FOR THOSE ABOOT TO ROCK: Riffs of Canada with Dopethrone (Montréal, Québec)

By: Mark Tremblay

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25/05/2018

Label: Totem Cat Records

Dopethrone are the most consistent band in the genre, and this record further cements their legacy as one of the greats.

“Transcanadian Anger” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Planet Meth

2). Wrong Sabbath

3). Killdozer

4). Scuzzgasm

5). Tweakjabber

6). Snort Dagger

7). Killbilly Krush

8). Miserablist

The Review:

Dopethrone is a no frills stoner metal band that has nothing to hide.  “Transcanadian Anger” is everything you want to hear from the band, only further refined.  With each new release, Dopethronefurther solidify themselves as the Mötorhead of their genre. “Transcanadian Anger” is all substance, and no bullshit.

Dopethrone slithers out of the gate with “Planet Meth” and “Wrong Sabbath”.  These bluesy riffs are the sonic equivalent of drowning in a vat of tar; a syrupy heavy tone only made possible by Dopethrone.   The miasma of thick sludge kicks into high gear with “Killdozer” and “Scuzzgasm”. These four tracks showcase Dopethrone’s ability to create such diverse music within their brand of stoner/sludge metal.

The overall production on this record exemplifies the band’s strengths; full of lush textures, and really pushing the low end tones to the forefront of the listening experience. Even though the vocals seem quite low in the mix, they have this ominous quality to them that work perfectly in creating the soundscape that Dopethrone aspires to.

“Transcanadian Anger” is must have stoner/sludge metal record, but the listeners already knew that. Dopethrone are the most consistent band in the genre, and this record further cements their legacy as one of the greats.

“Transcanadian Anger”is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

EXCLUSIVE ALBUM STREAM & REVIEW: Weed Demon - "Astrological Passages"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: Full-length

Date Released: 18/08/2017

Label: Dissonant Society

Weed Demon is quite willing to show they can do a diverse attack that goes beyond a Melvins-ish crunch. It can definitely throttle you with heavy, sludged out guitars and drums. Yet, as you find on "Primordial Genocide" and elsewhere, Weed Demon can go from blasting to burrowing with its arrangements, zipping from fast to slow, metal to a variation on math rock, smoothly.

"Astrological Passages “CS//CD//DD "track listing

1. Astrological Passages

2. Primordial Genocide

3. Sigil of The Black Moon

4. Dominion of Oblivion

5. Jettisoned

The Review:

A band who call themselves Weed Demon and does five songs that clock out at 50 minutes pretty much says all you need to know about it being a stoner metal clique, doesn't it? Not completely. The Columbus, Ohio troupe has, in truth, a lot more in store for you.

Stoner metal has and has previously had many great acts as part of its history. Though the mainstream probably could not tell the difference between stoner and several other variations of doom, discriminating listeners know it when they hear it. Weed Demon flies the flag in its name and other venues. It certainly has other influences at its base.

On their debut full-length, a follow up to their 2015 EP, Weed Demonis quite willing to show they can do a diverse attack that goes beyond a Melvins-ish crunch. It can definitely throttle you with heavy, sludged out guitars and drums. Yet, as you find on "Primordial Genocide" and elsewhere, Weed Demoncan go from blasting to burrowing with its arrangements, zipping from fast to slow, metal to a variation on math rock, smoothly. "Sigil of the Black Moon" kicks off as if it is your standard issue doom cut, but evolves into capacious blues rock, then plunges you into deep sludge. Where their first recording felt straightforward and perhaps not as adventurous, Weed Demon seems more confident in their own skin, with members gutsy in their willingness to take songs out to the farther reaches of your expectations.

The vocal style is just as varied, wherein a song like "Dominion of Oblivion" conveys almost a kind of funeral doom in its chanting verbalization. Rarely do you find stoner and funeral cross paths, so this bridge of the song is fresh. The music grows more insistent as it goes on, as does the vocal. That song is followed by "Jettisoned," a sprawling 12-minute-plus track to wrap up the recording. With its harmonica accents, rockabilly sort of segueway and long instrumental stretches, the cut seems aimed at, as the group says, to smoke and just jam. However, the overall effort here is far superior to background music. And Weed Demon, regardless of its name, is hardly your average stoner metal group.

"Astrological Passages" is available to preorder/buy on CS here and CD//digital here.  The album is official out on the 18/8/2017, but you can stream it exclusively in full below.

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

ALBUM PREMIERE: Self styled ‘American Weed Rockers’ Wasted Theory return with "Defenders of the Riff"

Delaware/Maryland stoner rock heavyweights Wasted Theory will release their long awaited follow up to 2014’s “Death & Taxes” album on October 30th 2016. The self-proclaimed ‘American Weed Rockers’ have chosen “Defenders of the Riff” as the title to their second full-length effort, recorded over the summer of 2016 at Ken-Del and Clay Creek Recording Studios in Delaware.

“Defenders of the Riff” takes the bands sole brand of sonic assault to the next level and sees them build and develop their unique southern-esque stoner rock flare with more intensity than ever before. That ferocity also caught the attention of Robert Pilson head honcho of No Slip Records, with the band signing up with the label for the vinyl release of the album and is expected to released in April of 2017.

Wasted Theorywill embark on a two-week tour of the U.S. in May of 2017 in support of the album including stops in Atlanta, Louisiana, Texas, and Indiana, as well as numerous one-offs throughout the year on the East Coast.  With the world wide release just a week away, today we present Wasted Theory’s stunning album “Defenders of the Riff” in full which you can check out below. It can be pre-ordered here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook