Stone Kings is a rock band with a difference... Fusing an array of
rock and metal influences, Stone Kings deliver a fresh take on heavy
music the likes of which hasn’t been seen in some time. With artfully
structured songs containing riffs that stir your blood and lyrics that
take you on a journey, listening to this band is like getting high
without the drugs! Having heard an advance copy of their soon to be
released self-titled debut and caught a couple of live shows, this
reviewer can honestly say that Stone Kings are very likely to be playing
some of the major music festivals next year.
This is the band to keep
your eye on folks, so watch this space...Influenced by the likes of Monster Magnet, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains & Down, Stone Kings rock the hardest!!!
"Again on this blogsite STONE KINGS from the UK, they haven't changed their sound a lot but i think it's now with more stucture and more power, i like the track to the video on you tube "The Truth Inside" it's a really good song to drive with your car or standingintraffic jams. Like a mix from Fu Manchu,Clutch and Motorhead they come fat,full and pure. I really like the new album, give them a ear!!!"
They say that anything worth doing is worth doing right. If you want it
done right then you have to do it yourself and that takes time. With
that being said, The Heavy Co. has wrapped up production on their first
full length record, Midwest Electric. It’s story is close to epic if
you consider that we are talking about a record that is a result of 4
hazy years of tears, writing, woodshedding, playing
live, recording and producing the whole damn production in-house to
yield 37 or so smoke and incense filled minutes of psychedelic guitar
rock haze that solidly stretches the limits of the genre that has been
come to be affectionately (or not so affectionately, depending on who
you talk to) known as “stoner rock”.
Let’s get a few things
straight. This record was never meant to be perfect. The tempos swell
and recede, the vocals aren’t necessarily in key all of the time, and
you’re going to hear some things buzz, but I can assure you...it sounds
exactly how it was supposed to. Originally Midwest Electric was
intended to be recorded on an 8 track tape machine, but Murphy’s Law
prevails and the damn thing broke right in time for tracking. THC went
ahead and took advantage of their digital recording capabilities to the
fullest, but underneath the layers of extra tracks is the sound of three
guys getting down in a room and jamming like they only got one take at
the thing. The other thing is while there is no doubt, like their other
“stoner” peers, that a huge part of THC’s sound is a throwback to the
classic rock of the late 60’s and early 70’s, it’s a modern rock sound.
The idea that their music is “modern” sets THC apart from most “stoner
rock” bands. It’s cool if a band relies on the amplifier theatrics of
the 70’s (who doesn’t love a loud riff through a wall of amps), but as
the guys say, “don’t stop now, there’s no time to cry”. Jimi Hendrix
was looking for a “new kind of blues” and The Heavy Co. are giving it
their best shop.
Midwest Electric isn’t a stereotypical “stoner
rock” record. It could have just as easily have been called “Midwest
Eclectic”. First off, there is a country twinge to the whole thing,
especially in the subtle twangy drawl that creeps into the vocal
delivery. Second, no two songs on the record really sound alike.
Midwest Electric moves from a driving hard rock number like The Humboldt
County Waltz to the lonesome guitar wail and lament of Neil Young to
the spacey drone of Sailing Towards The Setting Sun and the bluesy
fuzzed out doom of One Big Drag . The album’s seven songs are unique to
themselves but never out of place with each other. THC has
meticulously crafted a record that embodies the feelings of isolation,
paranoia, and general drudgery of existing in between the rows of corn
and how it contrasts with the hopes and dreams that come from the
transcendental experiences of those bored “different” souls that reside
there inevitably get around to having. That or THC just wanted to write
some songs so they could groove out and play some guitar solos.
Whatever works for you. Please tune in... For more information visit www.theheavycompany.net
"Nice psychedelic and heavy rock sound from this awesome band, The Heavy Company comes with a bright and full sound spectrum and makes your ears happy, spacefull and smooth song's like "Neil Young,Sailing Towards The Setting Sun are also on "Midwest Electric"...it's very sculpting sound and so all kinds of music lovers comes to their costs...if you like southern rock and more fuzzy stuff you will like "One Big Drag, El Bango Grande(southern space song)...on the whole a very well album...check it out!!!"
This time, the LAKE ON FIRE FESTIVAL started on a cloudy friday afternoon in the land of the mountains. The great stage was ready for some action and the beer was cold, the first visitors came up from the hill and the first tunes were played by...Methadone Skies.
They played a very interesting set full of psychedelic stuff and driving parts, which reminded me sometimes of causa sui...with their great mix of delays,echos,flanger and phaser they created the first creative moments on this festival and spread out a good mood to the people. I think...a great start for the LAKE ON FIRE.
After the first break the sun went down and brought the mighty arctic swedish DEVILLE on stage, with their powerful riffs and cool blues influenced licks they performed a really powerful show. After this classical yellow blue stoner rock performance we all needed a stop for our brains to get new power to rock with the greek dudes from 1000MODS.
They started their amps and at the same time it began to rain but with songs like "Vidage" or "Road to burn" there was no reason for the crowd to leave the battlefield. The sad thing was that the rain caused problems for the technical equipment, so the energy supply broke down and the show was hard to play for the band. But the nice crew of the festival did a great job and the last few songs were played fully and raw...
Without any problems SAMSARA BLUES EXPERIMENT entered the stage and did a magic performance, the light effects, the music together with the the mood of the people was one of the highlights on this first festival Friday. After a great setlist and some new songs of the upcoming album, the stage was ready for the fuzzfull power stoner band COJONES from Croatia.
...this guys kicked ass and claimed me the last energy reserves of my neck muscles. A high quality performance with so much great stage moments, also it was wonderful to watch the band having fun on stage. This was definitely the most exciting moment for me and the sign to start the after party with all the nice dudes from the festival, the bands and other friends...
SATURDAY
After a fist full of sleep, 4 cups of coffee and a dental cleaning, we started to grin again as we walked down to the festival area to drink more coffee and make the first pics of Saturday. This day was more crowded as the day before and the weather was fine.
On stage a nice jam session with smooth psychedelic tunes, the first beer in the sun and happy about the decision of the lake on fire people to give the 1000MODS again the possibility to play on stage without any technical problems. And listen to a jam of this beardy greek dudes was a really great experience for all this music enthusiasts, I think. Again a powerful, organic and colourful sound wall...to the main program:
Stonecircus started with slot number one with their interesting mix of stoner metal and progressive rock... They were also a nice opener for this wonderful festival Saturday.
From one Austrian band to the next Dirt Deflector started to play their power sludge/doom combo with a full and bright sound. Only two people and such a huge sound, it was a really nice performance and screams for a repetition.
After this performance, the second band from Sweden, Molior Superum, followed. These four young guys rocked my socks off...what an incredible cool sound! Every song had a good vibe and came fat and groovy. Thumbs up for this great band!!! Looking forward to their next album...
Next band on stage TORSO from Vienna, seen before on the VOID Festival and also booked for the October Show in Salzburg with DOCTOR CYCLOPS. Torso have created their own mix of different genres and have very interesting transformations in it. Very varied sound and a whole spectrum in the setlist.
Monsters of the Ordinary inspired by the desert and their stoner gods...they come with down tunes and mangy riffs...a cool classical stoner rock band, also from Austria/Vienna. Perfect to have a beer in the sun.
With the end of the festival coming closer and closer, also some highlights were approaching, The Egocentrics from Romania enchanted us with a beautiful psychedelic sound wall, long and forming song structures, colourful feelings came up and also smokey the bear entered the stage to rock with the guys of the band.
After this spectacle Been Obscene from my hometown Salzburg entered the stage and let rotate our ears with their great mix of alternative prog rock and desert rock. Meanwhile a well known band with a high quality live sound and a great setlist full of nice great songs.
Monkey 3 did the final show and spoiled us with the finest space rock, every time an unforgettable feeling when they play in front of me...all is perfect and the whole band merges in a tidal sound wave...very demanding musicians and really nice people too.
On the whole it was a great festival, in all points perfect organized and a very friendly and hard-working crew team. Big thanks to the whole crew of the festival, especially to Viktor, Jakob for all the nice supply of the SHLGYBT Team. Special greets to the bands...thank you for the good music and the nice mood you have communicated to all...see you on the road.
The Dead-End Alley Band is a psychedelic, blues and vintage rock band from Lima, Peru, formed by Javier Kou Mansilla and Sebastian Sanchez-Botta, with the ambition to create (or re-create) music based on the psychedelic scents from the sixties and seventies.
get it here "If you like stuff like The Doors, Edgar Broughton Band or Black Merda you will love this rare and good psych stuff...this band play a sound like in these old days. A little world of smooth organs, guitar licks and driving bass lines gives you a smile and your day will starts with a nice mood!" 7 from 10 Stonerheadpoints
This is the proof, that Austria is in a real boom stadium of Stoner - like Bands. An Austrian Trio from Ebensee, attacks the world with his imposing music. The CD SCHNEEBLIND from 20012, recorded at the “Sunset Studio – Mallorca” kicks ass!!
Sure, it is an exotic way, to do lyrics in Austrian / German language. Especially for this kind of music. But that was the thing that really fixed me on! Text fragments that entered my ears like a meditation.. for example: “es duad no oiwei weh....” ; “duad glei neamma weh...”; “und dann is` nur nu sche... “, repeated again and again and.... AGAIN... are very artistically, but memorable too!
The Music:
SCHNEEBLIND contains 5 tracks. The most of them in a length of over 5 minutes. From the first track on, there is a high voltage energy, that crosses the whole production. Good mixed instruments and high audio produced. The Style first goes to Stoner Metal, then takes a ride to a bit of Alternative, than back to Stoner Rock and at least a kind of Psychedelic and Doom. Really a good mix I think!
01 Der Florist. The first track shows the whole range of the band. With a cool main riff that bangs your head!
02 Schneeblind takes the listener into the Austrian Alps, onto snowed hills.. or in your own frozen soul, a heart like a white mountain... aaah.. it really inspires me!! :-D
03 S'Weda... The shortest and maybe the weakest track on the CD. The short Guitar solo at the end was the best part for me on this track.
04 Phantomschmerz is the hardest track on the CD. Too bad I couldn't understand the lyrics.. :D but the music goes from a half time played riff into a triplet part and contains exciting breaks and stuff.
05 Liab - starts softly and slow. Like a sweet dream. It's a little psychedelic style on this track. For this reason i really like that song. Doom style played riffs and cool bass parts. The hard end is a good way to close the Album.
So, if you can tolerate the native Austrian language and the mantra kind of sound from CHANGO -SCHNEEBLIND, please give a ear to this band. It's really worth to listen to!!
Judd Madden from Melbourn is back again with his sixth album named "Glacier" and have four slow and powerful songs on it...again all self produced and self played...this guy do a nice job and that only for the feeling so listen to it and pay what ever you want...
In 2001, the Port Orchard, Washington trio of Shawn Johnson (drums),
Scooter Haslip (bass), and Tony Reed (guitars/vocals) emerged from the
jam room and studio to the live stage as Mos Generator and began to
shake the Pacific Northwest with their incendiary and uncompromising
live performances. Between 2002 and 2007, the band four full length
studio albums and, in 2008, released a collection of some of Mos
Generator’s finest moments by way of “Destroy! The Mos Generator”. By
2008, the band needed a well deserved break to clean up their lives,
follow a different muse, and to recharge the energies that make a hard
rock band successful.
In 2010, Tony Reed began a relationship with Ripple Music that saw
the re-release of the entire Stone Axe catalog, which opened the door to
the possibilities of re-launching Mos Generator, and in late Fall of
2011, the long out-of-print debut self-titled Mos Generator album saw
its re-release in a grand deluxe package. And, by the time of the
re-issued debut album hit the streets, the band had already laid down
the basic tracks for their first album of new material in over five
years.
In October of 2012, Nomads will be received by a world-wide audience,
who will experience an introspective journey into the depths of
interpersonal relations, the struggle for soul survival, and the
optimistic hope that it will all work out in the end, all performed over
the bands trademark sound of explosive heavy dissonance combined with
equally beautiful melodic passages.
"A band full of power, they groove like Clutch and sometimes they rock like The Sword...On the whole,a very capableformation of a classical stoner rock band, dirty,dry and grooveful like hell!!!
I can highlyrecommend the new album, it's a piece of gold for my ears!!!"
The name APE MACHINE is a nod to the days of reel-to-reel magnetic
tape audio recording; a fitting moniker for the heavy-hitting quartet as
the band plays through vintage tube amplifiers and lays down its songs
using exclusively throwback quality studio equipment. With a heady mix
of animal aggression and technical precision, APE MACHINE’s music
carries an organic depth and warmth rarely heard since the time of
rock’s glorious early years (or your Dad’s bad ass record collection)
infused with an exceptional modern sensibility. When the mystical lyrics
of vocalist Caleb Heinze lock in with the band’s stone-cold groove, APE
MACHINE demonstrates an earth-shaking ability to rock. A true
four-piece, the group has been called “a rock and roll band with a
finger on the pulse of the 70′s and their asses firmly in the present”
and “real heavy-psych for the iPhone generation” that delivers “true
guts and glory rock and roll.”
Blending equal parts Rock n’ Roll, Blues, Stoner Rock and
Psychedelia, Ape Machine is out to melt faces and pound the apathy out
of otherwise jaded listeners with a wall of heavy rock n’ roll tones
unheard since the days of bell bottoms, long hair and blaring tube
amplifiers.
Ape Machine’s mission is to combine intense melody, cutting riffs and
blistering live improvisation. Where many bands rely on meticulously
rehearsed, just-like-the-record-parts, Ape Machine provides a live
experience that is as unique as each evening it shares with an audience.
"Ape Machine is a heavy rocking fresh
band with two hot albums, the first was amazing and the second is able
to top it, this nice guys know how to rock and brings you back in this
time who nobody gives a shit about the inflatedAmerican dream, they only want to make good music and that's what they are doing really good...Thumb up!!!"
