REVIEW: Smock, "Interstellar Nobdy" [EP]

By: Mark Ambrose

Album Type: EP

Date Released: June 15, 2018

Label: Independent

Smock harnesses the darkest corners of retro rock, riding on surf guitar lines, fuzzed out bass, tight as fuck drum fills, and the often sweet but occasionally sinister vocals of Jenne Benicaso.

“Interstellar Nobody” DD track listing

1. Interstellar Nobody

2. Weird One

3. High Life

4. Bleach

The Review:

Maybe it’s the heat.  Maybe it’s the relentless humidity.  Maybe it’s that godawful haze that hangs over the industrial skyline.  But for me, this summer has been punctuated by tripped out psychedelic, punky, metallic garage rock weirdness.  In the same way that black metal treks through frozen tundra feels most effective after the truly bitter January chill has set in, the slick, sweaty, kind of nauseating midsummer swelter makes me feel like around every corner there could be a freakish Robert Crumb caricature or a roving pack of S. Clay Wilson pirate-bikers primed to bash my face with a bottle.  And there are few records as appropriate for these paranoid delusions as “Interstellar Nobody”, the debut EP by NJ’s own Smock.

A lot of neo-psych lays the flower power bullshit on thick, missing the speed-addled discomfort inherent in a lot of the best shit that influenced a generation of Pebbles and Nuggets listeners.  I mean, sure, the blissful Eastern mystic stuff has its place, but does it rock?  Not hardly.  Thankfully, Smock harnesses the darkest corners of retro rock, riding on surf guitar lines, fuzzed out bass, tight as fuck drum fills, and the often sweet but occasionally sinister vocals of Jenne Benicaso.  When, on closer “Bleach”, he croons “You know it. / I’ll wait, I’ll wait / I’m still waiting for you…” there’s something a bit unsavory, especially layered with reverb and over a krautrock progression their forebears from Neu! would be proud of.

The title track on is a sweet slice of doomy stoner rock that reminded me of the most promising tracks by Uncle Acid, but unlike the steadily midtempo jams of the English post-Wizard class, Smocklaunches into faster garage punk on “Weird One”.  The warbling, trebly high end guitar work of Benicaso and Zach Inkley is deftly balanced by Cameron Smith’s hefty bass tones, and the steady rhythms (courtesy of Dee Morris) makes “Weird One” the type of banger someone could (gasp!) maybe bop along to.  “High Life”, the fastest song on the EP, is also the most neurotic.  Benicaso’s hallucinatory narrations – “Sun becomes the sky / The Mud turns into the clay / The kingdom crumbles down / Are you listening” – are eerie but strangely beautiful.

“Bleach”, the aforementioned krautrock-indebted closer, is really a marvel and a testament to how promising this quartet is.  The opening buildup feels like the classic live-in-studio cuts of the garage greats Smock draws from, but organic, in this case, doesn’t mean low quality.  Both guitars are balanced in the mix, the bass has a solid presence, and Benicaso’s vocals maintain that distance in the mix that more rock bands need to aspire to.  The guitar harmonies are really lovely too, and manage to sound heavy without sounding like atonal noise.  It’s the rare record that drew me in more the further I went, and left me aching for the next (hopefully full length) release.  And while it’s the perfect jam for my summer, I’d be happy to spin these tracks any time of year.

“Interstellar Nobody”is available at here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM REVIEW & TRACK PREMIERE: Monster Magnet, "Mindfucker"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 23/03/2018

Label: Napalm Records

If you’re ready for a simple space rock record that’s sturdy, hooky and well written, take “Mindfucker” out for a spin. 

“Mindfucker” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Rocket Freak

2). Soul

3). Mindfucker

4). I’m God

5). Drowning

6). Ejection

7). Want Some

8). Brainwashed

9). All Day Midnight

10). When The Hammer Comes Down

The Review:

Monster Magnet’s evolution has been fun to follow. Back in the day, when front man and key driving force of the band, Dave Wyndorf, got his band of psychedelic gods together, they got weird. As time progressed, the ‘Magnet remained a psychedelic powerhouse, but one that consistently moved forward from where they began. The days of long, drawn out and druggy jams are behind us. Now, we’re reveling in a period of shorter, leaner songs with big hooks. Fans of Monster Magnet are sometimes divided in the camps of “early” and “modern” Monster Magnet. There’s no need for these camps, though, because Monster Magnethas always been - and will always be - a band that knows when it’s time to get weird and when it’s time to rock out. Isn’t that what stoner rock is all about?’

So it’s now 2018, almost five years removed from Monster Magnet’s last studio album, “Last Patrol.” Where that album, and certainly the redux albums that followed it, brought both hooks and jams to the fold, this new album, “Mindfucker” is all about the rock and the roll. “Mindfucker” tells a simple story to the tune of compact riffs and songs that move pretty quickly. About half of the songs are around the 4 minute mark, which reflects the simple song structures.

But rest assured, simple isn’t bad, by any means. In the case of “Mindfucker,” simple is even somewhat a breath of fresh air. There’s that MC5 vibe in these songs and punk rock is never far out of reach. The hooks are firmly mounted and effortlessly carry the weight of the songs. Bob Pantella and Chris Kosnik play their asses off, running the sturdy rhythms up and down the dance floor.

Like any good Monster Magnet set list, the weirder tracks are spread out evenly between all the ragers. “I’m God” (exclusively streaming below) rears its head after the three songs that open the “Mindfucker” party. This track is the largest of the bunch, with a huge chorus that has Wyndorf stepping to the mic to proclaim that he, in fact, is God. Kind of a strange claim to make, sure, but Wyndorf’s lyrics have always been pretty out there, rather arrogant and more or less out of this world. After all, he delivers these lines with such conviction that he makes the lyrics work. The song uses every second of its 6:16 run time to fly off into space, in only the way that Monster Magnet knows how; Wyndorf at the helm, one foot on the monitor, colorful, flashing lights everywhere…all seen through a fish-eye lens.

The songwriting aside, the production of this album is also top notch. “Mindfucker” is a party, despite some of the themes in the lyrics. The way the guitars sound and how this is mixed with Pantella’s cymbal work, makes this record sound rambunctious. “Mindfucker” even goes so far as to sound like a live recording, one that has Wyndorf pulling in the crowd and having the audience scream their lungs out for the entire duration of the record.

If you’re ready for a simple space rock record that’s sturdy, hooky and well written, take “Mindfucker” out for a spin. Go on, let loose of the hopes that Monster Magnetare going to make another “Spine of God.” The band’s moved on and is having a great time doing it. Join them for the ride, you won’t regret it.

“Mindfucker” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp

REVIEW: Windhand & Satan's Satyrs - "Windhand & Satan's Satyrs Split"

By: John Reppion

Album Type: Split LP

Date Released: 16/02/2018

Label: Relapse Records

This is two bands at the top of their game, producing some of their finest work to date

“Windhand & Satan’s Satyrs Split” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Windhand – “Old Evil”

2). Windhand – “Three Sisters”

3). Satan’s Satyrs – “Alucard AD 2018”

4). Satan’s Satyrs – “Succubus”

5). Satan’s Satyrs – “Ain’t That Lovin’ You, Baby”

The Review:

I was lucky enough to catch Windhand and Satan's Satyrs playing together when they toured the UK at the end of 2017. At the time I didn't quite see the kinship between the two bands, but thanks to this new Relapse Records split release, the connection is now somewhat clearer to me.

On first listen Windhand’s opener, “Old Evil”, sounds like a track straight off of “Griefs Infernal Flower” (and that’s definitely no bad thing). Further plays however, reward the listener with something that’s actually a few degrees heavier, and tighter than the content of the 2015 album. Essentially it’s like the most Windhand that Windhand have ever been; they are well and truly on point here. “Three Sisters” is built around one simple and massive riff, with added keyboard gloom courtesy of Jonathan Kassilow (of Sinister Haze and former Windhand Split-buddies Cough). The track is staggeringly doomy: lumbering and powerful and miserable, and pretty fucking wonderful overall.

“Alucard A.D.” starts things off on the Satan’s Satyrs half of the record, and it does so in heavy style. Now previously, thanks to their 2015 album “Don’t Deliver Us”, I thought of Satan’s Satyrs as a kind of Glam Punk retro rock kind of band, but that’s not what they sound like here. This is juicy, juicy stuff which reminds more than a little of Electric Wizard’s “We, The Undead”, in the best possible way. 

“Succubus” follows on wonderfully well with a main riff that’s both doomy and kind of cheeky and funny. There’s more than a hint of NWOBHM in the guitar work, and the whole thing just slots together in such a way that, even after several listens, still hasn’t failed to put a smile on my face. Closer “Aint That Lovin’ You Baby” is much more in line with my previous expectations with regard to Satan’s Satyrs. It’s a sleazy 12 bar blues that clicks into double-time half way through before going down in a blaze of Cock Rock guitar solos. Claythanas'/Clayton Burgess' shout of “thank you, goodnight!” is all that’s really missing from the end of this obvious set-closer.

Sometimes these split EPs can feel a bit like filler between “proper” releases; songs that didn’t make it on to the main record, or versions of some work in progress that’s not yet quite come together. That is definitely not the case with this Windhand / Satan's Satyrs release however. This is two bands at the top of their game, producing some of their finest work to date. So much so in the case of Satan's Satyrs that

I’m really regretting missing the beginning of their set back in October.

“Windhand & Satan’s Satyrs Split” is available here

Band info: Windhand || Satan’s Satyrs

SATAN'S DOZEN: 13 Unearthly Hymns Unearthed #6 (January 2018)

Compiled by: Andrei Moose

Artwork by: Josh Mashesh

SATAN’S DOZEN is THE SLUDGELORD’s attempt to present the very best music the underground scene has to offer and whilst we’d love to review every band submission we receive, not to mention the countless recommendations you send our way, in practical terms that is just not possible.  Therefore because we don’t want killer music to pass you by, each and every month our member of the Russian chapeter Andrei Moose  painstakingly sifts through the music labelled  killer  riffs” and chooses 13 of the best new albums released via bandcamp and bundles them together into the mightiest riff sandwich.

Whilst all the albums we have included below are top tier stuff, we have compiled them into a chart on a sliding scale of 13-1. So we hope you dig our selections for January 2018 and enjoy 13 Unearthly Hymns Unearthed.  

These bands need more exposure, so go “like” “share” and “follow” their pages, but most of all enjoy some of the best music the underground has to offer.  THE SLUDGELORD most sincerely approves.   Now, go heavy or go home.

13) Sons Of Nibiru – “Hellspirit” (Rzeszow, Poland), Released December 16, 2017

Psychedelic / Stoner-Doom

   
12) Borgonaut – “Borgonaut”EP (Trieste, Italy), Released January 31, 2018

Stoner-doom / Sludge

   
11) FILTHxCOLLINS / SKINLOVER – “Split 7” (Cardiff, UK), Released January 21, 2018

Sludge / Grindcore / Powerviolence

   
10) Taser – “Social Exclusion Blues” (Lahti, Finland), Released January 19, 2018

Sludge

   
9) Dowager – “Hymns for the Dead” (Los Angeles, California), Released January 1, 2018

Stoner-Doom

     

8) Nerveshatter – “Madhouse”(New York(, Released January 9, 2018

Noise / Hardcore / Sludge

   
7) Troll Teeth – “Boiled Alive” (New Jersey), Released January 1, 2018

Psychedelic / Stoner-Rock / Stoner-Metal

   
6) Psychic Lemon – “Frequency Rhythm Distortion Delay”(London, UK), Released January 12, 2018

Instrumental / Psychedelic / Kraut / Prog / Rock

   
5) Floaters – “WAITING FOR AMNESTY” (Tokyo, Japan), Released December 29, 2017

Stoner-Doom / Sludge

4) Smoke – “Stoned To Death” (Houma, Louisiana), Released January 12, 2018

Stoner-Doom / Sludge

   
3) The Mothercraft – “Pillars” (Edmonton, Alberta), Released January 5, 2018

Stoner-Rock

 
2) Legalize Crime – “Beat The Law” (Wroclaw, Poland), Released March 30, 2017

Sludge / Hardcore / Stoner-Metal

    

1) Orphans Of Doom – “Strange Worlds/Fierce Gods” (Kansas City, Missouri), Released January 26, 2018

Progressive/ Sludge / Doom / Metal

Band info: Orphans of Doom || Legalize Crime|| The Mothercraft|| Smoke || Floaters || Psychic Lemon || Troll Teeth || Nerveshatter|| Dowager|| Taser || Skin Lover || FilthXCollins || Borgonaut|| Sons of Nibiru

ALBUM REVIEW: Somali Yacht Club - "The Sea"

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 28/01/2018

Label: Robustfellow |

Kozmik Artifactz

Basking in sonic emersion and drawing from an Elder influence, Somali Yacht Club succeeds in taking the listener on that well-known ride of warm tones and meandering melodies. In the world of progressive psych-rock, confidence is key and these Ukranians hold that key and open every door with it that they can.

“The Sea” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1. Vero
2. Religion Of Man
3. Blood Leave A Trail
4. Hydrophobia
5. 84 Days
6. Crows

The Review:

Rolling down the road from the musical hotbed that is Eastern Europe, Somali Yacht Club gives 2018 one of its first releases. Released on January 28th, the new album, “The Sea,” follows the band’s preceding output rather seamlessly in both name and sound alike. Musically, “The Sea” is a logical next step. Sonically, it’s the sure-footed performance and the resulting vibe that these tunes exude that makes the album what it is. In the world of progressive psych-rock, confidence is key and these Ukranians hold that key and open every door with it that they can.

If you were to put on “The Sea” and close your eyes, you’d be taken away by the music. It’s all about the mood. Whether it’s the upbeat, kraut-rocking opener “Vero” or the swirling “Hydrophobia” – which takes a stoner-rocking twist there at the end, “The Sea” is an album that delivers quality psych for its full duration. Like its gorgeous cover art, “The Sea” flows gently, travels freely, and traverses many realms of the stratosphere. No single sound or melody actually stands out, but that’s ok, because the album as a whole works well. The tunes and grooves may fade to the background, but do so in such a way that they set the mood.

With “The Sea,”Somali Yacht Club tries their hand at the formula of combining heavy-prog with psychedelic, stoner riffing. Though the bar for this formula was set pretty high with Elder’s “Lore” in 2015, Somali Yacht Clubdoesn’t shy away from taking a stab at it themselves. Basking in sonic emersion and drawing from an Elder influence, Somali Yacht Club succeeds in taking the listener on that well-known ride of warm tones and meandering melodies.

“The Sea”is available on CD//DD hereand LP to follow

Band info: Facebook || Bandcamp || Twitter

REVIEW: King Buffalo - "Repeater" [EP]

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 05/01/2018

Label: Independent

The band sounds confident as they play through the dreamy plucking of the guitars, the perfectly enunciated vocals, and that sweet meditative groove that drummer Scott Donaldson brings with him. The tunes are mellow, meditative, groovy, and best of all, heady. As a short release, “Repeater” does what it’s intended to do and offers the hungry fans just a taste of what the main course is going to bring. Bring on that sophomore release!

“Repeater” DD//LP track listing:

1. Repeater
2. Too Little Too Late
3. Centurion

The Review:

Some bands got it and others don’t. Then there are the bands who get it, whereas others don’t. King Buffalo decided years ago to foray into the world of heavy-psych and make a name for themselves. 2013 saw the release of a demo, this was followed up by a split with Le Betre, and then 2016 came at us with their first full length, “Orion.” Over the course of these releases, and certainly on their full length, the Buffalo, New Yorktrio showed that they’ve both got it and get it.

Bring in the first week of 2018, and King Buffalononchalantly release a new EP, “Repeater.” Comprised of three songs varying in length from 14 minutes, 4 and 6 minutes, this EP is the needed stepping stone to the band’s next full-length. There’s no telling when their sophomore album will drop, but until then, here’s 20 more minutes of new King Buffalo tunes.

The first thing that came to my mind when I heard this EP was that it reminded me of Side A of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon.” The way this 1973 classic album quietly opens and flourishes with “Speak to Me/Breathe,” finds solace in an experimental interlude before wailing away with the album’s single, “Time,” “Dark Side of the Moon” is almost one-to-one to the vibe and feel of  “Repeater.” And I mean this as a compliment.

At a quick 20 minutes, “Repeater” is all packed on to one side of a 12” record. King Buffalomake no qualms in taking their sweet time to let the music unfold. The band sounds confident as they play through the dreamy plucking of the guitars, the perfectly enunciated vocals, and that sweet meditative groove that drummer Scott Donaldson brings with him. The tunes are mellow, meditative, groovy, and best of all, heady.

The sprawling 14-minute title track opens things up with a psych-out that travels far and wide. As far as the production goes, it’s impeccable, especially around the 9-minute mark when the guitars start going wild. “Too Little Too Late” brings with it heavier guitars and enough swirl to spin your head around backwards. The song’s hypnotic in its pulsing and zany experimentation, serving up a fitting transition to the EP’s closing track, “Centurion,” which is streaming below. This last song carries with it a vibe that’s more stoned than the opening cut. To put it bluntly, “Repeater” is to wake up to and “Centurion” is for those late hours of the night.

These 20 minutes pass by pretty quickly. King Buffalomanages to have this control on time, regardless the length of the release. Case in point, “Orion” still passes me by in the blink of an eye. As a short release, “Repeater” does what it’s intended to do and offers the hungry fans just a taste of what the main course is going to bring. Bring on that sophomore release!

“Repeater” is available to preorder/buy here

Band info: Facebook || bandcamp

ALBUM REVIEW: Causa Sui - “Vibraciones Doradas”

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 17/11/2017

Label: El Paraiso Records

 “Vibraciones Doradas” is a mélange of fuzzy, jam-rock. It flourishes, squirms, grooves and rides the wave of cool. Their rhythms are repetitive, innovative and progressive. These are the elements that define Causa Sui. It’s how the band puts these elements to use that makes Causa Sui one of the best.

“Vibraciones Doradas” CD//DD// LP track listing:

1. The Drop (7:12)
2. El Fuego (11:24)
3. Viborera (2:07)
4. Seven Hills (7:24)
5. Vibraciones Doradas (9:05)

The Review:

And just when you thought 2017 was winding down, Causa Suicomes at us with one last release before the Christmas shopping begins. What a drag, right? One more heavy-psych release to revel in before all that family time. One more psychedelic freak-out to take into account when throwing together your Happy Holidays Mix Tape.

For those who have the room to pile more releases onto their plate, here’s one fuzz-filled main course that you should take a scoop of. The album in question is “Vibraciones Doradas” and it’s been put together by Jakob Skott, Jonas Munk, Jess Kahr and Rasmus Rasmussen.  The four Danes play drums, guitars, bass, and synths, swirls and other fun stuff respectively. The album’s first run of vinyl is already sold out, and rightly so. It’s that good.

Hitting its mark quickly, Munk starts things off with one of those riffs that are going to come to full fruition in a live setting. In the grander scheme of things, this opening swing is a pretty standard riff, but keep in mind, this is just the starting point. It’s a way for the band to create an immediate connection with the listener. It shows that Causa Sui, as progressive as they are, are still indebted to their stoner rock roots.

The guitars go on and on and on. The jams ring true and the band is locked in. Munk phrases his licks like lyrics, making up for any lack of a front man. His riffing is drenched in fuzz and the grooves that unfold over the course of these five songs are as sun-bleached as can be. These Danes will forever bask in bright tones and on “Vibraciones Doradas” – loosely translated as Golden Vibrations – they proffer up more of these lush grooves.

At a mere 37 minutes in length, “Vibraciones Doradas” gets in and out quickly and leaves the mark it’s meant to. There are still plenty of jams, that’s what Causa Sui is great at. Their musicianship and connection with each other has always translated well to their recordings. Be it how Skott sets the groove in the album’s standout, “El Fuego,” or how they follow his double attack of the snare on the rough and rugged “Seven Hills,” there’s unity in this quartet and this unity is felt down the bone.

Jams, jams and more jams. That’s what you’re going to get on a Causa Sui album, and that’s what you’re getting on this new slab, too. “Vibraciones Doradas” is a mélange of fuzzy, jam-rock. It flourishes, squirms, grooves and rides the wave of cool. Their rhythms are repetitive, innovative and progressive. And as psychedelic as the squealing guitars are or how laid back that bass tone is, the music still manages to hold on to some form of song structure. These are the elements that define Causa Sui. It’s how the band puts these elements to use that makes Causa Suione of the best.

“Vibraciones Doradas” is available on CD//DD//LP here

Band info: Facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: The Oxford Coma - "Everything Out of Tune"

By: Charlie Butler

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 13/10/2017

Label: Independent

 “Everything Out Of Tune” is a breath of fresh air at a time when heavy music is becoming ever more reliant on recreation of past glories. The Oxford Coma delivers a welcome blast of vital strangeness while still riffing harder than most of their peers.

“Everything Out of Tune” DD//LP track listing:

1. Trauma (Maybe I’m Forgetting Something)
2. Inflatable Patriots (Touching People In Their Sleep)
3. Patterns Of Thought
4. Cartoons
5. Junkies & God
6. Everything Is Out Of Tune (My Only Victories Are Others’ Failures)
7. Reciprocal Damage
8. Smack & Temporary Enlightenment
9. Good Job Boys

The Review:

Phoenix quartet The Oxford Coma serve up a feast of unpredictable heavy delights on fourth LP “Everything Out of Tune”. Elements of grunge, stoner rock, psychedelia and even a little noise rock grit make their presence felt during this intoxicating voyage. Although there are familiar influences evident throughout, it is The Oxford Coma’s distinctive execution that makes this record so weird and compelling. 

“Trauma (Maybe I’m Forgetting Something)” rumbles into life like a Josh Homme-fronted Melvins while “Patterns Of Thought” sounds like Alice In Chains getting lost in the desert after a healthy dose of peyote. The title track is a whirlwind riff onslaught that somehow manages to maintain a balance of mathematical complexity and no-nonsense rock action to great effect. It is a perfect distillation of what makes The Oxford Coma great, intricate musicianship combined with skillful songwriting warped through a hazy psychedelic filter.

As the record progresses, The Oxford Coma dial back the heaviness and let their woozy melodic side come to the fore. “Reciprocal Damage” is the closest the band get to a regular song, the calm withdrawn vulnerability of the verses in stark contrast to the roaring release of the choruses. The track is built around a catchy guitar line that burrows deep into your brain and is simultaneously menacing and haunting.  “Smack And Temporary Enlightenment”establishes a suitably narcotic atmosphere via clouds of chiming harmonics punctured by bursts of restrained yet still incisive riffage while “Good Job Boys” brings the record home with a slow-burning epic.

“Everything Out of Tune”is a breath of fresh air at a time when heavy music is becoming ever more reliant on recreation of past glories. The Oxford Coma delivers a welcome blast of vital strangeness while still riffing harder than most of their peers.

“Everything Out of Tune”is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook