GOZU- The Fury of a Patient Man (Small Stone Records SS-136)

10 tracks 62mins of intensity from Boston.. Sometimes rock and roll like Signed Epstein’s Mom, stoner rock (Bald Bull), metallic riff rock (Charles Bronson Pinchot), QOTSA like tracks but with heavier guitar (Irish Dart Fight, Salty Thumb), slower heavy stuff (Disco Related Injury), etc… Traci Lords is a slower moving moody piece with an intense ending. Ghost Wipe has a very powerful guitar riff but slides into the melodic side when the singing comes in, not the aggressive. I have to say that the singer Marc writes some excellent lyrics on this record. Snake Plissken is totally different than most of the other track. The vocal is sung mostly with a totally different feeling until they decide for a mainstream like chorus. Almost punky. The band save their best song for last with the Ceaseless thunder of Surf! What a super cool 24min song with a mixture of all the things these guys do good, but with an experimental improvised feel. There are still nearly no guitar solos of any significant length on the entire record (until this last track) which I think is a bit strange. Got two guitars? Check these guys out..

http://www.smallstone.com http://www.reverbnation.com/gozu666

The Machine/Sungrazer Split LP (Elektrohasch 161)

This is split LP by the two cool Dutch bands on the Elektrhasch label. it is limited to 525 numbered copies. It is cool to hear the bands also doing something a bit different. They both used to sound like Colour Haze but they have shed that skin now. The question is whether you will like it or not. Both bands perform 3 songs. Both bands have a great sound on this record. Dopo starts the side though with a very jammy track with heavy bass and some really cool spacey guitar. Great song. The Sungrazer tracks have a very laid back vocal that reminds me so much of Kurt Cobain when he sung in this laid back mode. It is quite clear on the chorus of Yo La tengo, they know this as well. Flow through a good story is a slow stoney track that just glides and cruises until a more upbeat ending. Flip the record over for the Machine. The first track is really slow and doomy, almost reminds me of Toner Low! Not Only is a very fast and short rocker, while Slipface is the good old Machine that we love, with some amazing guitar and jamming feel to it. I happen to like this side quite a lot more than the first but I am also sure many will think just the opposite! really cool artwork  on this LP…

http://www.elektrohasch.de http://www.sungrazer.nl http://www.themachine.web.com

GOAT- Remixes Vol 1 and 2 (Rocket Records LAUNCH055/056)

GOAT, the now famous underground phenomenon from Sweden, have allowed the following artists to remix on track from their cool debut LP. The artists are: Thought Forms, High Wolf, Redg Weeks, Tom Furse, Teeth of the Sea, GNOD and Raikes Parade, Cherrystones, Hookworms, Cage and Aviary. I originally thought this was going to be remixes of a lot of different tracks but everyone is remixing the same track, Run to your Mama now. Many are totally far out quite crazy while some have thrust in quite a cool groove, others have played more with the vocals,etc.. Teeth of the Sea does the coolest remix on the Volume 1. Sticking with GNOD’s recent drone music their version reflects that with turning the track into a drone thing with just occasional use of the vocal in different echoed versions. Cherrystones version is totally deconstructed into something nearly unrecognizable. Hookworms has some guitar and has made the track into a more floating spaced out piece. This is the best version by far. Cage and Aviary turn it into some sort of almost techno track. Bizzare. Anyway, none of them sound much like each other but it still would have been much cooler if more different tracks from the LP were remixed. If you really dig the band you might want to check this out but like the Wooden Shjips remix record, this is only for real psych heads. These are pretty limited to a few hundred copies on orange vinyl.

http://www.rocketrecordings.co.uk

Riff Fist- Fistfull of Riffs (Self Released)

Riff Fist is a new Australian stoner rock band featuring Cozza (bass and vocals) whom I had met at Roadburn Festival a few times and he does a cool radio show in Australia as well. Anyway, this CD has 4 songs in 23mins of straight up ass kicking stoner comedy rock and roll. Spud King starts things off, a song about potatoes and hash! Might remind some people of the heavier side of Clutch. Fingerless Ben has a more phased out guitar part at times and is a bit more psychedelic and has a slower doomy section before picking up the pace at the end again. Like the band’s name suggests the band is into the riff, as there are not a lot of guitar solos but Casey sneaks in a few. Riff Stew is next short but monster track. Ride the Pony ends this EP and it starts off with a bass line before a spacey guitar slowly comes in as Grondo and Cozza lay down the groove. Just at a minute the main riff kicks in hard. The song is sung a bit in the way early Monster Magnet is sung. Long rocking track at 8mins. This is a really cool EP and if dig Clutch, Monster Magnet, WO fat, then check these guys out….

http://www.riffstew.com

Golden Void- Golden Void 7” (Thrill Jockey 332)

Isaiah (Earthless) is back with his new family band 7”. Two fresh new tracks, which I hope will not be on the next Golden Void release, like the first single they released and both song were included in exactly the same version on the debut LP.  Rise to the Out of Reach starts side A. It starts off very melodic with some nice guitar and the same guitar line continues when the vocal (quite far in the back compared to the guitar) comes in. It is an ok track but not as good as anything on the debut record. There is not even much of a guitar solo. Smiling Raven is the B side track and starts off like coming out of a jam and the track continues just as such with some awesome guitar playing that for sure makes up for the not that interesting A side.

http://www.thrilljockey.com

Soft Hearted Scientists- False Lights (Fruits de Mer Records)

First off, this is the first CD release I have heard of from this awesome label. This UK band recently released a super cool compilation record of material from most of their releases and now this is all new studio material, including 14 tracks. Psychedelic pop music inspired by bands from the 60s primarily. After a small intro you go straight into the first track Seeing. I like the song but the chorus is repeated far too many times, perhaps 100. The title track is a bit Syd Barrett like but more lush sound both beautiful and floating at times. I love the rhythm on Songs from the River, really nice instrumentation that surprises and makes you smile. Turn the Tables is an acoustic track which sounds normal on the surface but has a lot of interesting stuff happening in the background and you can’t help but think of the Beatles in someway. Flip the record for Seaside and the Giant Sound. It starts with drums and a jew’s harp and then the other instruments kick in (do I hear a banjo?). It gets quite bubbly at the end. You have to love these wonderful lyrics they sing on this entire record. Halloween People has some nice dualing acoustic guitars in this short track. Trees in the Wind, reminds me of a Pink Floyd song I can’t recall at the moment.. One from Meddle, I believe. The Monsters of ID has this very rhythmic singing that additional singing is layered on top and lots of other stuff is happening in this psychedelic soundscape. Panorama is the last track before the outro and the longest on the record at 7 mins. It is one of the few songs to feature an electric guitar solo and in fact quite a few instruments surface and disappear to play cool parts as the vocals slowly disappears as the track evolves, twists and turns. Lovely album. I wonder if there are any scientists in the band??

http://thestate51conspiracy.com http://www.softheartedscientists.com http://www.fruitsdemer.com

The Cosmic Dead- Inner Sanctum (Evil Hoodoo Records)

The Glasgow spaced out rock outfit, the Cosmic Dead are back with another cassette release. The bands for two cassettes are sold out but have now come out on vinyl on a couple of different labels. Anyway, this tape is pretty long (74mins) featuring 4 tracks recorded on March 31^st in Glasgow. Most of the set the band played at Roadburn seemed to be from this tape. Side A starts with the Custa v Bjornstrand track with a mid pace and heavy bass line. The guitars are pretty psyched out and the synthesizers slowly get louder and start to dominate the sound as the band jams away in the background. A spoken word vocal or sample comes in eventually. The track is a long trip. Some cool guitar at the end. The Mass of Betelgeuse is the 2^nd track. This starts heavy, slow, almost doomy bass line and very spacey guitar and synths as it slowly builds up. Wow. Super cool track.. Flip the tape over for the title track, Inner Sanctum. Again the spaced out jam starts with a cool driving bass line as the guitar just gets totally spaced out. It takes a long time for him to come back down to earth as the band maintains this high energy and really spaced out vibe. Phew.. The last track, Hello Satan, starts slow and heavy but then builds up much like all the other tracks. A pretty damn cool release. I am sure it will show up on vinyl like the other cassettes have now. Cool band. Was one of my favourite at Roadburn this year…

http://thecosmicdead.blogspot.co.uk http://evilhoodoo.bandcamp.com

Budda Sentenza- South Western Lower Valley Rock (World in Sound WIS3017)

I quite liked the bands previous release (Mode 0909) and I was quite surprised when this one came through the mail slot. The five piece band plays instrumental music and hail from Heidelberg, Germany. The CD is split into 14 tracks (46min) but there are really just 7 real tracks and 7 strange spacey interlude tracks that are given 3-5 symbol characters. Time Wave Zero starts things off with a pretty fast pace and then slows down with the Hammond appearing before they take it up again. No guitar solos in this track, just some heavy riffing. Arrested Development starts heavy but then the organ and guitars play a more psychedelic role as the track takes a slow more stoned groove. Then piano for a short interlude before the pace really picks up and then back and into a lead guitar section. Spanish Revenge starts quite frantic before settling down a bit into one of the more melodic and longer tracks at nearly 8mins. Later the track gets heavier and features a cool synthesizer solo. Debris Moon (8:45) is a slow and spacey track with some really deep bass. Great floating ambience. The Monkey stealing the Peaches (cool title!) is the shortest of the main tracks at only 3 mins but is lead by a really cool guitar line. Tzameti is a fast paced track with some cool lead guitar and organ interactions. The CD ends with Psychonaut. Another more spaced out track like Debris Moon. This is a damn cool record with a lot of moods and changes and comes across as quite jamming and free flowing and not all super highly composed, which is nice. Sounds great if you crank it up!

http://www.worldinsound.com http://www.buddhasentenza.de/#news

SuperMachine- S/T (Small Stone Records SS-136)

I have never heard of this band. They are a four piece from New Hampshire and two of the guys played in Scissorfight. This record has 11 tracks in 41 mins. The opening track, Solution is pretty tuned down heavy riffing stuff with a great wah guitar at times. David Nebbia, the lead vocalist has a pretty distinct voice and they add some effects on it sometimes. Broken has another pretty massive riff and this track has a more melodic sound like Alice in Chains or Soundgarden. The solo section is quite bluesy and different, which I really liked. On the next track, Transformer, Jay, kicks down another cool catchy and heavy guitar riff. MT is another melodic track that could be like Soundgarden, even Nirvana with the way the vocal is sung. Josey Wales is a more bluesy track but Jay shifts back and forth between this bluesy feel and his signature heavy riff which is used in many songs. Flesh Farm reminds me of Soundgarden at least the beginning of the track. The end is a bit different. Think 1990 Soundgarden. David is not singing in that kind of range but he has a cool voice. I dig it. Buffalo combines a more bluesy thread with the “std heavy riff” and a cool vocal. It really picks up speed towards the end but they don’t jam it out at all. Pill Cruise has one of the more aggressive riffs if not the most on the record but then it goes somewhere else. Crutch, Jay has this really cool effect on his guitar. Heavy Bullet is one of the more bluesy 70s style tracks on the record. Warlord ends this album. I think you have an idea of what these guys sound like now. This is very inspired by the Grunge era bands but with a more stoner rock guitar riff and sound and throw in a little blues. Good singer.

http://www.smallstone.com http://supermachine.bandcamp.com/ http://www.supermachine.us/

BONG/Pyramidion split LP (At War with False Noise 125)

This just came out of nowhere and luckily for me, Nils scored me a copy. I have not heard Pyramidion before. The LP comes with a small insert with some info about Pyramidion and nothing but a symbol for BONG. They are a four piece band and like BONG perform an lp long side track called The Gargle Decree (Flabbergasted Vatican). The track is a bit like Circle but with two guitars that nicely interweave in and out with each other in a cool dynamic. Think of My brother the Wind or Øresund Space Collective but with a less dynamic bass player. Great track. BONG starts off with a slow spacey vibe with the fuzz guitar mixed quite far to the back and the Indian instrument up in the front. It is slowly stonely drifting towards the horizon of Mars. Take the trip, it is long and slow and some slow lead guitar bubbles up from the depths on occasion as you feel you are drifiting into the outer depths of your mind… Towards the end, the main guitar gets much louder and starts to dominate as the wall of sound saturates your cortex with reverberating DOOM…..

http://pyramidion.tumbler.com http://www.ritualproductions.net

GNOD/Bear Bones lay Low Split cassette (Full of Nothing FON40)

A Russian label has released this split cassette of new material from these two bands. GNOD is making music in a more drone spaced out fashion like their last couple of not that interesting releases but I think this cassette was quite cool with their side long track called The Choice of a Nubian Generation. It has more intricate synths, not so minimalistic. It is quite nice and floating and good for the early morning to start the day and includes some guitar as well. Towards the end of the track you can hear the drums (or machine) and some far away vocals if you listen closely. Flip the tape over for Bear Bones Lay Low. Their side features 4 tracks. Quemacoco starts with some fast vibrating sound and then layers of lead synth come in over the top. It is very spaced out and psychedelic. Roswell Romance II is something totally different with some strange samples, disconnected electronic rhythm beat generated drive. Tripped. Warmth, ever so Pleasant is next and more back to like the first track with a fast oscillation and some layers of synths. Llévenme con Ustedes ends this psychedelic instrumental soundscape tape. Hope you enjoyed the trip.

http://fullofnothing.net/ http://ingnodwetrust.tumblr.com/

Purson- Leaning on a Bear 7” (Rise Above Records)

Purson are back with their first single from the new record, The Circle and the Blue Door, which is due out in May 2013. I quite liked the debut single that was released and is now long sold out.  The beautiful, friendly and mysterious guitarist and lead vocalist Rosalie also co-writes all the songs. The title track starts side A and it is a very 70s organ driven rock track. The song has a nice groove and during parts of the song they put this strange effect on the vocal, which I am not that keen on. No guitar solo but a nice organ solo (short). Pretty cool song. The B side is a unreleased songs called Let Bloom. It is a laid back more melancholy track with some beautiful singing. This track is also greatly lead by the organ, which has become the center point of the bands sound. I look forward to hearing the full length record that I have pre-ordered.

http://www.riseaboverecords.com

Vidunder- Vidunder (Crusher Records CRC021)

Vidunder is a pretty new Swedish hard rock trio from Malmö. The band released their debut 7” on Crusher Records last year. Summoning the Not Living is a great opening track with a more intense vocal. Into the Grave (features John Hoyles on lead guitar from Witchcraft/Troubled Hourse) and Trees are nearly Graveyard cover songs as they play so close to the style, it is almost a crime, I would say. Trees mixes things up with a bit of organ but so did the last Graveyard record. Threefold now sounds nearly just like Witchcraft but not as organic in this ballad track. Försummad och Bortglömd is sung in Swedish and has two nice guitar solo sections. Asmodeus, the track from their debut single in Nov 2011 is next and is an ok song but it just did not grab me on the single or here. Beware of the Moon is a slower, heavier track featuring the organ. It still annoys me that the singer, rather than trying to sing in a unique way tries just too hard to emulate sounding like Magnus from Witchcraft. This will only hold the band back, not bring them forward. Do your own thing, guys. Fire again is a slower track and quite short, under 3mins. Threat from the Underground speeds things up again and reminds me of the opening track. Your Ghost ends this short record with another Witchcraft inspired track. (10 tracks, 34mins). The band is trying a bit too hard to sound like their fellow Swedes in Witchcraft and Graveyard at times. If your favourite bands are in this genre, then check these guys out as they do have some great songs.

http://www.crusherrecords.com http://www.vidunderband.com

Deville- Hydra (Small Stone Records SS-137)

Deville are a Swedish Stoner rock band that are keeping 90s stoner rock alive, well and true to its roots. 11 tracks in 45mins.. Lava kicks in fast and will remind people of Unida and Kyuss but without the intense low end. A fast one to start off. Iron Fed is another fast paced one. I really like the sort of ominous thread that runs through the guitar in the non-singing parts. In Vain slows things down and has a pretty catchy swing to it. The Knife has a more intense guitar line and punch to it. The end instrumental section is quite melodic but really lacking for a guitar solo. Now to think of it, there might not have been any guitar solos yet despite the band having two guitar players. Over the Edge is a classic stoner riff and this track does have a 10 second guitar solo but mostly just heavy riffing. Powerful track. Burning Towers slows things down but keeps it heavy in this great track. let it Go is a more melodic uptempo track. Battles will be Born has a slow almost heavy metal riff that slowly builds up in this short instrumental track. It really could have built into a monster but they ended it and did not evolve it much considering how cool the track is. Strange.. Blood Crown comes back to the fast and furious but a very melodic and quite mainstream feel to the vocals. Riff is still hard edged. Imperial is another more melodic track with a heavy riff and a short ripping solo. Stay a little Longer is the closing track and one of the longest. This is a pretty cool record. I think the band are sounding more like fellow Swedes Mustasch in someways, who are very popular these days. It is a more mainstream sound in someway but they still have some great powerful songs that I really like.

http://www.smallstone.com

My Brother the Wind- Theme from Drop out Analogue 7” (Self Released)

This is a very limited 7” that the band sold at their Roadburn Festival gig 2013. It is pressed in only 200 copies and each one is numbered. The 7” plays of 45 speed and is one jam track split into parts 1 and 2. I have to say when the needle hit the vinyl and this one started to play I was totally caught off guard by the real 60’s vibe with the way the guitar and organ is played on this one. I half expected Marty Balin to kick in an awesome vocal followed by Grace Slick! A really cool groove. When you flip the record that is when Mathias really plays a excellent guitar solo. The track just sort of jams it out until the end with a nice groove and feeling. Hope you can find one of these.

http://www.myspace.com/mybrotherthewind