“Dooooooooooom!”

~ (probably misheard) line from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

The Third Friday of the month, high time for the Doom Charts Peroration for March 2024. That show of dedication and love for more of the albums floating around the Heavy Underground. We cannot stress enough that the Doom Charts is a labor of love for the many Contributors. They all have their personal sites, zines, blogs, podcasts and radioshows to maintain. And still they manage to do the work involved with getting the monthly Doom Charts posts up. We cannot thank them enough! And once again, we want to state the obvious: there is even more out there! Go find them! Dig deep… And for starters, below are 24 albums that were all blurbed about by the Doom Charts Contributors for the March Edition of the Doom Charts. But as you know, we only post blurbs for the Top 25 and only multiple for the Number One. So all that extra dedication and labor of love can be read below. And in conclusion, we just want to spark enthuisasm among you all for everything you read below and everything else you might find… Do not hesitate to let us know if we need to check something out… You might just have discovered our new favorite album…

The following are professions of love and adoration by Doom Charts Contributors for albums they could not stop spinning. Each month, the Doom Charts critics submit their picks for the best new doom, sludge, metal, stoner, psychedelic and other sorts of heavy rock albums. The results are compiled and tabulated into the chart which is published on the First Friday of the new month, monthly. However, sometimes a love is so great, but for whatever reason the album unfortunately did not make the published Doom Charts Edition or because there were so many contributors in love with that one album, that multiple blurbs were written, and only the one got published… Well, you can peruse that love here…

APOGEAN – CYBERSTRICTIVE
Technical death metal
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Artisan Era

Buckle in for an intense ride. Unrelenting, razor sharp and lightning-fast pacing. Jam packed with that “melt your fingers off” riffage that would be a masterclass for a large percentage of musicians in the craft. These tracks pummel you with a machine gun style drum assault and a vocal growl fit to make any cookie monster jealous. These tunes will tear down the walls of any venue that welcomes them. Prepare for speed.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin)

ASH EATER – BREATHE THE SMOKE
Doom, Heavy metal, Thrash metal, Heavy psych
Portland, Oregon
Self-released

Following up on their 2020 debut LP Darkness Rising, ASH EATER reach new depths of their signature fusion of thrash and doom on Breathe The Smoke. From the blistering pace and furious onslaught of ‘The Siren’s Call’ and ‘Any Port In a Storm’ to the epic, thoroughly doomed ‘Ritual’, the Portland skate ‘n rollers have crafted a grimy, razed-earth heavy metal opus that takes no prisoners.
~ Kyle SB (Stoner HiVe, Good Boy PR)

BUZZARD – DOOM FOLK
Doom, Folk
Massachusetts, USA
Self-released

BUZZARD wastes no time in getting straight to the banjo, power chords and blasphemy. Where a lot of bands obscure their dark, anti-fundamentalist screeds under layers of processed guitars and growling, BUZZARD opines on the evils of organized religion with uncomfortable clarity. In so many ways, this goes beyond even Deicide with its scathing commentary on the abuses of the faithful. Not even the Norse Gods are spared the barbed jabs and hooks.
~ Scott Spiers (CleanAndSoberStoner)

CANCERVO – III
Stoner, Doom, Psychedelic
San Giovanni Bianco, Lombardy, Italy
Electric Valley Records

CANCERVO is a doom metal band from Italy who formed in 2020. “III” is, well, their third full-length album. According to their metallum page, Monte Cancervo is a mountain near Bergamo. With that in mind, I have to say they could not have picked a better name for their band because, simply put, “III” definitely weighs as much as a mountain.

The band’s style includes psychedelic and stoner elements, both of which blend into a massive wall of sound that is quite towering. Stoner doom isn’t always known to be heavier than the universe but “III” begs to differ—CANCERVO have definitely released one of the heaviest albums I have heard in this first quarter of the year.

The fuzz on the bass alone is heavier than even many extreme metal albums I’ve heard this year. The production helps with this; it sounds great but just raw and DIY enough to give the album a dark, occult feel. Honestly, the album is a little scary.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

DAEVAR – AMBER EYES
Doom, Fuzz, Grunge, Heavy-psych, Occult-rock, Ovult-rock, Psycho-doom, Stoner, Stoner-doom, Alt-metal
Cologne, Germany
The Lasting Dose Records

Taking outstanding care of the melodies, the Cologne trio reflects an evolution and maturity in its sound more typical of a veteran band. If in his debut he had pointed out ways, here, the psycho-doom songs are adorned with a greater prominence of the captivating voice of his bassist and singer Pardis Latifi, something that marks this fascinating and solvent album. Because the spells of this sublime priestess of doom, and the skill of Caspar on the six strings, together with the strength of Moritz’s drums, make DAEVAR a band to take into account, because the trio is here to stay . A band touched by the magic wand of some divinity of darkness and following the script of their debut album, they introduce innovative elements that make songs with impeccable production shine with their own light. This makes the voices appear clean in this sea of dense darkness in the immensity of its rhythms.
~ Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)

Sinister yet seductive doom blended with elements of occult rock and alt-metal, there is heaviness to be found here but it’s a languid and atmospheric heaviness that embraces rather than crushes. Beautiful is not a description we usually associate with music of this nature but each and every one of the songs inhabiting this gem of an album are truly deserving of such an accolade.
~ Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)

Delirious Rites, released last year, was a blast. The german trio have cooked a tremendous recipe with gritty riffs, aerian lyrics and fuzzy and occult songs. This month, they are back with Amber Eyes and, believe it or not, they are heavier, stronger but not faster! DAEVAR built a heavy doom monster, not truly original but damn efficient. Praise the lord, praise DAEVAR!
~ Damien Regnauld (Stoner Freaks Anthology)

DÖDSTRIT – NOCTURNAL WILL
Black Metal, Melodic Black Metal, Blackened Crust
Borlänge, Sweden
Wolves Of Hades

Emotive and melodic Blackened metal of the highest order. I have looked forward to this release because I have connected and loved what they have been doing over the past couple of years. Blistering Black Metal met with somber melodies and the perfectly sounding vocals mix together effortlessly to create a powerful and unflinching album for the ages. FFO: Ablaze My Sorrow, Nordicwinter, Stormruler
~ Eric Crowe (Doomsayer Records / Halo Of The Goat Radio)

DRAW THE LINES – METAMORPHOSE
Progressive Rock, Zeuhl, Avant-garde
Réunion Island
Self-released

Réunion is a small island in the Indian Ocean which is a territory of France and the French influence on this work is profound! A true reunion of Progressive styles! Stunning Zeuhl in the vein of MAGMA, ESKATON & UNIVERS ZERO with a nod to KING CRIMSON and Canterbury….Immaculate Musicianship and Vision!
~ Stevie Reek (Howls from The Hollows, Doomed&Stoned, Stoner HiVe)

ECCLESIA – ECCLESIA MILITANS
Epic Doom, Trad Metal
France
Aural Music

Super epic French doom is what you are in store for with the new album from ECCLESIA. This is some medieval stuff, in theme at least, musically this is super clean doom with some traditional and power metal elements, but whatever you want to call it, Ecclesia Militans kicks all sorts of ass. The vocals are awesome, the playing is excellent, and the production, while super clean, is perfect for what these guys are giving off.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

GOUGE AWAY – DEEP SAGE
Hardcore, Punk, Noise rock
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Deathwish

Get in the car. GOUGE AWAY is on the stereo and our foot is to the floor. This record, in tradition with their previous releases, is a noise rock gem built to last. The vocal presence is in your face. The band is wound tight and in confirmed attack mode. Crushing presentation for an already noteworthy group. Crank this one up. It feels good!
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin)

GREY SKIES FALLEN – MOLDED BY BROKEN HANDS
Melodic, Doom, Death metal, Death/doom, Gothic doom
New York, New York, USA
Profound Lore Records

Mostly slow paced and emotionally heavy with occasional moments that increase the tempo. Darkened skies form and slow rolling thunderclouds materialize as these songs run their course. Monstrous tone and a harsh, grumbled voice collaborate over melodically crushing riffs and, what feels like, sadness translated to anger in accompaniment. Though the songs are tender, there is little room to breathe under the dense and passionate wall they create. Side note: There is an occasional clean vocal that rises through as a triumphant silver lining to the gloom.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin)

All their albums are of the same high level quality so it’s hard to say if this one is their best, only because the others are so great. With that being said, Molded By Broken Hands, has been one of my most played albums since I received the promo many weeks ago. Everything about the album, from the production down to the smallest detail of songwriting, is carefully crafted and obviously created out of love for what they do. I can hear the emotions, the feelings, being poured into these seven songs by each member.

The atmosphere is dreary and sullen but every song has its own identity, a testament to the synergy of the band not only to each other’s play styles but also to their desire to keep their core sound intact while still branching out. 

The album would be a great introduction to doom metal, for anyone who is looking to get into the genre. The songs are not overly long and it isn’t just the same riff over and over again. There is more than enough variety to keep things interesting, even for those who don’t like the genre.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

HIJSS – STUCK ON COMMON GROUND
Psych, Stoner, Krautrock, Heavy Blues
Bolzano, Italy and Innsbruck, Austria
Heavy Psych Sounds

HIJSS is delightfully all over the place and wonderfully sparse but heavy on Stuck On Common Ground. The Italian band is a new power trio that I know little about, but they are on Heavy Psych Sounds so, you know. Their debut is a very cool mix of krautrock, heavy blues, and stoner played by three punk rockers.  This is a unique record that will keep you intrigued and guessing song after song.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

This debut album is as unexpected and confusing as the name of the band is unpronounceable and indefinable. HIJSS plays an extremely creative heavy rock with a non-meditative psych tendency. The ten tracks are embellished with synths which give a krautrock liveliness, or a space rock flavor. Moreover, the whole album is packaged by a high-level quality sound. Stuck On Common Ground hooked me from the first to the last song – addictive as hell!
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

IN DEPTHS OF WINTER – IN DEPTHS OF WINTER
Melodic Death/Doom
Jyväskylä, Keski-Suomi, Finland
Self-released

I’m glad that this self-titled release from IN DEPTHS OF WINTER has been reissued for 2024 because it gives me a reason to review it, which I originally did do the first time it came around in 2022. Not that I needed an excuse because, this album is darn near perfect for this style of melodic death and doom.

The atmosphere is bleak, frozen, and downright inhospitable. These elements are exactly what is needed for this type of music. With that being said, there is a certain chilling clarity to the overall sound of the album. This is music that represents a place that might as well be alien compared to most people…but for those who live it, this is life and the highest form of living to the fullest.

With the dense heaviness and lush layers of melodic gloom, I can feel the danger and trepidation that lurks within but I also feel an embrace—is it one of life or the endless void? Ultimately, regardless of how the music touches you, all these feelings are represented in top tier form. Worth revisiting again and a must listen for those who missed it a couple years ago.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

KARKARA – ALL IS DUST
Stoner, Psych, Garage, Krautrock
Toulouse, France
Stolen Body Records

French trio KARKARA is back with their third full length, All Is Dust, which continues to bring heavy, fuzzy psych/garage rock goodness to their fanbase, which should start to grow with how good this record is. The band has a Middle Eastern vibe going on too combined with some Krautrock influences that somehow meld well with their heavy psych/stoner side. These guys have delivered some super unique stuff in the past, and All Is Dust may be even cooler than their previous two records.  The guitar work along with the Hawkwind meets Can in Marrakesh is just an amazing combination.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

The acid guitars are tortured with fuzz and wah-wah, the splendid bass lines and the agile drums build a solid rhythm. KARKARA is real stoner psych! KARKARA amazes with the use of trumpet and saxophone. KARKARA dreams and meditates by borrowing raga sounds from Indian music. With its A side more stoner and heavy and its B side more psych and captivating, All Is Dust is a brilliant concept album.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

THE NEPTUNE POWER FEDERATION – GOODNIGHT MY CHILDREN
Proto, Occult, Stoner, Hard Rock
Sydney, Australia
Cruz Del Sur Music

The Sydney, Australia band’s additions to its ever-growing discography has never disappointed me (except for the shipping cost of their vinyl to the US) and they are not starting now with their latest ripper, Goodnight My Children. If you are not familiar, the band, led by the amazing and powerful vocals of Lauren Friedman, plays heavy occult rock/metal developed in the dank bars of Sydney and brought to you by grizzled members of the heavy underground of Australia. I feel like the band lean into a theme each record, and this one is definitely more towards all things from the 80s, and boy do they nail it. The vocals are amazing as usual, the playing is top notch, the songs are all great and the love of pop shines through in all the best ways on Goodnight My Children. Some of this amazing band’s best work. 
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

OAKFARM – OAKFARM
Blues, Classic rock, Hard rock, Heavy blues, Progressive, Psychedelic rock, Retro rock, Stoner, Vintage, West coast, 65-75 rock
Kiel, Germany
Pink Tank Records

Three high level musicians offer us a kind of treasure from the past under the name of OAKFARM. This album was #26 in the March Doom Chart and was #4 in my own vote list. It makes justice to give’em a blurb in this Peroration. Those three electric bluesmen are real melody makers and groove sorcerers. Prestigious names haunt my mind when I listen to their debut album: Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, Steve Harris… Their heavy blues rock sounds like the best of 65-75 rock and each song, each guitar solo, each bass line, each drums pattern finishes with a large smile on my face. Give this gem a chance because it deserves and enjoy!
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

Take out your flared pants, put on your cowboy boots, wear your fringe jacket, blow your hair in the wind and get ready for an authentic vintage rock party. That old-time rock that gave us so many good moments in the past and that with bands like OAKFARM, is still valid today. As the album promo described, this debut could very well be compared to one of those forgotten vinyl records from the 70’s that has remained forgotten for years in an old wooden shack that you have never heard of. The German trio offers us a superb vintage rock album in which blues, psychedelia and catchy melodies cover songs that exude authenticity. If you are a lover of bands like Graveyard or Rival Sons, here is a treasure to discover. A fresh and colorful album that recreates the analog sounds of the past to offer the listener a unique experience.
~ Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)

OBSERVERS – THE AGE OF THE MACHINE ENTITIES
Doom, Space metal, Melodic metal, Instrumental
Hobart, Australia
Self-released

Martin Kennedy of All India Radio fame brings us the cosmic doom epic The Age of the Machine Entities, his new instrumental band OBSERVERS‘ debut album and a fusion of artistic brilliance that pays homage to the timeless mystery of “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Tonally, the darkness and mystery that define 2001 are at the heart of The Age of the Machine Entities, and OBSERVERS chart a musical course through Dave Bowman’s journey into the unknown. Strap in for takeoff with the searing guitars of opener ‘Into The Eye’, and brace for the appropriately heart-pounding rush of ‘Pod Bay Doors’, featuring a mind-melting solo from Psycroptic’s Joe Haley, who also recorded the album. A dark, epic trek through the cosmos, conveyed through Kennedy’s molding of doom metal into a sound that’s atmospheric, melodic, and full of menace and wonder.
~ Kyle SB (Stoner HiVe, Good Boy PR)

PER WIBERG – THE SERPENT’S HERE
Rock
Sweden
Despotz Records

This album is like a soundtrack to the best film you’ve never seen. Imagine driving the streets at night or riding into the desert as the sun sets. The perfect companion.
~ Jonny Pirie (Hour of the Riff)

SCORCHED OAK – PERCEPTION
Desert Rock, Stoner Rock
Dortmund, Germany
Self-released

SCORCHED OAK is a powerhouse heavy stoner trio with a huge sound. They have the ability to play doom, stoner metal, and desert rock with ease, vacillating among multiple genres in a single song. Of course, the band’s trademark feature is their co-lead vocalists. Having both a strong, emotive female vocal and an intense and raspy male vocal further expands upon the variety of sound, feelings, characters, settings, and stories SCORCHED OAK can utilize in their music. The band’s instrumental prowess and varied vocal approaches leave them with an endless variety of musical avenues to explore, and they make it known on Perception that they intend to do just that. No matter which genre of heavy music has your heart, I’m certain that this album has something…probably several things…that will speak directly to you. 
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

SIGMANTRA – HALLUCINOGENIC
Doom, Heavy Psych, Stoner Rock
Rancagua, Chile
Self-released

Thrumming dank riffage and thunderous rolling percussion supporting clean angsty vocals, each song drenched in enough distortion and fuzz to drown a small country. When people from outside the stoner/doom community ask you what it is you love about underground rock music just say nothing and play them this!
~ Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)

SKULL SERVANT – SUMMON SORCERESS
Doom, Psych, Stoner, Sludge
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Self-released

Summon Sorceress is the latest EP from the North Carolina riff-slingers, and showcases SKULL SERVANT at their heaviest yet. Professionally recorded at Jamie King Audio, the band have revisited three select tracks to fine-tune their sound, and solidify and focus their dual-vocal approach. ‘Satan’s Broomstick’, ‘Poison the Unwell’, and ‘Pray for Blood’ deliver rolling, sludge-infused stoner and doom that grooves and then some. These guys boogie and bruise with the confidence and tightness of a band beyond their years.
~ Kyle SB (Stoner HiVe, Good Boy PR)

SLUDGEBUCKET – SLUDGEADELIC
Prog, Jazz, Krautrock, Sludge, Doom, Stoner, Post-metal, Funk
Oakland, California
Self-released

Welcome to one of the West Coast’s best kept secrets. The aptly named SLUDGEBUCKET have been kicking it for almost two decades and a whopping 16 releases, doling out groovy, sludgy jams infused with everything from prog to funk to jazz. Long at the core, and now front and center, are bassist Kelly Waldrip and drummer Marc Kaufman, who embark on a new era of SLUDGEBUCKET with their new EP Sludgeadelic. Moving away from their original power trio formation (among others along the band’s storied tenure), Waldrip and Kaufman are re-inventing the BUCKET as a bass and drum duo, and take a winding, stripped-down trip through delicious bass tones and jazzy kitwork across Sludgeadelic‘s four epic tracks.
~ Kyle SB (Stoner HiVe, Good Boy PR)

SONIC WOLVES – III
Heavy Psych, Stoner, Garage
Alessandria, Italy
Argonauta Records

SONIC WOLVES, the Italian trio and veterans of the scene (ex Ufomammut, Zed, Pentagram to name a few), rip it up on their third record, leveraging both the heavy blues and heavy psych of the 70s to their advantage on the eight tracks on III. This power trio is the definition of that term, because SONIC WOLVES generates enough power to keep the lights on across their native Italy.  Whoa, does this record rip and the guitar work is some of the best heavy psych guitar I have heard in a long time. Play this really, really loud.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

TEARS FROM A GRIEVING HEART – AN ENDLESS CYCLE OF WRENCHING PAIN… IF ONLY I COULD FEEL HATE
Sludge Metal, Funeral Sludge
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Doomsayer Records

TEARS FROM A GRIEVING HEART is a dark heavy Funeral Sludge metal band from Boston, Massachusetts. The band’s music is characterized by its slow, crushing tempos, heavy distortion, and bleak, atmospheric soundscapes. TFAGH is a band that is not afraid to confront the darkness of the human experience. Their music is a reflection of the pain and sorrow that we all carry with us, and it is a reminder that we are not alone in our suffering. FFO: Khanate, Mournful Congregation
~ Eric Crowe (Doomsayer Records / Halo Of The Goat Radio)

THOMAS GREENWOOD & THE TALISMANS – ATES
Psychedelic Rock, Neo-Psych, Heavy Psych, Rock
Bergamo, Italy
Subsound Records

THOMAS GREENWOOD & THE TALISMANS bring us eight tracks that are rooted in neo-psychedelia, echoing elements of the 60s/70s as well as their own modern blend of rock/heavy psych. Expressive vocals that somewhat evoke a sense of longing and despair, grooving bass lines, precise drumbeats, and guitar sounds that include blues, middle eastern vibes, and even surf sounds! How’s that for checking all the boxes? Check out the new album Ates and I guarantee songs like ‘When We Die’, ‘Sleepwalker’, and ‘Crack’ will be stuck in your head!
~ Jon McGough

The Doom Charts March 2024 – Peroration Playlist…

And a special thanks goes out to Günther “Doktor420” (Stoner HiVe) for the cover image…

Special thanks to the ongoing contributors to the monthly Doom Chart.  You folks help give voice to the heavy underground:

Adam Walsh (Earmunchies); Andy Kovalcik (Bandcamp-NYP-Hard&Heavy); A.S. Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous); Ben Bellum (The Greatest Thing You’ve Never Heard); Billy Goate (Doomed & Stoned); Bob “Mr. Weird Beard” Baker (More Fuzz Podcast); Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin); Brandon Collins (Morbid And Miserable Records); Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect); Chris Beck (Doom Tomb Podcast); Chris Tighe (The Mighty Decibel); Clint Willis (Hand of Doom Radio); Damien Regnauld (Stoner Freaks Anthology); ‘The General’ (Stoner Rock Army); Eric Crowe (Doomsayer Records / Halo Of The Goat Radio); Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist); Günther “Doktor420” (Stoner HiVe); Ioannis Valiakos (Desert Vulture); James Sweetlove (CaveDwellerMusic); JC Cansdale-Cook (The MotorFuzzin’ Ibex); Jim Thompson (Heavy in the Hills); JJ “HP Taskmaster” Koczan (The Obelisk); John Gist, (Vegas Rock Revolution / The Doomed & Stoned Show); Jon Cosky (Gravitoyd Heavy Music); Jon McGough; Jonny Pirie (Hour of the Riff); Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe); Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal); Kyle SB (Stoner HiVe, Good Boy PR); Lee Edwards (The Sleeping Shaman); Marc-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects); Mats Florstam (Ozium Records); Matthew Thomas (Taste Nation); Matthew Hartnett (Heavy Galaxy); Mel Lie (Sunday’s Heavy Tunes); Mitch Kline (DoomyRiffs.com); Mr Stone (More Fuzz); Nick Pipitone (The Third Eye, Monster Riff); Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker (The Ripple Effect); Stevie Reek (Howls from The Hollows, Doomed&Stoned, Stoner HiVe); Remi VL (Remi Post Too Many Links); Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip); Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz); Roberto Fuentes (La Habitación 235); Rod Reinhardt (Captain Beyond Zen); Ryan Foster (Slightly Fuzzed); Ryan Hilton (Black Throne Productions); Scott Spiers (CleanAndSoberStoner); Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground); Steve Howe (Outlaws of the Sun); Steve Woodier (Anointing The Sick); Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral); Tom Hanno (Tom’s Reviews, The Third Eye); Tom Schmahl (Rock Circuz); Tony Maim (Black Insect Laughter, Stoner HiVe).

Feel free to send in your albums to stonerdoomcharts@gmail.com where they’ll be delegated to the crew above to determine their thoughts and gather the votes at the end of the month. Leave us comments below and let us know what you think about the Charts.