...Monachus for President...

Monachus

Sweden

Doom/Post-Hardcore

Alerta Antifascista Records
MONACHUS are back with their new 4 track heavy album "below" and I have the pleasure to write about it, while the vinyl is turning on my phonograph in full power, volume 30 (it's loud). 

At first have a look at this awesome cover art, the green is beautiful and has a nice contrast with the sketch-like drawing, a very successful design. Next we will check out the material on the vinyl...

 The first coloss of the album lasts 12 minutes without any trace of boredom, it's an atmospheric, psych doom song, slow and straight from the darkness. Sometimes the structure and the vocals remember me of NAAM, for sure a great opener. The Intro of "Curse" begins with a typical doom thing...to wit cheap and squeak and a first fat drowning riff. This song raises the tempo a little bit and sounds very rich and fat. The next song "Circles" has also a nice duration, some 12 minutes. This track functions as a mix of Post Rock, Doom and the melody really is a catchy tune and remains in memory.

Also the back vocals of the woman and the melancholic part of Erik agrees well with the entire song. "Onward" builds the exciting end on "Below" and the band once again gives the best to get my head shaking on and on. It is formed by some deep and crushing doom riffs up to slowmo parts and shows off the finest ballads. A song to sing along and drink beer with your friends... 

To cut a long story short, Monachus from Sweden have figured out how to make high quality music. Thumbs up!!!

Text: Stonerhead

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9 from 10 Stonerheadpoints

...Journey to Poland – Desert Trips inclusive...

PALM DESERT
POLAND
STONER ROCK/PSYCH ROCK

Here it comes. The new Palm Desert record. At least since „rotten village sessions“ everybody should know what comes from these guys is more than just some average stuff...

Even their Debut album „Falls of the wastelands“ is a guarantee for gourmet stoner rock.

„Adayoff“, released at 18.09.2013 on BSFD records, continues where the 4 dudes had to stop in january.

I remember some really catchy tunes like „Shades in black“ or „Down the Odyssey“.

But back to the future.

First track „Leave me alone“ starts slowly, bluesy and groovy. They keep it low for the first minutes but catch you with that blues-beat focused riffing. And then, when you think yeah it's a pretty cool tune they kick your god damn ass with some fuckin' fuzz-overload sounds. Not even 6 min and they got you.

That's when „End of the certain“ starts. A relaxing, folky short track. Perfect to lead to the next riff-monster. Thing to notice: They even improved their sound into a more direct, heavier and better structured version of their earlier stuff. Also this god damn sticky bass sound! Love it...

„Among the stones“. Damn where's my beer? A huge bunch of stoner bands these days but that's, let me say it again, not average at all. It never stops rolling, cheers to Piotr Lacny (guitar) and Jan Rutka (bass). Well done.

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Same style in „First Scream“. Are there any deserts in Poland? Hard to believe we're talking about a polish band in here. Don't get me wrong but it sounds like some long-haired California desert dudes á la Scott Reeder would celebrate one of those 90's desert partys with tons of good dope and beer.

„Dusty“ is more focused on some dreamy fuzz jams. It starts heavy, gets added by some delayed vocals, looses itself somewhere in a slower harmonic jam part, gets almost faded out and then find it's way back in a mid-tempo riff which continues over the last 3 min of the track. Good use of vocals at this point.

„Overload“. Great guitar sound. Basslines to sell your soul for. Fatter than Oprah Winfrey could ever get. A lot of Repitition. Nearly meditating, paralyzing.

Even better vocals! Harmonic as hell. Brilliant end for a brilliant record.

Don't wait a second longer and spend the hillarious 3 bucks on their bandcamp page for the digital record or 8$ for the CD.

Definitly worth.

A fuckin' great sighting in european Stoner Rock.

 get it here

Band members for Palm Desert are:

Kamil Ziotkowski - drums

Jan Rutka - bass

Piotr Lacny - guitar

Wojciech Gatuszka - vocals

Text by Sebastian

9 from 10 Stonerheadpoints

...Opium Drone shots...

CULTO

ITALY

DOOM/DRONE

You like stoner rock but always wondered why these guys don't keep it slower?

You discovered some ass-kicking doom stuff but still thought why so hectical?

And you still believe in the brown tone?

Well then you should check out Culto, a Drone Duo from Italy.

The self-titled debut album got 2 earth-spin-stopping noise colosses of 15 min each, which soak you into endless Cave-Swamps. Massive soundwalls, depressive mood, tones lower than Hip-Hop-pants and an almost apocalyptic atmosphere infiltrated by some whispered vocals what fits pretty well. 

Imagine doom Kings „Conan“ playing without drums on a neverendless Opium Trip.

These guys arranged it not to vary that much. You find heavier parts with great guitar-riffing and the bit quiter ones with mentioned ritualistic whispering on it. That leads to a certain bouncing structure.

But keep in mind we're talking about ambient drone. Well...convince yourself...

If you like it more slow and atmospheric but still heavy, Culto seems to be a good choice.

Let's see what comes next. 

Text: Sebastian

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7 from 10 Stonerheadpoints

...bloody waters...

BLOOD RED WATER

ITALY
DOOM/SLUDGE

Blood Red Water is an Italian doom/sludge band formed in the summer of 2010. Michele & Fiorica were longtime friends and drinking partners united by the passion for sludge music, so they decided to create something wicked.
Immediately Francesco “Volt” joined them as guitarist/feedback junkie.

Blood Red Water’s interest/purpose is simple and straight: writing the music they like and feel - blending doom tunes with sludge tunes.
At the end of 2011, they entered at the Flameout Studio to recorder their first 5-song EP entitled “Tales of Addiction and Despair”.

In the meantime the line-up has changed. the current line-up is: Mick vocals; Fiò drums; Volt guitars; Eric guitars and Gianluca bass.

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"...a very aggressive and powerful album from this italian doomsters, if you know the first prank ("Tales of Addiction and Despair") of this band you will hear a progression to more structure and alternation on this album. BRW comes deep,fat and without mercy, they riff their setlist without regard to losses and build with their own songs a dark world in your living room. Tracks like"A ride in the Funhouse", "Thundersnow in Venice" or "A bad Trip in a Toxic mind" shows how well"All the Ills of Mankind" works..."

9 from 10 Stonerheadpoints