Wasted Theory’s second release with Argonauta Records, after the ‘2017 edition’ CD re-release of “Defenders of the Riff,” displays a disturbingly sober vision of slammed down, heavy rock invaders. Completed in the spring of this year, “Warlords of the New Electric”was recorded, engineered, and mixed by Joseph Boldizar(Ruby The Hatchet, Ecstatic Vision, The Age of Truth) at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia, PA.
Wasted Theory had the following to say about the record
"When we set out to write ‘Warlords of the New Electric’ we wanted to take the energy and enthusiasm of ‘Defenders of the Riff” and develop those vibes even further. In our opinion, this is the perfect companion to the last album. We didn’t want to put out the stereotypical third album where we start getting all experimental and bizarre. So, we did the exact opposite - we took our gritty rock n’ roll origins and pushed them even heavier into the material.
The riffs are harder, the fast stuff is faster and the doom stuff is doomier. This is the perfect album for those hot, sticky summer nights hanging out at your buddy’s BBQ bonfire and having way too much to drink. This album is very much a Wasted Theory album."
Argonauta will release “Warlords of the New Electric” worldwide this Friday October 26th 2018. The eight song, full album hammer strike will include Vinyl and CD formats, with Digital Download and today a couple days ahead of the release you can stream the record in full. So turn in up and let your speakers die
Clutch just keeps releasing one quality album after the next, each one incomparable to the one preceding it. Each album has that classic Clutch sound, yet each album looks forward and takes the listener out for one helluva good time. This new album, Book of Bad Decisions is no different. It’s a rip roaring, rock and roll party. And you’d better get yourself on the guest list.
Book of Bad Decisions CD//DD//LP track listing:
1 Gimme the Keys
2 Spirit of '76
3 Book of Bad Decisions
4 How to Shake Hands
5 In Walks Barbarella
6 Vision Quest
7 Weird Times
8 Emily Dickinson
9 Sonic Counselor
10 A Good Fire
11 Ghoul Wrangler
12 H.B. Is in Control
13 Hot Bottom Feeder
14 Paper & Strife
15 Lorelei
The Review:
There are two types of people in this world; those who love Clutch, and those who don’t know Clutch yet.
If you know Clutch, then you also know that last Friday, September 7th, was marked in everyone’s calendar as a holiday. After all, this was the date that Clutch released their umpteenth album, Book of Bad Decisions.And because this is a Clutch album, you know it’s going to be good.And for those who don’t know Clutch yet, listen up: check out this new album. It’s just as good of an entry point as any into the band’s vast discography.
Sure, there isn’t a single Clutchalbum – in my humble opinion – that lacks in quality. Once upon a time these boys from the great state of Maryland got together in a jam room and made some tunes. They spent some time finding their voice and sound. Then they changed the face of stoner rock with the release of Blast Tyrant.It was at this moment, sometime early on in 2004, that these beasts from the east really found their stride. Robot Hive/Exodus and From Beale Street to Oblivion followed, making for a 3 album run the likes of which haven’t been seen since Led Zeppelin made the scene.
Am I talking the band up too much? Maybe. But I’m one who can throw on any Clutch album at any time and dig in. So let’s rap about this new one.
Before the album’s release, Clutchreleased 4 singles. And man, if these singles don’t rile you up, then what will? Anyway, “Gimme the Keys” led the charge with that famous Clutch march. A great song that walks that fine line between aggressive rock and a downright, dirty party. Singer Neil Fallon spits rhymes and wails away behind the mic in top form. Preaching? Sure is. Preaching the rock!
Then came “How to Shake Hands”, a song that’s as much a rager as it is indebted to John Lee Hooker. Wild lyrics fly around, the beats are pushed forward and the guitars are tastefully crunchy. The subject matter might seem questionable, but when you hear Fallon’s plans to put Jimi Hendrix on the 20 dollar bill, there’s nothing else left to do than to throw your fists in the air, jump around in the mosh pit, and sing along.
My favorite single came next, the tasty “Hot Bottom Feeder.” Here, Clutch shows that they can literally read out a recipe and by doing so, knock yet another song out of the park. Not long after, came the single “In Walks Barbarella;” a rompin’, stompin’ barn burner of a song, complete with horn section, comic book references and a hook so big that you could take this song fishing and catch a whale.
But then I wondered, has Clutchblown their load on these singles? What’s left of their story to tell?
Well, the album’s 15 songs long and there’s not one moment in which the energy drops. “Spirit of ‘76” is a short, sweet ditty with a sticky chorus. The title track follows, stomping along in true blues style as Fallon paints a pretty vivid picture. And that bass line, man, listen to that!
“Vision Quest” and “Weird Times” are in the 6 and 7 spot of the track list, and break things up nicely. “Vision Quest” rides a sweet roll on the piano, an element that really rounds out the song. “Weird Times” has a cool call and response chorus, and I gotta say, if Fallon can pull this chorus off with as much gusto in a live setting as he does he on record, then things are going to go nuts.
More hits follow in the second half of the album. The slower “Emily Dickinson” is about just that, and it’s no surprise that “Lorelei” tells a mythological tale. “Ghoul Wrangler” makes its mark with the “woo!” that starts the chorus, and “Sonic Counselor” really puts Clutch in that gospel church setting. “A Good Fire” is going to be off the hook when taken to the stage, as will the groovy “H.B. Is in Control.”So yeah, hits, hits and more hits.
Yeah, I’m a fan of Clutch. Seen ‘em take to the stage over 30 times. Sometimes, I spend more time sitting in a car getting to and from a Clutch gig than the gig itself lasts. And there’s not been one single time that I’ve regretted doing so. This review is written as a fan of the band. A fan who hasn’t stopped listening to the album since its release last Friday. Who knows, maybe you want to take this review with a grain of salt.
But hear this…
Clutch just keeps releasing one quality album after the next, each one incomparable to the one preceding it. Each album has that classic Clutch sound, yet each album looks forward and takes the listener out for one helluva good time. This new album, Book of Bad Decisions is no different. It’s a rip roaring, rock and roll party. And you’d better get yourself on the guest list.
This is IMAX for the ears - rolling sound-waves as far as the third-eye can see - never boring, never repetitive, an ever evolving journey through a riffed rift in time and space
“"Thought and Existence" CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). The Golden Fields
2). "Tlön Uqbar Orbis Tertius"
The Review:
"Thought and Existence" is something like the forty-fourth release from Newcastle's Bong and is officially their eighth full length studio record, which isn't bad going for a band that's been around for thirteen years. Trippy, heavy, hypnotic, psychedelic, euphoric, spacey, massive, awe inspiring, mythic... all good words which could be, and have been, used to describe Bong’s previous output (most recently 2015's epic "We Are, We Were, and We Will Have Been"), and all of which work equally well for this latest offering. I will probably use most of them again below.
"Thought and Existence" is thirty-six and a half minutes long and consists of two tracks:
"The Golden Fields"opens with spacey gong-bath ambience and one of vocalist/bassist Dave Terry's spoken, sermon-like, poetic intros. Mike Vest's guitar drones swell, and swell, and swell and then Mike Smith's massive drums kick in. This is IMAX for the ears - rolling sound-waves as far as the third-eye can see - never boring, never repetitive, an ever evolving journey through a riffed rift in time and space. Smith's drums on "Tlön Uqbar Orbis Tertius" let us know that this is more of an overtly psych chapter; a second, more mesmerised, movement. Changes are subtle and unhurried, yet deeply effecting. Looping layers of drone which gradually grow in size and potency until your brain and body are vibrating at exactly the same fizzy-boned frequency.
Bongare a band who can make a cover of Pink Floyd's"Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" last half an hour and still be something that is an absolute pleasure to hear.
"Thought and Existence" is a journey through sound, a genuine trip into and through the other-world the band conjures so expertly and effortlessly. Caution: Do Not Operate Heavy Machinery While Listening to Bong. Listening to "Thought and Existence" May Cause Out of Body Experience. Keep Out of Reach ofChildren.
Hashteroid’s self titled album is truly one of the most enjoyable experiences one can have from heavy music in 2018.
“Hashteroid” DD track listing:
1). Freak Power
2). Black Tide
3). Stan the Wolfman
4). Green Caramel
5). Godspeed Below
6). Cool Ghost
7). ...Return to Hash Planet
The Review:
From the outset, Hashteroid’s self titled record seems like an average stoner metal experience. From the album’s artwork aesthetic, to the band’s implied interests in psychedelics, the listener gears themselves for another exercise in Sleep worship. Once the music starts however, all of these pre-conceived notions are gone. From the sheer speed, guitar solos, and focus on song melody, “Hashteroid” is an experience impossible to pin down to one genre. “Hashteroid” is an album that is forward thinking, but packs enough nostalgia to speak to die hard Mötorhead fans. If you’re looking for a truly unique experience in heavy music, look no further than “Hashteroid”, itis abundantly filled with riffs of all kinds. From the thundering rock and roll of “Freak Power” and “Godspeed Below”, to the doomier “Stan the Wolfman” and “Cool Ghost”, there is something for everyone. Each track transitions between multiple riffs, constantly keeping the listener on its toes.
None of this would be work, however, if it weren’t for great song writing by the band as a whole. The band has a great understanding of how to utilize pace, and how to properly incorporate guitar effects. Songs like “Godspeed Below” are elevated with the bands ability to incorporate small subtleties throughout. Hashteroid’s debut record breathes new life into heavy music, while at the same time striking the right amount of nostalgia listeners love from retro metal. Hashteroid’s self titled albumis truly one of the most enjoyable experiences one can have from heavy music in 2018.
Coming 3 years to the day after the release of their debut EP ‘Respect the Depths’, on 20/04/2018 Vancouver’s Hashteroid are back with their self titled debut album. Get ready for an Armageddon of riffs and a miasma of green vapour because this 4/20 Hashteroidwill be your drug of choice.
“Hashteroid” wasengineered and tracked by Michael Kraushaar (Black Wizard) at Bully's Studios, mixed by Jesse Gander (Bison) at Rain City Recorders, and mastered by the mighty Brad Boatright (Mutoid Man, Nails) at Audiosiege and today ahead of its release, you can hear a brand new track from the album below, entitled “Black Tide”. For all you vinyl junkies, the album is coming out on vinyl sometime in June via Cursed Tongue Records with pre-orders in May.
If you’re ready for a simple space rock record that’s sturdy, hooky and well written, take “Mindfucker” out for a spin.
“Mindfucker” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Rocket Freak
2). Soul
3). Mindfucker
4). I’m God
5). Drowning
6). Ejection
7). Want Some
8). Brainwashed
9). All Day Midnight
10). When The Hammer Comes Down
The Review:
Monster Magnet’s evolution has been fun to follow. Back in the day, when front man and key driving force of the band, Dave Wyndorf, got his band of psychedelic gods together, they got weird. As time progressed, the ‘Magnet remained a psychedelic powerhouse, but one that consistently moved forward from where they began. The days of long, drawn out and druggy jams are behind us. Now, we’re reveling in a period of shorter, leaner songs with big hooks. Fans of Monster Magnet are sometimes divided in the camps of “early” and “modern” Monster Magnet. There’s no need for these camps, though, because Monster Magnethas always been - and will always be - a band that knows when it’s time to get weird and when it’s time to rock out. Isn’t that what stoner rock is all about?’
So it’s now 2018, almost five years removed from Monster Magnet’s last studio album, “Last Patrol.” Where that album, and certainly the redux albums that followed it, brought both hooks and jams to the fold, this new album, “Mindfucker” is all about the rock and the roll. “Mindfucker” tells a simple story to the tune of compact riffs and songs that move pretty quickly. About half of the songs are around the 4 minute mark, which reflects the simple song structures.
But rest assured, simple isn’t bad, by any means. In the case of “Mindfucker,” simple is even somewhat a breath of fresh air. There’s that MC5 vibe in these songs and punk rock is never far out of reach. The hooks are firmly mounted and effortlessly carry the weight of the songs. Bob Pantella and Chris Kosnik play their asses off, running the sturdy rhythms up and down the dance floor.
Like any good Monster Magnet set list, the weirder tracks are spread out evenly between all the ragers. “I’m God” (exclusively streaming below) rears its head after the three songs that open the “Mindfucker” party. This track is the largest of the bunch, with a huge chorus that has Wyndorf stepping to the mic to proclaim that he, in fact, is God. Kind of a strange claim to make, sure, but Wyndorf’s lyrics have always been pretty out there, rather arrogant and more or less out of this world. After all, he delivers these lines with such conviction that he makes the lyrics work. The song uses every second of its 6:16 run time to fly off into space, in only the way that Monster Magnet knows how; Wyndorf at the helm, one foot on the monitor, colorful, flashing lights everywhere…all seen through a fish-eye lens.
The songwriting aside, the production of this album is also top notch. “Mindfucker” is a party, despite some of the themes in the lyrics. The way the guitars sound and how this is mixed with Pantella’s cymbal work, makes this record sound rambunctious. “Mindfucker” even goes so far as to sound like a live recording, one that has Wyndorf pulling in the crowd and having the audience scream their lungs out for the entire duration of the record.
If you’re ready for a simple space rock record that’s sturdy, hooky and well written, take “Mindfucker” out for a spin. Go on, let loose of the hopes that Monster Magnetare going to make another “Spine of God.” The band’s moved on and is having a great time doing it. Join them for the ride, you won’t regret it.
Montreal’s trio Wykan delivers a heavy brew with its touch of black metal, old stoner / psychedelic rock and blues. Blending these genres, the band evokes spirits of heavy riffs and hot amp tubes overridden and pushed to the limits soon to be heard on their debut EP “Solace”.
“After releasing very heavy black metal for 3+ yrs with my band Eohum, I wanted to return to blues and doom oriented music and expression, with atmosphere, blues solos and more feeling. Both Morgan Zwicker (drums) and Daniel Paras (bass) are distinct musicians / vocalists with jazz/blues backgrounds whom had the will to jump on board.” says band founder Jeremy Perkins.
Hitting the jam space and recruiting some special guests Matt McGachy (Cryptopsy) and Barrie Butler (Eohum), Wykan’s debut EP “Solace” features three punishing tracks full of atmosphere and mystery where you can hear black metal rage meet the finest components of blues and harsh psych stoner riffs. The theme of the EP follows inspiration of Ethnobotany and magic along with a tribal take on ritual and ceremony. More specifically with the Northern European Tribes known as the Saami from Finland/Norway/Sweden areas of today and their usage of Amanita Muscaria mushroom for Shamanic practices. Overall, the EPs concept is a reminder of the brisk realities of our lives in relation to the spirit world. “Solace”is due out on April 13, 2018 and available for pre-order at Bandcamphereand you can check out the opening track “Lahppon Olmmos (Noaide’s Ride To Saivo)” below.
In a genre packed with bands that draw on decades-old tone and aesthetic, it takes a mature hand to re-appropriate bygone creativity without sounding forced. Luckily there is a confidence and craft present in Green Lung’s writing that belies their months.If Green Lung can expand the template that has served them so well across these four superb songs then a truly exciting future awaits.
“Free the Witch” CS//DD track listing:
1). Lady Lucifer
2). Free the Witch
3). Living Fossil
4). Older than the Hills
The Review:
It’s been two hundred and fifty days or so since Green Lungannounced themselves on the UKheavy-stage with their blistering demo ‘Green Man Rising.’ In the months that have passed since that promising release, the London quartet have refined their craft across a host of England’s underground stages. Now armed with a growing following and half-an-hour of new material, the question is can Green Lung transfer the heft and excitement of their live show to tape?
‘Free the Witch’ sparks with lead single ‘Lady Lucifer’ and a crescendo of crisp guitar hammer-on. As the tension builds and we reach the twenty-seventh second, Green Lung proceed to drop the hammer on what is sure to be one of 2018’s stand-out riffs. The groove on display here bangs with such an endearing audacity that you can only hope the record to follow will measure up. As guitarist Scott Masson whittles down the dirt, singer Tom Templar makes his entrance. Washed in reverb and folk-horror croon Templar transmutes the bands 70’s aesthetic, from cover to sound. ‘You smiled with lips incarnadine, whispered black magic, rites obscene.’ As the song climbs to its apex Masson cracks the reigns with an outrageous solo and “Free the Witch”’s opener sets a ridiculous standard.
Title track ‘Free the Witch’ is up next and is a much more direct affair. The lurch and swerve of ‘Evil Empire’ that crackled in the opener is now replaced with a full pelt nod to debut-era The Sword. Just as the record becomes in danger of reverting to type the arrangement peels back and Masson injects another well-judged solo. ‘Free the Witch’ lurches home on a bed of cultish chant and half-time stagger.
In making the jump to Bear Bites Studios (Vodun, Ghold) and employing Wayne Adams on production Green Lung have shed the compressed savagery of their live demo and allowed their stellar rhythm-section room to breathe. Track three ‘Living Fossil’demonstrates this upgrade perfectly and the song is all AndrewCave’s. The arrangement follows a similar pattern but before any unwanted familiarity encroaches, Cave’s bass swaggers in for an overdriven solo. The months spent on various stages refining these cuts is evident and Templar hauls the song home, ‘Living fossil, a blast from the past.’
Green Lung’s debut closes in sprawling fashion with ‘Older than the Hills.’ Not content to banish their live demo to audio-history there is a clever re-integration of the vocal hook from ‘Freak on a Peak’but this time the extended track-length really allows the band to flex their muscles. Across its eight minutes each musician takes a moment in the spotlight, and as Masson’s guitar wails in the storm Cave and Wiseman’s rhythm section rumble home on an array of deft fills and charming girth.
In a genre packed with bands that draw on decades-old tone and aesthetic, it takes a mature hand to re-appropriate bygone creativity without sounding forced. Luckily there is a confidence and craft present in Green Lung’swriting that belies their months. This confidence is only emphasised by the fact that b-side ‘When the Axe Comes Down’ is left off their debut. When you are in a vein of writing so rich you can cast away such strong songs it can only be a good omen. And that is what ‘Free the Witch’ is, an impressive and rousing omen, of greater things to come. If Green Lung can expand the template that has served them so well across these four superb songs then a truly exciting future awaits.
"Clone of the Universe" is the twelfth example that there's only one Fu Manchu and this album is a great mix of the heavy, the fast, the slow and the riff.
“Clone of the Universe” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. "Intelligent Worship" (3:08)
2. "(I’ve Been) Hexed" (2:48)
3. "Don’t Panic" (2:05)
4. "Slower Than Light" (3:26)
5. "Nowhere Left to Hide" (4:19)
6. "Clone of the Universe" (2:58)
7. "IL Mostro Atomico" (18:08)
The Review:
Can you imagine an 18 minute song written and performed by Fu Manchu? Oh yeah, and it features the guitar escapades of none other than Rush's Alex Lifeson? Yeah, I couldn't either. That changed this week, though, when the kind people over at At The Dojo Recordshooked us up with "Clone of the Universe," Fu Manchu's twelfth album. But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. This 18 minute epic, "Il Mostro Atomico" closes out the album. Let's start at the beginning.
From opener "Intelligent Worship"on, Fu Manchu knows what's up. Ripe with those stop-go riffs that only Fu Manchu can master, the band plays through these seven songs the only way they know how - thick on the fuzz, heavy on the low end, and loud as hell.
The stoned stomp of "(I've Been) Hexed" leaves its mark with both its riffs and its catchy chorus. Fu Manchu has always proven to be experts when it comes to those one-liner choruses, and "(I've Been) Hexed" is no different. In perfect call and response fashion, Hill proclaims "I've been Hexed" as the backing vocals take over, "I see it in your eyes." These lines get passed back and forth for a while, the drums go nuts, and those guitar solos wail. An absolute toe tapper, and once Fu Manchu hit the road in support of this album, "(I've Been) Hexed" is going to be a crowd favorite, too.
The album keeps its momentum going in o "Don't Panic." Again, a song that boasts a one-liner chorus - "Don't panic!" - and it's going to have stoner rockers far and wide bowing down at the feet of Fu Manchu party. The title track has the same effect, and even though not many of us can tell you what Hill means when he sings "Clone of the Universe," we can all agree that it sounds fucking cool, and that's all that fucking matters.
For the most part, Fu Manchu has made themselves a name by laying the groundwork for upbeat stoner rock. Each song of theirs makes a race for the chorus, rocks out a little, and is out within 4 minutes. This is part of what makes Fu Manchu so good; this band knows how to cluster quality and then land a punch with it. "Clone of the Universe" stays true to this formula, mostly.
Sure, these SoCal boys have had an 8 minute song here and there, but on this new record, Fu Manchu hits the eighteen minute mark. Alex Lifeson from Rush helps out in this experiment. The track's instrumental, mostly, and sounds like a mixture of a bunch of Fu Manchu riffs pasted together. The best part, it works. The riffs are great, the transitions are great, and the song builds in such a way that it starts without giving too much away. Even by the 10, 12 or 15 minute mark, the song still rocks hard and doesn't dip once.
In many ways, "Clone of the Universe" might be more familiar to those who grew up on Fu Manchu. The album's got that stoner rock rhythm that Fu Manchu made famous, thanks mostly to Brad Davis on bass guitar and drummer Scott Reeder. These two are locked in and make these tunes tumble down the road like a VW van with marijuana smoke billowing out of the windows.
"Clone of the Universe" is also an album that's determined to push the boundaries of the band's sound. The result is a great mix of the heavy, the fast, the slow and the riff. For Fu Manchu, "Clone of the Universe" is the twelfth example that there's only one Fu Manchu, and plenty of impersonators.
“Clone of the Universe” is available to buy on CD//DD//Vinyl via here
Hi, you wanna know about us?
