“This is extremely important. Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year, I just want the Doom Charts?”

~ Kevin McCallister in Home Alone (probably misheard quote)

December is in full swing. Lists of favorite albums of 2024 popping up everywhere. Do you have your list already finished? The voting for the Stoner HiVe Top 20 Countdown stopped on December 14 after which the Top 20 Countdown started. You can still vote for the massive The Obelisk Year-End Poll, results for that one go live January 1st. And the Doom Charts still have an enormous amount of love to shower over albums from November 2024. No less than 40 albums are featured on the Peroration Post this month. It might make a difference for your favorite albums list of 2024…

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 and metal 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 in love with that one album, that multiple blurbs were written, and only the one got published… Well, you can peruse that love here…

10,000 YEARS – ALL QUIET ON THE FINAL FRONTIER
Stoner, Doom
Sweden
Ripple Music

All Quiet On The Final Frontier is 10,000 Years‘ masterpiece.  Everything has come together for the band: The right lineup (new drummer, Alvin Risberg, lead Years man Alex’s brother), the right knobs twisted and buttons pushed (the best capturing of what the band should sound like yet), the right amount of melody (catchy as hell but still just as heavy), and the perfect label match (Ripple Music rules). This formula has produced what is to me an album of the year candidate and one of the biggest steps up from album to album that I have witnessed in a long time. There is nothing quiet on the 10,000 Years frontier, and that is just how I like it.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

ACID HAGS – TEMPORA MATANTUR
Psychedelic, Prog, Stoner
Croatia
Olde Scratch Records

This is the sound of hundreds of thousands of years expanding and contracting. Connecting molecules and separating elements, the layer upon layer of experimental flow creates space and breath. Simultaneously, we are delivered an underbelly of depth that leaves the mind boggled and the ear tuned in for the celestial expansion in process.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

ALKYMIST – UNNDERR
Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Progressive
Copenhagen, Hovedstaden, Denmark
Indisciplinarian

The guitar tone is PERFECT.  The riffs, of which there are many, have the density of doom and the caustic edge of sludge. Guitarist Stefan Key and bassist Kaspar Luke are string wizards, casting fiery rhythms out like the dirtiest, filthiest arsenal in the world—truly bludgeoning work.  Apparently, they have a new drummer named Per Silkjaer; they better keep him because the dude is a goddamn animal.  It’s all spearheaded by the volatile vocals of Peter Bjørneg who fights and claws his way through the songs with abrasive vocals that are a cross between “I shoved sandpaper down my throat” and “wounded rabid animal that is super pissed off.” But it isn’t only all about the guitar and bass tones.  The atmosphere is just as crushing, as if the law of gravity were removed and it’s impossible to get up under the now suffocating weight of existence. However, it doesn’t stop there—this album has too many dynamics and dimensions for it to end so simple. A psychedelic/stoner vibe also exists among the flowing magma of the band’s core sound and I even hear some Gothic influences.  The progressive side of the band handles all of this very well—I mean, that’s what makes it progressive in the first place.  This isn’t Dream Theater or Tool—the prog elements manifest themselves as the very dynamics and varieties of sound that keep the album so powerful.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

APODEMUS – MONOTONE
Psychedelic Rock, Stoner
Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Anchor Lights

Feel like lifting off into outer space? Don’t look any further. Just hop on the rocket launcher called APODEMUS and enjoy the ride. Instrumental psychedelic space rock with a touch of stoner that transcends life on earth and grips you with a steady, thriving, trance inducing rhythm section and a lead guitar that at times meanders along quietly and at other times combusts big time, leading to an explosive freak fest of endless solos that don’t even give you the slightest chance to get bored. Literally stellar stuff.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

ASTRAL KOMPAKT – GOLDADER
Psych, Instrumental , Stoner, Doom
Cologne, Germany
Tonzonen

Building their songs from simplicity and comprehensibility and following the legacy of bands like SLEEP or MONOLORD, they use elements from bands like ROTOR or COLOUR HAZE, creating an album that maintains the balance between the heavy and the psychedelic. Their slow and leaden riffs always leave room for magical heavy-psych developments that will plunge you into a narcotic dream to wake you up with the virulence of an abominable monster. Starting from a minimalist argument, the young trio evolves by forging their own character, and they do so while keeping their innate Stoner essence intact. Thus, they manage to make their complex songs simple for the listener and their forcefulness desirable.
~ Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)

BASTA! – III
Classical, Jazz, Doom
Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Ronin Rhythm Records

One man. One double bass. One loop machine. Not the first thing you’d expect when scrolling through this peroration list, but knowing Joris Vanvinckenroye (who releases his solo albums under the BASTA! moniker) is equally influenced by classical music, jazz, alternative rock and progressive rock there’s some kind of connection. Yes, this is more mellow than most stuff featured on the doom charts, but because of Joris’ approach of using double bass and a loop machine, it comes across way heavier than you’d expect and even has got a borderline doom vibe when the wonderful compositions swell and get more dense. Therefore it’s not that big a surprise that his music gathers the most interest amongst fans of rock and metal. Ideal for those moments when you feel like taking a step back, chill out and quietly listen to some truly wonderful music with a dark twist.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

BOG FILTH – BOG FILTH
Doom, Sludge, Drone
Oshkosh, WI, USA
Evil Gnome Records

BOG FILTH‘s first album offers you exactly what the band name suggests. This is one of the heaviest, dirtiest, most guttural assaults your eardrums can be graced with. A head-on collision between doom and sludge metal, rounded off with a stellar 13+ minute track that channels the best drone you could ever come across. It makes bands like Electric Wizard and Eyehategod sound like a bunch of fluffy ducks following their mother on a quest to explore the local pond, accompanied by the soft sound of water flowing under their tiny bodies and a choir of songbirds whistling overhead, enjoying the warmth of the sun. A must listen if you’re even remotely interested in this corner of the heavy underground.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

CAPSULA – PRIMITIVO ASTRAL
Heavy Psych, Garage, Classic Rock
Bilbao, Spain
Silver Recordings

Not playable on Bandcamp

CAPSULA is a Spanish/Argentinian rock trio based in Bilbao, Spain. To give you a more or less accurate idea of what they’re about, imagine Spanish garage heroes Way y los Arrrghs!!! on a seven day binge with Free, Led Zeppelin and MC5 while listening to Black Sabbath and Hawkwind being played simultaneously through the same set of speakers. Highly energetic and just plain fun.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

THE DEATH OF MONEY – ERROR AFTER ERA
Sludge, Alternative, Doom
United Kingdom
Suntreader

Where they sail the most chaotic of oceans, THE DEATH OF MONEY have taken hold of the helm and commit to a direct forward attack that will conquer the tides ahead, pulverize the vessel or a combination of both. It is a daredevil adventure and they are unafraid to take it upon themselves. Through the tsunami, this titan wave sent from Poseidon, they shall find salvation when the sea creatures of the deep fear their name.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

EZEL – LA STEPPE AUX DEUX SOLEILS
Drone, Doom
Brussels, Belgium
Self-released

It’s getting more common in the heavy underground to incorporate other instruments than the traditional trio of drums, bass and guitar. Personally I think that deserves a lot of praise, because there are combinations of instruments that are capable of generating more power and low end rumble than the big three will ever be able to do. Take for example EZEL from Brussels, Belgium, who use drums, baritone saxophone and distorted violin to generate two lengthy tracks of drone and doom so heavy it literally turns your stomach upside down. Almost 40 minutes of compelling discomfort.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

THE GATES OF SLUMBER – THE GATES OF SLUMBER
Traditional Doom Metal
Indianapolis, Indiana
Svart Records

THE GATES OF SLUMBER is a name I never thought I would see again but…behold, they have returned with their first full-length album since 2011!  Apparently they reformed in 2019, which is something I didn’t even know about.  Regardless, the boys are back in doom down and all is right in this world.  At least the doom world.  I usually review albums while wearing headphones but, on occasion, I play the albums out loud to annoy my family.  I have to keep them on their toes, right?  Well I was jamming this new self-titled release (their 6th full-length album) and my wife said, “I don’t like this, it sounds like Black Sabbath or Ozzy.” I know, I know.  She isn’t a metalhead, and especially hates doom,  so just roll your eyes and try to move on.  I won’t divorce her over it but I did give her a history listen on doom/Sabbath/Ozzy which she promptly ignored. Fortunately, a band sounding like Sabbath doesn’t bother me but, while the band’s influences are obviously like with most doom bands, they don’t sound like anyone but themselves.  These riffs are slow, thick, powerful and sinister as hell.  The guitar/bass tone is absolutely perfect. Mainstay Karl Simon (guitars, vocals) sounds in top form.  His gritty and expressive cleans continue to pair well with these darkened riffs.  Add in Chuck Brown’s impeccable drumming and the omnipresent bass of Steve Janiak and the result is yet another strong addition to TGoS’s already masterful discography and to the ever growing pantheon of doom. 
~ Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal)

GOTHO – GOTHRON VERSUS FARTARK
Experimental, Synth, Prog
Genoa, Italy
Supernatural Cat

Stand fast with no more than your glory and a knight’s battle worn armor to accept the dragon’s cursed flame as it harnesses its majestic powers against you. Your shield can not be penetrated as warrior after warrior moves forward in attack. You prevail once again on this mightiest of quests to save mankind from the dark forces of a medieval underworld. No doorway can be left unexplored.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

GRIDFAILURE – WHEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT VOL. IV
Dark Ambient, Experimental
Valley Cottage, New York
Self-released

Thunder lightly rumbles in the distance as a creaky door announces the wind’s active yet slow pace. A dead leaf falls from a tree upon the freshly disturbed but cold mound of cemetery earth. An animal cries out in the distance as children secretly plot their story time at the gate. Who is too scared to enter? Those who turn back now will be made a fool and those who dare to enter these grounds are certainly more than foolish.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

HANIBAL DEATH MACHINE – ÉCLIPSE ANTHROPOCÈNE
Dark metal, Post-doom
Montauban, France
Self-released

HANIBAL DEATH MACHINE is dark poetry for a poor Mankind. Their whole music seems built to resist Jean-Luc’s unique, deep and gravelly voice. This album is a raw, cold and final judgment of the defects of humanity that has already passed the point of no return. The sound of Éclipse Anthropocène is raw and the distorted guitar riffs are very heavy. HDM seeks efficiency above all, rejecting any artificial subterfuge, which does not exclude a discreet synthetic dressing where it can reinforce the gloomy atmosphere. Combined with fuzzy or screaming guitars, the mostly medium to slow tempos have an obvious tribal dimension plowing and digging deep furrows in the cerebral cortex.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

HRAEFN – RESEARCH INTO INFINITY
Doom, Psychedelic Rock
Antwerp, Belgium
Self-released

Utilizing elements of progressive and traditional heavy metal in conjunction with a doom influence, spine-chilling vocals, and unbridled creativity, HRAEFN creates a delightfully unique sound you could call “unsettling doom n’ roll”. One of my favorite things about their newest EP, Research Into Infinity, is a sci-fi feel throughout its three haunting tracks, giving the sound a palpable eeriness and creating vivid imagery. On a deeper level, these “unsettling” characteristics will do more than just grab your attention, they inspire deeper reflection about yourself and the world around you. 
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

Atmospheric turbulence is part of the trip. Things shutter and shake as this machine propels through sonic waves with the rumble of fuzz soaked amplifiers and precision engines following behind. This team of great psychedelic doom explorers, armed with nothing more than the calling of the universe, are focused ahead. With unseen planets to conquer and wormholes to surf, they are on the ultimate quest for enlightenment.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

IAN BLURTON’S FUTURE NOW – CRIMES OF THE CITY
Classic Rock, NWOHM, Hard Rock, Seventies
Canada
Pajama Party Records

These jams are built to last. Like a bitchin’ Camaro on a warm stretch of asphalt, they grip with excitement and stereo blasting good time vibes. Windows down, hair blowing in the warm wind, this adventure feels like it was directly snagged from your best friend’s older brother’s record collection when he went to a Friday night kegger and it was safe enough to toss on the turntable without getting your asses kicked for it, yet.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

KAALBAÅR – HAIL MANGOTH
Doom metal, Stoner metal, Sludge
Toulouse, France
Argonauta Records

Pachydermic riffs, terminator bass, from beyond the grave or raw nerve voices, pounding drums… KAALBAÅR brings back to life a metal on the frontier between Doom and rough Stoner, with a contemporary sludgy touch. The four tracks of Hail Mangoth will fully delight the worshipers of extreme doom. This debut EP is more than promising.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

LIFESICK – LOVED BY NONE, HATED BY ALL
Hardcore, Metal, Punk
Fredericia, Denmark
Metal Blade

As our eyes open to face the day we breathe a sigh of relief and angst. Our thankfulness for this day is overshadowed by a world built for us by the hand of mankind. Our endurance can not be broken and our vision is more clear now than ever. We see each other walking the streets. A silent nod that acknowledges we are stronger together and aware there is always an effort in motion to divide. We must remain unbroken.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

MIRACLE BLOOD – HELLO HELL
Punk, Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore
Boston, Massachusetts
Nefarious Industries

Harnessing a violent internal energy that is stoked to release upon the streets. These songs serve as a stark reminder that we have been manipulated by the soulless puppeteers with no intention beyond use, exploit and discard. At a time that appears there is nothing left but to protest with flame and cleanse the lot, we can turn to MIRACLE BLOOD for a supporting hand with a Molotov cocktail.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

MOUNT HUSH – II
Psych, Rock, Blues
Germany
Self-released

MOUNT HUSH returns with the follow-up to their highly acclaimed and beloved self-titled release from 2020, with ‘II’. The new album sees the band returning with the signature sounds we’ve become accustomed to but with a deeper dive into heavy psych and even an expansion into a space rock sound. MOUNT HUSH are additionally known for their bluesy fundamentals, while prevalent throughout, the track aptly titled ‘Blues For The Dead’ captures the band’s affection and incorporation of the genre. Another favorite is the single ‘All I See’ which has a very psychedelic mood to it, a mixture of The Black Angels meets Revolver era Beatles. The whole album has a dreamy hypnotic state to it, creating a mind-expanding listening experience you won’t want to let go of.
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)

NEON NIGHTMARE – FADED DREAM
Goth Metal, Doom Metal, Psych, Heavy Metal
Austin, TX/USA
20 Buck Spin

Sometime back in 2023, Nate Garrett (Spirit Adrift) mentioned a new project that had been percolating in his head on his semi-weekly YouTube channel Big Riff Energy. He said he wasn’t going to talk about it in detail until after it’s released and he was true to his word. Before any tracks were laid down, I took a guess that it would be incorporate influences that weren’t usually found in his Spirit Adrift albums — shoegaze, post-punk, maybe some gothic country and metal along the lines of Type O Negative, who he’d talked about listening to as a kid. Once the first video was released, the narrative was that it was just a Type O Negative tribute. But that’s just one small element of many, including Danzig, and bits of all the genres I guessed at except for country. I also hear some subtle horror synth vibes. It remains song based, with no extended synth textures, and yet the spirits of John Carpenter and Goblin lurk in the shadows. Honestly, while I had a few of the Type O Negative albums in the 90s, I like this project better. It’s more focused, a concise album that manages to be both dark and exuberant, and packed with nearly as many great riffs as a Spirit Adrift album. A perfect album for those who keep their Halloween decorations up through New Year’s.
~ A.S. Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous)

QAALM – GRAVE IMPRESSIONS OF AN UNBROKEN ARC
Doom, Prog, Metal
Los Angeles, California
Hypaethral Records

With blades gleaming and razor sharp, this album is equipped to slice through with extreme metal precision. QAALM showcase a fierce attack unexpected by any who stand in opposition. They slash with vicious aggression. Smooth laceration precedes the bludgeoning weapon of doom to pulverize the life remaining and a vocal that cracks bone. The next wave shows a side that can carry their people to greater heights with a clean vocal that is welcoming and just. There is always darkness on the horizon lurking and these blades remain sharpened.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

RAMKOT – ROSA
Rock, Alternative, Desert, Stoner, Noise
Belgium
V2

Not on bandcamp

These Belgian crazies started back in 2017, delivered their first four track self-titled ep in 2019, followed that up with What Exactly Are You Looking For in 2021 and their In Between Borderlines album last year. And now, RAMKOT is back! And not just back, they went to the desert and came back with a genuine jewel called Rosa! And they did not just go to any desert, hell no! They went to Joshua Tree and recorded at the fabled Rancho De La Luna, together with producer Alain Johannes and engineer Dave Catching. Both their touch and the energy of the magnetic Rancho are audible on the new RAMKOT album and adds the exact amount of cherries to put this album on top. As most touring bands know, it’s incredibly expensive to get your own instruments into the states. Omega Sun know how to do it right and so does RAMKOT. Don’t bring any! They used all the magical instruments available to make their own very danceable noise and sexy dance moves inspiring ruckus. Highly dynamic and beautifully diverse, the album features stonerrock songs, alternative rock, noise inspired, extremely atmospheric slow rock and even a piano ballad. And when the press release states that the amazing Zeppelin single was recorded in one take, one feels nothing by awe and admiration. The same goes for Alain Johannes, Dave Catching, Rancho De La Luna and the rest of the Rosa album… Nothing but awe and admiration!
~ Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe)

RECIDIVIST – MADNESS MALFORMED
Death Metal
Salt Lake City, Utah
Creator-Destructor Records

Deep within the dark caverns of rot and malice, a darkness has begun to stir. The harsh growl of a being without name slowly trembles the ground we stand upon. It reverberates from the tongue of man as dust and mildew scent the air with massive riff and chug. What echoes from the depths? It is a slower paced demon, not afraid to lash out at a moment’s notice. It confronts the world as the sun sinks and eternal shadow returns once again.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

RED SCALP – HALLUCIONATIONS
Hardrock, Psych, Prog, Proto, Space, Stoner
Pleszew, Poland
Self-released

RED SCALP is back with a short but intense EP in which they capture their evolution as a band. A band that has reflected its progress and compositional maturity in each new release since its beginnings. An intense sidereal odyssey on a round trip to the most glorious past of rock. At times crazy and chaotic, the Polish band once again shows its cards in a move that may seem strange, but it is a daring move, and above all, a winning move. Through three songs and two brief interludes, their overwhelming heavy-psych bet, travels through spaces more typical of 70’s proto-metal, space rock, kraut, stoner and progressive territories. Can you offer more for less? That’s RED SCALP, a band capable of many things, and all of them good.
~ Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)

RITUAL FOG – BUT MERELY FLESH
Death metal, death doom, hardcore, thrash
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Transcending Obscurity Records

Trimmed of all fat, RITUAL FOG‘s But Merely Flesh is a lean, mean killing machine that hits and hits and hits again. Mixing OSDM with thrash to punishing effect, RITUAL FOG have forged a slab of metal that is sheer force of will and brute strength given sonic form.
~ Kyle SB (Good Boy PR, Stoner HiVe)

SCARECROW – SCARECROW III
Proto-Metal, Prog, Stoner Rock, Orchestral
Perm, Russia
Scarecrow Records & Ritual Sound

Blustering riffs, thunderous rhythms and unique vocals twinned with orchestral flourishes and traditional instrumentation, SCARECROW are not a band who make music that follows fashions or trends they make the music they want to make and if you like it they are happy and if you don’t they’ll just carry on doing what they do regardless, long may this mindset continue.
~ Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)

SEA OF SNAKES – BOW TO NO ONE
Doom, Stoner Metal
Los Angeles, California, USA
Glory or Death Records

Imagine if members of Alice In Chains and Faith No More got together and decided they wanted to jam some doom and having decided to go down this path then opted not to take the obvious Black Sabbath route but to lean towards a more Dopelord-ish dynamic while still retaining an essence of their own respective bands sound. Well given that scenario the sound you might now be hearing in your head just maybe something akin to that which Doom, SEA OF SNAKES deliver with “Bow To No One“, a stunning blend of dark grunginess and dank doom that is just sublime on all its various levels.
~ Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist)

After their previous full length, the excellent ‘The Serpent And The Lamb’ blew my mind as well as my speakers, now lumbers forth the latest album from Los Angeles SEA OF SNAKES called ‘Bow To No One‘ and as with ‘The Serpent And The Lamb’ this is right on point. ‘Bow To No One‘ sees the band fully embracing a doomier direction that was hinted at with previous songs such as End Of The Sun. There is an abundance of riffs, huge and full of depth for the listener to revel in. I was particularly struck by the grandeur and clarity of the excellent mix creating a more satisfying crystalline crunch to the tracks rather than a dreary thud. Despite the lucidity of the production, ‘Bow To No One’ isn’t overly polished, the undercurrent of stoner sees to that but neither is it choked in fuzz allowing the dynamism of the songs to shine through, songs that aren’t shackled by rigidity that this genre often harbours. enhancing the heaviness of the album and allowing the tracks to ebb and flow like magma. A bastion of doom for 2024.
~ Steve Woodier (Anointing The Sick)

SILVERSHIPS – KINGDOM OF DECAY
Stoner Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Hamburg, Germany
Tonzonen Records

SILVERSHIPS, an immensely talented stoner/psych trio from Hamburg, have made quite an impression on the heavy underground scene with their debut EP, Kingdom of Decay. With a sound that’s been likened to Queens of the Stone Age meets Pink Floyd and the Doors, SILVERSHIPS builds upon a foundation of stoner and psychedelic rock to create both a killer groove and tangible imagery. The result is an EP that is incredibly immersive and cinematic, its four very unique tracks playing out like the most compelling theater. If this is a mere taste of SILVERSHIPS’’ musical prowess, I can’t imagine what they have in store for the future!
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

SILVERSHIPS plays a stoner rock strongly tinged with psychedelia whose roots are in the psych rock of the 60s, proto-metal of the 70s, hard rock of the 80s and grunge of the 90s. Kingdom Of Decay is a 4 track EP which consists of 2 very good titles surrounded by 2 extraordinary titles. So, the pleasure goes from this first powerful song whose finale is a wild jam, to this last song like a tribute to early Pink Floyd. What a debut album and what potentialities already revealed!
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

SLAT’ – ELEGIE PROPASTNÁ
Sludge, Doom, Stoner
Brno, Czechia
Self-released

After a 2021 Demo, Czechia’s SLAT’ came roaring back with their full-length debut and absolutely walloped me for missing their first release. Crushing, groovy, filthy sludge with a gnashing vocal attack that reminds me of Seum in its unhinged intensity. SLAT’ is a force to be reckoned with.
~ Kyle SB (Good Boy PR, Stoner HiVe)

SLOWER – RAGE AND RUIN
Doom, Metal, Slayer
California, Washington, Sweden
Heavy Psych Sounds

I am so happy that SLOWER was not a one-off project. In case you missed it, SLOWER is a stoner/doom supergroup that does Slayer covers all doomed up with haunting female vocals.  The first record from January of this year was excellent, and the second is just as good or maybe even better. So why is this better? Slayer covers now combined with SLOWER originals! For Rage And Ruin the band for all six tracks consists of Amy Tung-Barrysmith from Year Of The Cobra on vocals and bass, Esben Willems from Monolord on drums, and the legend and hardest working man in rock (along with Tony Reed) Bob Balch (Fu Manchu, Big Scenic Nowhere/Yawning Balch) on guitar. The covers are great and the originals are even better, taking this SLOWER release to the next level.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

It is the folly of mankind to create an expectation of the unknown. We look to distant lands and imagine prosperity where, in fact, toil and ruin could lay waste to all living things unknown of its environment. Hesitation is my lunacy. Hesitance to give this album a proper listen immediately. This sludge driven powerhouse provides a precise formula, building a foundation prepared to set the devils fire upon your stereo.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

SOFTSUN – DAYLIGHT IN THE DARK
Psych, Shoegaze, Desert
California and Norway
Ripple Music

SOFTSUN is the new collaboration project from Pia Isaksen (bass and vocals) from Superlynx and who also appeared on the Yawning Balch volumes, Gary Arce (guitar) of Yawning Man and other related Yawning projects as well as in Big Scenic Nowhere, and Dan Joeright (drums) who has played with and produced a whole bunch of excellent bands, including Yawning Man and Big Scenic Nowhere. SOFTSUN is the logical next step for the output from the musicians involved here.  The Yawning projects but more shoegaze leaning and haunting female vocals? Yes, please.  While I say logical, I also mean awesome, as SOFTSUN really has something here and logical doesn’t always mean great like it does on these six tracks. This is a trip, a journey, and an album that transports you right there in the heart of whatever lonesome planet or desert oasis you have built up in your subconscious.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

SONS OF GHIDORAH – HALLOWMAS
Doom, Grunge, Stoner
New York, NY
Argonauta Records

Do you like your doom dirty and grimy and giving off major Candlemass vibes, but if Candlemass was from Seattle? Then you will love the new record from New York’s SONS OF GHIDORAH, Hallowmas. The trio brings some grunge to their doom stylings with some seriously killer results, and somehow is super catchy with everything else going on too.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

VEILBURNER – THE DUALITY OF DECAPITATION AND WISDOM
Death Metal, Black Metal, Avant-garde
Pennsylvania, USA
Transcending Obscurity Records

I’ve been impatiently awaiting the newest release from the mad genius duo that is VEILBURNER, and their latest opus on the always reliable Transcending Obscurity knocks it out of the park. As weird, enigmatic, and impeccably done as ever, Duality sees VEILBURNER crank the horrific space demon that passes as their amp up to 11. Huge riffs, otherworldly vocals, and a blatant disregard for the boundaries of death and black metal make this a must listen.
~ Kyle SB (Good Boy PR, Stoner HiVe)

VOID & THE NOTHINGNESS – VOID & THE NOTHINGNESS
Doom, Psych, Fuzz
Stuttgart, Germany
Self-released

Albums by German bands haven’t really convinced me this year. But now I’m listening to the first long player by VOID & THE NOTHINGNESS and I’m totally impressed. The guys give us seven songs with a playing time of 48 minutes. The eight-minute opener ‘Crucify Me’ with its distorted guitar and distorted vocals is reminiscent of Electric Wizard and the following ‘Wicked Hands’ should be loved by everyone who, like me, celebrates Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats. But it gets even better, because the deep, groovy ‘Taste Of Blood’ is beautifully dark and doomy, paired with multi-part vocals – wonderful, you can’t help but move your head to the beat. ‘Narkotika’ is an atmospheric instrumental number before ‘Funeral Eyes’ reminds you of ‘Electric Funeral’ by Black Sabbath. I won’t say anything about the 11-minute finale with ‘You’re Worthless’ – let yourself be surprised. VOID & THE NOTHINGNESS have delivered a real blast here and if you like Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard and especially Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, you don’t even need to listen to a sample – add it to your collection straight away.
~ Tom Schmahl (Rock Circuz)

VOLUME – JOY OF NAVIGATION (A TRIP THROUGH THE ETERNAL UNKNOWN)
Space, Stoner, Psych, Garage
Twentynine Palms, California
Kozmik Artifactz

Yeah right, like I’m not going to like an album from a band made up of guys who were in Monster Magnet, Nebula, Queens of the Stone Age, Mondo Generator, and a bunch of other cool bands and that calls out Monster Magnet’s 25…Tab as a reference point. If you like heavy psych, early Monster Magnet, things that are awesome, and bands having fun making killer music, listen to the new VOLUME record. My only complaint with Joy Of Navigation is that it is short at under 30 minutes, and I always want more VOLUME, but hey, in this case you can listen to it twice in one sitting. 
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip)

Originally formed in 1993 by ex-Fu Manchu singer Patrick Brink, the band on this recording features Monster Magnet guitarist Ed Mundell, drummer Mike Amster (Nebula) and production/keyboards by Dave Catching, so you could say that VOLUME is something of a Stoner Rock supergroup ‘Joy of Navigation‘ is the band’s latest album and contains five songs of immersive psychedelic stoner. The opening track ‘Mercury Pull’ is a real slow burner. When it first started I thought I was listening to something by Hawkwind but the celestial petals soon unfold into a Samsara Blues Experiment like stimulant, lazily dissolving into the cosmic ether before the emotion of the song dramatically changes into a ripping, heavy rocking roller coaster. ‘Mercury Pull’ turns out to be the calm before an extremely fierce storm of strutting, barrel chested riffs with fuzz more or less stripped away exposing a diamond hard metallic core. This enables the album to breathe and reveals the most interesting aspect of an already thoroughly absorbing record. If you listen closely, the soloing hardly ever stops. It’s either in the background like incessant chatter or posturing wildly above the mayhem, often mutated by special effects pedals. ‘Joy Of Navigation (a trip through the eternal unknown)‘ definitely hits the perfect spot, evolving from the album ‘Requesting Permission To Land’ which was a musical child of its time (also an essential buy) into a modern, dynamic, sonic force.
~ Steve Woodier (Anointing The Sick)

WITCHPIT – FOREVER SPOKEN
Doom, Sludge
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Heavy Psych Sounds

Villagers in the distance sense the dark magic in the air. Something stirs that brings chaos to a once settled landscape. Tingling hairs raise on arms as they see the subtle glow of a burning hot cauldron on the mountain cliff in the distance. Animals begin to rustle as they feel earth move under foot and stone shards begin to rain down from the skies. A voice thunders out and the dense clouds transform to dragons flame.
~ Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick)

WIZARD MUST DIE – L’OR DES FOUS
Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock 
Lyon, France
Self-released

With their second full-length album, L’Or des Fous, WIZARD MUST DIE relies less on their stoner/desert beginnings and dives headfirst into proggy heavy psych, without sacrificing a bit of heaviness. L’Or des Fous features six tracks that, in true progressive form, are fluid and changeable, following a very natural flow as they move between moods. The contrast between each of these layers is sharp, ranging from utterly turbulent to melancholic to peacefully serene, often switching among these with little to no warning. Listening to L’Or des Fous in its entirety is a bit like flying through the clouds at the mercy of the atmospheric conditions: alternately getting tossed around in the tempests, sobered through the gray stratum, and soothed as you soar through sun-streaked wisps. 
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

WIZRD – ELEMENTS
Prog, Jazz-Rock, Southern Rock
Oslo, Norway
Karisma

Starting as Hallvard Gaardløs’ student project at Trondheim’s Jazz Conservatory, WIZRD includes members of  Krokofant, Soft Ffog, Draken, Megalodon Collective, Spidergawd and more. Their debut Seasons (2022), produced by Martin Horntveth (Jaga Jazzist), which was one of the year’s best, a unique fusion of jazz-rock, psych prog and Southern rock. German band Epitaph touched on this combo in the early 70s, but it’s largely been an untapped goldmine waiting for other bands to take it further. In my review of the debut I noted an uncanny resemblance to White Denim, and here both are releasing albums on Dec 6. There is no indication either band is aware of each other, though they reference two other American bands, The Mars Volta and Black Mountain. The harmonized vocals reach higher registers, floating over some frantic yet swinging fretwork, bringing to mind early Yes jamming with Mahavishnu Orchestra and The Allman Brothers. Their countrymen Motorpsycho is also present in spirit, as they sing a few of the songs in Norwegian. The band really let’s loose with over the top performances that should please the musician nerds while remaining exciting and accessible for a potentially larger audience. If King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard can get away with releasing academic music theory exercises as albums and grow a vast audience, why not the more consistent Norse counterparts.
~ A.S. Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous)

WORMSAND – YOU, THE KING
Stoner-Doom, Heavy Psych, Sludge
Menton, France
Mrs Red Sound

You, The King is the second full-length album from  grunge-tinted sludgy doomlords WORMSAND. The layered and sophisticated tracks boast a foundation of viscous sludge, and while there are hints of grunge influence, I hear much more in common with classic heavy metal, progressive metal, and traditional doom. Powerful, ultra-melodic vocals occasionally trade off with sludge metal growls inside a seemingly impenetrable fortress of sound. Delicate notes of doom-laden psychedelia do slip through the cracks, but instead of placating, they build apprehension, rising like an eerie mist. Strong contrasts in intensity, buzzing riffage, and impressive vocals add even more dimension to a sound that could be described, in a word, as “epic”.
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

The Doom Charts November 2024 – 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:

Adam Walsh (Earmunchies); Andy Kovalcik (Bandcamp-NYP-Hard&Heavy); A.S. Van Dorston (Fast n Bulbous); Ben Bellum (The Greatest Thing You’ve Never Heard); Billy Goate (Doomed & Stoned); Bob “Mr. Weird Beard” Baker (More Fuzz Podcast); Bobby Rayfield (Monuments In Ruin, Inherent Records, Mystery Pick); Brandon Collins (Morbid And Miserable Records); Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect); Chris Beck (Doom Tomb Podcast); Chris Tighe (The Mighty Decibel); Clint Willis (Hand of Doom Radio); Damien Regnauld (Stoner Freaks Anthology); The Doom Oracle (Spectral Ecstacy); Edouard Dubuisson (Les chroniques d’Eddy, MetalUniverse); Eric Crowe (Doomsayer Records / Halo Of The Goat Radio); Frazer Jones (Desert Psychlist); ‘The General’ (Stoner Rock Army) Günther “Doktor420” (Stoner HiVe); Ioannis Valiakos (Desert Vulture); James Sweetlove (CaveDwellerMusic); JC Cansdale-Cook (The MotorFuzzin’ Ibex); Jim Thompson (Heavy in the Hills); Jipsy Froud (CleanAndSoberStoner); JJ “HP Taskmaster” Koczan (The Obelisk); John Gist, (Vegas Rock Revolution / The Doomed & Stoned Show); Jon Cosky (Gravitoyd Heavy Music); Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun); Jonny Pirie (Hour of the Riff); Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe); Justin Wittenmeier (Metal Temple, DoomedForMetal); Kyle SB (Good Boy PR, Stoner HiVe); Lee Edwards (The Sleeping Shaman); Marc-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects); Mats Florstam (Ozium Records); Matthew Thomas (Taste Nation); Matthew Hartnett (Heavy Galaxy); Mel Lie (Sunday’s Heavy Tunes); Michael D’Amato (Playgroundz Rocks, D’Amato Production); Mitch Kline (DoomyRiffs.com); Mr Stone (More Fuzz); Nick Pipitone (The Third Eye, Monster Riff); Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker (The Ripple Effect); Remi VL (Remi Post Too Many Links); Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip); Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz); Roberto Fuentes (La Habitación 235); Rod Reinhardt (Captain Beyond Zen); Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe); Ryan Foster (Slightly Fuzzed); Ryan Hilton (Black Throne Productions); S Patrick Brooks (The Heavy Underground Farm Report, Outlaws of the Sun); Scott Spiers (CleanAndSoberStoner, Monster Riff); Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground); Steve Howe (Outlaws of the Sun); Steve Woodier (Anointing The Sick); Stevie Reek (Howls from The Hollows, Doomed&Stoned, Stoner HiVe); 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).

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.