“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.” Frank Zappa
This month the Doom Charts theme is progression. Not in a literal sense, but as Mr. Zappa says above, deviation from the norm. Norm being popular music and trends that we see getting attention in mainstream culture. The Doom Charts aren’t here to compete with the billboards, in fact we are just music nuts who generally deviate from the herd to form our own tastes regardless of what others may think. I think the running tally of bands scoring in the top 25 are proof of that and even the bands on here themselves are progressing as bands and not settling on putting out the same record year over year. That is why we love the heavy music community so much. We’re all here for the music and marching to the beat of our own drum or, better put, our favorite band’s drums…
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…
30. BISON MACHINE – SEAS OF TITAN
29. DEAD FEATHERS – ALL IS LOST
28. MORTALES – DEATH RATTLE VALLEY
27. WHITE NOISE GENERATOR – DEAD LEAVES
25. CRYPT SERMON – THE RUINS OF FADING LIGHT / NEW!
220 POINTS
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
In the past few years there’s been a number of ‘epic doom’ bands that seem to abandon ‘doom’ on new releases – thankfully the guys in Crypt Sermon are trend killers who are keeping things deep, dark, and diabolical! “The Ruins of Fading Light” is filled with grand, sinister riffs that evoke images of sorcerers poring through tomes by candlelight and warriors on ill-fated trips down into the catacombs. It’s an arcane mix of might and magic, where the blunt, brooding force of the rhythm meets loud, searing mysticism in guitar leads and vocals!
~Brandon Collins(Super Dank Metal Jams)
24. EAGLE CLAW – VALLIS / NEW!
228 POINTS
(Austin, Texas)
On Vallis, Eagle Claw clasps us with craggy hooks and progressive talons. The post-metallic sheen towers over its crisp production and technical fuzz with no need for vox. Don’t be fooled over the White Claw craze, I’m telling you Eagle Claw is the real deal!!
~Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect)
23. SUPERCHIEF – MOONTOWER / NEW!
234 POINTS
(Des Moines, Iowa)
Superchief‘s great power lies in their ability to cross several genres simultaneously… ‘Moontower‘ swaggers through a delicious blend of Desert Stoner, Hard and Alt-Rock that is cash well spent, my friends!
~Reek of STOOM (Stoner HiVe)
22. PLANET OF THE 8S – TOURIST SEASON / NEW!
252 POINTS
(Melbourne, Australia)
Awesome, truly. Melodic stoner rock with all the right moves and grooves. These riffy jams are weep-worthy, in my book. Australia brings the goods in the form of Planet Of The 8s. These are some tasty goods, too. Hooks that hook. Tones that tone. Sharp riffs, inspired vocals, bombastic groove, infectious choruses. Think Alice In Chains meets Hark meets ASG meets desert dust. In all of this meeting, you might as well meet your new favorite band. Man tears, friends.. every next track is a total banger. This album, without a doubt, will be sticking with me for quite some time, and on repeated listens, it just gets better. Just what we needed.
~Andy Benson (Nerve Salad)
21. OLE ENGLISH – OLE ENGLISH
288 POINTS
(Lafayette, Louisiana)
Follow me children of the sonic cloth to the riff filled land of Ole English. A land where riffs are richly cultivated and expertly calibrated against a thunderous low-end for the ultimate pleasure of you the listener. Give but a moment to go and press play and “you will remember this day…..
~Jamey Morris (Fistful of DOOM)
20. SANDVEISS – SABOTEUR / NEW!
300 POINTS
(Quebec City, Québec)
Thunderous, fuzzed, and vibrant heavy rock. Quebec’s Sandveiss are taking cues from old school metal, ’90s grunge, and modern stoner rock to create a sound that’s quintessentially their own. Of special note are the powerful vocals, courtesy of Luc Bourgeois, with backing vox by Shawn Rice, both of which also play the crushing guitar riffs. The band is rounded off by Maxime Moisan on bass and Dominic Gaumond on the drums. A real powerhouse of an album, it shifts between moods seamlessly, each song representing itself with a deadly serious delivery. As a successor to their KILLER previous album, Scream Queen, Saboteur holds its own and shows growth from the band, both in writing and musicianship. Saboteur is not meant to be played at lower decibels. Each one of these tunes will crush you, even the stripped-down closing track. Heavy melodic stoner rock, easily making a few of our end of the year lists.
~Andy Benson (Nerve Salad)
19. MONOMYTH – ORBIS QUADRANTIS / NEW!
315 POINTS
(The Hague, The Netherlands)
It came like a thunderclap back in 2016 when the Monomyth five released a statement that their cosmic epic of heroism in three parts was finished. But luckily the crazies decided there was still enough to discover in the world of rocking trance, psychedelic storms and everything beautiful about space and kraut rock. Cause the new Orbis Quadrantis is in many ways another majestic and wide-spun piece of gold. This time however they go about it more cautious, more defined as if they wanted to execute everything with extreme precision. As the layers amass and the sound quadruples you can still hear every little minute detail. And above all; Monomyth remains highly hypnotic, mystical and transcendent…
~Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe)
18. DUNEEATER – NO GAS NO GOOD / NEW!
336 POINTS
(VIC, Australia)
Back in 2017 born of Melbourne’s underground rock scene came Duneeater. Now ,their debut album release ‘No Gas No Good‘ is here to lead you to the new home of the desert, stoner vibe These guys no doubt have some Kyuss and Fu Mancho DNA in them. If monstrous bluesy grooves, thumping beats and pulsating bass lines are your thing Duneeater‘s newest offering is where it’s at.
~Mark Partin (The Ripple Effect)
17. HIPPIE DEATH CULT – 111
350 POINTS
(Portland, Oregon)
“111” is an unadulterated joy to listen to!!! The swirling hazy riffs take you by assault right from the start while the tight drums and the boppy bass lines are fixing you firmly inside the groove. The rampageous vocals carry us into a darkened world of deception, lies and materialism. The feel is almost pre-apocalyptical, but I guess it mirrors well our society on the verge of collapsing… Despite the evident 70’s Hard Rock influences, we are engulfed in something sounding fresh; I would personally categorize it as Heavy Doom Psych. A flawless debut album you have to dive into! Album of the year? I think so!!!
~Marc-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects)
16. MARS RED SKY – THE TASK ETERNAL / NEW!
350 POINTS
(Bordeaux, France)
An album that can satisfy both doom lovers and faithful followers of stoner-psychedelic sounds. A perfect combination of both styles that is seasoned with those honey-flavored voices, heiresses of the pop psychedelic music from sixties. A work that sounds like Mars Red Sky, but has an infinite compositional richness where nuances make it your most complete and exquisite album. Special and space, because lysergic vibrations invite us on a trip to unknown worlds, dense sidereal atmospheres in which baroque psychedelia coexists with stoner-doom sounds in perfect harmony.
~Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
15. SATURNA – ATLANTIS / NEW!
360 POINTS
(Barcelona, Spain)
“Atlantis” is an ode to seventies rock, a master class of composition, nostalgia and intensity. Fire arises from each of the songs of this masterful piece, rock in its highest expression.
~Roberto Fuentes (La Habitación 235)
14. DÖ – ASTRAL DEATH CULT / NEW!
402 POINTS
(Finland)
On their second full-length release DÖ have conjured up six cavernous compositions that pack more than enough sonic density to deform spacetime and create their own black hole. Just press play, if you dare, and allow yourself to “sail straight into nature’s most ominous destination” where space and time cease to be meaningful ideas.
~Jamey Morris (Fistful of DOOM)
13. NEBULA DRAG – BLUD / NEW!
408 POINTS
(San Diego, California)
Hailing from San Diego, Nebula Drag a stoner metal threesome. ‘Blud‘ is a super nova of thrilling super energized proto punk psychedelic rock.However they take the music to their special place. The album checks a lot of the boxes, great riffing, jackhammer drumming and heavy bass that keeps a great rhythm.Corey’s vocals are special, the emotion in his singing is killer. This is one I had to have and am glad I do.
~Mark Partin (The Ripple Effect)
12. HORSEBURNER – THE THIEF
450 POINTS
(West Virginia)
Horseburner is back with their new album The Thief and takes everything we loved from the previous effort Dead Seeds, Barren Soil and kicks it up a notch. Easily the most ambitious and dynamic release from the West Virginia group to date, it’s remarkable in both composition and execution. The vocal harmonies between drummer Adam Nohe and guitarist Jack Thomas have never been stronger, and the layered instrumentation gives it a lush and colossal sound. Highlights include the sprawling rocker “Fathoms,” the quiet melodic passages of “The Oak,” and the acoustic “Thiefsong.” Don’t miss out on this one if you’re a fan of sludge metal, classic rock, or just music in general! All praise to Horseburner and the all-mighty riff!
~Bryan Coffey (Indy Metal Vault)
11. THE BLACK FURS – STEREOPHONIC FREAKOUT VOL. 1
472 POINTS
(Argentina)
“Stereophonic Freak Out Vol. 1” is machiavelic in every aspect, like that beautiful angelic looking doll possessed by demons. The Black Furs spear envelops you with its evil. This heavy blues is an oath to the laws of heavy sound. It is in this universe of misunderstandings and diverse noise, that in front of that instrumental strength, where we remove ourselves in the best of our shits.
~Roberto Fuentes (La Habitación 235)
10. THE BLACK WIZARDS – REFLECTIONS
486 POINTS
(Portugal)
The Black Wizards play Classic Rock and Stoner with authority and power. Add some Proto-Doom with a psychedelic feel and all is well. Joana Brita wails over the wah-drenched fuzz solos as if her life depends on it. This rocks like a bastard and is full of groove and swagger. Taking influences from the past but sounding vital and fresh, this is probably their best effort yet. This is the good shit.
~Tony Maim (Black Insect Laughter, Stoner HiVe)
9. SCARECROW – SCARECROW / NEW!
679 POINTS
(Perm, Russia)
Scarecrow successfully and very ably bridge that gap between Prog-tinged 70’s Hard Rock and Modern Doom, spectacular vocals evoking magnificence from these superb Russians. The title track alone is worth it..a brilliant display of intense and sublimely-crafted musicianship with a truly vintage feel.
~Reek of STOOM (Stoner HiVe)
8. SWAN VALLEY HEIGHTS – THE HEAVY SEED / NEW!
720 POINTS
(Munich / Berlin, Germany)
A whole waterfall of fuzz and heavy-psych of high flights on a trip to states in which the mind is carried away. We found a band that has been seduced by the attractive influence of heavy psychedelia, without forgetting its more desert origins. Much more refined, but without losing an iota of energy, Swan Valley Heights channel their creativity along the path drawn by Color Haze or Rotor. A trip to new sensory sensations in which the powerful riffs rise to guard warm and seductive lysergic melodies.
~Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
Swan Valley Heights sounds like a scenic place with gorgeous homes, nestled in near a lake inhabited by dozens of regal swans. If you pictured that in your head then you have an idea of how beautiful I find Swan Valley Heights music to be. This album is one of the best I’ve heard in quite a while, and I’m sure you’ll all feel the same way after listening!
~Tom Hanno (Tom’s Album Reviews)
7. LOCHNESS – BLACK SMOKERS / NEW!
736 POINTS
(Montreal, Québec)
You know a band is onto something when their debut album has sold out of all 200 vinyl preorders and has over 230 digital buyers in next to no time, with a swathe of glowing reviews. Lochness have knocked it out of the park with ‘Black Smokers‘, excellent vocals, thick churning riffs and thunderous beats. The Canadians have brewed up an electrifying mix here, combining tales of mythological (or not?!) monsters and oceanic misfortune with well crafted, super heavy slow to mid paced musical beasts of their own creation. Get this into your ears ASAP, and a message to Lochness… Bring on a 2nd vinyl pressing of this instant classic!!
~Clint Willis (Hand of Doom Radio)
6. VOKONIS – GRASPING TIME
888 POINTS
(Sweden)
A new Vokonis album is a real treat, who says you can’t do crushing riffs on a Telecaster!!
~Steve Rodger (God’s Holy Trousers)
This is certainly the most progressive album of Vokonis‘ career and one that hits you like a ton of bricks. The vocals carry a ton of groove with their beefy tone on masculine touch, which the riffs are as much rock n roll as they are progressive sludge. This one will surprise you each and every listen. How bout’ that artwork by Kyrre Bjurling?!?!!
~Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect)
5. MERLIN – THE MORTAL
910 POINTS
(Kansas City, Missouri)
Rules are there to be broken and Merlin tear the rule book into shreds with their latest offering “The Mortal”. No one but Merlin would think, with instrumentation already including saxophones,trumpets flutes, organs and something called an omnichord, to add to their armory that most unlikely of rock instruments …. an accordion! This is what Merlin do they swim against the tide of expectation ignoring trends, fashions and fads and deliver grooves that are sometimes chaotic, sometimes complex but always brilliant. “The Mortal” is an album that will be remembered long after the generic hard rock, that has blighted much of the underground scene, has faded from memory and will stand as a musical testament to a band who dared to be different and succeeded.
~Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist
4. GOATESS – BLOOD AND WINE / NEW!
913 POINTS
(Sweden)
Goatess are conveying us to a feast. Their altar is full and the old gods can rejoice themselves! Yes, you can drink ‘’Blood and Wine’’ at will. The addition of new members on bass and vocals insufflate a fresh wind into the band. The whole album is tasty concoction of Doom Metal, Stoner Rock, Desert Rock and Heavy Blues that will intoxicate you. I hope you’re ready to take part to this orgy of groovy riffs that will make your head bop heavily!!!
~Marc-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects)
3. LEGBA – HELL / NEW!
990 POINTS
(Greenville, South Carolina)
Legba, these days a four piece, hailing from Greenville, South Carolina, opens its latest opus ‘Hell‘ with a dire warning from Sir David Attenborough lifted from his 2018 UN Climate Conference speech. The band then proceeds to enter into its methodically driven form of doom/sludge with alternately clean and growled vocals, with just enough synths and airy spaces to lend a bit of light to the consuming darkness. Hell is the band’s third long-player, each a progressively longer affair with this most recent effort clocking in at an hour and one minute, that’s 61 minutes of pure Hell, which is a brilliant thing. All three albums have been killer, and are currently available for a reduced price digitally, grab them while they’re cheap.
~Mike Williams (I Talk to Planets)
2. HOWLING GIANT – THE SPACE BETWEEN WORLDS / NEW!
3298 POINTS
(Nashville, Tennessee)
Nashville’s genre distorting, cosmic craftsmen to the power of 3 blast off on their first full-length journey. “The Space Between Worlds” is a conceptually-themed construct capturing one of underground music’s most promising acts in all their psyche-punk / stoner metal glory… with Sci-Fi ever their muse, Howling Giant have set the bar high outside the box and way above the stratosphere. One may stamp Album Of The Year Contender on this opus… One small step for Blues Funeral Recordings, one Howling Giant leap for greatness!
~Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker (Riff Relevant)
1.MONOLORD – NO COMFORT / NEW!
3474 POINTS
(Gothenburg, Sweden)
Those that know me, know that I have never been aboard the Monolord bandwagon. Ya, ya, ya call me crazy. That said, I have always respected the band for successfully curating their own brand of low, slow, yet crushingly loud and fuzz-laden doom. On ‘No Comfort‘ I guess you can say I finally “get it”. Or at least the band have matured in their sound and delivery such that I remain fully engaged throughout the entire album. The vocals have a very accessible reverb-laden howl to them both haunting and psychedelic to the touch. The riffs remain colossal with an added emphasis on melody. They have pushed the boundaries of previous monolithic distortion, with a more intricate wall of tripped out groove, innate solos and expanded their horizon to incorporate a rather euphoric flavor with twists and turns that I didn’t quite get on their earlier recordings. If you were hanging with me off board the bandwagon, consider ‘No Comfort‘ a rather comfortable entrance into Monolord fandom. They are undoubtedly masters of their craft and prove to be progressive without sacrificing on sheer amplification. Well done gents, well fucking done.
~Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect)
Man, these guys are dull. On the strength of the reviews given to their 2017 album “Rust” I saw then live. Meh. Volume and the ability to play one chord very slowly did not impress. So on to “No Comfort”.
There seems to be a new urgency to the songs this time around. Compositions have light and shade to them. Tunes have some epic and hummable riffs. Lots of lovely, sparkling solos are strewn throughout to give variety and tone. In short, I think this is the best thing they have ever done and fucking love this album. Whether die-hard fans will like it, I’m not sure but this time around Monolord have produced something that stands out. Please send hate mail via: Doom Charts!
~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); Andy Benson (Nerve Salad); 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 (Fistful 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-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects); 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); Reek of STOOM (Stoner HiVe); Remi (The Comic Hunter); 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); Tony Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous)
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.
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