~ Edgar Allen Poe
“No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous…”
Well that was annoying right? Hideous! Getting the regular November Edition for the Doom Charts flagged on FB. Luckily it got fixed after a few days. Let’s see how FB reacts to this months Peroration Post. Cause all we do is a pure labor of love for the bands, albums and labels residing in the Heavy Underground. And below is yet another testament to that fact, 15 albums that the Contributors loved! Some of which might make their End Of Years lists. Maybe yours as well! So, start listening and if you hear your new favorite one make sure to right it down and let everyone know!
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… Cause we only publish the one blurb… Well, you can peruse that love here…
ACID THRONE – KINGDOM’S DEATH
Blackened Metal, Doom, Stoner Metal
Norwich, UK
Trepanation Rcords
ACID THRONE deliver, with “Kingdom’s Death“, blackened doom metal of a quality we usually only associate with Scandanavian countries like Sweden and Norway, that alone would be recomendation enough but they then up the ante by adding elements of old school heavy metal and new school stoner metal into the mix to ensure that their music does not just appeal to a small niche audience but also a much wider demographic.
~ Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)
ACIDSITTER – MAKE ACID GREAT AGAIN
Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock
Krakow, Poland
Interstellar Smoke Records
A polish/Japanese psych rock band whose bio says “If Roky Erickson were alive, he would have liked it.” You can’t get much more up my alley with that description, and ACIDSITTER does not disappoint. It’s not just the quote that excites me with their latest output and debut full length, Make Acid Great Again, which is eight tracks of killer heavy and bluesy psychedelic rock that will blow you away from the first note. Dose yourself with equal parts Hawkwind, 13th Floor Elevators, Black Angels, and early Pink Floyd and get ready to take quite the mind-bending trip. Amazing stuff.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)
When you think of a band called ACIDSITTER, the first thing that comes to mind is psychedelic rock. Well, ACIDSITTER is that and so much more. In spite of its tongue in cheek title, Make Acid Great Again is progressive, complex, intelligent, thoughtful, and mature. The lyrics delve into some pretty deep topics that will resonate with many listeners, and the progressive rock style helps to paint the picture that those lyrics describe. In a nutshell, you’re going to have a super groovy time, but you’re also going to have a good think while listening to this album. It was very obvious to me that a lot of hard work and creativity from some very talented musicians and songwriters went into Make Acid Great Again, and it certainly paid off.
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, CleanAndSoberStoner)
ALMOST HONEST – THE HEX OF PENNS WOODS
Hard Rock, Stoner Rock, Alt-Metal
New Cumberland, Pennsylvania
Argonauta Records
ALMOST HONEST have continued to push the envelope within the modern heavy underground scene. To David’s point, while they reside within the Stoner/Doom landscape, they possess a wildly catchy, diverse and intriguing sense of songwriting, meticulously merging elements of grunge, punk, metal and alternative rock. Honestly, this could be their best work yet.
~ Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect)
BANDSHEE – BANDSHEE III
Retro, Stoner
Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Self-released
I don’t blame you. It’s easy to miss a small band from Louisville, Kentucky, releasing yet another EP of original material and trying to stand out in an extremely crowded release schedule. But Bandshee III is a quantum leap over Curse of the Bandshee from late last year. And that saying something, since Curse has been on heavy rotation here at Headquarters for the past few months. BANDSHEE is emerging from the shadows of their Blood Ceremony-infused retro style, and leaning heavily into some of the most original guitar work I’ve heard in years. But Romana steals the show with her ever-evolving voice. BANDSHEE is on the verge of becoming one of the most original bands in the heavy underground, and Bandshee III is a huge step in that direction.
~ Scott Spiers (CleanAndSoberStoner)
CONVOCATION – NO DAWN FOR THE CALIGINOUS NIGHT
Funeral doom, Death Doom
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
Everlasting Spew Records
It has been said that without dark, there is no light and without light, there is no dark. Finland’s CONVOCATION and their third full length album, ‘No Dawn for the Caliginous Night’ disagrees vehemently with this quote. There is another kind of darkness. A darkness that existed first and will be the last thing to exist. A darkness so bleak, so black, that light itself is absorbed and spat out, adding to its own growing and ever infinite coldness. In small, subtle increments, CONVOCATION has stretched their sound to a much more dynamic nature yet their brand of misery remains as abraded and denuded as ever. In a weird but welcome twist to their sound, it makes their songs even more expansive and open yet also as claustrophobic and death-laden to an almost insane degree.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)
DYSSEBEIA – GARDEN OF STILLBORN IDOLS
Progressive Blackened Death Metal
Switzerland
Transcending Obscurity Records
The album twists and turns as it moves along. The ever evolving songs feature variations of often gorgeous melodies, ever changing riffs that move effortlessly from genre to genre, and evolving vocal patterns paired with rhythmic shifts. Despite all that, despite the earful of features crammed into it, this album still remains firmly grounded in extreme metal. It’s going to make you think and wonder about what’s around the next musical bend but it’s also going to smash in your stupid face while doing so. With ‘Garden of Stillborn Idols,’ DYSSEBEIA has crafted a wonderful album full of so many amazing details. Despite including everything and the kitchen sink, this isn’t an album that overwhelms but instead pulls the listener along for the ride. Fans of death, black, and prog will find much to enjoy here but even if a person doesn’t like one or more of those genres, then this is a beast of an album that will change the mind.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)
KRPL – BLEI
Instrumental, Metal, Stoner, Sludge, Psych
Graz, Austria
Kerberos Records
Blei is one hell of an album! Nine tracks of amazing instrumental metal. Stoner metal, sludge metal, with a psychedelic twist here or a bit of a progressive touch there; and a whole lot of force. Driving force. Like perpetual motion, like gears perfectly interlocking and making the machine go boom! Cause there’s a lot of brutal and booming energy coming from the cutting riffs and the rumbling bass work. And those crashing and thrusting drums, pushing the tempo and steering the riffs into ever more ingenious corners. A few soaring guitar lines in tracks like Sonnenmord and Hydra gives Blei even more of a bite and a maw. Teeth marks are left once Blaues Gift, with that ominous drum roll and jackknife guitar work comes on. Ye gods, these mothersludgers keep going full force, without letting up, without letting go of the reigns, they propel you forward, ever forward until those last moments with Maus. Which uses a bit of groove metal, and an underlying growling, a bass that resembles a lawn mower, and not just the automated mouse kinds, no the huge ones to mow entire fields with, to make Blei come to an even grander ending. And then full stop, no prisoners, only a heart full of joy and a weird smile as if you had just gotten hit over the head by a lead pipe…
~ Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe)
LARGE PLANTS – THE THORN
Psych Prog, Psych Noir, Psych Folk
Bedfordshire, UK
Ghost Box
Quickly following up from last year’s The Carrier, former Wolf People’s Jack Sharp’s solo project ventures into more progressive psychedelic folk than the predecessor’s biker rock. It’s haunted and dreamy, with incredible guitar that references Turkish Anatolian psych, Tuareg desert rock, Captain Beefheart, Fairport Convention and Wishbone Ash. A prickly yet magical album that measure up against the best of Wolf People, and may sneak it’s way to album of the year status.
~ A.S. Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous)
PING MACHINES – BABY
Rock, Stoner, Alternative, Punk, Psych
Schwyz, Switzerland
Self-released
Released back in August, this little Baby definitely did not get all the attention she deserves! Five-piece PING MACHINES, deliver almost forty minutes of alternative rock, stonerrock, with a psychedelic edge on occasion and definitely some punk spirit. Eighties punk spirit for ya, spacey touches, Iggy Pop adoration and a whole lotta love for the good and the heavy. Cause you know, without that kind of love there can be no Baby…
~ Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe)
PRAISE THE SUN – SINISTER & UNHINGED
Sludge, Stoner Doom, Heavy Metal
Norway
Self-released
What was that noise in the attic, did i leave that window open, is there someone/something under the bed? These are the type of questions you will be asking yourself while listening to PRAISE THE SUN‘s latest opus “Sinister & Unhinged“, this is fear and terror delivered via the medium of music, if you were ok walking into darkened rooms before listening to these insidious and creepy tomes you certainly won’t be afterwards.
~ Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)
RITUAL KING – THE INFINITE MIRROR
Stoner, Psych, Doom
Manchester, UK
Ripple Music
This album is a testament to the trio’s ability to explore new sonic territories with astonishing skill. Their songs offer us beautiful psychedelic passages, captivating voices, and enough heaviness that their grooves are pure gold. A treasure in which the most fragrant and dreamy heavy psychedelia is thickened with hits of 70’s proto-metal and pure old-fashioned Stoner rock. With mastery of voices and melodies, the band achieves a millimetric balance between the balsamic and the chimerical, reflecting the roughness of the desert sands. Prepare to delve into dark realms, only to emerge in passages of serene elegance, reflecting the same duality the band seeks to explore.
~ Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
SKULL SERVANT – TRADITIONAL BLACK MAGICKS II
Stoner, Doom
North Carolina, USA
Self-released
Issues aside, I still give Traditional Black Magicks II a very high recommendation, and it’s an album that should be streamed continuously for a while to let the awesomeness absorb into your psyche. I can’t get enough of it, and even with questionable recording quality, no matter how much I think it’s a weakness, the nuts and bolts musicianship is nothing short of mesmerizing.
~ Scott Spiers (CleanAndSoberStoner)
SYCOMORE – ANTISWEET
Extreme Sludge
Amiens, France
Source Atone Records
The French trio SYCOMORE will please all doomsters who are not allergic to extreme metal. I warn you from the outset, Antisweet, their fourth album is not sweet (indeed, it’s anti), it is violent and brutal but ultimately so delicious! They play extreme sludge and they play it very well. I dig this album because it is as crushing as it is aggressive and above all, because I don’t get bored for a single second while listening to it. The band always finds something to regularly modify its riffs and rhythms. There are constantly new surprises from the beginning to this incredible ending that… No, I won’t spoil it. Go listen to it instead!
~ Thierry “Sweet-T“ François (Metal Intégral)
TEMPLE OF SCORN – FUNERAL ALTAR EPIPHANIES
Death metal, Death Doom
Aarhus, Midtjylland, Denmark
Transcending Obscurity Records
This album is often fast paced but is always absolutely brutal. Those are, of course, key elements in this type of music. However, what I like the most is how unnerving and hellish the atmosphere is. Another aspect of the album that hooked me is that there are many moments of dismal, doom passages. When these moments combine with their destructive death metal, the band is unstoppable. This is one of the better debuts I’ve heard from a death metal band and one hell of a way to start their journey. ‘Funeral Altar Epiphanies,’ is an album that will appeal to underground fans of both brutal music and atmospheric, doom laden music. Don’t sleep on this one.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)
WODOROST – FROM THE DEPTHS
Desert rock, Psych rock, Post-rock, Prog rock, Stoner metal.
Warsaw, Poland
Self-released
While we can say that this is a high-level psychedelic album, we can also say that WODOROST knows how to play the grittiest Stoner vibes. An album full of textures that range from a hint of doom to fine and elegant moments close to post-rock. With long songs, mostly instrumental, they provide us with a perfect soundtrack for the expansive introspection of our mind. Its atmospheric passages are constantly being molded to offer new routes to the listener. An album that you never know where it will take you, since the trio decorates its magnetic and captivating instrumental passages with aromatic and exotic moments from the East. Making the music flow like a spring through green meadows, the trio shows an amazing complicity that is reflected in songs full of nuances.
~ Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)
NOVEMBER 2023
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:
Aaron Pickford (The Sludgelord); Adam Walsh (Earmunchies); Andy Benson (Nerve Salad); Andy Kovalcik (Bandcamp-NYP-Hard&Heavy); A.S. Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous); 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 (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); Stevie Reek aka Reek of STOOM (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); 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); Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, CleanAndSoberStoner); 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); ; 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.
Doom Charts 