Navel - Neo Noir (2011)

Navel's new album was my first contact with the band. I haven't heard them before and when I found "Neo Noir", I saw them tagged as grunge/alt rock. I don't know if this Swiss trio changed its musical direction in this one but this isn't grunge (at least as I know it). Of course there are grunge influences in it but this dirty,dark,greasy rock album is full of neo-psychedelia, noise rock, post-punk and heavy blues too.. It's impossible to get bored while listening to it. The Black Angels, BRMC, Seattle's scene, White Stripes, Black Keys, Therapy?, Anti-Flag, even Pink Floyd are all part of "Neo Noir". A must-check for everyone...

Enjoy!
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Slug Lord - Demo (2011)

Slug Lord is a Finnish doom/sludge band. Not much info for these guys except that they're a four piece band. Now from what I found this demo is kind of a bootleg since it isn't an official release by the band, just their 3 tracks which are uploaded in their myspace. The songs' sound is quite good (although they're 160kbps). Three fine and solid compositions full of dirty downtuned guitars, slow-driven atmosphere and interesting female vocals. The band seems at least promising. I really enjoyed the tunes and I'll keep an eye on them. Unfortunately, their singer left the band which is a pity since her way of singing stuck excellent with the rest of the band. I hope they'll find a new singer soon.

Enjoy!
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Apostle Of Solitude / Rituals Of The Oak / The Flight Of Sleipnir - Split (2011)

Three doom bands joined their forces and released an outstanding split featuring 5 tracks. Apostle Of Solitude and The Flight Of Sleipnir take part with two tracks each while Rituals Of The Oak with one (its duration is almost 18min though...). All songs are brand new recorded for this split. A fine 50min release for all doomsters out there and a good way to discover three bands from today's doom scene.

Enjoy!
Apostle Of Solitude # Rituals Of The Oak # Flight Of Sleipnir # Buy

The Muggs - Born Ugly (2011)

Muggs' third full album is an excellent heavy blues rock release. With a new drummer and with a more distinct touch of psychedelia this time, they created (as far as I'm concerned) their best album until now. I think it's the strongest and most solid one. Thirteen quality tracks of amazing hard rock with a retro twist. If you liked their previous works, you won't be disappointed. I hope they'll get the recognition they deserve some time soon....

Enjoy!
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The Oscillation - Veils (2011)

I believe most of you have checked The Oscillation's debut album "Out Of Phase" few years ago. And I suppose that you loved their psych-out ridden kraut-ic soundscapes. In their second album they continue their cosmic trip adding some more elements and influences. They keep the substance of kraut/space rock as Neu!, Tangerine Dream, Can taught them and enrich it with some dub touches, a funk essence, a little more free jazz, dark grooves and a lot of Spacemen 3's psych blues.
An absolutely fantastic work which honestly I liked it more than the previous one (of course only time can confirm it). A totally must-check.

Enjoy!
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Föllakzoid - Föllakzoid 12'' EP (2011)

This two track EP is the debut release by Föllakzoid, a Chilean band which explore the realm of kraut/space rock. Influenced by kraut rock monsters like Neu! and Can, they created two awesome space travelling tunes. 
The first track though is like a heavier edition of Neu! "Hallogallo" so it's kind of difficult not to love it. The second one "Arabic-Hash" is even darker with an amazing bass structure riding all the way up to the sky.
A promising debut which I hope it's going to evolve to something bigger.  


Enjoy!
MySpace # Buy (although it's sold out but you can always ask)

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Skraeckoedlan - Äppelträdet (2011)

As far as I'm concerned Transubstans Recs. has became through time a great label, releasing at least decent works. You should check out their catalogue. Äppelträdet is one of these great releases. Coming from Sweden, Skraeckoedlan is a heavy rock quartet formed in 2009. They released a five track demo in 2009 and almost a month ago they brought up in surface their mighty debut album.

Äppelträdet is a solid stoner sledgehammer, grooving up the place with this vintage rock feeling that Swedish got us used to. Their sound is more close to The Sword or Dozer than Graveyard but you can feel the 70's touch from beginning 'til the end. Mid-tempo heavy tunes with high-energy bursts and some quite progressive breaks when you need them. Vocals are in Swedish which was a good choice in my opinion and make music's flow even better. Fans of retro-stoner riffing who think Sweden as their music's motherland won't get disappointed.
*Thanks to Psymin for his suggestion.


Enjoy!
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Backwoods Payback - Use Magic To Kill Death EP (2011)

A groovy, druggy, heavy three-track EP from Backwoods Payback. Awesome substitute as I'm waiting to hear their new album "Momantha".

Enjoy!
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Long Distance Calling - Long Distance Calling (2011)

As a person through the years, I became quite eclectic as far as post-rock/progressive concerned. And that's because there were released a great amount of albums which in their essence were nothing more but copies of a few bands trying to sound unique or taking music a step further.

With LDC's third album, I didn't feel that way. First of all these guys from Hanover are great musicians and they create inspired songs' forms based in a more straight forward rock basis. Then they dig more in 70's prog rock (than most bands do) managing to re-introduce Yes, Emerson, Lake and Palmer and King Crimson ,packed in a modern frame, to this generation. The fusion and jazz passages are a big plus giving more dynamic in the tracks, as well as the appearance of John Bush (Armored Saint/Anthrax) in "Middleville" - an awesome tune - which gives a different perspective to their whole new work. It's definitely a release worth checking by anyone who at least once liked something either post-rock or progressive.


Enjoy!
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Pharaoh Overlord - Out Of Darkness (2011)

I didn't know that Pharaoh Overlord have released a new album. Few days ago I was watching videos from this year's Roadburn and I came across P.O.'s show. I was surprised from what I was listening to. I thought it was some kind of mistake or a kind of joke. Then I checked "Out Of Darkness" and I realized that wasn't.
I love P.O.'s previous works and I tried really hard to love this one. But I didn't. Ok I'm not a big fan of NWOBHM and stuff like that from the 80's. Although I find some releases (from the past and present) quite interesting. But either through this prism I didn't manage to enjoy it. I don't know maybe it's pure prejudice and that's why I post it. To hear some other opinions, a different view from someone else.
After all Pharaoh Overlord is a side-project and they experiment/try with what they like. And that is totally acceptable and respectable. But as a whole, this heavy metal experiment didn't fit me.

PS: I just listened "Solar Stomp" from their other new release "Horn" and I really liked it. Matter of taste after all...

Enjoy!
Ektro Records

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Paissano - Uhmo (2009)

Coming from Buenos Aires, Paissano is a psych stoner  band and they released their first EP in 2009. Trippy, quite raw tunes covered with the appropriate stoner vibes and the castellano vocals is definitely a plus. Fans of Monkey3, Los Natas, Honcho, Viaje A 800 going to like this one.

Thanks to Vania from "Heavy Psych Stoner Doom Rock" facebook group, which is an awesome one and worth checking it, for bringing this up.


Enjoy!

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Remuda Dust - Superhighway 7" (2000)

Remuda Dust was a short-lived band from Sweden formed in 1998. Their 7" is a heavy fuzz rock overdose packed in three tracks. They also took part in "Molten Universe Vol. 1" and "Sacred Groove" compilations.

Enjoy!

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Maurfahr - Good Dirt (2000)

Maurfahr was a Swedish band formed back in 1996. They released a couple EPs and one album called "Good Dirt". They also made a two-track split with Suma in 2006.  As you understand this periods I dig and re-listen records from the late 90's - early 00's era. A lot of great releases were made back then which many of them are now forgotten or neglected and it's good to remember them, Now about the "Good Dirt".. Another good stoner release from the decade's beginning featuring 12 high enjoyable groovy tracks for any stonerheads out there.

Enjoy!

You can also download their split with Suma (as well as Suma's two other splits of the "trilogy") from here. Thanks to Riez!

The Want - Acid Millennium (1997)

One of the coolest 70's hard rock albums was released in the mid-90's and it's called "Acid Millennium". The Want was a New Jersey's band formed back in the early 90's. They released two albums (this is their second one) which are fine pieces of the hard rock sound in the veins of Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad etc. Unfortunately the band went unnoticed then probably because the grunge wave swept away everything in its path. So give them a chance (I hope there aren't many of you who haven't done it since now) and enjoy 10 tracks of great bluesy hard rock by these talented musicians (and with a voice very close to Robert Plant's)!

Enjoy!

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Purling Hiss - Lounge Lizards 12'' (2011)

New Purling Hiss album is out. Whoever reads this blog, has noticed the love I have for this band from my previous posts. So I have nothing more to say than it's a really goooood one. Cheers!

Enjoy!
More Purling Hiss here.

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