

Surprisingly enough, this new album is not as adventurous as the band is known to be. Each song on here is a rock song- sometimes metal, sometimes stoner – but the adventure factor is missing. The experimentation can be heard when it comes to song structures and the addition of a saxophone, for example, but the wild ride Astrosoniq is known to offer just isn't here. For me, as a fan of the band, this took some getting used to.

So I wondered - does the passing of a friend call for a wild adventure? The slow, weirdo hook of opening track “King,” certainly doesn’t think so. It makes its point just fine. The rolling bass and passionate vocals of “The Great Escape” also see no reason to fly off the handle. It’s a sturdy song, just as the straight up rockers of “Mindless” and “Keppra!” are pretty cool songs. Album closer, “Freezen,” is the weirdest and most refreshing track, even if it is just leaning on 1 idea the whole time. So the songs are good. But where does this album fit in the Astrosoniqdiscography?

I’m left with mixed emotions here. Astrosoniqhave made an album that’s close to their hearts. That’s obvious. The passion, courage and heartfelt emotion are certainly present in these 6 tracks. Involving guest musicians was a good move. Bidi made an impression on many people, so it’s a no-brainer to involve these people when making a tribute to the guy. At the end of the day, though, “BIDI” doesn’t gel as an album. Each song very much stands on its own, almost to the point that “BIDI” sounds like 6 songs made by 6 bands. However, considering the context of the album, this isn’t a critique in the slightest. This is the album that Astrosoniq needed to make. This is the adventure Astrosoniq needed to take. The listener will just have to approach these songs with an open mind.

“Big Ideas Dare Imagination”is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: Fu Manchu - "Clone of the Universe"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 09/02/2018

Label: At The Dojo Records

  "Clone of the Universe" is the twelfth example that there's only one Fu Manchu and this album is a great mix of the heavy, the fast, the slow and the riff.

“Clone of the Universe” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. "Intelligent Worship" (3:08)

2. "(I’ve Been) Hexed" (2:48)

3. "Don’t Panic" (2:05)

4. "Slower Than Light" (3:26)

5. "Nowhere Left to Hide" (4:19)

6. "Clone of the Universe" (2:58)

7. "IL Mostro Atomico" (18:08)

The Review:

Can you imagine an 18 minute song written and performed by Fu Manchu? Oh yeah, and it features the guitar escapades of none other than Rush's Alex Lifeson? Yeah, I couldn't either. That changed this week, though, when the kind people over at At The Dojo Recordshooked us up with "Clone of the Universe," Fu Manchu's twelfth album. But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. This 18 minute epic, "Il Mostro Atomico" closes out the album. Let's start at the beginning.

From opener "Intelligent Worship"on, Fu Manchu knows what's up. Ripe with those stop-go riffs that only Fu Manchu can master, the band plays through these seven songs the only way they know how - thick on the fuzz, heavy on the low end, and loud as hell.

The stoned stomp of "(I've Been) Hexed" leaves its mark with both its riffs and its catchy chorus. Fu Manchu has always proven to be experts when it comes to those one-liner choruses, and "(I've Been) Hexed" is no different. In perfect call and response fashion, Hill proclaims "I've been Hexed" as the backing vocals take over, "I see it in your eyes." These lines get passed back and forth for a while, the drums go nuts, and those guitar solos wail. An absolute toe tapper, and once Fu Manchu hit the road in support of this album, "(I've Been) Hexed" is going to be a crowd favorite, too.

The album keeps its momentum going in o "Don't Panic." Again, a song that boasts a one-liner chorus - "Don't panic!" - and it's going to have stoner rockers far and wide bowing down at the feet of Fu Manchu party. The title track has the same effect, and even though not many of us can tell you what Hill means when he sings "Clone of the Universe," we can all agree that it sounds fucking cool, and that's all that fucking matters.

For the most part, Fu Manchu has made themselves a name by laying the groundwork for upbeat stoner rock. Each song of theirs makes a race for the chorus, rocks out a little, and is out within 4 minutes. This is part of what makes Fu Manchu so good; this band knows how to cluster quality and then land a punch with it. "Clone of the Universe" stays true to this formula, mostly.

Sure, these SoCal boys have had an 8 minute song here and there, but on this new record, Fu Manchu hits the eighteen minute mark. Alex Lifeson from Rush helps out in this experiment. The track's instrumental, mostly, and sounds like a mixture of a bunch of Fu Manchu riffs pasted together. The best part, it works. The riffs are great, the transitions are great, and the song builds in such a way that it starts without giving too much away. Even by the 10, 12 or 15 minute mark, the song still rocks hard and doesn't dip once.

In many ways, "Clone of the Universe" might be more familiar to those who grew up on Fu Manchu. The album's got that stoner rock rhythm that Fu Manchu made famous, thanks mostly to Brad Davis on bass guitar and drummer Scott Reeder. These two are locked in and make these tunes tumble down the road like a VW van with marijuana smoke billowing out of the windows.

"Clone of the Universe" is also an album that's determined to push the boundaries of the band's sound. The result is a great mix of the heavy, the fast, the slow and the riff. For Fu Manchu, "Clone of the Universe" is the twelfth example that there's only one Fu Manchu, and plenty of impersonators.

“Clone of the Universe” is available to buy on CD//DD//Vinyl via here 

Band info: Facebook || Bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Devil Electric - "Devil Electric"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full-length

Date Released: 11/08/2017

Label: Kozmik Artifactz

Although you'll not find a swerve or anything wildly disparate, Devil Electric is nonetheless entrancing. In particular, the group is guaranteed to energize any fan of heavy blues reminiscent of Black Sabbath, The Allman Brothers and similar bands.

“Devil Electric” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Monologue (Where You Once Walked)

2. Shadowman

3. Lady Velvet

4. Acidic Fire

5. Monolith

6. The Dove & The Serpent

7. The Sacred Machine

8. Lilith

9. Hypnotica

The Review:

What is edgy rock music today? Such classifications are quite debatable, given where rock has meandered since the 1990s. Going from hard rock and beyond, sometimes comparisons are at best awkward and at worst ill conceived. Hence the contemporary metal fan might not classify Melbourne, Australia's Devil Electric as anywhere near the genre. Nevertheless its sludge influences are on full display on the quartet's self-titled debut.

And what a debut it is. Although you'll not find a swerve or anything wildly disparate, Devil Electric is nonetheless entrancing. In particular, the group is guaranteed to energize any fan of heavy blues reminiscent of Black Sabbath, The Allman Brothersand similar bands. In strains of "Lilith"you can hear Sabbath's "Hand of Doom." In "Hypnotica"you can get glimpses of Rainbow, among others. However, Devil Electric is not simply a homage or a tribute. Instead, it creates something very much up to date.

Devil Electric's premiere is exemplary much on the strength of singer Pierina O'Brien. Her presence and command of the material holds the listener's attention throughout this nine-song journey. With "Shadowman" and a few other songs, O'Brien is able to stretch out her vocals and add remarkable contours to the track. A precious few artists, such as Ute Plotkin of Aranya, come to mind as having this singular sort of charisma. And although O'Brien's specific singing range is not markedly expansive, she does quite a lot on these songs.

A sound like this does not succeed without a muscular rhythm section. And Devil Electric is fortunate enough to have bassist Tom Hulse and drummer Mark Van De Beek on hand to provide the sort of snap that guitarist Christos Athanasias needs to do his meaty best. Needless to say, while O'Brien is talented, it is the compliment of the rest of the group that helps trot out the best on this debut release.

“Devil Electric”is available to preorder/buy on vinyl here and digitally here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: True Widow - "Avvolgere"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/09/2016

Label: Relapse Records

Fuzzed up, laid back and dragging the shoegaze sound into hell, Avvolgere is a mood piece and much like its predecessor, “Circumambulation”, it meanders through the playing length at a stroll. It is an album to listen to as a whole, do so and you will be richly rewarded.

“Avvolgere” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.Back Shredder (04:21)

2.Theurgist (04:38)

3.F. W. T. S. L. T. M. (05:15)

4.The Trapper and the Trapped (05:14)

5.O. O. T. P. V. (05:42)

6.Entheogen (05:47)

7.To all that the Elong (01:55)

8.Sante (03:52)

9.Grey Erasure (03:25)

10.What finds me (06:00)

The Review:

Sitting down to write this review, I had just finished listening to the new Airbournealbum... from the ridiculous to the sublime, then! True Widow have a sound that is very much their own. Fuzzed up, laid back and dragging the shoegaze sound into hell- that's the best summary I can come up with. Plenty of great songs are contained on this release, just like the last one, in fact. From the distorted roll of “Back Shredder” through to the tenth and final track of “What Finds Me”, True Widow have done it again.

The sound has weight to it, but it is not leaden like, say Sabbath. The overall effect is somewhat more ethereal. Tracks such as “Theurgist”a melancholic and downbeat, even if the tempo is neither.  The songs are all great here- “O.O.T.P.V.", “The Trapper and The Trapped,” “Sante"... even the interlude type tracks. It all hangs together into one continual wave of music. Don't be expecting too much in the way of variety as the album is a mood piece; let it wash over you like a wave.

It is a mellow and restful listen, in terms of song writing, there not being too much to differentiate the tracks here. It is a mood piece and much like its predecessor, “Circumambulation”, it meanders through the playing length at a stroll. It is an album to listen to as a whole, do so and you will be richly rewarded. 

“Avvolgere” is available here

Band info: Official | Facebook| Bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Asteroid - "III"

By: Jake Wallace

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 11/11/2016
Label: Fuzzorama Records

It is a hugely diverse record and shows the advanced musicianship between the band, blending all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This is a band who are firmly on the rise to the top and know exactly how to get there. One of the best releases of 2016 without a doubt.

“III” CD//DD//LP Track listing

1). Pale Moon
2). Last Days
3). Til' Dawn
4). Wolf & Snake
5). Silver & Gold
6). Them Calling
7). Mr. Strange

The Review:

The Asteroid has landed. Swedish heavy psych giants Asteroid have set the release date for their highly-anticipated third album for 11th November through Fuzzorama Records. It has been almost 7 years since their well-renowned second album ‘II’ was released and the band are back with their most polished, solid record to date. A 7-track album following the naming trend of its predecessors, this is Asteroid - ‘III’.

Firstly, the album artwork is strikingly brilliant. Whoever is in charge of the design and creative direction of Asteroid deserves credit for an unbelievably eye-catching and vintage styled arrangement of their instruments taking pride of place as the album cover.

The album kicks off with ‘Pale Moon’delivering a thick, rumbling bass line which gives way to some eerie psychedelic slide-guitar work. It has a triumphant sounding vibe with lots of dark nuances that give it a truly evil sound. It also has a somewhat spacey feel, with effects playing their part in the backdrop towards the end as the song comes to a close.

‘Last Days’ is the second track from the album and was the first track that was publicly released on Bandcamp by the band after announcing the news of the record coming out this fall. The intro has some nice big chords and paves the way for what’s to come as the vibe changes abruptly. Robin Hirse’s vocals begin as the song slows down and takes on a very similar vocal feel to Alice in Chain’slate great vocalist Layne Staleyin ‘Love/Hate/Love’. Memories of the opening track, ‘The Great Unknown’, from their first release are also re-kindled in this track. The guitar effects bring some very unique sounds to the table and the drum breakdowns are instrumental in making those parts as hard-hitting as they are around the 3:40 mark. The chord section comes back round again at 4:06 and reminds me of a Dead Meadow or Screaming Treeskind of feel. Two tracks in and we already have a diverse selection of music and it’s evident that Asteroid haven’t rushed into their song writing, it was most certainly worth the wait.

The third track ’Til Dawn’ rips back into the classic stoner rock style that we know and love Asteroid for. Their dynamic skill of switching from fuzzed riffs to beautiful, clean sounds is remarkable and they flit effortlessly between the two styles. The middle-end section slows down and each chord is powerfully punched out with some impeccable harmonised vocal parts between Hirse and Johannes Nilsson on bass. Drummer Jimmi Kohlscheen stands out on this final section as the drums are building in power and ferocity as the track climaxes before winding down with ease and ending on another sweet, clean chord.

‘Wolf & Snake’ has a very mellow vibe and reminds me of something that should be played as the sun sets on the beach at the infamous Dunajam Festival. This specific style of stoner rock is extremely pure and incorporates both the calm, mellow vibes and the earth-shaking fuzz. The intro section reminds me a lot of bands like Colour Haze and Sungrazer although Asteroidhave their own brand of heavy psych and it’s still incredibly unique. At the 2:00 mark, the song takes off with a blasting rhythm section and some lead parts from Hirse, showcasing his searing guitar abilities. The drums and bass are extremely tight and give Hirse a blank canvas to let rip. Near the 3:50 mark, the tempo drops and the fuzz doubles and we’re witnesses to a crushing, sludgy section. The final outro section is another sharp contrast with clean guitar playing some beautiful sounds.

‘Silver & Gold’ begins with a slow, angelic sounding guitar section before the vocals come in and bring so much to the sound. This track stands out on its own and its superb blend of layered vocals and guitar, gives it that kind of Tarantino movie soundtrack feel, definitely one of my favourite songs on the album.

The penultimate song ‘Them Calling’takes things back up a few fuzz gears and we’re dropped into an Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats style riff which just rumbles on ferociously throughout the song. It also has elements of the late Graveyard from Sweden. Around 3:35 they flick on the ‘evil’ switch and the riff gets steeped in gloom.

The final track ‘Mr Strange’ makes use of some awesome guitar harmonies to begin with before progressing into a lighter sounding, almost Zeppelin-esque section. Around 3:20 the vibe changes again and we have another killer, thumping riff with some spaced out lead guitar dodging and diving through the mix. The end section has some chanting vocals which go extremely well with the harmonies and it all blends into a perfect stoner rock package.

‘III’ is a masterpiece of an album from a band who need no introduction or a manual on how to create masterpieces. It is a hugely diverse record and shows the advanced musicianship between the band, blending all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This is a band who are firmly on the rise to the top and know exactly how to get there. One of the best releases of 2016 without a doubt.

“III” is available here

Band info: facebook

FFO: Colour Haze, Graveyard, Sungrazer, Dead Meadow

ALBUM REVIEW: Truckfighters - "V"

By: Kat Hilton

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 30/09/2016
Label: Fuzzorama Records |
Century Media Records

All in all, a solid offering; a sound that is current; one that rocks effortlessly and one that proves regardless of line-up changes Truckfighters continue to be strong.

“V” CD//DD//LP Track listing

01. Calm Before The Storm

02. Hawkshaw

03. The 1

04. Gehenna

05. The Contract

06. Fiend

07. Storyline

The Review:

With just 7 tracks lasting a smudge over 47 minutes and fresh drummer blood; Truckfightersoffer their fifth studio album, “V”(I see what you did there you sneaky sods), a journey on their evolutionary path towards maturity that requires one to switch off pre conceptions, ideas and judgement and requires the plugging in of headphones and a nice chilled beverage of choice.

Having said that in all honesty “Calm Before the Storm” left me underwhelmed, I still cannot pinpoint why, it shouldn’t have done. With its Tool-esque intro, swarthy attitude and an ending which is fuzzier than a tumble dryer’s lint trap I should have loved it but it wobbled me a little. Fear ye not! “Hawkshaw” is the second little ditty and quite frankly knocks the spots of the previous number. A powerful bass and drum intro eases the lugholes to an immense fuzz injection that hits the spot superbly. With ever flowing peaks and troughs of 0-100 mph in seconds it is Truckfighersmastery.    

As track 3, “The 1”, makes its way through there is another line-up change with Peter Damin taking the drums; although subtle, there is a difference- believe it or not more cymbals…who knew that was possible! “The 1” is a classic Truckfigthersnumber; slightly distorted vocals, smooth riffs and an ear blowing assault of a chorus make it so. For the energy alone it is a clear contender for stand out song of the album. “Gehenna” the fuzz gives way to possibly the most satisfying drum roll in existence making this a veritable time warp of a tune; turning back time it is akin to listening to “Gravity X” all over again. Ok so not as prog like, but the mesmerising vocals and pacey guitar stand it proud.

As “The Contract” makes its debut with its thundering bass/drum play off building the track to the properly heavy levels needed; the thick and fuzzy strings crawl over the senses entwining with the chaotic drums, it kinda shouldn’t work but it does. It be prog/sludge/fudge/aceballness.

“Fiend”is the penultimate track; cheeky, pacey and even more drum rolling perfection make this a fantastic number. Off all the superbly vocalised songs Ozo has done, this is the one that demonstrates the incredible range and versatility he has. The ending can only be described as a co-ordinated pissing contest as the sound increases, the drums hammer more, the vocals step up, the guitars get beefier. Everything makes this a superb ending.

Last but no means least “Storyline” has an instant shift in style and sound; the vocals are the dominant force here. Melodious, gravelly and solid. On one hand an easy, relaxed and somewhat calm offering, on the other a hard core Truckfighters number that shakes the listener to the core. What a delicious juxtaposition.  All in all, a solid offering; a sound that is current; one that rocks effortlessly and one that proves regardless of line-up changes Truckfighterscontinue to be strong.

“V” is available here

Band info: official || facebook