“I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.” ― Edgar Allan Poe
I think we can all relate to the above quote on some level from some dimension. We hope the Doom Charts can bring you some pleasure, as we have indulged once again in a mighty month of music. February was crazy in heavy music and the chart proves it. February almost completely flushes January’s finalists, ushering a new wave of heavy underground greats on 20 new appearances. February had 289 different albums voted upon by 30 of our most committed contributors and although they can’t all score in the top 25 the votes showed a wide range of styles and a great collection of talent. Let us know what you think and enjoy the February Doom Charts!!
Ahhhhh, it’s time to relax, And you know what that means, A glass of wine, your favourite easy chair, And of course music playing and your home stereo. So go on, indulge yourself, That’s right, kick off your shoes, put your feet up, Lean back and just enjoy the melodies. After all, music soothes even the savage beasts….~ Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe) (Seeing that the contributors all immediately jumped on the blurbs that had to be written, a so he had to do nothing at all, felt the weird urge to quote the Smash album intro by The Offspring.)
Welcome to Doom Charts, representing some of the finest bloggers, journalists, radio, podcasters and album reviewers from the heavy underground around the globe. Each month, our critics submit their picks for the best new doom, sludge metal, stoner-psychedelic and heavy rock albums. The results are compiled and tabulated into the chart below. This is a one-stop shop for the best new albums in the world…
25. NUMIDIA – NUMIDIA
185 POINTS
(Sydney, Australia)
The shining light for 2019 so far. Rich gorgeous tones and beautiful harmonies. A stunning debut that I pray makes it to wax. Much thanks Numidia. Favorite track: Red Hymn.
~Jay Morgan (High Desert Valley Radio)
24. DEAD WITCHES – THE FINAL EXORCISM / NEW!
189 POINTS
(UK)
Possessed with sheer will and determination, Dead Witches have unleashed their second album ’The Final Exorcism’ with new vocalist Soozi Chameleone. Recorded in the UK amongst the spiritually rich Chuckalumba Studios, Dead Witches manage to capture and romance their demonically fuzzed-out strain of doom. Blending old-school with auxiliary guitar elements solely intended to crush, this album gives new life to a old vessel. The new vocals wail on a truly dark level feeding the monstrous soundscape of a riff driven procession of evil. Take a breather to When Do The Dead See The Sun before you’re forced back into a thick leviathan themed world of doom, sludge and demons. Get it today through Heavy Psych Sounds.
~Melissa Spence, (Stoner Witch Radio)
23. POSTE 942 – LONG REPLAY / NEW!
212 POINTS
(Tourves, France)
These Frenchmen aren’t following any trends, they borrow from many sub-genres but steal from none. Just pure nasty Rock n’ Roll, the way it should be.
Favorite track: Lonely Day
~Adam Walsh (Earmunchies)
22. CRYPT TRIP – HAZE COUNTY / NEW!
220 POINTS
(San Marcos, Texas)
Resonating exploration that echos the music of America in the seventies while staying true to their southern, rural, hard rock style. Although you can see the common denominator throughout the whole album, every one of the nine songs has a life of its own. Haze County gives a new twist to the music a lot of us grew up on and that so many groups have mimicked.
~Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
21. BUS – NEVER DECIDE / NEW!
224 POINTS
(Athens, Greece)
The sophomore album from Greek metal drivers, Bus picks up where their incredible debut ended but be prepared for some maturity as elements of doom and even prog are incorporated to their metallurgy.
~‘Papa’ Paul Rote (Doomed & Stoned)
20. LÁGOON – THE UNWELCOME / NEW!
230 POINTS
(Portland, Oregon)
LáGoon entered my life like strong creeper shit, I was unsuspectingly suspecting and glad I hit it in the end. This two piece has been lingering around Portland soaking up that heavy riff life, mutating it with skate culture. The result is fantastic, scuzzy, groove-laden garage, doom punk that’s a must for my collection. The Unwelcome is their third release in a year and it’s getting the vinyl treatment thanks to Forbidden Place Records come April. These dudes worship riffs, spliffs, and flip tricks and this is their soundtrack.
~Melissa Spence, (Stoner Witch Radio)
19. THE BLACK HEART DEATH CULT – THE BLACK HEART DEATH CULT
235 POINTS
(Melbourne, Australia)
The terms “psychedelic” and “heavy psych” are often difficult to describe, and encompass a multitude of sonic textures. But even if I can’t always describe it, I know it when I hear it, and the debut full-length from Australian band, The Black Heart Death Cult, is a heavy psych masterpiece. Plenty of guitar-driven, ‘verbed out, sonic fuzz to satisfy the sweet tooth of any psych fan. The rich, on-point vocals of singer/songwriter Sasha Smith are the “x factor” that puts this release over the top. Droney & dark, but always with some light shining through.
~Marcus Greybeard (FuzzHeavy Podcast)
18. SABBA – PENTACLE / NEW!
250 POINTS
(New York)
Haunting, ethereal and atmospheric are just some of the adjectives you could throw at Pentacle, others that could be considered are dank, dark and crushing yet somehow each would fall someway short of describing Sabba’s unique blend of cloying occult(ish) rock and doomic metal. To put it in a nutshell listening to Pentacle is like standing in a cemetery while slowly being enveloped in a dense impenetrable fog and hearing the wailing of banshees, singing their sad laments in the unseen distance, scary, unsettling yet at the same time strangely mesmerizing and evocative.
~Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)
17. RED EYE – TALES FROM THE DAYS OF YORE / NEW!
252 POINTS
(Antequera, Spain)
Simply stunning new album from Red Eye, Tales From Days Of Yore perfectly blends all of our favorite ingredients into a heady brew of doomy stoner-psych. Come and get drunk … Favorite track: Waves.
~Steve Rodger (God’s Holy Trousers)
16. RED BEARD WALL – THE FIGHT NEEDS US ALL / NEW!
273 POINTS
(Texas)
The Texas twosome RED BEARD WALL return for Round 2, expanding further on their distinctly unique audio…The Fight Needs Us All is a heavy, hook-laden melding of fuzz rich grunge, alt. metal, and psych-rock possessed with angst and crunch..simultaneously melodic and disarming, yet mercurially explosive.
~Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker (Riff Relevant)
15. GEEZER – SPIRAL FIRES / NEW!
275 POINTS
(Kingston, New York)
Geezer has created an incredible record with Spiral Fires. These 4 tracks combine lush, spacey soundscapes with crushing, groovy, stoner riffing. Pat Harrington supplies some great vocal work, and his synth parts are exactly what these songs call for; never overshadowing the groove, or the song itself. Great EP, and a worthy addition to your collection!
~Tom Hanno (Tom’s Album Reviews)
14. WARLUNG – IMMORTAL PORTAL / NEW!
280 POINTS
(Houston, Texas)
Immortal Portal is Warlung’s Second album that is every bit as good as their first. Travel the portal back in time to the heavy sounds of the mid to late seventies. But this album retains a current sound too. This is the best of both worlds . Harmonies carry the day here.
~‘Papa’ Paul Rote (Doomed & Stoned)
13. SACRED MONSTER – WORSHIP THE WEIRD / NEW!
320 POINTS
(Chicago, Illinois)
The way the vocals grate against the sublime riffs and solos makes those little hairs on your neck stand on end then chop them apart with their metallic edge. Sounds as if these dudes were raised by Dixie Dave and King Diamond in some weird rock and roll fantasia.
~Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect)
12. AVER – ORBIS MAJORA
330 POINTS
(Sydney, Australia)
At this point, it is no longer news that we receive a new album of huge proportions from this Australian volcano of the psychedelic and alternative scene. Taking us to the land they want us to experience, their compositions are born from a big-bang in which supernovas invade our minds with ecstatic passages of psychedelia combined with dense stoner moments. The whispering vocals that mutate into rawness and deep rage accompany the catharsis that the band AVER generates in each song. The magic made music in many of this supernatural album’s passages makes ORBIS MAJORA a strong analgesic for the welfare of the human mind.
~Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
11. ORDOS – THE END / NEW!
342 POINTS
(Uppsala, Sweden)
House of the Dead, their previous album, was a collection of enjoyable blackened doom and heavy stoner metal. The End is even better. From the opener Exordium to the last song of the album you can expect to be brutally beaten and caressed gently. The band shifting between harshness and softness and the dynamic are epic. The album are served with a big level of musical skills and vocals that are supreme. This is a breathtaking release. Overall this is another example of the Swedish domination when it comes to heavy underground.
~Svempa Alveving (Into The Void Radio)
10. CANDLEMASS – THE DOOR TO DOOM / NEW!
434 POINTS
(Sweden)
A masterpiece of classic doom metal and a return to the roots of the purest animal behavior. Candlemass closes a cycle with the return of Johan Langquist and opens a portal to another dimension where dense and heavy riffs reign, a portal where they have been received and blessed by Tony Iommi himself. Masterpiece.
~Roberto Fuentes (La Habitación 235)
9. ABOUT WIZARDS – WIZARDS ABOUT / NEW!
440 POINTS
(Buffalo, New York)
About Wizards has created an album where kaleidoscopic atmospheres explore different psychedelic spaces. Heavily influenced by the sound of ALL THEM WITCHES, the guitarist incorporates not only heavy and dark elements à la Sabbath, but also manages to include moments of shoegaze, all while keeping their psychotropic stoner style. This disc of seven new songs fuses together attractive lyrics, heavy stoner riffs, and a high dose of psychedelia. This captivating concoction has intense, heavy sounds and a beauty that serves as a form of therapy. The album, according to About Wizards themselves, is perfect to enjoy in a cozy sitting room, in front of a chimney with a nice cup of wine and some weed, letting the music’s hallucinogenic effects take over.
~Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
8. GYPSY CHIEF GOLIATH – MASTERS OF SPACE AND TIME / NEW!
440 POINTS
(Windsor, Ontario)
If you’re not convinced by the shear force tingling your spine upon the conclusion of song one City of Ghosts then you’re in luck. The entire album is a massive progression from earlier GCG works delving into much more of the classic rock side of the spectrum while still maintaining that brute Canadian grizzle. Dual guitar harmonies, organ driven melody, production that hits you like a ton of bricks, and Al’s refined vocals proving the yeti can sing with the best of them. Mark your year end lists, Masters of Space and Time is here to stake its claim. Favorite track: City Of Ghosts.
~Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect)
7. YATRA – DEATH RITUAL
450 POINTS
(Ocean City, Maryland)
January has been a month of frigid temperatures here in Upstate NY, but one blast of heat was released to keep me warm when the mercury dips into the negatives. Maryland based doom infused stoner metal with extreme vocals, Yatra, unleashed their blazing album, Death Ritual, to stoke the fires of hell with power and conviction. This album brought in 2019 spectacularly, and remains here on the Doom Charts for February.
~Tom Hanno (Tom’s Album Reviews)
6. DEMON HEAD – HELLFIRE OCEAN VOID / NEW!
488 POINTS
(Copenhagen, Denmark)
With their third album Hellfire Ocean Void the guys in Demon Head have brought an evolution – moving beyond their doom-laden rock roots to evoke a more mystical, goth-inspired sound. Sinister guitar progressions, haunting arpeggios, reverberating vocal melodies, and eerie piano touches will put you in mind of a night illuminated by the full moon where the air is filled with an occult energy and you can’t escape the feeling that fate has something wicked in store for you!
~Brandon Collins (Super Dank Metal Jams)
5. SILVER DEVIL – PARALYZED / NEW!
561 POINTS
(Gävle, Sweden)
Paralyzed finds Swedish riffmeisters Silver Devil taking those old school stoner/hard rock grooves that have become the bedrock on which so many of Sweden’s underground rock bands have built their reputations, and merging them with a sludgier, doomic stoner metal sound we are more used to hearing coming out of the Polish underground. Great stuff!
~Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)
4. PALACE IN THUNDERLAND – THE KING OF THE EMPTY AEON / NEW!
816 POINTS
(Northampton, MA)
The King of the Empty Aeon is a musical interpretation that can be listened to as one song divided into distinct parts or as an ensemble of diverse songs united to create a great album. Palace in Thunderland is an alluring album with its heavy-prog vibes; with post-rock, psychedelic, melodic metal, and stoner combining to create something very few groups can. Short, dense takes where the melodies play and extremely important role. With voices that seem to come straight from 80s, the words dominate the heavy and fuzz-filled instrumental voyage, always with the special dynamic this group gives us.
~Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
3. BIRDSTONE – SEER / NEW!
1133 POINTS
(Tours, France)
The artwork had me before even listening. I am a sucker for those bronze colors and style of artistry. There is something truly special going on here. The bluesy licks have a golden sheen shadowed with vintage psych and etched in occult. SEER would make an excellent vinyl package. I want inserts, posters, and actual snakes to go with the annihilating aura of proggy fuzz. Favorite track: Alquézar.
~Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect)
2. THE LUNAR EFFECT – CALM BEFORE THE CALM
1677 POINTS
(London, England)
This UK based quartet came from nowhere for me. They released an EP, Strange Lands in 2016 and now they are under the wings of the German label Kozmic Artifacts. The label has spoiled us many times with many epic releases and this is no exception.
For the listener it’s obvious how much the quartet has grown since their latest effort. The band has strengthened their sound of fuzzy desert grooves, richly flavored vintage psychedelia, post grunge and the classic hard blues oriented rock a lot. You will be served influences from a wide palette including Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath but also a little bit of Cream.
The album exhibits a truly stunning vocal performance from Josh Gosling both, powerful, with a rich body and grungy at the same time. This album push the listener into new and uncharted waters.
~Svempa Alveving (Into The Void Radio)
1.WITCHER’S CREED – AWAKENED FROM THE TOMB / NEW!
2210 POINTS
(Katrineholm, Sweden)
Witchers Creed make no secret of their love for 70’s Doom and dude, these Swedes make the most of it. Heavy riffs but with a groove, carry the tunes along the highway entitled Proto-Metal. Thick sounding production by Tony Reed combined with a punk snottiness makes this album a killer. With a slew of doom bands emerging every day, it is rare to hear such authentic sounds coming out of your speakers. Distortion is lovingly used (hey kids, you know how much I dig it) but all the instruments shine out.
~Tony Maim (Black Insect Laughter, Stoner HiVe)
Special thanks to the ongoing contributors to the monthly Doom Chart. You folks help give voice to the heavy underground:
Aaron Pickford (The Sludgelord); Adam Walsh (Earmunchies); A.S. Van Dorston (Fast n’ Bulbous); Bryan Coffey (Indy Metal Vault); Bill Goodman (The Evil Engineer); Billy Goate (Doomed & Stoned); Rob Blasko (VolumeForever.com); Bob “Mr. Weird Beard” Baker (More Fuzz Podcast); Bobby Rayfield (Trendkill Radio); Brandon Collins(Super Dank Metal Jams); Bryan Coffey (Indy Metal Vault); Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect); Clint Willis (Hand of Doom Radio); Chris Beck (Doom Tomb Podcast); Chris Latta (Indy Metal Vault); Doktor420 (Stoner HiVe); Doombeard (DoomBeardZine); Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist); Geoff Leapord (Atom Heart Mutha); Gram ‘Son of Sam’ Pola (Dirty Denim); Héctor “Mr. Heavyhead” Hurtado (More Fuzz); Hugo Hulleman (Metalfan.nl); Jamey Morris (Fistfull of DOOM); Jason Roach (Indy Metal Vault); Jay Morgan (High Desert Valley Radio); Jim Thompson (Heavy in the Hills); Joe Eldridge (Shadebeast Records); John Gist, (Vegas Rock Revolution); Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe); Ken Elliott (Heavy Planet); Leanne Ridgeway (Riff Relevant); Lucas Klaukien (Outlaws of the Sun); Lyk (Phantasmagoria); Magnus Tannergren (Into The Void Radio); Marc C. Pietrek (VITRIOL, INC / A DARK UNITED FRONT); Marcus Greybeard (FuzzHeavy Podcast); Mari Knox Knox (Doomed & Stoned); Mark Partin (The Ripple Effect); Martin Petrov (Rawk’n’Roll); Matt Slighter (Cheeto) (Hwy 420, Core of Destruction Radio) Matthew Thomas (Taste Nation); Matheus Jacques (October Doom); Mathieu Van Der Hert (Dutch European Stoner Rock); Melissa Marie (Doomed & Stoned); Melissa Spence, (Stoner Witch Radio); Mike Williams (I Talk to Planets); Pat Harrington (Electric Beard Of Doom); Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker (Riff Relevant); ‘Papa’ Paul Rote (Doomed & Stoned); Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz); Roberto Fuentes (La Habitación 235); Rod Reinhardt (Captain Beyond Zen); Samir Asfahani (Super Dank Metal Jams); Steve Howe (Outlaws of the Sun); Steve Miller (Vertical Chamber Apparatus); Steve Rodger (God’s Holy Trousers); Steve Woodier (Shrieks From Below); Svempa Alveving (Into The Void Radio); Tanguy ‘Mr Fuzz’ Dupré (More Fuzz); Tom Hanno (Tom’s Album Reviews); 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.
Doom Charts 
Awesome month! Awesome list! Awesome work everyone! Thanks!
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Thanks for reading man. Enjoy.
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Seer Vol. 6 should be considered
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Perhaps they should send in some material to the submissions line? Doesn’t look like our listeners were tipped off to Seer this month. stonerdoomcharts@gmail.com. Thanks.
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Moonwatcher missed out….still, killer work
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Thanks for reading Craig. Looks like Moonwatcher had one vote this month. Not enough to make into the top 25. Just getting a vote is a positive. There were almost 300 albums voted on this month alone.
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No Skraeckoedlan? What is this heresy?
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Ya, I was hoping for it to make it as well, but came in just shy at #35. So many albums. Definitely a great band and monster album.
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Have you guys covered how points are awarded in another article? I assume you get so many points for a 1st Place vote, etc.?
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So points are based on frequency and ranking. So yes, a #1 vote from a member gets more weight than a #2 and so on. Usually an album needs at least 3 or 4 votes to have a shot at making the top 25. It is possible to score higher than an album with less votes but higher rankings in general. See the About or FAQ on our site. That answer your question?
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great list , every month again and again
cheers
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Thank you so much, Michel! Cheers!
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Wow do I love this! Found you guys last month and listened to everything on the January list and now I’m making my way through February. I literally don’t know anyone else who likes doom at all, which means I don’t hear about most bands. This list is a treasure trove for me. Keep it up!
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Thank you so much for finding us Dave. You can count on the Doom Charts to keep you in the loop. I think we can all relate to not knowing people who are into this sort of thing. Their loss. 🙂
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