“You call it madness… But I call it love…”

~ Nat King Cole

On the first Friday of the new month we publish the brand new regular edition of the Doom Charts. Compiled through all the votes that come in from all the Contributors that help out with the Doom Charts. The Doom Charts is not a review site or a news channel. Sure, we jot down some, hopefully enticing, words about the Top 25 each month. But for news, reviews, interviews and all the information you could possibly want about all these new and old releases, we direct you to one of the many sites, blogs, podcasts, youtube channels that make up the Heavy Underground scene. And many of those are listed, each month, at the bottom of this page. And this page, and all those other sites, are a labor of love… And the list of 18 albums we share today, as that other monthly post, the Peroration Post for June, is that as well: pure and unadulterated love…

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 are in love with that one album, that many decided to send blurbs for it, and only one got published… You can peruse that love here…

BLACK RAINBOWS – SUPERSKULL
Stoner Rock, Heavy Psych
Rome, Italy
Heavy Psych Sounds

This is the best collection of songs BLACK RAINBOWS has put out to date. They shot for the stars and landed among the heavy space-rock expanse of explosive riffs and fuzz drenched blues and grooves. 
~ Ryan Hilton (Black Throne Productions)

BURNER – IT ALL RETURNS TO NOTHING
Death Metal, Hardcore, Grindcore, Mathcore
London, UK
Church Road Records

BURNER‘s debut full length lives up to their name. This is full throttle, no holds barred, scorched earth heavy. Spasms of grindcore, meat-grinding death metal, and a knack for groove amidst the chaos create one of the albums of the year. If getting absolutely flattened with a smile on what’s left of your face sounds like your jam, this is your kind of nasty.
~ Kyle SB / Shasta Beast (Stoner HiVe)

EREMIT – WEARER OF NUMEROUS FORMS
Death, Doom, Sludge
Germany
Fucking Kill Records

There are very few bands that commit to the level of detail that Germany’s EREMIT put into their music.  For this extreme doom/sludge band, their very ideas permeate not just the music but the very fabric of the band itself. Lyrics/story, merchandise, artwork….the band’s vision is fully realized and encompassing.  There aren’t any bands, doom or otherwise, that are doing what EREMIT do and the lengths they go to do them.  In this first half of 2023, this is the best doom metal album out right now.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

FLASHBACK – THE DRACONIC OATH
Hard Rock, Stoner Metal
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Northern Sun

Thunderous riffing, throbbing basslines and steady-as-a-rock drumming, and all of that garnished with a ballsy singing that will remind you an angrier John Garcia that decided to try his luck on some good ol’ 1980s Bay Area thrash! Combining elements metal and stoner rock, this album does not reinvent the wheel, but it smashes through the grooves with a rabid dog’s appetite and they sound goddamn happy about it! Surely one of the best releases of this month, you should check it out today!
~ Ioannis Valiakos (Desert Vulture)

THE GRAY GOO – CIRCUS NIGHTMARE
Doom Metal, Psych, Alt-rock, Funk, Folk, Punk, Fusion
Flathead Valley, Montana, USA
Self-Released

I thought a lot about my blurb but a few lines aren’t enough to explain the music of Circus Nightmare cause this album made of astounding creativity is a permanent juggling of multiple rock genres. THE GRAY GOO creates its own style that is heavy, powerful and catchy. It is something between absurd and genius. How could I describe an album sounding like Primus meeting Violent Femmes meeting Black Sabbath? It’s impossible. You just have to try it.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

HIGHSANITY – HALF
Grunge, Psychedelic, Rock, Desert
Poland
Interstellar Smoke Records

Grungy grooves with clever doses of psychedelia and a punk rock attitude that makes this album stand out from the crowd. Uplifting, badass and super fun to listen to, this is perhaps one of the best albums I have heard coming from Poland in a long time. Kudos to Interstellar Smoke Records for adding this gem to their roster so it can be made available to us in the world. Don’t just stand there, hit the play button so you can know why you need to grab a copy of this album today! Great stuff!
~ Ioannis Valiakos (Desert Vulture)

KOBUDAI – KOBUDAI
Seventies, Hard rock, Psych, Punk
Vienna, Austria
StoneFree Records

Try to merge a bass/drums atomic commando, with twin guitars and a raw bluesy voice, add a spoon of psychedelia, so you probably get a mixture sounding close to KOBUDAI. This debut album could be the perfect ear-food for fans of Motörhead, The Ramones, Hawkwind and MC5. It includes seven gems fueled with hot jams, punk energy, and high power rock. I hope one day I shall hear this thingy live, it might be killer stuff. Anyway, this album by the ludicrous fish is already amazing.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

MOTORPSYCHO – YAY!
Psych, Prog, Folk, Pop
Trondheim, Norway
Stickman Records / Det Nordenfjeldske Grammofonselskab

After a six year run of incredibly ambitious and lengthy albums, MOTORPSYCHO dial it back with more laid back album of acoustic numbers and psych pop that circle back to a trio of albums from 2000-2002. Coincidentally, Bent Sæther’s singing here brings to mind Mercury Rev’s Jonathan Donahue, who were at an artistic peak in that same time period. The plaintive melody of “Real Again” could strike a chord with audiences not yet on board the psychonaut vessel, but at the same time wears out it’s welcome for me on too many repeat plays compared to their more labyrinthine compositions, which they do revisit on “Hotel Daedalus” and the interwoven textures on closer “The Rapture” with acoustic and electric guitars and strings, given a baroque Swedish psych folk flair by producers Reine Fiske and Lars Fredrik Swahn. The album ends with the verse “The days are getting longer, summer’s almost here, I thank my guardian angels, we survived another year.” There’s far worse ways to kick off the official summer.
~ Tony Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous)

NEW DAWN FADES – FOREVER
Stoner, Grunge
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Self-Released

Talk about leaving you wanting more, Forever is a tease of the highest order. NEW DAWN FADES is the new project from the lead singer GFA of the amazing Philly band Ritual Earth. While Ritual Earth leans more towards stoner doom, the three tracks on the Forever EP are way more stoner grunge, and I am not sure there is an EP in recent memory I am more excited for a full length follow up because these three songs are next level great.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

OWLS & EAGLES – PATIENCE VOL. 1
Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Psych
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Self-Released

Heavy creepy riffs, pachydermia rhythms, dark psychedelia: welcome to the world of OWLS & EAGLES. Patience Vol. 1 is a story made up of seven interrelated tracks that explore all the nuances of doom. Moments of pounding energy, moments of dark dreamlike atmospheres, moments increasing in high tensions… the moments follow one another and listening to this album turns into a powerful and immersive experience. This is a must have and I’m already looking forward to Vol. 2.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

PYRE FYRE – PYRE FYRE
Rock, Punk, Psych, Blues, Stoner
Bayonne, New Jersey USA
Self-Released

DIY lo-fi and scuzzy riffs are the name of the game, but this is no straight-ahead punk operation. PYRE FYRE are working with a grab bag of heavy influences and a dash of avant-garde nuance, and across seven tracks meld it all into a chameleon of an album that retains an essential frenetic energy throughout. PYRE FYRE manage to mix in some Soundgarden riffage, abrasive Melvins bludgeoning, and even some low and slow blues. In less capable hands such a mix of sounds could spell trouble for a band, but these Jersey boys criss-cross between styles with ease, all the while staying united by a well-fuzzed and relentless train-off-the-tracks energy that is unmistakably PYRE FYRE.
~ Kyle SB / Shasta Beast (Stoner HiVe)

RIVAL SONS – DARKFIGHTER
Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Seventies
Long Beach, CA, USA
Atlantic Records

NOT ON BANDCAMP

Four years after their last album, the Californians are back with their new work “DARKFIGHTER”. Anyone who likes RIVAL SONS knows what to expect and this is impressively the case this time too. The band once again delivers the best classic rock. Be it the slightly fuzzy opener ‘Mirrors’, the casual rocker ‘Bird In The Hand’ (great catchy tune with cool banjo use), the bluesy ‘Bright Light’, a wonderfully creaky ‘Rapture’ (great chorus), the heavy fuzzy one ‘Guillotine’ (wonderful guitar sound) or the impressive and at the same time concluding title track (terrific play between loud and quiet – super official). The band pulls out all the stops in the 40 minutes and as always, the sound is just phenomenal, everything sounds as old school as from the seventies and especially like Led Zeppelin, but at the same time fresh and modern again – just incredibly good and impressive.
~ Tom Schmahl (Rock Circuz)

SANS LUMIÈRE – MIRIN DAJO PROPHECY
Rock, Stoner, Metal, Doom, Post, Instrumental
Eindhoven, Netherlands
Self-Released

One man project SANS LUMIÈRE hails from Eindhoven, Netherlands and delivers a technical proficient, instrumental album that searches through all the dark crevices of post rock, sludge, metal, and doom. And since the man behind this release also played in a few stonerrock bands in the nineties, that influence might be detected in the rolling riffs and the pounding groove. Although, the latter one will surely attest more for his love of sludge. Overall, it’s that doom trodden vista that will prevail, dark and often grave. But there are those moments when the guitars are allowed to soar and write their own story. Which turns out, is how the album was written in the first place: on the spot and inspired by stream-of-consciousness. And in that way, he managed to capture the essence of what this balancing act between life and death might actually mean. Tapping into some primal force and letting the wisdom you feel, guide you…
~ Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe)

SATURNUS – THE STORM WITHIN
Melodic Death, Doom
Denmark
Prophecy Productions

The album sounds perfect, one of the best produced and mixed albums I’ve heard all year. The atmosphere is balanced, offering clarity but never lets the doom and gloom stray too far. Every little detail can be heard effortlessly yet it can at times also present itself as a massive body of sound SATURNUS’ ‘The Storm Within’ is a darkly beautiful album full of melancholy and stirring emotions. When I hear albums like this, a part of me wonders why doom metal isn’t the biggest genre in the world.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

SLEEPING MOUNTAIN – SLEEPING MOUNTAIN
Heavy Rock, Psych, Prog
London, UK
Self-Released

SLEEPING MOUNTAIN’s self-titled debut EP may only comprise of 3 tracks but with a run-time just shy of 26 minutes there is plenty of room for this London-based 5 piece to showcase their considerable talents. Inspired by the classic heavy rock of the 60’s & 70’s, SLEEPING MOUNTAIN also incorporate elements of blues, heavy psych and prog into these impeccably produced songs. The sound on this record is huge; powerful vocals are accompanied by fuzz-drenched riffs, a thunderous groove and swirling psychedelic keys. Fans of bands such as Elephant Tree, Spaceslug and REZN will find a lot to like here and hopefully there will be a full-length album coming soon.
~ Bob “Mr. Weird Beard” Baker (More Fuzz Podcast)

SNAKEMOTHER – SNAKEMOTHER
Doom, Progressive
Oakland, California, USA
Self-Released

SNAKEMOTHER‘s self-titled debut is absolutely a smoking, banger of an album. You want riffs? This album is full of them, handing out thick notes and james at wholesale prices. If the massive doom riffs don’t impress you, maybe the bass will because it’s probably an actual living monolith. The drums cap it all off, a foundation that could hold up the world. And how about those vocals? Few things in the world are better than clean, female vocals over heavy as a really heavy thing doom metal riffs. SNAKEMOTHER check off all the boxes for what makes doom great… then crush those boxes.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

TERRA BLACK – ALL DESCEND
Doom, Stoner Rock
Gothenburg, Sweden
Self-Released

TERRA BLACK deliver, with “All Descend“, a restrained and carefully considered take on doom and stoner rock, the bands sound is dense and atmospheric but beneath all its big riffs and pounding rhythms there can be found elements of fragility and elegance, this is not classic doom but it is doom with class.
~ Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)

THE WEALTHY HOBOS – TICKING TWELVE
Heavy Blues, Hard Rock
Paris, France
Self-Released

THE WEALTHY HOBOS’ sophomore album is a stunning piece of rough Heavy Blues Rock tinged with other genres (Hard Rock, Soul, Funk, Rythm’n’blues). You might hear many famous influences on Ticking Twelve (Led Zeppelin, ZZ-Top and more) although the French band plays its own fresh groove. No boring song among the twelve tracks. Each one is well written, played and sung, most of all each one has its astonish spice. If you wanna stamp your feet to the rhythm, this album is for you.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

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

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); Ben Bellum (The Greatest Thing You’ve Never Heard); Bill Goodman (The Evil Engineer); 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);  Clint Willis (Hand of Doom Radio); Chris Beck (Doom Tomb Podcast); Chris Latta (Ghost Cult Magazine);  Chris Tighe (The Mighty Decibel); Damien Regnauld (Stoner Freaks Anthology); The Doom Oracle (Spectral Ecstacy); Doomsday Jesus (DoomsdaysJesus); Duncan Evans (Alternative Control); ‘The General’ (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); James Sweetlove (CaveDwellerMusic); Jamey Morris (Fistful of DOOM); Jasper Hesselink (Weirdo Shrine); Jay Morgan (High Desert Valley Radio); 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); Jonny Pirie (Hour of the Riff); Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe); Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal); Ken Elliott (Heavy Planet);  Kyle SB / Shasta Beast (Stoner HiVe); 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); Martin Doomed Desbois (Le Mellow Man, Metal Alliance Magazine) Matt Slighter (Cheeto) (Hwy 420, Core of Destruction Radio) Matthew Thomas (Taste Nation); Mathieu Van Der Hert (Dutch European Stoner Rock); Matt Hartnett (Heavy Galaxy); Mel Lie (Sunday’s Heavy Tunes); Mike Williams (I Talk to Planets);  Mr Stone (More Fuzz); Nick Pipitone (The Third Eye, Monster Riff);Pat Schober (Monster Riff); Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker (The Ripple Effect); ‘Papa’ Paul Rote (Doomed & Stoned); Reek of STOOM (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); Robert Pannell (Doom Loom); Rod Reinhardt (Captain Beyond Zen); Roman Tamayo (Doomed & Stoned); Ryan Foster (Slightly Fuzzed); Ryan Hilton (Black Throne Productions); Scott Spiers (CleanAndSoberStoner) ; Silvi Pearl (Doomed & Stoned, Electric Fire Records); 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 Reviews, The Third Eye); 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.