QUICK HIT: Destroyer of Light - "Chamber of Horrors"

It's early, but a heads up is perfectly warranted for the beautifully rendered, dark and haunting, doomscape album, "Chamber of Horrors", by the Austin, Texas-based doom band Destroyer of Light. The album releases on July 14, so be sure to set a reminder. There is a placeholder song, "Prisoner of Eternity", from the album at bandcamp to give you a taste of what's to come.

The music is eerie yet exhilarating, transporting the listener through a vast kaleidoscope of dark delights, songs of black despair rescued by bright runs of gargantuan riffs, and an overarching battle between gloom and hope.  It's engaging, magnetic, and powerful.

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Album Review: 'Midnight Cometh' by Wo Fat

For the uninitiated, Wo Fat are Dallas Texas 3-piece riff-lords whose sound is buried deep in desert rock, under the influence of bluesy doomy psychedelia, who've been tripping to Sabbath, Hendrix and Kyuss records for years. They return with their latest long-player 'Midnight Cometh' out on 20th May 2016 - and first on Ripple Music - that features 6 tracks that entrenches their signature sound beyond 2014's The Conjuring (review here). As firm favourites over here at Heavy Planet, Wo Fat's records have regularly been featured in 'top album of the year' review posts... so it's safe to say our collective expectation has been set pretty high in recent years... Have I just jinxed it?

Well, whoever hears the first 30 seconds of opener 'There's Something Sinister In The Wind' and is not stomping their feet, has cold blood in their veins. This record grabs you by the balls from the outset and there’s little let-up. The first two tracks are a frenetic 'Friday night' groove before stepping off the gas for the more expansive and standout track 'Of Smoke And Fog', clocking in at over 11 minutes, but who's counting? Album closer “Nightcomer’ is a majestic mid-tempo groove that slinks like a desert snake, with a sneaky sting in the tail as the record combusts in on itself only drowned out by your screams of MORE MORE!! There are huge moments peppered throughout this record that surprise you which you only pick up on further listens, that compels you to hit the repeat button. And rising those waves of tempo throughout the record never feels self-indulgent on the bands part - just great riffs that get you high and bring you down again. You can already hear how ‘Riffborn’ and ‘Three Minutes To Midnight’ will be making their way straight into Wo Fat's live sets.

Production-wise Midnight Cometh is everything we've come to expect from a WoFat record - ear bleeding levels of fuzz, sweat-drenched Bluesy lead guitar, relentlessly pounding drums, and riffs for days. Is there a greater guitar virtuoso than Kent Stump in the stoner rock world right now? Wo Fat have certainly honed their craft over a six album career to today where the band are embarking on a second European tour that includes appearances at Desertfest (London, UK) and Hellfest (Clisson, France).

The band and album are epitomized by the lyric on Riffborn - ‘We live by the old ways, we know what came before. Build ourselves a purple haze. We are the Riffborn’ - and it's a statement of intent which holds true throughout. Wo Fat are a melting pot of influences, taking the best bits from the stoner rock pantheon through the ages and melding them together to forge their own style. They continue to work their voodoo, keeping us captivated under their sonic spell. You need this record in your collection...

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Band Submission: Space Ape-Stoner Rock/Metal From Dallas, TX

Band Name: Space Ape
Genre: Stoner Rock/Metal
Location: Dallas, TX
Brief Bio/Description: We are a three piece Indie Rock/Stoner Rock/Metal band from Dallas, TX. We've been regularly playing in the Dallas, Denton & Austin, TX. areas since 2014. We've just recorded our debut album at Crystal Clear Studios and the album was produced by Kent Stump of the band Wo-Fat.

We will release on all digital outlets on May 3rd and also have our album available on CD and Vinyl in May.
Band Members:
James Duffer (Drums/Vocals on tracks 2, 5 & 7)
Joseph Martin (Guitar/Vocals on tracks 3, 4, 6 & 8)
Nick Stanley (Bass)
Links: Bandcamp | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud | YouTube

Band Submission: Lawman-Heavy Psychedelic Rock From Austin, Texas

Band Name: Lawman
Genre: Heavy Psychedelic Rock
Location: Austin, TX
Brief Bio/Description:Raw and Heavy Psych from Austin, Texas featuring members of Ditch Witch. "Moon" EP free download available now via lawman.bandcamp.com
Band Members:
Nick-Guitar and Vocals
Mikey-Bass
Sean-Drums
Links: Bandcamp | Facebook

Song of the Day-Mountain Rag-"Moonlighting Man"

"Moonlighting Man" is taken off of the debut EP "Of the Southern Plains". If you like fuzzed-out whiskey-drenched heavy blues, then this is your soundtrack. For more information, please check out the following links: Facebook | Bandcamp

New Band To Burn One To: In Your Long Arms

Now this is interesting! It’s not often that there comes along much to shake up the musical genres that we talk about day in day out, not that we always want there to be, but when bonafide original concepts come along, they deserve the plaudits for the work they’ve done, if it’s good of course. May we present to you the sound of Brownsville, Texas’, In Your Long Arms, and their new record RUINR, seven songs of spellbinding shoe-gazing sludge!

The aggression of sludge, and the dreary atmospherics of shoe-gaze are possibly at the furthest ends of the musical scale, but somehow these Texans have made it work. They’ve slowed down the sludge so that the rawness becomes a droning overture to Xavier’s primal vocals as the songs fight their way through thick swathes of riff filled gloomy emotions, channelling a new style of death music, a sense of impending doom that is all encompassing.

RUINR is record which needs to be experienced in full, an album’s album, where no individual songs outweigh the others. The tracks work like a blanket, smothering its victim until you pull your way to the other side. It’s not music for the faint-hearted, but it’s a worthwhile ride for those brave enough to let the gloom take them on. In Your Long Arms have created something special here.

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New Band To Burn One To: Crypt Trip

HEAVY PLANET PRESENTS ... CRYPT TRIP!

BAND BIO:

Texas

Members:

Ryan Lee

Sam Bryant

Mario Rodriguez

THOUGHTS:

There isn't a whole lot of information out there about this threesome from Dallas, so all we can do is let their music do the talking. Which it does quite sufficiently. Crypt Trip include all the best elements of stoner, doom, psych, and retro rock into this 5 song EP. It's heavy, it burns, it hits all the right primal chords. Uptempo scorchers like "Phantasm", measured gloom like "Mrs. Absinthe", stoner fuzziness like "Wraiths" all rock your face off. So, turn it up and enjoy.

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Zac's "Double Dose": Chili Cold Blood / The Devil Rides Out

Chili Cold Blood: And Now The Dawn

Chili Cold Blood aren't new to the pages of Heavy Planet. Introduced as a NBTBOT back in 2010 Chili Cold Blood were then an eight year old Texas blues rock project with over a handful of releases under their belt. Getting a stealth message via email from Chili Cold Blood's own guitar ace, I was informed that the fellas would be releasing their seventh album and celebrating ten years of heavy, southern-fried, blues rock. What can you expect from the Austin, Texas based gang with their upcoming release? Well, all I can share at this time is a killer cut of a raw recording for Drivin' Rain, a single from the unnamed and upcoming album. Like a stoned and completely fuzzed out form of Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas blues Chili Cold Blood inject a good measure of distorted grunge into Drivin' Rain. The vocals appear as abrasive as the sandpaper RIFFS and the track soon transitions into the Superstitious inspired Chasin' Amy. Check it out below and hit up Chili Cold Blood at facebook or any place you can reach them.

   

 *Great news, after writing this promo up I stumbled onto Chili Cold Blood's bandcamp page where their seventh release, entitled And Now The Dawn, is streaming in its entirety. Be sure to check out the studio recording of Drivin' Rain, now sounding much fuller with a bit of 80's thrash attitude and a steel guitar.

Members: 

Dave Wesselowski - Bass 

Doug Strahan - Guitar // Vocals 

Ethan Shaw - Pedal Steel // Vocals 

Matt Puryear - Drums

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The Devil Rides Out: The Righteous Walk [Single] 

This week's second 'Dose are an Australian four-piece full of blues ignited hell-fire. Welcome The Devil Rides Out and their latest single The Righteous Walk from their Ugly Creatures EP. Normally producing a down-tuned and heavy-as-hell form of stoner doom The Devil Rides Out take a step back and release an eclectic blues track. Boasting a Johnny Cash inspired swagger The Devil Rides Out trample the pavement below their feet with a resolute confidence in this experimental sound. Adding a soulful character the band implement a harmony from the keys, which lie under the tremendous crunch of the rhythym section. Joey K's gravelly and passionate vocal delivery are robust and top off the musical masterpiece flawlessly. Check out the official video below and if you find you need more than a single the entire Ugly Creatures EP is up for grabs at bandcamp now.

 

Members: 

Andrew Ewing - Guitar // Vocals 

Joey K - Vocals 

Nathan Sproule - Drums 

Scott Paterson - Bass

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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Switchblade Jesus - "Switchblade Jesus" / Ten Foot Wizard - "Return to the Infinite"

If you're standing in the desert, and it's unbearably, insufferably, almost otherwordly hot, with no replenishing liquids anywhere in sight, nor have there been for ages, a condition so barren and sere you've had to settle for the occasional scrawny cactus and the fetid, malodorous secretions within that try to pass for true potability . . . because you thought that was all that was left after long ago leaving behind the life defining oasis brimming with cool, crystal pools, thunderous waterfalls, and rare, exotic entities awash with wonderment and awe, an oasis that infused you with sustenance, conviction, and a confident notion this must be only one such empyrean spot along a long and arduous journey. After a time it became apparent the oasis was a singular stop and so you sustain its memory across the treacherous expanses of banality and tedium, feeding occasionally upon the vapid tidbits that sprout sporadically along the way. But then, almost out of the blue, as you stoop to inspect a small cactus whose pulp in past burgeonings was mildly flavorsome, comes unseen, unsuspecting deliverance like an avalanche of pureness and enrichment, crystal blue refreshment that infuses and soaks you instantly in restorative waves of never before experienced magnificence, pummeling you in wave after wave of sheer pleasure and satisfaction. This oasis you will not leave because there is too much to ever fully experience. Each trip within unveils something new, something that will ultimately and completely satisfy your thirst for the purest, life sustaining libations.

That is stoner rock. An unending, quenching wave that recognizable no matter when or from where you fill your cup, providing the utmost quality and a unique refreshment that is deeply satisfying each time you partake.

Today we partake of two fine and splendid goblets of potent potation. Enjoy.
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SWITCHBLADE JESUS - "SWITCHBLADE JESUS"

Upon first listening to Switchblade Jesus you may be hit with some conflicting reactions. They certainly play stoner rock and they sound like much of the rest of the stoner rock world available throughout the webisphere and beyond. But then you realize, hey, they play stoner rock and they sound damn good! There is deep, demonstrable musicianship and passion on each track. That combination is the hallmark of metal acceptability - the ability to not just play and sing, but to demonstrate a fierce, abiding aptitude as well as massively relishing the opportunity to play. Switchblade Jesus go decidedly deep down those pathways with the 8 tracks on this proud, prominent production.

Hailing from oil and tar country, these Texans from Corpus Christi include members:

Peter Quarnstrom - Vocals
Eric Calvert - Guitar
Billy Guerra - Guitar
Jason Beers - Bass
Jon Elizondo - Drums

The opening track is a sweet, melancholy introduction that segues beautifully into the first 'electric' song, "Bastard Son", a powerful blues rock romp that serves mightily as a launching point to the music that follows on both the song and the album. Deep and heavy riffs are overlaid by deft, delirious solos that pierce through the fuzz and distortion coursing through the airwaves. The tempo throughout the album is steady and compelling, always expounding an appetizing blues rock vibe while filling the air with thick filaments of low tuned, deep stoner fuzz. The vocals are perfectly matched with a massive tonal quality adept in range and volume while the twin guitars provide multi-faceted riffs and spellbinding rock licks. Big broadsword bass riffs rumble mightily through the album, while the drums provide buoyant clarity. "The Wolves" follows immediately upon the conclusion of "Bastard Son", hooking the listener deep into molasses thick melodies. "Sick Mouth", "Equinox", "Renegade Riders", and "Copperhead" carry you along on a knee deep river of whiskey, diesel fuel, and sludge, permeating deeply into your pores and setting you up for the climactic and beautifully rendered "Oblivion", a memorable and noteworthy song that easily takes it place in the pantheon of great stoner, blues rock songs.

There are a limited number of rock albums worth our fleeting time and limited resources and you can bet Switchblade Jesus have delivered something well worthy of both.





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TEN FOOT WIZARD - "RETURN TO THE INFINITE"

Sometimes a one off project turns out to be so good, so popular, it must be carried further along than originally intended. Ten Foot Wizard is such a project, originally intended as a diversion for members of Manchester's Bisonhammer back in 2009 the band has since developed a major life and reputation as a live act of brilliance and heat, culminating in the 2013 release of "Return to the Infinite"

"Return to the Infinite" is a ten track package of dynamite and nitro, wrapped in a big fuzzy ribbon of whiskey soaked blue denim. All the markers are huge on this album. Melody? Yeah, the songs are catchy, hooky, and memorable. Great writing throughout. Vocals? Yeah, the reach and dexterity displayed on this album is a classic rock voice of deep quality and range. No yelling, no thinness, just thick and heavy, matching that of the riff laden guitars. Speaking of guitars - riffs, licks, solos, all incredible, athletic, sweet, and satisfying. Blues is the cornerstone. Fuzz is the echo. Retro, stoner rock is the label. Massiveness is the delivery, with a heaping helping of well done structure. Bass is a gargantuan weapon of thunder rolling reverberations. Drums blast away like grapefruit sized hail on a two by four structure of freshly started houses in the new addition to a classic rock neighborhood. Each song delivers a magnificent and mighty rock experience, beginning with a song straight out of the bicentennial decade, "Rise From Your Grave", with melodic delivery so thick and fierce you could easily envision the dead coming to life just to find tickets to the next live showing. The titles on these 10 songs are brilliant in and of themselves, but the cleverness and ingenuity doesn't stop at the monikers. Devilish, delightful rock tunes, crammed to the brim with thick, gravelly riffs and sunburst solos await you through "Vulture Bitches", "Real Love", and "Medicine". "Six Feet Rising" is eight minutes of slow burning buildup and avalanche delivery. Fun is represented perfectly on "Saturnalia" and "Fuck!", both tunes taking the reins and cutting loose, providing a devilish atmosphere of pleasure with a whiff of brimstone. Hooks aplenty abound on "The Storm", while mossy, sludgy blues swamp licks are hammered out in abandon on "End of the Line". The title track closes this superb album out with a nine minute psychedelic foray laden with a retro rock blues hammer that smolders and fizzes in a buildup of massive melody.

This album is quality and could very well be considered as a top album of the year once all is said and done.







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LP Review- Deathlike by Ancient VVisdom

     By now you've probably heard of Ancient VVisdom. Since they released A God Like Inferno a couple years ago, their cult has been growing steadily, through old school road dog touring (they've opened for Ghost and Enslaved) and impressive word of mouth (my buddy at the record store raves about 'em). They are a big deal. All that said it took this album for me to really appreciate them.

     But now that I've heard Deathlike, I wish I'd gotten into them sooner. And I don't know why I didn't. I blame the buzz. If some buddy, even a friend, gushes about some bit of art or culture and tells me "I'll love it" I generally shy away from it. I've got a whole shelf of books that were given to me that I'll never open because of this reluctance. It's my own fault for not trusting those friends and giving these guys a chance years ago. But just because my pals were on the mark with Ancient VVisdom that ain't gonna make me crack open that copy of Cloud Atlas just yet. Anyway, now that I'm an Ancient VVisdom convert I wanna convince you to give them a chance as well. That is if you haven't already.

    I suppose if you had to classify them they'd be Occult Rock, that new/old sub-genre that is pretty damn popular these days. Bands of this ilk are a bit more musically adventurous than most stoner rock bands, bringing flutes to the stage and in VVisdom's case acoustic guitars, Jacob Marley chains, and machetes. They make a beautiful noise and I dig the heavy acoustic bit (there are hints of Alice in Chains' Sap) but I also appreciate the heavy psychedelic 60's vibe, though VVisdom might be more at home at Altamont than in some day-glo hippie hole on Haight-Ashbury. I get a Jim Morrison vibe from these cats. His ghost is lurking between the strums and shaking chains. The spirit of Mr. Mojo Risin, leader of the darkest of those sunny California bands, is alive and well and living in these tunes. So turn on, tune in and crank up the sophomore album from Ancient VVisdom. Highlights include Deathlike, Far Beyond Good and Evil, and Let the End Begin.

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Nuclear Dog's Atomic Split: Palm Desert - "Rotten Village Sessions" / Mothership - "Mothership"

Today we have the second second coming of Kyuss from Wraclow, Poland in the guise of Palm Desert, who Zac compared magnificently to the high desert sound of "Welcome to Sky Valley" on their first release, "Falls of the Wasteland" back in April of 2011. Now they've upped the ante a bit with their second release "Rotten Village Sessions" so we get to see if they were a one album wonder or not. The second offering today is a 3 piece in which 2 are brothers, hailing from Texas, with a deep, resonant groove borne of hours listening to their father's cache of 70s rock. Mothership are a mother lode of hard driving, fuzzy, melodious guitar soaked deliciousness mined from the depths of Earth's finest veins of rich metal.
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PALM DESERT - "ROTTEN VILLAGE SESSIONS"

Since the 2011 release of "Falls of the Wasteland", Palm Desert have now come out with another collection of songs seemingly written in the high deserts crispness of the Mojave Desert air titled "Rotten Village Sessions". The 2011 release was credited, as mentioned above, with a sound similar to the kings of the high desert, Kyuss, so the anticipation, if not expectation, for "Rotten Village Sessions" will be 'can they do it again'? Or would they even want to do it again. What will it be like?

As it turns out, Palm Desert stick to the formula, perhaps working on crafting an even finer collection of stoner rock tunes than before, something certainly not easy to do, something not many bands, regardless of location, would want to attempt, but Palm Desert have not only made the attempt, they have pulled off another solid collection of songs that fit perfectly in the pantheon of the high desert stoner sound perpetuated by Kyuss in the 90s.

Is the music on this album original in style? Does it break new ground or reveal anything new at all? Perhaps not, at least not in style or genre, but who the fuck cares? Is it good stoner rock? No. It's GREAT stoner rock, and I, for one, am very appreciative of this foursome from Wraclow, Poland taking a sound they obviously love, and that I happen to love as well, and whipping out 9 fresh, healthy versions of a rock sound that is becoming rare. There is no direct copying of anything here of which I can tell, just new songs brilliantly written to a style that is quite rightly one of the best rock has ever produced, one that came and went in relative obscurity for most, but luckily not for us.

Band members for Palm Desert are:

Kamil Ziotkowski - drums
Jan Rutka - bass
Piotr Lacny - guitar
Wojciech Gatuszka - vocals

Within the stoner rock style that Palm Desert employ are brilliant and gifted vocals, crucial to the high desert sound as set by John Garcia of Kyuss, eminent and energetic bass, never simply blended and relegated to the background as so often happens in many rock bands regardless of style, guitar that riffs and hooks, solos and scorches with the best of them, crucial to making memorable, enjoyable melodies, and drums, like the bass, that powerfully carve out their own space on these songs, not simply relegated to providing tempo and beat, but creating wonderful, vibrant music within the tapestry of Palm Desert's music.

The opening song, "Down the Odyssey" sets the tone, an eight minute intercontinental ballistic ride over the tops of saguaro and joshua, hooking from the outset, both in memorable melody and powerful blows to your stoner rock loving head. This is the kind of song you fall right into the middle of and ride for all its worth.

I love the echoey drum sound on track #3, "Ghulassa Saloon", that quickly leads into track #4, "Mani" where the musical threads here are trippy, catchy, and just plain groovy. It's a unique and incredibly enjoyable song that successfully employs unusual execution in instrumentation.

Palm Desert close out the album with a couple of classic sounding stoner songs, "Acid Phantom" and "White Wolf". The guitar work on "Acid Phantom" is pure and beautiful stoner rock, enjoyable for its effort as well as its dead on sound. "White Wolf" is ten minutes of sheer music brilliance, with a haunting, pitch perfect guitar weaving a tale of wonder and excitement, building up along the way with ever broadening drumwork, bass riffs, and vocal intensity. After ten minutes is a hidden little guitar ditty that adds a dash of flavor. It is there, I'm sure, just as a little thank you for those of us that made it to the end and enjoyed the trip along the way.




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MOTHERSHIP - "MOTHERSHIP"

Brothers Kelley, or Kells, and Kyle Juett team with Judge Smith to create a powerhouse rock trio that have no problem leaving the stratosphere of Earth for music that is cosmically and universally righteous. Hailing from Dallas, Texas, a heavy southern, bluesy influence is infused throughout their music, giving it a home base from which to blast off, but never constraining it to the small confines of our little solar system. Mothership know how to make their music soar, how to trip across the cosmos at the speed of sound, how to escape the gravity of the biggest black holes, and how to generate the force of the largest, most monstrous supernovas. Mothership may have been crafted in the backyard and garage of Daddy's house, but their vessel is one of the finest in the universe.

When first starting out, Mothership were 3 Juetts as father John flayed the skin as older brother Kyle cranked bass and younger brother Kells played guitar, with both brothers sharing vocal duties. Dad knew his time was limited, but can you imagine how much fun that had to be, playing some of the finest new rock crafted in recent years with your progeny? I can only imagine John enjoyed it immensely before turning the sticks over to Judge.

Judge, for his part, has stepped in admirably, providing high quality drumwork that never hides behind the roar and rumble of the high energy engines of the Juett brothers' strings. Judge's energy combines with a physical quality that permeates and punctuates perfectly and powerfully throughout the album.

Guitar work by the younger Kells is quite definitely a cut above standard rock guitar. Stoner / retro rock is all about guitar, and Mothership take that to heart, delivering loads of driven, cogent, quality guitar that takes its cues from old blues rock, rock guitar from the 70s, and embellishing upon that with volume and vigor, fuzzing out the edges with a satisfying dollop of distortion, boring out huge swathes of earth below the surface while simultaneously blasting away at outerspace in starburst, supernova, cosmic blasts of laser cannon riffs and string theory precision.

Kyle mans the bass in such a way as to grab your attention quite quickly when listening through Mothership's songs for the first time. There is a whole lot of gusto with his playing, just downright kick the door in with my Red Wing steel tips, watch how easy it is for me, and as he's kicking it in you notice a beautiful rhythm to the whole event despite the brutality of it, despite the unmitigated release of testosterone and thermite.

The brothers share vocal duties, and I, for one, can't tell much of a difference as both bring a decent rock voice to the party, blending well with the music they play, never yelling the lyrics, something increasingly rare, but never putting themselves in positions that would compromise their capabilities, which when you think about it, shows quite a bit of intelligence in song writing. That intelligence is much more evident on the songs themselves as each one of the eight on this self titled album are well written, well executed, and full of melody, hooks, riffs, memorable stretches with and without the vocals, just all around excellence in craftsmanship.

The opener is five minutes of instrumental, apparently stressing what to them is the more important part to their music and providing to us some monstrous riffage in tribal rhythmic packaging. It leads easily into "Cosmic Rain", a simple bluesy and catchy tune that will be one of those you find yourself singing to long after electricity has been shut off for the night.

Next up is "City Nights", where the melody is tighter and the hooks are contagious. The solos blister and burn, but the basswork, the rhythm guitar, and the energetic skin pounding on the refrains go straight to your blues rock receptors, firing off nerves that get your body moving in time to this incredible song.

It seems like each song kicks up the hookage a notch from its predecessor, and "Angel of Death" is no exception. After a nice extended intro, the blues fuzz kicks in, and musical satisfaction melts warmly through your body as the song unfolds and progresses. This is just pleasurable rock music listening, like biscuits, real butter, and honey. Chased down with a Real Ale Full Moon Pale Rye Ale, of course.

"Win or Lose" changes up the tempo, slowing it down, tuning it down, but kicking the intensity up a couple of notches to go along with a memorable and well crafted melody that will stay with you for days, I have no doubt. The guitar work on this song is exquisite, tremendous, just totally enjoyable.

"Eagle Soars", the penultimate song, continues the trend. The brothers spend time singing together on this one, which adds a nice flavor to what is already a boiling, frothy, batch of guitar stew, chock full of meat, and more meat, and just lots of meaty goodness.

The closer is "Lunar Master". It's a Lunar Masterpiece. Eight minutes of galloping headlong on your space stallion passing planets, comets, asteroids, and black holes at the speed of Mothership. Pretty awesome.

Mothership, in keeping with their celestial sci-fi name have conjured 8 tales of cosmic bliss played out in 70s Texas blues rock guitar, none of which sounds like it would fit, but when given to genetically superior beings, awesomeness is the byproduct of using what you know, on what you have at hand, with the enthusiasm of constructing what you love best. It's quite wonderful to behold.





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LP Review "Honky - 421"

Ah yes, Honky!

Featuring Jeff (JD) Pinkus, the bassist of one of my all time favorite bands, Butthole Surfers, (I'm such a big fan in fact that my right arm is tattooed with numerous buttholes, yup).
Any member of Butthole Surfers who spread themselves to form a band of their own gets immediate thumbs up from me.

Honky have been around since 1996 and 421 is the sixth release from this hard rocking, hard drinking and hard toking trio from Texas.

With a current line up of JD Pinkus on bass/vocals, Micheal 'Night Train' Brueggen on drums/vocals and Bobby Ed Landgraf on guitar/vocals, Honky come with 11 tracks of superboogie down, stoner rock heavy good time rollers.

With beards of legendary repute and admirable tattoos, Honky are the perfect triad for their psychobilly southern rock sound with each song played and sung with gusto.

There's no real hint of Butthole Surfers' warped LSD soaked beautiful insanity in this album, despite being mixed by Butthole Surfers guitarist Paul Leary but that's okay, this is Honky, not Butthole Surfers.

Each track is expertly executed by these Texas gentleman and each had me rocking out, horns lifted and nodding my noggin. Some tracks are fast paced and low down dirty rock monsters and others are more slow grooving and bluesy but each track is unmistakably tasty southern fried goodness with some very heavy and fuzzed up bass riffs on occasions, epically jammed out guitar riffs and stomping hoedown drums. Man, I wanted to get loaded on good whisky and powerful bud while listening to this long player; a perfect accompaniment to Honky's party vibe.

Honky are playing my home town at the end of March and I will damn well make sure I'm in attendance and will no doubt partake of the whisky soaking and bud smoking, hoedowning and flashing my buttholes in appreciation.

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New Band To Burn One To: THE WELL

HEAVY PLANET presents... THE WELL!

BAND BIO:

The Well are a power trio that have been exploring the darker side of the music spectrum through doom-laden sonic landscapes and haunting lyrics for the past two years. On the tail end of a former project guitarist Ian Graham turned to his past for inspiration, embracing his childhood passion for all things metal, all things dark. He was transported back by nostalgia to a time where his school desks were covered in pentagrams, his teachers glanced askance at his decision to read Aleister Crowley while his peers were force fed state-mandated curriculum designed to shape them into “functioning members of society”. Remembering the consistency, adventures spent laying in his bedroom, staring at a star-covered ceiling, with Black Sabbath blaring into his headphones, Ian began writing music even his angst ridden 10 year old self would approve of. Big riffs, walls of sound, slow, relentless, heavy. Teaming up with bassist Lisa Alley and drummer Jason Sullivan, the three spent months schlepping equipment to and from a local practice rental space, dialing in their sound. Their debut show came on July 4th, 2011, playing a metal-laden fest headed by Austin’s Stoner Metal mainstay, The Sword, and they haven’t stopped working since.

Their sound has been compared to everything from Electric Wizard, Wicked Lady, Sleep, Green and Wood, Saint Vitus, and of course, Black Sabbath, while managing to remain something entirely its own. One glaring innovation shines through in The Well’s vocal stylings, Ian and Lisa deliver their transcendent tales in unison so in sync that it is said to be difficult to tell whether there’s a single entity, or an entire chorus reciting each song. Supported by lyrical depth made capable from a lifetime of drawing poetic influence from the likes of Joyce, Pound, Yeats and Baudelaire, the vocals dance amongst the driving bass, war-mongering drums, and floating, merciless guitars, weaving a scene both desolate and hopeful, crushing and inspiring, unforgiving and consoling.

Based in Austin, TX, the band has worked with individuals at the top of the music industry. In the spring of 2012, they recorded their debut 7” at The Barbeque Shack with Tia Carerra’s Jason Morales. Following this self-released demo, The Well came back to the studio this fall, this time recording their first full-length LP. Produced by Mark Deutrom of the Melvins, Sunn O))), etc. and engineered at Ohm Recording Facility by Chico Jones.

THOUGHTS:

"As I started to listen to the big meaty riffs and cool retro fuzzy feel of Austin-based band The Well, one thing that stood out was the unique vocal layering of male/female vocals. The two sing in unison in a rather slow and lethargic fashion amongst wah-wah doom riffs and a slow steady tempo. With all of the key ingredients and industry luminaries in place, The Well are primed to make their upcoming debut one to watch out for in the year 2013. Great stuff!"

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Zac's "Double Dose": Celestial Machine / Linus Pauling Quartet

Celestial Machine: Desolation 

Celestial Machine is a monster six-piece group from both the Saskatoon and Regina areas of Canada. The band has meddled in sludge and death metal in the past and decided to break down some boundaries with their latest release Desolation. In addition to the synths and clean vocals the band has added a historical and geographical accent to Desolation in the form of the native language to that part of North America. That language is Cree which is a aboriginal language. So, what is the outcome you ask? A sludgy, ethereal, and original sound sure to catch some attention. All the pieces aren't in place yet, but definitely keep Celestial Machine on your radar. These six have colossus potential and I cannot wait to see it unravel. Check out Desolations' title track below and drop by bandcamp to download and stream Desolation and other past releases!

 

Members: 

Adam W - Drums 

Darius S - Vibraphone // Keyboard 

 Harley K - Vocals 

Jake L - Guitar 

Mike G - Bass 

Reid G - Guitar

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Linus Pauling Quartet: Bag of Hammers

Linus Pauling Quartet is a Texas band, with a Texas sized discography, and a Texas sized history. Welcome the Linus Pauling Quartet and their excessive and over-sized take on psychedelic stoner jams entitled Bag of Hammers to the Double Dose! Bag of Hammers is LP4's eighth release and will certainly have your bong back-firin'. The grooves are gratuitous leaving a jam band taste in your mouth. Don't fret though, because LP4 do not get hokey and certainly won't turn the party into a yawn-fest. Check out their killer claymation video for the introductory track Crom, which just so happens to be my favorite track.

 

Members: 

Carol Kelly 

Charlie Naked 

Clinton Heider 

Flip Osman 

Larry Liska 

Ramon Medina 

Steve Finley

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New Band To Burn One To: SCISSORJACK

HEAVY PLANET presents... SCISSORJACK!

BAND BIO:

Scissorjack is a four piece heavy rock band from San Antonio, Tx. Scissorjack fuses heavy rock, the vintage sounds of classic rock, some aspects of modern rock , all the while keeping the music catchy and memorable. The band is influenced by many types of music but tips their hats to major influences like Black Sabbath, Life of Agony, Down, Alice in Chains, just to name a few.



THOUGHTS:

"Scissorjack is a band that means serious business. No glitz and glamour here people, just serious heavy rock and fuckin' roll. With a brimful of badass, and a boot to your ribcage, this band lays down 4 songs filled with bar-brawling riffs, powerful groove and passionate vocals. The highlight of this EP is the track "Vain". This is an aural ass-whoopin' the size of Texas. Check them out today!"

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New Band To Burn One To: DESTROYER OF LIGHT

Heavy Planet presents today's "New Band To Burn One To"...DESTROYER OF LIGHT!

Band Bio:

2012 was the year that Destroyer of Light formed in Austin, TX. DoL is a big fan of the heavy riff and making sure that it is emphasized and incorporated. Each member brings a unique element to the band comprising of Steve (guitar/vocals), Keagan (guitar), Mark (Bass), and Penny (Drums). Together, they plan to be a powerful force in Texas music scene! The power of the riff will compel you!



Thoughts:

"You guys had me at the first riff! Straight from the hotbed of Austin, Texas's amazing music scene comes Destroyer of Light. Mixing doom and sludge with a bit of psychedelia thrown in for good measure, these fellas trounce mightily through the murky fog with a snail's pace. Combining pain felt vocals with an occasional death growl, these monarchs of gloom encapsulate a raw and simple approach to music and that is to write heavy songs with good riffs and have a hell of a good time doing it. Destroyer of Light, indeed."

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New Band To Burn One To: SHE DEVIL

Heavy Planet presents today's "New Band To Burn One To"... SHE DEVIL!

Bio:

Slaves to the local music scene, the members of She Devil have certainly paid their dues. Playing to unruly crowds in run-down, smoky beer joints in Texas, this long awaited first release has vindicated the band as much more than just losers on the local scene. Titled “The Supernatural Kind”, the bands own personality shines through with guitar laden riffs that are reminiscent of the south and the smoky atmosphere in which the band got its start. Harkening back on the early days of metal, there is no doubt that She Devil clearly acknowledges their influences, but has a sound that is uniquely theirs. This first release showcases much of the heavy, riff-filled guitar tracks, thunderous bass, and elegant drum lines that add a deep complexity to the sound. Complete with a brand new vocalist, this release is one that you will want to check out for yourself.



Thoughts:

"Texas band She Devil brings to the scene a new EP of cool smokin' grooves interlaced with a raucous beer-swilling in-your-face heavy rock swagger. While the music is more straight-forward rock, there is a hint of doom on the fat and meaty lead track "Blues or Bad Luck". The AC/DC-inspired beginning riff of "Black Meadow" leads into a straight forward chugging rocker complete with twangy soloing. She Devil shows it's sensitive side on the emotion filled ballad "If I Could". The band gets a bit sleazy on the wah-wah-driven closing track "Pale Horse". If you like "big" hooks and I emphasize "big" as the band hails from Texas, then you will totally dig these bonafide Texas-rockers known as She Devil"

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Southern Fried Weed Rock-New Band To Burn One To: BAY OF PIGS

The "New Band To Burn One To" today is Bay of Pigs.

Bio:

Hailing from Central Texas, Bay of Pigs was formed in 2007 when the boys got tired of hearing the same old Sh*t in today’s music scene. Fans of 70’s hard rock, yesterday’s and today’s stoner / doom, they did what came natural. ROCK!! Just jamming for the first couple of months, Bay of Pigs stumbled on to something special. Taking influences from Clutch, CORE, Fu Manchu, Earthride, Pentagram, Goatsnake, St. Vitus, Orange Goblin, Lucifer’s friend, Captain Beyond,  Led Zepplin  and of course Black Sabbath.  Bay of Pigs mixed it all up, put their own flavor in, and created their own version of “Southern Fried Weed Rock”. Kick ass Solid driven guitar, Fuzzy bass, thumping drums and catchy/ melodic vocals, these boys are in for the kill.

Bay of Pigs have shared  the stage with bands such as Orange Goblin, Kylesa, The Gates of Slumber, NAAM, Zoroaster, Blood of the sun, Asylum on the Hill, Split Hoof, Dixie Witch, House of Broken Promises, Superheavygoatass, WEEDEATER, EHG, Honky, The Roller, Iron Age, Sasquatch and several other National/regional and local Acts.

The Harvest is a DIY album which was recorded two years ago and is finally released recently. They are in the works to go into the studio and record a new album this fall. “It’s going to be heavy and yet have a flavor no one’s done before.”, lead singer Shaggy says. They have created quite a Buzz in the Texas music scene.  By the way, MAKE SURE you catch Bay of Pigs live! They are energetic, give it all they have and love to have fun getting the crowd going. If you want something new, fresh and hard rocking, Listen to Bay of Pigs………….420 SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MUSIC SCENE!!!!



Review:

"Now that you've engorged yourself with tons of turkey and all the fixin's, seen the Pack smack the Lions in the mouth, and watch Nickelback embarress themselves on national TV, it's time to loosen your top button, crack open a Black Label, and rip into some smokin' (as the band puts it) Southern Fried Weed Rock!! Wearing their influences proudly on their sleeve, Texas band Bay of Pigs plasters your face to the wall with slow penetrating riffs, a slow steady groove and tons of southern swagger."

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