Even though the ‘normal’ December edition is just around the corner and we are getting smacked around our heads with all those majestic end-of-year lists; we do have another Peroration post for y’all… You know the deal, the blurbs below are the ones that the Doom Chart Contributors wrote because they loved a certain album so much and assumed it would make the Final 25. Unfortunately that isn’t always the case. For whatever reason. Sometimes an album is just too brutal, too kraut, too garage, too black, too grind, too folk, etc, ad infinitum. But we should not let that love go to waste! For the love for that album is real and might inspire that same amount of adoration in other heavy rock fiends! So we post them here, together with double blurbs received. So, this is just something that might be done a week or two or three after every Monthly edition. Perhaps in this form; perhaps in different form… But there will be something… Cause if you listen, it will doom…

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 monthly. However, sometimes a love is so great, but the album unfortunately did not make the published Doom Charts Edition. You can peruse that love here…

AIWASS – WAYWARD GODS
(Doom, Metal, Stoner, Psych)
(Phoenix, Arizona, USA)

Those who know me are aware that I have a soft spot for heavy-riffing newcomer bands from the underground who weave an unambiguous independent personality into their creations. Wayward Gods, the full-length debut album of Arizona’s AIWASS fits perfectly into this particular category! Blake Carrera, the “marrowbone” of AIWASS, joined by Ben Ivey and Michael Cakebread, break a monster riff-laden, hermetic-sleepiastic-cosmo psych desert-doom sound from the bridle. The listener who dips his ears into the album will feel very much homely among the beloved sounds of the heavy riff genre – but yet it leaves deep footprints of a very individual, independent “aiwassitican” note in the auditory canals. The thematic exploration of very personal demons, illuminated with the glowing, „bloodshot“ eyes of Aleister Crowley, the ominous droning in the background (I love it) and that voice that seems to crawl out of a faraway dream, reinforce this very special and typical style of the band. Wayward Gods is a mesmerizing album that you should definitely dedicate some time to enjoy the fine special features in it! Wayward Gods is a mesmerizing album that you should definitely dedicate some time to enjoy the fine special features in it! We will keep a good eye on AIWASS, because this band will still twist our ears with damn inspiring sound creations in the future!
~ Mel Lie

ATOM DRIVER – IS ANYTHING ALRIGHT
(Noise, Rock, Punk, Hardcore)
(New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA)

“Is Anything Alright” is an unrelenting, madcap maelstrom of frenzied energy, punk attitude, and jolting riff after jolting riff. This is biting noise rock that begs for a repeat listen once you’ve caught your breath after the six tracks rush past.
~ Shasta Beast

BLACK SPELL – THE PURPLE SKULL
(Metal, Doom, Psych, Occult)
(Italy)

An obscure LSD trip, full of occult sounds of the darkest doom imaginable, takes possession of your lost soul and catapults you into a parallel universe where Rosemary’s baby has taken power and tyrannizes people with his henchmen Crowley and Manson. The beast with ten horns and seven heads has risen from the sea of darkness. There is no escape!
~ Rod Reinhardt

CALLISTO – POT-POURRI
(Alternative, Doom, Grunge, New Wave, Hip-Hop, Prog)
(Paris, France)

“Pot-Pourri” is the latest musical gem from France, courtesy of Callisto, the solo project of The Lance Vance Vengeance guitarist and vocalist Olivier. True to its name, the five-track EP is a mix of sonic flavors, touching on grunge, doom, prog, and even a little hip-hop and reggae for extra seasoning.
~ Shasta Beast

CERCE – COWBOY MUSIC
(Punk, Hardcore, Powerviolence)
(Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

Wow, just fuckin’ wow!! For those of us that dared to dream what would The Jesus Lizard sound like if they were fronted by Julie Christmas, the answer is Cerce!! Hardcore punk poetry with riffs and lyrics flying around like razors! Ignore this album at your own peril. Just like that.
~ Ioannis Valiakos

DOZETHRONE – WE JOIN THE SABBATH
(Doom, Sludge, Metal)
(Singapore)

To say that Singapore’s Dozethrone are prolific would be an overwhelming understatement given the band have issued four full lengths in 2021 … after issuing three in 2020! We Join The Sabbath is their latest, with the lads staying the course with their uber-heavy instrumental sludge that drags the listener through enough grime to warrant a shower after every listen. Comprised of one thirty-three minute track, your Bandcamp purchase comes split into three segments and as one long track. Pick your doomed poison!
~ Chris Tighe

GLASS HAMMER – SKALLAGRIM – INTO THE BREACH
(Metal, Prog, Symphonic)
(Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA)

Many may have heard of Glass Hammer as the band that vocalist Jon Davison came from before he joined Yes in 2012. The Chattanooga, TN band have been releasing symphonic prog albums since 1993, but they arguably leveled up creatively during the pandemic with their 20th album, Dreaming City (2020), and the addition of vocalist Hannah Pryor. Skallagrim: Into the Breach is their second installment of a trilogy where the titular character has lost his girl and his memory, found a sword, and goes to war. To match the story, the band has introduced a fatter, fuzzier sound inspired more along the lines of stoner doom than their usual lush progressive sounds. The middle of the album adds more variety of three adventurous instrumental tracks that range from jazz fusion to menacing horror soundtrack along the lines of Italian band Goblin. The longest track, “Hyperborea,” is an epic tribute to early Rush. Co-founder Steve Babb also wrote a 400 page sword & sorcery novel that fleshes out this storyline. Skallagrim – In The Vales Of Pagarna will be released early next year.
~ Tony Van Dorston

GREEN DESERT WATER – BLACK HARVEST
(Stoner, Blues, Fuzz, Groove, Psych, Hardrock, Acid, Seventies)
(Oviedo, Spain)

An album with songs dressed in modern clothes, but that hide some guts of pure 70’s psychedelic hard-rock and acid blues genes. Since its inception, the band has been modulating its sound, and now, a few years later, the psychedelic cavalcades leave more space for the barrage of raw hard-rock, with an undeniable Stoner soul. With the charm that each song will sound familiar, you will probably say…. What is this? What does it sound like to me? and you will quickly answer yourself, it is the same!! I like it! It’s great !!
~ Roberto Lucas

HAAZ – ANDRA
(Noise, Rock, Hardcore, Post-Hardcore)
(Varmland , Sweden)

Haaz play noise rock/post-hardcore – their own tag of “indie noise rock” does not do justice to the explosion of power, aggression and raw slabs of sonic destruction that emerge when the play button is pressed. Dark rumbling bass which sounds like it is played through a distortion pedal or just turned up fucking loud mixes with the pounding drums to produce the platform from which the fuzzed up, on the edge-of-constant-feedback guitars can riff off. Ah man, the riffs in the songs are groove ridden monsters that make me want to break things while laughing like a maniac. Such evil joy and wanton glee are in the tunes – they lodge deep in your brain and make other music seem dull and insipid. Crooning, shouting, yelling – the vocals sound like David Yow performing under the influence of un-tested drugs, ranting about self-loathing with the world and maybe oneself. The entire sound is deep, sludgy but with the uncomplicated song passages that contain all I love about noise rock. So much denseness is contained in these 10 tracks that when this album stops, the silence seems almost deafening.
~ Tony Maim

KHEMMIS – DECEIVER
(Metal, Black, Sludge, Doom, Stoner)
(Denver, Colorado, USA)

Written during the Covid-19 pandemic, Deceiver serves as their debut release for Nuclear Blast Records, and see’s Khemmis using crushing metal guitar riffs, employing clean and harsh vocals, while also adding in beautiful clean tones as accent pieces. Everything about this album is excellent, and it should be on everyone’s wish list this holiday season.
~ Tom Hanno

THE MATTERHORN PROJECT – TRAVELER
(Stoner, Rock, Metal, Prog, Post)
(Indian Hills, Colorado, USA)

Fine-tuned during two years by multi-instrumentalist Zahari TZIGULAROF (Colorado, originally from Bulgaria), the Traveler EP by THE MATTERHORN PROJECT is at the crossroads between post-rock and heavy-metal, with Stoner and Heavy Prog influences. I can underline the excellent mastering of Brad SMALLING who completes the work with talent. Let this traveler guide you for 20 minutes in a magnificent musical journey where each note is an image, each piece is an avalanche of sensations.
~ Thierry ‘Pumpkin-T’ François

MOANA – FEET IN THE GROUND, EYES TO THE SKY
(Rock, Gothic, Art, Grunge, Psych)
(Perth, Australia)

MOANA again grace us with a smorgasbord of Artistic, enigmatic Gothic Rock, with lush, pastoral orchestration and inimitable, dominating vocals…pure class!
~ Reek of STOOM

SANTO FUZZ – QUANAXHUATO
(Metal, Doom, Psych, Stoner)
(Silao, Mexico)

Fuzzy digs his solo bands, and especially when they sound like a band with more members. SANTO FUZZ delivers on Mexico’s stoner metal roots and piles on huge layers of heavy, heavy psych. I don’t understand much of the Spanish vocals but that’s a positive thing in my book because it makes the music even more mysterious. There is a sinister vibe flowing throughout this album, and it’s an hour’s worth of music that deserves your consideration.
~ Fuzzy Cracklins

SHADOWS TALLER THAN SOULS – DOOM PUNK
(Garage, Doom, Psych, Metal)
(Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA)

This Milwaukee, Wisconsin based four piece claim to play “doom punk” and even name their debut EP by the epithet to make sure we all know it. After listening to this three-track release multiple times, I still don’t hear the punk element … but whatever, good is good regardless of labelling. What you get are two classic, heavy doom tracks complete with psychedelic vocals, along with another track that strays off the standard doom route into a jangly, weird garage psych pathway that I’d prefer the band stay off of in future efforts.
~ Chris Tighe

SOUTHERN BAPTIST WITCH COVEN – ELECTRIC LOVE MACHINE
(Metal, Stoner, Doom, Blues)
(United States Minor Outlying Islands, USA)

Satan appears on an unusual number of releases this month, with perhaps His most spectacular summoning taking place in the debut EP from SOUTHERN BAPTIST WITCH COVEN. The female vocals will naturally grab your attention, as they are both heavenly and fiendish at the same time. But don’t overlook the slowhand guitar riffs, seasoned rhythm section, and bluesy keys. My hunch is that this is a band comprised of some very veteran musicians, and I’m hoping for a full album release.
~ Fuzzy Cracklins

STARGO – DAMMBRUCH
(Instrumental, Stoner, Space, Psych, Kraut, Metal)
(Dortmund, Germany)

The new Stargo release Dammbruch is a definite statement and one hell of an instrumental psychedelic adventure. Often it feels like the three transport you to the magical sphere where the endless riffs will make you feel every inch of the tension that is slowly building up until the dam finally bursts. It really is a stealthy landmark of a Side A ever to be recorded on vinyl. The hypnotic groove second to none, the tale told majestic and the final Drift In A Nutshell; sublime bliss… And then there’s a Side B as well… Which continues that perfect instrumental stoner flash flood!
~ Joop Konraad

STEW – TASTE
(Rock, Hardrock, Seventies, Blues)
(Lindesberg, Sweden)

NOT ON BANDCAMP

Definitely, playing a genre like retro rock, it is very difficult to be original, but STEW are capable of composing rock songs from the 70’s full of authenticity, even making use of their influences. Some hard-rock or blues vibes, which are supported in a catchy groovy, that quickly gets you hooked. These restorers of vintage sounds, have the voice of Markus to convey emotions like few others and that gives a special tone to their songs.
~ Roberto Lucas

YEARS AFTER – YEARS AFTER
(Rock, Country, Southern, Seventies)
(Bergen, Norway)

If you are into Bands like The Allman Brothers Band, Blackberry Smoke, Ten Years After, or Gov´t Mule, you will love Norway’s Years After. The group exudes a wonderful lightness and all these twin guitars or organ sounds are so wonderful. Check out songs like ‘Free’ (super casual) and ‘Blue’ (killer guitar tunes) for a great preview of what they have to offer, but these are only two out of eight on this amazing album. With this album the sun rises.
~ Tom Schmahl

And a special thanks goes out to Doktor420 for the cover image…

If you listen, it will doom…

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); Andy Kovalcik (Bandcamp-NYP-Hard&Heavy); Bill Goodman (The Evil Engineer); Billy Goate (Doomed & Stoned); Bob “Mr. Weird Beard” Baker (More Fuzz Podcast); Bobby Rayfield (Trendkill Radio); Brandon Collins (Super Dank Metal Jams); Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect);  Clint Willis (Hand of Doom Radio); Chris Beck (Doom Tomb Podcast); Chris Latta (Ghost Cult Magazine);  Chris Tighe (The Mighty Decibal); The Doom Oracle (Spectral Ecstacy); Doomsday Jesus (DoomsdaysJesus); Duncan Evans (Alternative Control); Eric Varasiftsky (Stoner Rock Army); Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist); Fuzzy Cracklins (Fuzzy Cracklins); Geoff Leppard (Atom Heart Mutha); Graur Zaur (Crypt Guard); Gruby (Doomsmoker); Günther “Doktor420” (Stoner HiVe); Héctor “Mr. Heavyhead” Hurtado (More Fuzz); Hugo Hulleman (Metalfan.nl,Orange Maze); Ioannis Valiakos (Desert Vulture); Jamey Morris (Fistful of DOOM); Jay Morgan (High Desert Valley Radio); Jim Thompson (Heavy in the Hills); JJ “HP Taskmaster”Koczan (The Obelisk); John Gist, (Vegas Rock Revolution); Jonny Pirie (Hour of the Riff); Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe); Ken Elliott (Heavy Planet);  Leanne Ridgeway (Riff Relevant); Magnus Tannergren (Into The Void Radio); Marc-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects); Marc C. Pietrek (Vitriol INC / A Dark United Front); Mark Partin (The Ripple Effect); Matt Slighter (Cheeto) (Hwy 420, Core of Destruction Radio) Matthew Thomas (Taste Nation); Mathieu Van Der Hert (Dutch European Stoner Rock);  Mel Lie (Sunday’s Heavy Tunes); Mike Williams (I Talk to Planets);  Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker (The Ripple Effect);  ‘Papa’ Paul Rote (Doomed & Stoned); Reek of STOOM (Doomed&Stoned, Stoner HiVe); Remi (Remi VL); Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz); Roberto Fuentes (La Habitación 235); Robert Pannell (Doom Loom); Rod Reinhardt (Captain Beyond Zen); Roman Tamayo (Doomed & Stoned); Shasta Beast (Stoner HiVe); Steve Howe (Outlaws of the Sun); Steve Rodger (God’s Holy Trousers); Steve Woodier (Deathrattle Podcast); Tanguy ‘Mr Fuzz’ Dupré (More Fuzz); Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral); Tom Hanno (Tom’s Album Reviews); Tom Schmahl (Rock Circuz); Tony Maim (Black Insect Laughter, Stoner HiVe); Tony Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous); Wombat Tarantino (Wombat Cult)

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.