Exclusive Track Premiere: Jeremy Irons & The Ratgang Malibus - "Wind Seized"

The earthen, the primitive, the native. There's no doubt a connection between this world and another, but our technology and our mundane motions won't help you find it. Without the benefit of time or a seasoned guide, you'll trip and miss the point. If you've absorbed Sweden's Jeremy Irons & The Ratgang Malibus, you've been, at the very least, introduced to a wormhole leading to a timeless, sprawling expanse of lofted bursts of psychedelia. The patient, the timeless, the hauntingly dry-hung threads of Elefanta and Bloom interwove the heavy with the dusty swirl, promising no limit.

From JIRM's latest trippy 8-track jaunt Spirit Knife comes Wind Seized, a belted free-spirit epic of canyon-dipped vocals glazing an elevated terrace of red rocks and staggering majesty. These guitars sail only to erupt and spray a dusty terrain with gold flakes, stunning with solos, riffing and rolling with sticky cosmic hope. It's impossible to hide the beauty amid the heavy hollows as your head tilts 90º and elemental variance threads spirals due North. This opus accomplishes more than simple seizure.

Small Stone needs your hovered commitment for two weeks, releasing Spirit Knife on April 29th. Just trust us, the album's balance of licks and buzzing hums is gonna drip from the corner of your mouth. But this streamer's an extended hand, an open door to a dimension you won't discover on fucking Pandora. Check it out below and drift... By the time your grip firms and you're carried home, you'll realize how fucking incredible it felt to get away.

Facebook | Small Stone Facebook | Small Stone Site

Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Larman Clamor - "Alligator Heart" / Alice Tambourine Lover - "Star Rovers"

Today, and end of the year treat, showcasing two albums that take a different tack from the norm perhaps, but still manage to provide a spiritually uplifting metal experience by mixing some funky, fuzzy, and furious blues, some expertly crafted melodies, a breathing, tangible atmosphere, and incredible passion in execution when laying down the cobalt riffs conjured for their respective albums. This music will likely take you down paths you might not ordinarily go, delivering a stunning and unexpected experience along the way. Here, at the end of a brilliant rock n roll year for the fuzzier strains of music the world over, I present to you the deep blue delicious melodies of Larman Clamor and Alice Tambourine Lover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LARMAN CLAMOR - "ALLIGATOR HEART"

Surely there are but a few of the world's billion artists that happen to be in possession of more than one valid means of expressing their yearning need to interpret the universe. The master craftsman behind Larman Clamor happens to be one of those rare and gifted artists. Alexnder von Wieding might be best known for the phenomenal artwork he has contributed to the world of heavy metal, including the moody, swamp gas infused composition he has placed on the cover of this second album release on Small Stone Records, "Alligator Heart", but, working strictly solo, he has crafted a fine collection of blues riff fueled tracks that mine the depths of emotion and electricity in equal and emphatic measure. Striking powerful, deep blues licks to go along with his rough around the edges sharecroppers vocal delivery he manages to elicit a lot of smoky, dark atmosphere in tune perfectly with his penchant for well crafted melodies. Von Wieding manages to play it heavy with tracks like "Banshee W'Me" and "She Sent Her Hounds", conjuring hot and sweaty visions of futility and despair with tracks such as "Done No Good" and "Been Cookin'", as well as inspirational, spiritual experiences with songs like "I'm Building Ruins". On each song is the hand of a meticulous mason, crafting deep, distorted threads of varying licks that interwine beautifully to create intriguing tunes of guile and depth, emotional to the bone, and managing to satisfy that sticky sweet yearning for blues that lies at the base of most of what we love musically.



facebook ... bandcamp ... bandcamp ... smallstone

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ALICE TAMBOURINE LOVER - "STAR ROVERS"

When first hearing Alice Tambourine Lover's music you catch a bluesy, Americana sound that has gargantuan riffs of blues magic woven in and around subtle but charming psychedelic licks and fuzzy desert melodies.The fuzz on this record is ingenious in its subtlety, yet powerful in presence, engendering power cycles of enormous magnitude managing never to overwhelm, instead creating an atmosphere of physicality and immense satisfaction. Guitarist Alice Albertazzi combines her mastery of the blues and her dulcet, angelic vocals with melodies of exquisite, whimsical adventure. Bassist and dobro wielder extraordinaire Gianfranco Romanelli gives power and grace to the magical melodies, driving them toward amplified glory up and down the entire album track. The songs are sweet and awe inspiring, wrapped tightly with a huge fuzzy blanket of riff and resonation. Tracks like "Digging This Song", "Temptation", and "Between Cupid's Lip" are uptempo and crunchy pleasure rides showcasing mastery and evolution of the blues riff. Sweet songs such as "Venus" and "Falling Deep Inside" haunt deeply, cajoling emotion from deep, personal sources. A trippier, psychedelic experience is to be had on "Gipsy Mind" and "Rainy Rainy".

This duo from Bologna are supremely gifted artists who place a significant metal imprimatur on "Star Rovers" with dexterous, intelligent guitar riffs of exquisite beauty and significant heart.







facebook ... soundcloud ... label ... twitter

SASQUATCH: The Heavy Planet Interview

Noted monster rockers Sasquatch, having just released their monstrous fourth album, "IV", have also taken the time to answer a couple of questions we posed to them about the album, their standing in the rock world, the overall state of rock from their viewpoint, their likes, their dislikes, what motivates them, and what they see the future holding for themselves and the band. With their responses this rock trio reveal a huge passion for what they do as well as a conspicuous ability and bearing in how they apply themselves to their chosen passion. Take some time, if you will, and get to know Keith, Cas, and Rick just a little bit and see what you might take away from having gotten to know just a piece of who these consummate rockers truly are. I open the questions with a reference to the song "Money", about an acquaintance who borrows a few bucks in an ongoing one sided relationship in which there is only one giver and one taker, a serious situation to be sure, but I had hoped to make light of it somewhat as an opening salvo, if you will. I was curious how they might respond to this question, and just as with their music, just as with the responses to the entire interview, they didn't only not disappoint, they tended to go the extra mile, because they can and, I suspect, they choose to. It speaks a lot to who they are. Ladies and Gentlemen . . . Keith Gibbs, Rick Ferrante, Jason Casanova . . . the incomparable Sasquatch:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HP: Okay, I want to get the easy one out of the way first . . . can I borrow some money? Hah!

Keith: Sure, how much do you need?

Cas: Here at the First Bank of Sasquatch, we provide hassle-free short-term loans to all of our customers. No paperwork, no red-tape. You tell us what you need, and you’ll have cash in hand within minutes. Interest runs at about 20% per week and there’s no need to worry about receiving bills or sending in payments. We will have some nice men stop by your residence, remind you when payment is due, and they can even collect while on site. Think of all of the money you’ll save on stamps!

HP: Do you have any feedback yet on how well “IV” is selling out there in the world?

Rick: So far, pretty good. Small Stone would have more info though on how sales are doing. Getting a lot of thumbs-up so far. This is more of a direct approach. A “meat & potatoes” record if you will. People seem to like it; some miss the acoustic stuff and/or the intro-outro things we would do on some of the other records.

Cas: Rick misses the intro-outro things we do on some of our other records.

HP: How is the touring schedule for "IV" shaping up? Is it a difficult process to get one together?

Keith: We are talking to some European booking agents at the moment and hopefully we'll be touring sometime in April/May 2014. Touring the US is another animal. We would love to do it but getting guarantees is difficult since we usually book it ourselves.

Cas: Yeah, the US is tough. Demand and supply isn’t quite tipping in our favor. Can you make some calls and fix that for us? Great, thanks.

HP: Have you progressed enough in developing the tour to know who might tour with you, if anyone? Is there any chance of touring with a more well-known band? There is no one out there that plays better rock than you, but there are plenty of bands that are more widely recognized. Opening for some of those bands might garner a wider zone of interest from those folks who love meaningful rock. That's just me blabbering. Do you have an opinion on that sort of thing?

Keith: There are a few names being thrown around for Europe: UEMG (Ed Mundell’s solo project, Ultra Electric Mega Galactic, reviewed on Heavy Planet here: http://www.heavyplanet.net/2013/04/nuclear-dogs-atomic-split-ultra.html) and House Of Broken Promises, but nothing set in stone at the moment. We would love to go out on bigger tours as well but no takers as of yet. You would think it would be easier after four albums.

Cas: It’s a whole different ball game in terms of touring in the big leagues. From what I’ve seen and heard, it’s becoming more common practice that bands or their labels are buying on to these larger tour packages. Once again, “pay-to-play” rears its ugly head in a different fashion. Sorry, Debbie Downer moment.

HP: You guys have been together a decade now, and have released 4 very important albums (even if most of the world doesn’t realize it yet). How different was the process for writing the music on the first album from that on the last?

Keith: Very different. I had been a bit of a control freak on the first two, but now with the addition of Cas, I've let go of that. Rick and Cas both have great ideas, whether it be riffs or arrangements, so it's much easier to let go of total control. And I think that is very apparent if you listen to the progression of the songwriting on the last two albums especially.

Cas: I don’t really do anything. It must be the beard. Or Rick’s aftershave.

HP: Keith, can you describe to us a little bit of that process for creating songs? Do you start with the music, the lyrics, some combination of both?

Keith: It always starts with just a collection of riffs that I have in my head, then I bring it to the fellas and we arrange it together for the most part. As far as the lyrics, I've had a lot of ups and downs in the past five or so years and I draw everything from that. It's been a rough ride. My daughter, Riley, is a huge source of inspiration and she's also the greatest.

Cas: The writing part of it seems to be second nature for Keith. I just bring beer and watch the magic happen.

HP: Has it become more of a struggle over the years to write new songs, or do you feel like there is a pretty deep well there?

Keith: The well is very deep when it comes to riffs, thankfully; I have been lucky in that respect. There have been spaces of writer's block but that is usually because of drama in my own personal life.

HP: You mentioned Cas and Rick are now very involved in the writing process. As talented as they are as musicians I can only imagine they have a lot of deep understanding of song structure. Can you elaborate on what they bring to the table just a bit?

Keith: Rick and Cas are great when it comes to that. They each have different backgrounds in musical tastes so that really helps a lot. Rick loves old school Rock & Blues as well as Jazz, Psych, & Prog, but he is rooted there. Cas comes from more of an indie standpoint, which helps us to stay away from writing music to make money (as opposed to keeping our integrity). He also loves the old school stuff. I’m somewhere in the middle. Cas and I both love 80's thrash metal!

Cas: Keith brings the riffs. Rick then likes to get into the nuts and bolts of the songs as they come together; any and all aspects involved with the structuring, gear, and/or recording approach. The two of them get the songs to a point where it’s practically complete by the time I come in and add my parts. 

HP: Keith mentioned some inspirational sources, how about for Rick and Cas, where do you typically find your inspiration? Is writing a song something in which you have to flex a lot of mental muscle, or do the songs come somewhat easily? Or is it perhaps something in between?

Rick: Usually from a personal event or experience for the most part. Current & past world events maybe a bit as well.

HP: “IV” contains some incredibly well written music, both lyrically and melodically. I'm thinking specifically of "Eye of the Storm", "Corner", and "Drawing Flies". The thing that is inspiring to a fan like me is how fresh your music sounds, especially considering you've been cranking songs out for at least a decade. Is it a conscious effort on your part to create a specific sound or a certain feel for any of an album's songs? Do you struggle at all with trying to find a freshness in what you write?

Keith: We just write what comes out. I have kinda taken that AC/DC approach where I don't care what is going on around me musically, we just stick to our guns.

Cas: Yeah, there’s no real magic secret or concerted effort in the writing approach. It’s quite basic and to-the-point. It ends up typically being, “Oh, that’s a cool riff. Let’s make a song of that with that other cool riff.” Boom. Song done.

HP: Tell me a little about your playing, each of you. Has anything changed for you physically in the way you approach playing these days, whether it be for the studio or for a show. As you've aged a bit, has it had an effect on your ability to manipulate your instruments, whether positively or negatively? Do you guys find you have to warm up a little more these days before taking the stage or is the opposite effect where you've become so proficient at playing it's now second nature?

Cas: I can probably speak for all of us in that we have to warm up the fingers, stretch a bit, and get the pee break in right before set time. I think it’s important to go through the pre-show motions at any age, but it’s especially important now that we’re old fucks. My knees don’t function quite as well as they once did. The tinnitus also seems to be getting worse as I age, so I am trying to learn how to play on stage with earplugs. I tend to rip them out frequently because I want to hear everything at full volume. Yeah, I’m a dumbass.

HP: Similarly, Keith, how have the years treated your vocal chords and your ability to sing in the all out full throated way you do for Sasquatch? John Garcia recently stated that age has not diminished his ability to sing like it seems to do for most frontmen, so I was wondering what your experience has been in that regard.

Keith: It's pretty much second nature, at least for me. We've never had a grueling touring schedule so things like tendinitis or vocal issues have never been a problem. I’m happy and sad about that because we would love to tour 6 months of the year, but I think it helps keep our longevity.

HP: What does the future hold for Sasquatch? Do you see yourselves making music for another decade or more (I hope)?

Keith: Sasquatch will keep putting our albums as long as we are able to do so. I'm pretty sure I can speak for the guys when I say that our number one passion in life is music.

HP: Your music is usually placed within the genre of 'stoner' rock, for better or worse. What are your thoughts on that aspect of the underground rock world? What are your thoughts on the state of rock and roll right now where thousands of extremely gifted bands and musicians remain deeply obscure, labeled as stoner, doom, high desert, fuzz rockers, but get little to no airtime or notoriety? How do you feel about the more popular rock artists currently garnering air time, bands like Foo Fighters, Black Keys, Godsmack, Nickelback, Disturbed, or whoever is out there these days? Any of them making music that is worth the time to listen to?

Keith: I would have to defer to the guys for that question. I really don't listen to anything current, it's just a personal choice. Bands like old Traffic, Blind Faith, Zeppelin, Floyd, any seventies bands are what I draw from. Cas keeps up with what is going on, you should see his CD collection, it's fucking massive! As far as the Stoner rock tag…it doesn't really apply. I think of us currently as a rock band with some elements of stoner rock. We are strictly alcohol driven these days. Ha!

Cas: Tough questions. No clear answers quite yet. There have always been those bands, genres, scenes that haven’t gotten the notoriety they deserve, and I don’t think that has really changed since I’ve been a wee lad. I do think that the playing field has leveled out a bit more with the digital age and what some consider to be the fall of the “majors”. The opportunities are still in flux though. Many of the bands (us included) are trying to figure out how to really embrace and take advantage of the technology and Internet-driven advancements. On one hand, our music is freely available to anyone that wants to steal it. On the other hand, if it weren’t for the youtubes, facebooks, and even myspaces of ten years ago, Sasquatch wouldn’t have the kind of global exposure that we do now. Hell, a majority of our online store traffic comes from Europe, but we’ve even been getting some decent response from places deep in South America, Australia, as well as South Africa. Kind of wild when you think about it. To answer your question about popular rock… yeah, there is mainstream stuff I like just as much as the next guy. Soundgarden falls on the top of that list. I also have a lot of respect for what Grohl and Homme have done to make a career of it. Same goes with the Black Keys. That other stuff you mentioned is a bunch of rubbish though.

HP: When you're alone, each of you, what tunes are you spinning in your car, your office, etc.? How about when you're together, either touring or in the studio perhaps, what do you listen to as a gaggle of musicians. Is it a gaggle? A horde? A pride? I'm not sure.

Rick: Gaggle! My iPod will have anything from Frank Zappa, Budgie, Mahogany Rush, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Funkadelic, Monster Magnet, Killing Joke, The Cult, The Guess Who, pre American label Loudness, Rory Gallagher, Steve Earle, Eric Johnson, Tony Williams Lifetime, Robin Trower…pretty diverse. We also dig our fellow Small Stone bands as well. We will take turns & throw on whatever: Cas? Keith?

Cas: When the three of us are touring in the van, there tends to be a lot of Stern and random comedy shows on Sirius. Otherwise, it’s driver’s choice. In the office, I tend to listen to mellower stuff. Exotica, jazz, classical. Something that doesn’t distract. Ya know, like a Red Red Meat or Martin Denny record hits the spot. On the commute, it’s rock time, and there are a variety of bands I started listening to in the early 90s that still stay in rotation on my mp3 player. I can spin a Barkmarket, Quicksand, or Shiner record, for instance, and it still sounds as fresh to me as the day it came out. We’re also lucky in that one doesn’t have to look much further from the label for good stuff to pass the time. Try cranking Mellow Bravo’s “Ridin” while you’re on the freeway next time. I had it on yesterday morning. It’s great for bobbing and weaving in and out of traffic going 80.

HP: What was the last album that stopped you in your tracks and made you take notice?

Rick: I like the new Killing Joke record MMXI as well as the new Clutch.

Cas: Re-Voltaire.

HP: Each of you have had experiences playing in other projects or for other artists, just as you've had guest artists on your own albums, notably Small Stone Head Honcho Scott Hamilton of Luder and Gozu's Marc Gaffney on "IV". Are there any other projects or supergroups coming up, such as when Rick played drums for The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic and on which Keith had a guest spot? As fans of all three of you guys, as a group and as individual musicians, I'm sure I'm not alone in wanting to hear whatever you produce, either as the monster group Sasquatch, as guest musicians for other bands, or perhaps as members of the trend of super groups that pop up from time to time.

Keith: Sasquatch is my baby and I really don't have that much interest in doing anything else right now except just guest spots. Hope that doesn't make me sound like a dick, it's just the truth. Cas is playing with our friends in Behold! The Monolith and I think he really enjoys it since they are much different than what Sasquatch does.

Cas: Yeah, I’m now splitting my time with Behold! The Monolith here in LA. We’ve known those guys for awhile (I think Keith and Chase have been bros for about 10 years), and I’ve been a fan of the band since Sasquatch had first played with them a couple of years back in Reno. This past Spring they lost Kevin (their frontman, bass player, and all around good dude) in a fatal car accident one week before they were set to leave on their first US tour. It’s been really tough on the guys, but after speaking with Kevin’s girlfriend and family, they decided to continue on. Anyway, I started jamming with them maybe in August just as they were getting back into it. It’s sort of a hybrid between sludgier doom, and fast-paced metal, something that I haven’t done since my early college days. It’s quite different musically than Sasquatch, so there’s a good balance between the two bands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, there you have it, a little insight into three mammoth rockers, masters of the riff, who live for their music, are clever, gifted, and insightful, and conduct themselves with humor and wit. They are well matched as a threesome, each bringing a wealth of ability and heart to the music they make, and we, as their fans, are better off for it, even if, for them, it's a not insignificant struggle. Passion trumps strife, strife inspires art, we reap the rewards with the incomparable "IV".

facebook . . bandcamp . . website

Nuclear Dog's Atomic Review: Sasquatch - IV

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Like any musical genre Stoner Rock has its giants, those gifted artists and exceptional bands that produce a product easily recognizable as superior in many ways. The second half of 2013 will witness some of those giants - known giants, up and coming giants, and obscure giants of an obscure genre - releasing new and heavily anticipated music. One of those Stoner Rock giants, in the minds of fan and critic alike, is in the top two or three currently active bands, and could very well retain that lofty status once their music has been consigned to history. This is a band recognized far and wide for the quality of original fuzz it has produced over the course of a decade and change, sporting music of gargantuan riffs and melodic song structures, consisting of a three man line up that has seen only one member change over that time. It is a line up consisting of all-pro rockers, supremely talented, motivated, and passionate to their fuzzy metal cores.

I am talking, of course, about the behemoth band Sasquatch, who have recently released their fourth album on Small Stone Records, aptly and succinctly titled "IV", following after the timeless "III" of 2010, the jaw dropping "II" of 2006, and 2004's self titled notice of arrival.

The lineup for Sasquatch includes the newest member, Jason Casanova, who has been with the band now since just prior to the release of their monster third album. He has not only seamlessly fit in, but has perhaps brought a higher level of intensity and musicianship by wielding his bass like a wild-eyed, claymore brandishing berserker, full of fury, passion, and, above all, skill.

Providing tectonic reverberations is the timeless Rick Ferrante, equally ferocious in his impeccable wood on skin pummelings, perpetuating the same excellence as has been demonstrated on all previous releases, and providing timeless and unmatchable continuity throughout the band's legacy of fuzz.

Providing the meat, the origin, and the monster riffs that define Sasquatch is the incomparable Keith Gibbs, a bona fide artistic giant, whose song writing skills and masterful six string manipulations are powered by his unique musical gifts and a heart as big as the hairy beast for which the band is named. Add to that vocals of perfect pitch and power and you have an artist of exceptional chops.

"IV" has been heavily anticipated, with a festering fervor brewing through the three year gap since their last album was released, an album that was highly, and rightly acclaimed as a hallmark achievement of supreme musicianship and quality. That kind of success, along with the sustained success over three great albums in a decade, breeds both anticipation and apprehension. Anticipation for what surely will be another superb rendering. Apprehension for sustained quality, perhaps. We expect lightning to strike yet again. But there is always that little kernel of . . . not doubt necessarily, because there is no reason to doubt it . . . trepidation, maybe, that our good fortune with the Sasquatch lottery might run out on this ticket.

So, what is the verdict for the fourth album from a bonifide Stoner Rock giant? In a word, magnificent. Talent in all areas meets passion in the same, generating a cascading onslaught of gargantuan, heavy, beefy, fuzzy riffs, beats, hooks, and melody. THIS is what you want a stoner rock album to be, an intoxicating experience of sound that permeates through every pore and infiltrates to every cell, leaving you lusting for an immediate repeat injection.

One of the coolest aspects of Sasquatch's music is that none of it feels calculated beyond the simple intent of playing what they've made, which, given their immense talents in songsmithing and song execution becomes an intensely enjoyable experience, especially when played loud, and, for my preferences, up close and personal through high quality headphones.

Many of the songs on "IV" represent growth for the band as they explore new paths just outside the boundaries they set on the first three albums. They do not deviate from their strengths so much as develop new muscles of deep stoner fuzz that build upon that strong foundation. The album, though, also contains a smattering of tried and true Sasquatch tunes, so take heart those who fear change. It's an album with the best of all worlds, standard tracks that deliver that comfortable old fuzzy cardigan, songs with fresh direction generating excitement and deep energetic release, and songs that are signature Sasquatch capable of sliding into I, II, or III, as well as giving IV that deep blues rock grounding for which this threesome is known.

"I've Got a Message" opens the album with energy and fun, delivering a song that's a little like a steamroller barrelling full force just out of control down a steep San Francisco boulevard.

Next up is "Eye of the Storm", a tour de force in radioactive output and exposed nerves, in which the band veers away a bit from what has been their signature style without abandoning any part of their tried and true sound. If anything, the tandem strings of Gibbs and Cas deliver larger caliber munitions in a cacophony spray of distorted ecstasy driven relentlessly forward by Ferrante's feral roar of lumber on skin. This song is heavy with anguish and pain, intentional or not, with gargantuan heart and unimaginable skill providing one of the most satisfying tracks of the year from any and all rock sources.

What follows next is a series of songs that demonstrate for the fourth time in a decade the brilliance and thrill of the blues rock riddled, distorted, fuzzy riff rages of one of rock's most talented threesomes, who both go a far piece to define a genre while rumbling loud and long within its own craggy niche. From "Sweet Lady" to "Me and You" are five sagas of anguish, betrayal, and pain as relayed through fuzz boxes and high caliber amplifiers in the employ of a trio of warlocks of distortion. Joining in on "Smoke Signal" are Mr. Small Stone, Scott Hamilton on guitar, and Gozu's Marc Gaffney on vocals, slathering juicy relish onto what was already a juicy, meaty morsel of soul stomping sound.

The penultimate track, "Corner", is a brilliant uptempo full speed tank ride, straight ahead, powerful, constructed and executed to perfection. The only knock on this song might be it's too short! Of course, it's the perfect length, I just hated to hear it drop to silence after a frenetic 3 minutes. Sasquatch more than make up for it on the closer, "Drawing Flies", an eminate slow burn of unyielding intensity that bores its way through to the very core of the listener's tribal origins, striking a long lying primal chord with harmonic perfection.

The threesome of Sasquatch each demonstrate the highest levels of musicianship and craft on this album, especially in service of low tuned and slow burning musical intensity. Gibbs' guitar is power and brilliance, mining the depths of blues fueled fuzz with passion and grace. Casanova is a marvel of booming reverberations dexterously executed. Ferrante yields a smooth, effortless, yet vigorous prowess with his virtuoso performance on drums. Gibbs, too, is a master singer whose vocal instrument is exceptional on every note, every nuance, and every inflection. All is blended together and perfectly executed in the service of inventive, perceptive, and resourceful song writing. This is an album of note, perhaps made all the more so when considering it's the fourth in line of exceptional releases, a position that for many would expose a threadbare vein of artistic provender, but for this band, instead, reveals new direction, incredible passion, and songs for the ages.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







facebook || bandcamp || Small Stone || flog || lyrics

Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Luder - "Adelphophagia" / Elvis Deluxe - "The Story So Far"

I know it's been awhile. You know, life. Part and parcel of the responsibilities of life require paying the pimp for services rendered, and decades of rendering those services yield physical breakdowns of the sort to stymie your abilities. Regardless, the responsibilities remain, leaving little time for soul replenishment via cherished activities, such as writing about the wonderful, awe inspiring world of stoner metal. But, enough small blocks of time banded together today yield just enough opportunity to introduce to you two fine new albums of stoner bliss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LUDER - "ADELPHOPHAGIA"

What happens when the intense full throttle sound of  Five Horse Johnson's lead guitarist, who loves blues and classic rock, Novadriver's heavy hitting drummer, who loves hard and heavy rock, Small Stone Record's head honcho, who loves the classic sounds of The Who and The Cult, and Slot's dulcet toned vocalist, who loves the mellow sounds of indie rock get together to form a band? The short answer is Luder. Go a bit deeper and the response is an intriguing, unique, deep, soulful blend of styles that yields a sound that surprisingly satisfies a craving you might not have known you had.

One of my all time favorite things is the sound of that wonderful, soul stirring, stoner guitar riff, the kind employed on many great albums by some of the genre's best known and most accomplished artists such as Truckfighters, Dozer, Summoner, Steak, and Kyuss, just to name about half a percent. It is an incredible, vibrant guitar riff and plays well in every setting in which I've ever heard it. I've often wondered how applying that riff style to mellower rock or songs that are perhaps more poppish in nature might improve their sound. With Luder and their latest release "Adelphophagia" my curiosity has been assuaged, and then some. Does it work? HELL, YEAH!!! it works. "Adelphophagia"'s songs are exciting and invigorating, due both to the unique blend of sound and style as well as to the musical talents on full display in each of the piece parts of the band's members.

Luder have been making music for quite a while, hearkening back to 2006 as a culmination of efforts to honor the band Slot, who had lost their guitarist and main creative force, Billy Rivkin, just a few years earlier. Small Stone Records first released Slot's music in 2006. That release stirred 2 of Slot's remaining members, vocalist and bassist Sue Lott and drummer Eddie Alterman, and  Five Horse Johnson's guitarist Phil Dürr as well as Small Stone Record's Scott Hamilton, also on guitar, to play Slot's music at SXSW in the spring of 2007. Afterward, the feeling they could, and should, create a fresh style of rock music led to the official formation of Luder and a changing of the guard at drums in which Eddie was replaced by Novadriver's Eric Miller. Soon 2009's "Sonoluminescence" was released, and now "Adelphophagia".

Dürr's guitar charges out of the gate straight away on the opener "Never Liked You" in a prelude of the sonic bursts he has peppered throughout the song. In much the same way Lott flexes big bass muscle in antipodal display to her soothing and confident vocals. The drumwork rides a wave of clearly defined execution, never simply underpinning the more obvious guitarwork. Listening to the varied and brilliant pieces on display here gives you an immediate sense of just how incredibly gifted these musicians are.

In second position is "Astrolabe", a song of psychedelic tendencies, richly layered with compelling and dexterous instrumentation. And again, despite the high powered lead guitar riff hammer of Phil Dürr, the biggest guns might just be from the same person who lays out the sweet sounding vocals as she practically lays waste with her booming, athletic bass licks.

Sublime stoner fuzz accentuated with enveloping avalanche blitzes propel "One Eye" on an engrossing journey, followed by "Heartfelt" with its almost strident riffage encompassed in rich, deep, blended psychedelic tones.

"Ask the Sky" gives Lott a chance to shine even more than usual with her rich, measured vocals, turning on a sublime and haunting charm that stands out as the focal point for the accompanying melody, while the haunting quality of "You Try It" shifts slightly to the dueling guitars of Dürr and Hamilton.

The melody and music of "Dirge" is a tight and powerfully executed anthem of haunting beauty.

A change of pace awaits on "I'm Afraid of Americans", a funky and fun exhibition that throws some unusual sounds into the mix while making it all work effortlessly and seamlessly.

The closer is the slow burning "Remember What I Said". Whether or not you remember what I said today or not doesn't matter so much as remembering the sustained immersion and profound experience of this unique and wonderful album.







facebook ||| bandcamp ||| smallstone ||| website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ELVIS DELUXE - "THE STORY SO FAR"

This band from Warsaw, Poland should be considered grizzled veterans of the stoner rock scene having lasted this long from inception in 2003. They seem to be gaining steam as they course along the fuzzy paths of underground metal both in album frequency and musical quality. Forming in 2003 they didn't release their first album, "Lazy", until 2007, followed up after another 4 year elapse with the highly acclaimed "Favourite State of Mind" in 2011. But only 2 years have transpired since and now comes "The Story So Far" ( a promising title of more to come, perhaps ).

Elvis Deluxe have always displayed a knack for the hook and melody of Kyuss-like stoner rock with a garage rock strain, but with this latest release there is a depth and dexterity not always matched on the earlier albums. Having said that, 3 of the songs on this album are from the very early days and feature the original guitarist, Mechu, who had left Elvis Deluxe soon after the release of  "Favourite State of Mind". The band did not lose any of its new found momentum, however, and have added a new guitarist who plays on the newest tracks of "The Story So Far".

Current band members include:

Bert Trust - Guitar
Bolek - Guitar
Miko - Drums
Ziemba - Bass / Vocals

"The Story So Far" wastes no time establishing itself as a contender. Out of the gate we are treated to "Yourgodfreed", an eight minute immersion into a measured hypnotic atmosphere that permeates and elevates as it carries you along in its fuzzy hooks and psychedelic connotations.

The style changes up significantly on "No Reason" and "Dark Lovers" in which recognizable stoner riffs are executed in an almost atypical and intriguing manner, while playing enjoyable hooks of pop sensibilities, yet never abandoning the booming riffs and low tuned megablasts of hallmark stoner rock.

"Face It" demonstrates that rare accomplishment of blending bigger than life stoner fuzz riffs with beautiful melody and a memorable hook, punctuated by a closing salvo of naval proportions.

"Something to Hide", "Out of Life", and "The Hope" are all massive onslaughts of measured sound, blasting loud and deep while under strict control.

Elvis Deluxe closes out with a cover of the Stooges' "Search and Destroy", doing more than a credible impression of the classic song by throwing in signature stoner riffs throughout, giving it an incredible and enjoyable sound.

"The Story So Far" immediately goes on the 'Best of Lists' for many stoner rock lovers, myself included. While it faces stiff competition in the coming months from stoner rock royalty and some very heavily anticipated albums, this signature album from Poland's premier metal band is exceptional whether on its own or in the company of other albums of similar stature, so when the curtains close and the dust settles on 2013 there will definitely be a light shining squarely on the brilliance of "The Story So Far".









facebook || bandcamp || last.fm || myspace || allmusic

Album Review: Miss Lava - "Red Supergiant"

MISS LAVA - "RED SUPERGIANT"

After a scorching 2012 in which Small Stone Records had released well over a dozen new albums from their superstar stable of rockers, 2013 has started off a bit more slowly, until now that is. New signing Miss Lava is on the verge of releasing their second full length album, and first on the Small Stone label, "Red Supergiant". This album should become an instant classic in the stoner rock world, filled to the gills with eleven finely crafted throwdowns that epitomize quality metal music.

Miss Lava hails from Portugal, a country not necessarily known for its stoner rock breeding grounds but one that might surprise you with the community of low tuned metalheads rocking to the rumble and roar of real rock, with Miss Lava undoubtedly leading the way. In fact, the sound this quartet of talented torchmongers have crafted for "Red Supergiant" is top shelf incredible, blending the best of low tuned mega riffs, scorching solos, booming bass undercurrents, and memorable hook laden melodies. These gatos maniaco know how to both forge music of the finest craftsmanship, as well as to execute their handiwork in a display of impeccable showmanship. To top it off, out of eleven songs on the album, these rockers have managed to craft more than a few, or even a handful, of high caliber numbers, creating a full contingent of mouth watering exploits to be regularly and thoroughly enjoyed.

Band members:

Johnny Lee - Vocals
K. Raffah - Guitars
S. Rebelo - Bass
J. Garcia - Drums

While Miss Lava do not, in any way, sound like some sort of Kyuss cover band, the sound they have crafted is of a similar type, one that blends perfectly the heavy rumble and roar of classic stoner sounds with clever musicianship exemplified by striking melodies and memorable hooks. To top it all off they have managed to bat a perfect .1000 on "Red Supergiant" by including eleven songs in which each stands on its own as a beacon of rock quality.

The album opens with "Desert Mind", immediately demonstrating their penchant for both the rumble and roar of mega riffs from guitar and bass while vocalist Johnny Lee leads the way on melody and memories. "Lay Down"  and "Feel My Grace" keep the tempo at a brisk pace, putting those growling guitar riffs through their paces. The overarching tone on "Ride" is more somber than its predecessors as the stoner sound comes through in a huge way. "Crawl", too, creates a dire atmosphere of smoke and darkness permeated by distant thunder. One of the most poignant, well crafted, and memorable songs comes in the form of "Hole to China". The tempo picks back up in a big way with "Catch the Fire" a romp of monstrous proportions. "Murder of Crows" and "Motel Neon" blast and bomb away with a force of joyous fury, while "Yesterday's Gone" deals another haunting jaunt through bog and mire. The closer is the title track "Red Supergiant", which wastes no time in proving worthy of the gargantuan moniker by dealing out mammoth licks that grow in intensity as it builds to the inevitable climax to song and album.

Small Stone Records has a knack for finding quality bands and sharing their tunes with those of us that enjoy the lower, richer end of the metal sound, but also enjoy quality melodies and memorable stretches of music. Miss Lava are a welcome addition just as "Red Supergiant" is a welcome rendition.





facebook || bandcamp || last.fm || website || smallstone

Heavy Planet Interview - Rock and Roll Artist Extraordinaire Alex von Wieding

At the end of 2012 when making my list of Top 20 albums there was a characteristic of the list that stood out for me. Granted, as an amateur artist myself, in every sense of the word, I have always admired the great art on album covers and live show posters from such awesome ink slingers as Brian Mercer and Chris Hitchman, among others. One artist, though, who seemed to stand alone with his approach to technique, style, and imaginative storytelling has been Alex von Wieding. He has been incredibly prolific as well, which when combined with the quality of work he creates is quite impressive. Alex has painted album covers for a large number of stoner and doom albums and other genres of rock over the past several years. In 2012 he was as prolific as ever. Of my Top 20 albums no fewer than 5 of them had covers by Mr. von Wieding. Between my own artistic yearnings and appreciation, the prolific output by Alex, and his incredible creations I decided to name him artist of the year in my year end article as a small tribute.

As it turns out Alex does a lot of work for the artists aligned with a number of the record labels who focus on delivering quality stoner / doom / retro / psychedelic / retro rock to the yearning, fuzz loving masses. One of those record labels is Stargun Music who have just begun to get started in this underground rock and roll world, celebrating their first anniversary this week with Heavy Planet as you surely have noticed with the interview posted yesterday on this site. Since Alex does so much work for them, is an artistic force in this low tuned and heavy world, and is an interesting person of note full of passion for his work and for the music it represents, we are presenting an interview of him below, as conducted by Jeremy of Stargun Records.

Cover art for "Sonic Titans"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jeremy: Hey Alex thanks for sparing the time to talk today on behalf of Heavy Planet as part of Stargun Music's one year anniversary.

Alex: Hey there.

Jeremy: I know you are very busy finishing album artwork for SADA and tons of other projects so lets cut to the chase - when you're not doing work for awesome bands like Karma To Burn, Enos, Wo Fat and the aforementioned SADA - what music do you normally listen to?

Alex:  Oh, that would most currently be the new Clutch record - "Earth Rocker", and I also just bought the new BRMC and Free Fall... apart from that, I've been listening to a bunch of electronika and soundtracks again as of late. Stuff like Tangerine Dream, Harald Grosskopf, Zombi, Majeure, Steve Moore... but also Endless Boogie (Long Island is awesome!), Camera, Barn Owl, Electric Orange, Imaad Wasif, It's Not Night- It's Space... oh, and while I'm at it: Organic Is Orgasmic. You guys should really check them out. Great stuff. As for the soundtracks, the current heavy rotation includes "The Hitcher" soundtrack (the original one, can never go wrong with that), "Tron Legacy", "Darksiders 2", and others.

 Jeremy: Any favourite or stand out albums from last year?:

 Alex:  Hm, hard to say. Apart from those I did the art for (I love each of them equally), let's see... I really listened the hell out of Camera's self titled debut, Majeure's "Solar Maximum", Steve Moore's "Light Echoes" and the latest Rival Sons album, "Head Down", which I also forgot above, since it's spinning in the car every few days... haha.

 Jeremy:  How did you get your start in doing album artwork? Were you approached or did you offer your services to a band or label?

 Alex:  Apart from the fact that I'd been toying with doing album artwork for a while, but never did it for any real bands up to that point, it in fact was the re-releases of Monster Magnet's "Spine Of God" and "25... TAB" around 2005, 2006. And it was also funny, because by that time, Monster Magnet were one of my favorite bands, and when I read somewhere that there would be re-issues coming out, and then never saw any artwork for them anywhere, I kept asking myself, "Well, what would my personal interpretation look like?". And I just simply started doing them. By the time I was done, and there was still no re-issue artwork showing up anywhere, I thought, why not publish them on the MM forum? And so I did. Not only did the folks there love them, a few days later, I got a call from SPV, the label that was doing the re-issues, and they were asking me if I would be into making them the official ones. It really was like a dream come true. Haha. After that, it's all of the above. I hit up bands I dig and find inspiring, and I would love to do art for, and the other way around.

 Jeremy:  As if creating awesome artwork wasn't enough, your own band Larman Clamor also has an album out on Small Stone Records. What's the story there?

 Alex:  Well, Larman Clamor started out as a two-piece with a buddy of mine who hit the road, getting busy with other things, after the first EP was finished. But still having so many ideas on the shelf, I kicked myself in the butt and continued on my own. I never wanted Larman Clamor to be "that band of that artwork guy" from the start though. I thought I had something cool going there, and wanted to have it stand on its own feet. So there soon was "Altars To Turn Blood" as a release via CDBaby, having my name only in tiny, tiny letters on there in the artwork, well hidden. Haha. When I had the second album, "Frogs", all wrapped up, and it sounded pretty legit, I thought, why not ask Scott (Hamilton, Small Stone Records) if he would be into putting it out? The worst thing that could've happened would've been a "Nope", and since Larman Clamor was (and is) a hobby of mine, I also wouldn't have had a problem with that. In fact, I was copping out of asking Scott for quite some time, haha. But when he was like "Sure, let's do it!", man, I was happy. So, that would be the story summed up, I guess.

 Jeremy:  I was thrilled when Heavy Planet named you and your work for the Enos album "All Too Human" as the best artist and best album artwork of 2012 in their year review. Can you explain to a mere mortal like me how the process works and how your mind works from the stages of listening to an album to creating the final artwork?

 Alex:  Haha! Dude, was I speechless when I read that! I even failed to see it when I was reading that news for the first time, ha! The process is pretty easy - though also partly secret for myself, as I don't know what exactly happens at some point, when the images keep hitting me... Basically, when there's no "must have" concept for the art, or even a big "?", I'm just sitting back with the album on headphones in a darkened room, maybe having browsed through the lyrics before that, and then just enjoying the music with my eyes closed, my sketchbook beside me, seeing what happens on surfing the aether. So there's those concept sketches coming out, which can be both design-ideas or stuff for paintings / illustrations. Those I send to the band and the label, seeing if they make their arm hair stand up or not. Usually, I have a pretty nice hitting quota with this kind of method, as a lot of bands were like "Dude! That's perfect! We never even thought of this!" (Wo Fat's "Black Code" and Enos' "All Too Human" are among those, by the way). I guess I'm lucky (Nuclear Dog's note: Or simply damn good!) and thankful for that gift. But it also can be a conceptual idea or even a song from a band that's just 'tickling my tastebuds' so to speak - activating the vision-machine. So, after the sketches have been given a greenlight, I'm doing detailing on those ideas, see what works design-wise and such (do I want to do a wrap-around painting and such? If so, does it fit the subject?), then starting to paint. Sometimes I'm sending work-in-progress previews to the band and/or the label, but usually, once I'm on the right path, the artworks kind of paint themselves. Then, it's a little fine tuning here and there on the design-parts, logos etc., and voilà - done.  

Jeremy:  Do you have any personal favourite album covers from your work over the last few years? Anything that you are particularly proud of or any work that was the most fun to do?

 Alex:  Oh, there were so many, but let's see, Tia Carrera's "Cosmic Priestess" is one of my favorites, because not only did I do it for the band years before the album came out - they also named the album after the painting, which is awesome. ÖfÖ AM's "The Beast Within" is also one I keep fishing out of the shelf, just because I painted that one from scratch to finish on one day, and it's still having that "special feeling" to it. The artwork for Wo Fat's albums are always fun, as well as the ones for Karma To Burn (though those tend to be pretty rushy and stressful at times, due to overlooked deadlines... ahem... I'm looking at you, Rich! ), and though the portal-parts details on the Enos one were a pain in the ass at some point, I just loved the idea of a space portal made out of junk so much that the fun kind of kicked the stress out of the window. Aside from that, the painting for the vinyl edition of "Frogs" was a blast. Outsmarting my own mind, seeing if I could paint the little something that was hiding there beyond the lyrics and between the lines... that was fun. And I guess it turned out pretty well... and daaaark. Haha.

 Jeremy:  Lastly, Alex, you have been very kind in signing a copy of the All Too Human vinyl for Heavy Planet to give away in competition as part of Stargun Music's first year anniversary. Would you like to give a shout out or any thanks to anyone?

 Alex:  I think I'll have to be a little general here, since it's too many bands and people that I'd love to name, so: Thanks to all of you out there who keep doing that badass music that keeps inspiring the hell out of me! And of course, there's one to the labels that keep hitting me up with awesome stuff! By this, thanks to Scott at Small Stone Records, Steffen and Thorsten at High Roller Records and not to forget you, Jeremy, and Ross at Stargun Music! It's a pleasure to work with you! Thanks for digging what I do!

 Jeremy: Just keep up the good work! Thanks for your time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So there you have it straight from the Maestro's lips. One point not touched upon in the interview that I have subsequently discovered in short discussions with Alex is that the medium he uses is a bitmap software such as PhotoShop, PhotoPaint, or GIMP. I don't know which product he uses, but his awesome paintings, that look as though they would smear if you touched one, was created on a computer. To me, an old school wannabe, that is quite impressive. To most of you, though, it may be what you would expect in a digital world. It's proof again that digital tools can enhance the world we live in, for in this case it allows a brilliant imagination such as Alex' to be quite prolific without wasted efforts from more organic mediums. To highlight his process, below is a jpg file of the steps he took when creating "All Too Human". All too cool.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


As a salute to Alex' work and to Heavy Planets' loyal readers we are offering a special giveaway to commemorate this milestone. To the first person who can name the 5 albums in Nuclear Dog's Top 20 Albums of 2012 (here) that were painted by Alex von Wieding we will send to you a signed vinyl copy of Enos' "All Too Human", signed by the cover artist himself. For the next 5 who get the list correctly we will send to you a copy of Stargun Music's awesome compilation CD "Sonic Titans", which has an incredible cover by Alex as well.

Please send your responses along with your name and postal mailing address to the following email:

gunnerkee19@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please take the time to enjoy Larman Clamor's "Frogs", an incredible romp of stoner psychedelic fun and imagination. Is there anything Alex can't do artistically? And do it exceptionally well?

facebook || website

Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Beam Orchestra - "Cosmic Spoof" / Supermachine - "Supermachine"

When you visit the Heavy Planet main page it says, right there underneath that awesome logo, "Purveyors of the finest Stoner Rock / Doom / Psychedelic / Sludge since 2008." We bring to you, dear reader the latest albums, fresh off the press, for music that falls into those categories, and last year was especially a banner year for Stoner Rock music. But one album seemed to escape notice by everyone, Beam Orchestra's "Cosmic Spoof", released back in June of 2012. That's okay, though, because today we get to discover it's fuzzy goodness. I mean this album kicks some serious Stoner Rock butt. Supermachine, on the other hand, are basically hot off the presses, kicking major Stoner rock ass of their own, of which there had been much anticipation preceding its release and much satisfaction to the number of bootprints left in the backsides of millions of Stoner Rock enthusiasts afterward.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BEAM ORCHESTRA - "COSMIC SPOOF"

Beam Orchestra is a three piece ensemble from Freiberg, Germany, together since 2008, who had the good fortune of releasing the album "Cosmic Spoof" last summer, before then having the misfortune of having all their equipment stolen during the release party for the album. They are still without their equipment 8 months later, believe it or not. This is the main reason why we didn't hear of "Cosmic Spoof". The band couldn't perform. They couldn't tour. They couldn't promote. They couldn't do anything that normally would be done after releasing one of stoner rock's finest albums of 2012, one that could quite possibly be thrown into the same basket as some of stoner rock's finest albums of all time if only it had gotten proper recognition and attention. Hopefully it's not too late.

Being a selfish person I feel a huge pang of regret this album was unknown at the time it was released and later that year, as it would most certainly have made my top ten list for 2012. It'll make your belated list as well, I'd be willing to bet, once you give it a listen.

Being as empathetic as I can, I feel absolutely horrible for Beam Orchestra, whose members are comprised of:

Franz-Julius Pelz, or F-J
Nicky Dietze, or Ykcin
Eric Fejfar, or Eric

I have been able to converse a tiny bit with them via Facebook, but not enough to know their plans and such, so I have no idea if they have a strategy to recover from this devastation. I'm hoping the Heavy Planet community can help in some small way, if help is indeed what these Herren want.

But back to the business at hand. "Cosmic Spoof" is certainly no spoof. It's some serious music that is 100% Grade A Stoner Rock Fuzz. This is the finest stoner rock music I've heard since Sasquatch's "III". It fits right in with the first two from Freedom Hawk, the Firestone side of "Fuzzsplit of the Century", the best Dozer and Truckfighters stuff, and the fine fuzz of Astroqueen, not to mention the untouchable . . . yes . . .  Kyuss.

Perhaps the song writing isn't quite as eloquent as that of much of Kyuss' body of work, and it would be hard to beat the writing prowess of Keith Gibbs of Sasquatch, but Beam Orchestra have memorable melodies, quality lyrics, hooks aplenty, and do so whether laying down a rug burning jam or kicking off the oxygen and hydrogen tanks for a cosmic trip through space and time.

Eleven fuzzy, warm, meaty, juicy, joyous, belly button lint filled truffles are packaged neatly inside a German Stein, wrapped tightly with a bow of high desert cactus needles.

The party starts with "Tabula Rasa", a fine, up tempo, distortion exhibition that lacks not at all for joyous and warm guitar, deep rumbling bass, and unflagging, energetic stick work. It's interesting that the kick-off is an instrumental, giving the listener full access on what to expect on the rest of the album, fuzz-wise. Beautifully written and equally as exquisite in execution, this is a fine selection to start things off.

"Murmel" has a similar tempo as its predecessor, and begins with a more specific, less fuzzed riff, but then the stanza starts and distortion is the overriding sound as we are introduced to the lyrics for the first time. The vocals on "Cosmic Spoof" are not earth shattering, not necessarily on a par with Garcia or Gibbs, but certainly worthy of the fine instrumentation of this album.

"Kasumatra" starts off big and slow, low tuned and heavy, driving piles deep into the earth, awakening creatures of yore who have perhaps hybernated for centuries, and once awakened scream in sounds not quite familiar, increasing the urgency of the situation. The creatures are not left to their own devices, however, as Beam Orchestra send the mortal vocalist to confront and overpower them, which he does in mighty fashion.

"Three Sea Sons" has a sort of medieval feel to it. The vocals are combined between more than just one band member, perhaps representing the sons named in the title. The tempo is deliberate and forceful in places, faster and more urgent in others. Drumwork on this song isn't relegated to just the traditional trap set, but bongos of some sort are brought in to wonderful effect as only one son, presumably, finishes the tale, wraps up the adventure, and closes down this fine, fuzzy chapter.

The fuzz kicks in high gear on "Lumatra", with the vocals following suit, where there's an edge and a bit of a rasp that fits very well to this style of music. This could be the lead singer, or the style of singing, on all the songs if it were left up to me, but alas they neither asked my opinion on how to handle the vocals or how much fuzz to use. They seem to have followed the advice I would've given on the fuzz, though. ALL OF IT! "Lumatra" is a beautiful piece of music, with haunting, distorted guitar, edgy vocals already mentioned, deep, delicious bass, and drums of power and grace.

"Smoke Doper" is classic. Lots of big, edgy guitars, that are earth moving mighty machines with the signature stoner riff interlaced in key places, vocals deliberate and edgy, fitting now with the music naturally and satisfactorily, the tempo deliberate and hookish.

It takes a minute and a half of a nearly 4 minute song for "Space Eggs" to get past the intro and into the song proper, but once it does, it's a kick ass delight, propelling the song along at breakneck speed on a claptrap deathrattle cosmic vehicle that zooms through the finest space fuzz of the solar system.

"Outro" is the aptly named closer. It changes the pace up just a bit, bidding a fond adieu to whomever took the journey with the band on the cosmic trip through space fuzz of epic dimensions, disproving the old adage that in space no one can hear you riff, because as the three young gentlemen of Beam Orchestra zoomed through the solar system on their instruments of distortion, propelled by heart and hydrogen, sonic booms and cosmic blasts were heard throughout the orbiting receivers of Sol, likely causing much ado on at least the third rock orbiting its fuzzy, flaring, fury. Let's hope so, at least.

"Cosmic Spoof" is available on bandcamp for just €5, where you will also find opportunities to purchase some cool looking tees and other artwork.

For a list of the instruments Beam Orchestra are missing visit their Facebook page. Engage them in conversation via that medium if you think you can help them in any way, whether it's to offer an old amp or some other piece of equipment that can get them going again. These guys are too good to not be playing, to not now be working on a follow up to "Cosmic Spoof"

facebook || bandcamp ||soundcloud

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SUPERMACHINE - "SUPERMACHINE"

From the ashes of one kick ass rock band comes another, the long anticipated debut of Supermachine, whose members comprise much of what was once Scissorfight and is now one of the newest incarnations in an ever growing stable of ridiculously awesome rock music from Small Stone Records.

Hailing from New Hampshire, Scissorfight founding members Paul Jarvis and Jay Fortin team up with Mike McNeill, an old friend from the band Hemicuda, a Scissorfight precursor, to make the beginnings of Supermachine. With Jarvis on bass, Fortin on guitar, and McNeill on drums, all that was needed was the frontman, and through an unusual twist of fate involving emails and leather cuffs Dave Nebbia brings his defining rock vocals to the mix in a fashion that matches the band's music to a tee.

"Supermachine"is one of those albums you instantly like because, well, because it's good, and it's instantly, obviously good. It's also one of those albums that when you listen to it again, and then again, and having listened to it dozens of times over the course of several days, you begin to realize it's better than good, it's better than melt the face flesh off your lily white skull, it is chock full of layerings and segues, interludes and expertise that only comes from musicians that have put a lot of time into their craft, are gifted at what they do, love what they do, and have now created something new that blends all that awesomeness together

Along with the monstrous instrumentation on this album comes quality song writing that includes plenty of hooks and memorable melodies, songs that get stuck in your head and make you want to learn them yourself so you can play and sing along, in the shower, in the car, or in the cubicle next to the beeber loving asshole that drives you nuts.

Eleven gargantuan tunes have been laid down on "Supermachine", each of them full of intrigue and satisfaction, each of them weighty with the metal of ages, and adeptness of true professionals, each of them brimming with anticipation for the coming experience and thrill as the dozens of musical strands sewn together from four gifted and talented musicians gets the juices flowing and the tribal soul humming.

The opener, "Solution", is a perfect representation of what this album has to offer. Fortin's guitars are cosmic in scale, thunderous in delivery, and jam packed with riffs of intrigue and quality. McNeill's drum work on this song is exceptional, bone crushing, and just as full of nuance as the guitar work. Jarvis leads the way with monstrous earth shattering, boulder crumbling bass that could change the rhythm of your heartbeat if played too loudly. All of it brought together by Nebbia's vocals, rough, raw, edgy, and adept, hitting any and all ranges. There is no yelling vocals here, only genetically superior delivery that completes the overall quality of this song, and all those to follow.

You gotta love a song with the title "Josey Wales". For anyone not familiar, it was one of Clint Eastwood's finest movies, certainly one of my favorites. Supermachine obviously are fans as well, as they as put the story to song, and not just song, but stoner rock song. You just gotta love it! There is some fine guitar work on this one, both heavy, low, and menacing, as well as fun little ditties interspersed throughout. The solo has just a bit of a country tinge to it to go along with the mega low, ultra loud down tuned segments.

"Flesh Farm" is a beauty of a track, simple and sweet, precursor to the rumble and might of the main delivery. The song goes back and forth a few times between sugar and C-4 before the blinding white flash of laser beam guitar solos accompany the cosmic rumble of black hole bass riffs.

One of the most interesting, fun, and unique songs on the album is "Crutch", where the guitar kicks off with a unique, echoey riff that catches your attention right away, locks it up in a heavy metal cage, and holds it there until it's had its way, which could be awhile as this is the kind of song that stays with you long after you've run down the batteries on your portable music player.

The closer is "Warlord" where Supermachine strap on their very best instruments and wield them with the intensity of the final battle, unleashing strokes of unyielding might, and overpowering all before them with their combination of battle-hardened experience, born and bred agility, and unyielding heart. It is, just as its predecessors, a mighty song to close out an equally potent and indomitable album.

"Supermachine" is available for download through bandcamp, Amazon, or iTunes, or as a CD from Small Stone Records, soon to be available as vinyl from Small Stone or Amazon as well. They have artwork from Alex von Wieding ready for super cool t-shirts that should be available to order in the very near future. Alex is the same artist that did the incredible cover art you see at the beginning of the Supermachine review.

facebook || smallstone || bandcamp

Heavy Planet Celebrates Five Years

Today marks Heavy Planet's five-year anniversary, and to celebrate the festivities we have teamed up with  Small Stone Records, Ripple Music, Stargun Music and more for some amazing giveaways. As our way of saying thanks,  15 lucky readers will have the chance of winning some pretty cool stuff.

To enter all you have to do is send an e-mail with your name and address to heavyplanet2001@yahoo.com with the subject line HAPPY 5TH.

Good Luck!

*Prizes chosen by first come first serve e-mail response. 
Only 15 winners will be chosen. No choosing of prizes.  

SMALL STONE RECORDS

To the first 5 readers that respond, Small Stone Records is giving away 5 Small Stone Vinyl, 5 Small Stone t-shirts, & 5 Small Stone CDs - that means that 5 readers will each get a bundle consisting of 1 Vinyl, 1 CD, & 1 t-shirt... you can pick the CD and Vinyl of your choice (just no double LPs or Imports)
((website|facebook|bandcamp)) _____________________________________

RIPPLE MUSIC

To lucky reader number 6, Ripple Music is giving away a Test Pressing of the latest album "Legalize Tres Bags" by Mighty High. The album has also been autographed by the band. The test pressing is also accompanied by two wonderful posters of the album's extended artwork each numbered and autographed by the artist.

((website|facebook|bandcamp))
_____________________________________

BRO FIDELITY

Lucky reader number 7 will receive a prize pack from Bro Fidelity Records. The prize pack features various promotional items from the labels roster of artists. The highlight is a promo only limited edition (500) tri-colored 180 gram heavyweight vinyl pressing featuring Sons of Alpha Centauri and Hotel Wrecking City Traders.

((website|facebook))

_____________________________________

HEAVY PLANET

Lucky reader number 8 will receive a prize pack from yours truly. The bundle includes 1 XL Cosmic Girl t-shirt, 1 Heavy Planet bumper sticker, and an autographed and numbered poster from the CMJ Music Marathon. All artwork is done by the lovely Helena Harlan.

((website|facebook|bandcamp))

_____________________________________

STARGUN MUSIC

Lucky reader number 9 will receive a prize pack from Stargun Music which includes: 1 physical copy of Enos-"All Too Human" and 1 physical copy of Various Artists-"Sonic Titans" also included is a download code for the upcoming re-release from Denizen due out in March.

Readers 10-13 will each receive a download code for Enos-"All Too Human", Various Artists-"Sonic Titans" and Denizen-"Wild Whispering Stories".

 ((website|facebook|bandcamp))

_____________________________________

MAGE

Lucky reader number 14 will receive the latest CD "Black Sands" by Mage. The CD also comes with 3 different stickers portraying the band's name. 

((facebook|bandcamp))

_____________________________________

Lucky reader 15 will win a prize pack of cool random stuff.

_____________________________________

A huge thanks goes out to Scott Hamilton from Small Stone Records, Todd Severin and Pope JTE from Ripple Music,  Jeremy from Stargun Music and to all that have contributed to Heavy Planet over the last five years. 

And most of all to you, OUR READERS! Thank you!

Here's to another five...??