“Too much love will kill you
If you can’t make up your mind
Torn between the Doom Charts and the album you leave behind…”

~ probably mixheard Queen lyrics…

No we did not forget about December… But, as usual, it was hectic month, and there were less extra blurbs written for that December Edition than normal. So, we include the Peroration Blurbs from December in this, now, massive list for January! No less than 32 albums that all deserve your attention. Cause as you know, the albums below are on high rotation at one or more of the Contributors’s homestead. And this is why we do the Doom Charts in the first place, because we love heavy music so much, we can’t stop talking about it…

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. 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…

BACKENGRILLEN – BACKENGRILLEN
Doom, jazz, experimental
Umeå, Sweden
Svart Records

Heavy doom meets jazz with experimental vocals that shriek eerily at times, as well as all kinds of rock thrown around and added in a manic way. Like someone’s wielding a dagger in one hand and axe in the other while blindfolded. Yes, this is music, but at the same time so much more; an experimental art form all its own that you just have to experience to be able to fully comprehend. At least, when your scope and stamina are equipped sufficiently, because this won’t be for everyone. Yet, if you can find the dedication and immerse yourself fully in the weird world BACKENGRILLEN is creating, you’ll without a doubt find yourself enjoying whatever engulfs you. This is one fantastic album.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

BARBEARS – BEARZERKER BLUES
Metal, Sludge, Doom, Stoner
Hungary
Self-released / Metal.Hu

A crushing slab of sludge steeped in doom and stoner grit, Bearzerker Blues marks a bold evolution for Hungary’s fiercest outliers. From razor-edged riffs to bass-heavy grooves and punishing drums, the album balances raw power with surprising nuance. Sudden shifts, textured passages, and restrained clean vocals add depth, while new frontman Zoltán Molnár delivers lyrics that move from dark humor to soot-stained nihilism. Rage simmers rather than explodes, creating relentless tension across seven cohesive tracks. Unified in tone and driven by hard-earned chemistry, this is an honest, ritualistic record that unfolds with weight and leaves a lasting mark.
~ Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe)

CABFIGHTER – THE SEA BETWEEN STARS
Grunge, 90s Alt, Stoner, Psych, Metal
Portland, Oregon, USA
Self-released

The Sea Between Stars is impossible to pigeonhole. CABFIGHTER delightfully crosses over all sorts of genres with the ten songs on their debut record but never does it not seem like one, cohesive listening experience. Sure, I can throw some bands out there, like the criminally underrated 90s band The God Machine, but I can also hear CABFIGHTER‘s love for 80s metal, 90s grunge and alt rock, classic rock, prog, stoner, etc. What I can say for sure is that The Sea Between Stars needs to be heard by all because from the opening note this huge sounding epic just grabs you, pulls you in, and does not let go for just under 52 minutes.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip, Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour)

THE CREATURE CAGE – STAGNUM OPUS: SONGS FROM THE BOG
Heavy Psych, Doom, Stoner
Miami, FL , USA
Self-released

THE CREATURE CAGE’s latest release, STAGNUM OPUS: SONGS FROM THE BOG came in at number 39 on the December Doom Charts and it needs to be talked about. This Miami trio has been churning out albums since 2018. However, they have since transitioned from a garage/punk style to a heavier psychedelic doomier sound on this new album and I am mightily impressed. Lots of cool heavy psych variety here with 6 tracks (all but one) over 7 minutes including the epic 16 minute closer Stagnum Opus PT I – III. So those who love long heavy psychedelic walks on the beach, this one is for you!
~ Hugh Jones (The OG Metal Prophet, The Prophet’s Heavy Underground)

DOUBTSOWER – THE PAST MELTS AWAY WITH A SNEER
Experimental Doom metal
Cardiff, Wales, UK
Unbidden Audio

“The Past Melts Away With A Snear,” is just as far reaching. Its tendrils spiral out from a doom foundation and grasp hold of unique sounds across an unconventional structure. The phrase “There is nothing new under the sun,” isn’t something DOUBTSOWER knows anything about. This time it comes in the form of one long song, just under 49 minutes in length. Some may balk at that but if you’re a true fan of doom or prog, the length won’t bother you. Besides, this song has as much depth, dynamics and wow moments as any album with individual songs. As the song progresses, it both feels like world building and world falling. It is very clear to me that each changing moment of the song was meticulously crafted to bring about new avenues yet remain connected to the greater whole. The album is weird and strange in the best ways possible but it always makes sense.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal)

EVERFELT – STIRRING TO WAKE
Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Groove Rock
Marion, Illinois, USA
Self-released

Despite all the precautions one might take, it’s not uncommon for excellent albums to slip under the radar. Fortunately, it’s never too late to talk about great music. That’s how STIRRING TO WAKE by American band EVERFELT, released in December 2025, ended up in my top list for January and even climbed to third place. The album offers a groovy, catchy heavy rock sound driven by seductive, complex, well-crafted tunes and, most of all, the clear, powerful voice of the lead singer. It instantly captured my attention, and I completely immersed myself in this slightly off-the-beaten-path, hypnotic journey, which I enjoy revisiting with great pleasure every time.
~ Jay Baner (La Capsule Stoner)

FLUX HOUND – MOSS OPERA
Heavy Psych, Noise Rock, Doom, Stoner, Jazz
Melbourne, Australia
Substatik Recordings

With influences ranging from heavy psych through noise rock, stoner and doom to jazz and free jazz, FLUX HOUND have created an intriguing album full of power and tension that makes you want to smash your living room to pieces at one moment and make hot, heated love with your other half (or multiple others) the next. Weird and wonderful indeed.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

An opening flurry of Free Jazz improv sets the tone for FLUX HOUND‘s “Moss Opera“. This Melbourne band like to tread through the cornucopia of dissonance and spaced-out rocket propulsion, doing so with a deftness akin to acolytes treading the rice paper of Doom… Impressive, Immersive, Immense!
~ Stevie Reek aka Steve De Rique (Howls from The Hollows, Doomed & Stoned, Stoner HiVe)

GLÓRACH – 2026
Doom, Blues
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Self-released

GLÓRACH knows the deal when it comes down to creating some spellbinding instrumental doom: low tuned guitars, powerful rhythms, a relentless groove and (in their case) a bong within reach for some added inspiration. Addictive stuff.
~ Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe)

GLUECIFER – SAME DRUG NEW HIGH
Hard Rock, Stoner, Garage Rock
Oslo, Norway
Steamhammer

Remember when music was about energy, singalong choruses, dazzling guitar breaks, sweat and passion? These guys do. GLUECIFER play a hugely addictive mix of garage punk rock’n’roll. Like a shot of adrenaline mainlined into the brain, machine gun solos are fired out from fuzz pedals set to kill over insanely catchy but primitive riffs. Hey droogies, bang your heads up and down to these killer tunes which make you want to break things, drink heavily or just shout in strangers faces about this album you are listening to! Get hip to the high priests of boogie, smell the stench of amps turned up to 11 and worship at the altar of “fuck you!” … This is the good shit!
~ Tony Maim (Black Insect Laughter, Stoner HiVe)

HÄLLAS – PANORAMA
Progressive, Seventies, Eighties, Adventure Rock 
Jönköping, Sweden
Aventyr Records

The trumpets blare from atop the battlements as the castle gate swings open onto the moat, inviting us on an epic journey of fantasy and ancient medieval legends with ‘PANORAMA’. With a song clocking in at over twenty-one minutes, they banish the ghosts that had haunted me about the band lately. Old-school progressive hard rock with a myriad of compositional resources to ensure nothing feels mundane. An impressive album. Undoubtedly more symphonic and somewhat removed from the heavy-rock of their recent releases, HÄLLAS revitalize themselves as a solid band with a broad sonic palette, remaining true to their characteristic sound and lyricism in what is surely their most varied and complex work to now.
~ Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz)

HEXJAKT – BLESSING OF THE DAMNED
Doom, Stoner, Sludge
Sweden
Majestic Mountain Records / Burning Skull Records

Release number two of 2025 from Swedish doomsters HEXJAKT has the band bringing more of their heavy doom with sludge and even some psych leanings on their first full length record, Blessing Of The Damned. A step forward from their January of this year EP, I dig the heavy, doomy, hardcore/High On Fire vibes I get from this one. Good stuff.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip, Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour)

I wasn’t familiar with the band before being sent their promo and wasn’t sure what to expect.  So what did I get?  Deep, dark doom that’s so heavy that it feels both surreal and uneasy.  Is hell real?  I don’t know but if I had to walk through, this album would be a soundtrack to what I could only assume is my impending doom. HEXJAKT’s “Blessing of the Damned,” is a visceral, ferocious doom metal that shows the true power of a doom metal band who goes above and beyond to provide a truly underground, pulverizing experience.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal)

HIDAS – A SENSE OF IMPENDING DOOM
Doom 
Munich, Germany
Tonzonen Records

German instrumental trio HIDAS delivers a solid slab of the genre we’re named for on their new album A Sense of Impending Doom. While a particularly heavy base of doom does provides the framework for this aptly-titled release, you’ll also hear plenty of nods to multiple metal genres including classic heavy metal, black metal, and death. Furthermore, HIDAS maintains the momentum and intrigue throughout A Sense of Impending Doom, keeping the crushing riffs, shredded solos, and haunting interludes barreling toward the listener from start to finish. Whether you’re a fan of instrumental music or not, you’ll certainly appreciate HIDAS‘S ability to capture the essence of metal in a very comprehensive way, infusing their sound with that timeless, addictively heavy stuff that makes fans of metal music across the board tick.
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

INDICA BLUES – UNIVERSAL HEAT DEATH
Psychedelic, Blues, Doom, Stoner
Oxford, UK
Majestic Mountain Records

Universal Heat Death crawls forward on thick, fuzzed out riffs that feel heavy in both weight and intent, balancing doom pressure with a gritty blues undercurrent. The band lets the songs breathe just enough, using atmosphere and restraint to build tension rather than crushing everything. Vocals and guitars stay raw and expressive, giving the album a worn, end of the road feel that fits the theme without ever feeling forced.
~ Michael D’Amato (Playgroundz Rocks, D’Amato Production)

MARIANAS REST – THE BEREAVED
Melodic Death, Doom, Metal
Kotka, Kymenlaakso, Finland
Noble Demon

Few bands in the modern scene can match MARIANAS REST’s ability to balance atmosphere with real song structures.  “The Bereaved,” is both atmospheric and heavy as hell, a true mix of melancholic textures and melodic tinged death/doom.  You can be extreme in both music and emotions— “The Bereaved,” straight up nails this notion. Every member of the band is at their best.  Aapo’s keys continue to play a big role in the band; he isn’t there to fill up space—he is the space, the texture, the very feel.  Nico M’s. and Harri’s guitars, as always, ride the line between placing notes down that can crush or weep.  Niko’s bass and Nico H’s drums continue to prove their stalwartness and both of them know exactly when to pour it on and when to hang back a bit.  And what can be said of vocalist Jaakko?  His growls/screams are insanely well done, and he continues to showcase why he is one of the more powerful ones in the business.  There are some cleans sprinkled throughout as well—expertly done and not overused.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal)

MONKEY HAM – BLACK SWAMP 
Stoner Rock, Grunge 
Huelva, Spain 
Self-released

Spanish rockers MONKEY HAM marked their ten-year anniversary as a band by releasing their Black Swamp EP, a three-track release that includes the single Today’s Latest from last Spring. On Black Swamp, MONKEY HAM establishes a solid signature sound that maintains a base of coarse and energetic stoner while boasting the brightness of alternative rock and the murky swampiness of grunge. Each track is quite the infectious little earworm, generating feel-good vibes within the listener that will hearken them back to the unparalleled rock scene of the 90s.
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

MR. DIBBS – BROWN ACID “THE ESSENTIAL MIX”
Hard Rock, Alt Hip Hop, Psychedelic Rock, Remix
Ohio, USA
RidingEasy Records

MR. DIBBS‘ remix of music from various Brown Acid compilations and bands, which combines old school psychedelic hard rock with modern alternative hip hop sounds and beats into two 20 minute slabs of unresistable grooves. If DJ Shadow and The Alchemist style instrumental hip hop is your thing, you’ll want to check this out. For those unfamiliar; Brown Acid is an ongoing series of curated compilation albums released by RidingEasy Records and Permanent Records. The series gathers rare singles from bands, very obscure and often short-lived ones, that did not achieve mainstream success nor released full-length albums. The focus is on “archival rock and roll”, specifically documenting the heavy psychedelic, hard rock, and proto-metal underground scenes of the late 1960s and 1970s, sometimes early 80’s, from around the world. The [series home page] and Bandcamp, plus the vinyl releases obviously, contain a lot more information about each release and about the bands and songs on them.
~ Jukka ‘Shrike’ Kolehmainen (Psychotropic Caravan, Abhorrence, Shrike’s Playlists)

NON – VIPASSANA
Instrumental Heavy Rock, Doom Metal, Stoner Rock, World Music 
Melbourne, Australia
Self-released

Melbourne-based mystics NON deliver a live set from Rancho Red and propel the audience through the sonic crevasses of far-distant worlds, the existential dread of the void and the cosmic bliss of meditation throughout its six track set!
~ Stevie Reek aka Steve De Rique (Howls from The Hollows, Doomed & Stoned, Stoner HiVe)

NOVIÆ – NO-VEE-AH
Doomgaze, Psychedelic, Stoner Rock
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Self-released

The debut EP from Hamilton, Ontario band NOVIÆ, No-Vee-Ah, was released at the beginning of November. Amidst the flood of releases at the time, I completely missed it. Fortunately, I rediscovered it in December when the release schedule had slowed down. The four tracks are a pure distillation of everything I love in music, so I was incredibly lucky to find it again. Discovering little gems like this is exactly what motivates me every day to explore the richness of the heavy underground scene. This is undoubtedly why La Capsule Stoner was born, and contributing to Doom Charts today naturally stems from it. The album is a perfect mix of ethereal melodies, raw power, and captivating, soaring vocals. It instantly became one of my top picks for 2025, easily climbing the ranks to reach a high position in my top list.
~ Jay Baner (La Capsule Stoner)

OLDE OUTLIER – FROM SHALLOW LIVES TO SHALLOW GRAVES
Black, Death, Metal
Australia
Iron Bonehead Productions

This is one of those albums that’s heavy and extreme without actually presenting itself as such.  It has plenty of fast paced parts mixed in with some more doom oriented aspects, while being melodic and atmospheric when needed. The flow is unique too: while it doesn’t ever languish, the songs don’t get into a rush, choosing to take their time to unfurl rather than vomit forth their many ideas. I like this a lot, it makes for a smooth listen that I don’t always get in extreme metal.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal)

ORANGO TANGO – EMPYREAN 
Heavy Psych, Stoner, Rock
Porto, Portugal 
Self-released

Empyrean is mostly instrumental, but that shouldn’t stop the naysayers from checking this out. The album is packed with the heavy stoner jams our readers crave, layered with a healthy dose of psych textures woven into the background. The bass delivers a weighty, hypnotic groove, while the drummer pounds out precise thunderous hits. Meanwhile, the lone guitarist exploits the space in between, forging riffs and explosive leads with effortless skill. The two tracks that do feature vocals are equally impressive and give the album even more depth. Don’t miss out on this one… 
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)

SHADE – THE EXPLOITATION TAPES
Stoner, Alternative
Tunis, Tunisia
Self-released

We can consider The Exploitation Tapes as a concept album since each song immerses us in the world of a B-movie — horror, fantasy, romance, science fiction. Each film is described with clever lyrics set to a powerful, stoner beat. Yes, musically, SHADE falls within the stoner rock realm, including its psychedelic side, particularly through the hypnotic effect of the riffs, and incorporating obvious heavy metal and grunge elements – in short, a robust heavy rock where melody still has its place. To protect yourself from the man-eating beaver, listen to this album immediately!
~ Thierry “Shade-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

SKOGSKULT – SKOGSKULT
Stoner Rock, Doom
Umeå, Sweden
Bonebag Records

Warning: From their debut album, the Swedish quartet SKOGSKULT is likely to become a favorite among fans of the darkest Stoner/Doom. The band has many strengths: a solid rhythm section, a creative guitarist, and a singer who conveys many emotions in several registers. The Swedish lyrics sound mysterious and narrate the occult folklore of “forest worship”. The icing on the cake is that the mixing by Max Malmer (CAVERN DEEP) is the perfect setting for these dark, brooding vibrations.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

SPOOKY EYES – SPOOKY EYES
Retro Rock, Garage, Psych, Blues
Tasmania, Australia 
Avenue Records

SPOOKY EYES have delivered a truly authentic 70’s garage sound with this outstanding self-titled release. Proto-metal riffs and bluesy leads are abundant, and dreamy psychedelic vocals fill the record. There’s a raw, charming, organic energy running through these tracks that feels lifted from the late 60’s and early 70’s, where heavy blues, garage rock, and psychedelic exploration all collided. SPOOKY EYES bring us back to that time when things were gritty, untamed, and unapologetic. This is one that deserves some attention! 
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)

SWEATMASTER – MORE!
Rock, Garage Rock, Punk Rock 
Turku, Finland
Svart records

Ah! Here’s now a fresh, stimulating, and invigorating album from Finland: More! by SWEATMASTER. Dear friends, please keep an open mind because I’m not talking about a stoner rock, doom metal, nor heavy psych album. Their music sits at the crossroads of punk and garage rock. With 14 tracks in 38 minutes, you immediately understand that the format is concise and effective. The album lives up to its name because, indeed, we want more!
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

SYKOFANT – LEAVES
Psych, Retro, Progressive Rock
Oslo, Norway
Self-released

SYKOFANT leads us down a magical path that includes acoustic passages, soothing vocals, and bluesy lead guitar licks. The Pink Floyd influence is hard to deny and it reveals itself across multiple facets of the EP. The third track ‘Heart of the Woods’ really shows the band’s progressive side, showcasing their diversity and songwriting abilities through the sixteen-plus-minute song. Listen to the continuous mix on Bandcamp, or better yet, pair it with SYKOFANT’s previous outing ‘Red Sun’ (also available on BC as Red Sun Leaves) for an even more magical experience!
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)

Progressive rockers SYKOFANT are back with Leaves, the powerful conclusion to the two-part saga that began on their Red Sun EP. While Red Sun takes the listener along on a strenuous journey over harsh landscapes that brings about trippy, dreamlike interludes throughout, Leaves focuses on the less-often explored story of what comes after the adventure. In this case, it’s a very personal and emotional undertaking that follows the protagonist through “reflection, movement, and transformation”. While much softer overall than their previous works, Leaves still makes brilliant use of SYKOFANT‘S storytelling abilities. More specifically, the EP is marked by light and airy, scene-building respites, soothing, mellifluous vocals that crescendo along with the tale’s emotions, peaks of intensity that often include wailing guitars and a steadfast anchor of bass, and frenetic drumming that emulates a quickening heartbeat. Leaves isn’t overly serious, however; SYKOFANT manages to sneak some of their trademark surprises into the EP’s flow, including a bit of cool funkiness.In a nutshell, Leaves delivers a powerful end to an engrossing tale, and, true to form, SYKOFANT leaves no stone unturned in their sharply empathetic, evocative rendition
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

TARLUNG – AXIS MUNDI
Sludge, Doom, Metal 
Vienna, Austria
Argonauta Records

Axis Mundi is an album that fulfills me perfectly by combining sludge and doom metal in a shape very close to extreme sound, all wrapped in a sonic shell of meticulous and modern arrangements. The result proves that TARLUNG is able to unleash chaos while controlling every element of the storm—a rare skill indeed!
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-Tar“ François (Metal Intégral)

TEMPTRESS – HEAR
Doom, Stoner, Post-Rock, Grunge
Dallas, Texas, USA
Blues Funeral Recordings

The first great record of 2026 is here in the form of hear, brought to us by North Carolina via Texas power trio TEMPTRESS. These veterans of the heavy rock scene came together to create one of the surprise killer records of 2023, See, that both kicked so much ass and showed the potential of what these three together as a band could be as a true, living and breathing entity, and not just a side project. That potential is fully realized on the eight tracks that make up hear. There is this mesmerizing quality to TEMPTRESS. On the first record, Serpentine, was that track that took over control of all of your functions. On Hear, all the songs are at that level of living in your mind, rent free. January seems to always bring me one record that lasts with me all year. One that lingers in my top three for all twelve months. TEMPTRESS has given me this in the form of hear. A record that rarely leaves my mind when I think about what I want to listen to at any given point in time. No side project, indeed.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip, Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour)

Listening to the weighty but expressive tones of TEMPTRESS is truly like getting several bands in one. This trio combines elements from a plethora of genres – including doom, hardcore, post rock, sludge, and stoner rock to name a few – to create a diverse sound that flawlessly moves between crushing and ethereal atmospheres. Furthermore, each member of the band lends their vocal talents to different songs, adding infinitely more variety to their already eclectic music. TEMPTRESS‘S sophomore album hear is a collection of noticeably sharper, more focused songs on which the band’s post rock, hardcore, and noise influences are brought to the forefront. In spite of being a bit less inclined toward stoner/doom than TEMPTRESS‘S previous album SEE, hear feels even darker, and certainly more emotionally intense, generating a vulnerable but honest sound from the band that’s incredibly cathartic.
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)

TRIANGULO NEGRO – EL ULTIMO ARBOL
Stoner, Heavy Psych, Rock
Rosario, Argentina 
Self-released

In a month full of perhaps more well-known artists, I have to say I was absolutely blown away when I heard this power-trio from Argentina. The truth is, TRIANGULO NEGRO hold their own against the larger bands this month with this amazing release. The production and mastery of the instruments are instantly noticed and keep you in a state of spaced-out disbelief from start to finish. There are high-energy moments with soaring lead guitar and more settled in psych-oriented, thought-provoking songs. A nice blend of genres and moods awaits you on El Ultimo Arbol, but they’re all pulsing with life, fuzz, and pure psychedelia.
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)

VANDHALI – THE FALL OF EVIL
Doom Metal, Proto Metal, Heavy Metal 
Denver, CO, USA
Self-released

Here we are, folks, VANDHALI delivers the final chapter of its Evil Trilogy! Born In Evil was released on March 6th, followed by After Evil on June 6th, and finally, on December 6th, our hero born in Hell returns with The Fall Of Evil. 6+6+6 tracks of traditional heavy metal with a strong doom influence. In this vibrant homage to the 80s, VANDHALI brilliantly explores a metal sound bordering on heavy metal and epic doom. The narrative is dark, the music is stormy, the melodies are unforgettable, and the surprises are relentless! Thus concludes this magnificent and malevolent tribute to our favorite musical genre.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

WAKAS – REAL FINAL
Heavy Metal, Doom Metal 
Chimbote, Peru
Self-released

Take traditional heavy metal with furious heavy riffs, add a hefty dose of doom, wrap it up with vocals from another dimension, mix it all together in a raw and abrasive way and you get « the sound of WAKAS – a sound that kicks ass! » Of course, the music of Real Final will blow your mind, but the lyrics (in Spanish and Quechua) add another layer of interest; WAKAS bears witness to the historical and cultural heritage of their Inca ancestors. You can trust the Pumpkin: both the metal and the band’s concept will captivate you!
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

WASTER – LOSING ALL SIGHT
Hard Rock, Grunge, Punk
Kingston, New York, US
Self-released

WASTER have put together an adventurous, unique power house of an album. Every song is a new twist and turn through punk, grunge, and a splash of heavy metal, constantly surprising and inducing involuntary “hell yeah’s” on my first listen. The vocals are killer, the riffs are nasty, and WASTER sounds like no one else right now, this is inspiring stuff.
~ Kyle SB (Good Boy PR, Stoner HiVe)

WORMHOG – TRANSIENCE
Progressive Rock, Stoner
Tripoli, Greece
Kharckel Porquel Records

The strange Greek monster WORMHOG was born in the Stoner Rock universe but is increasingly moving away from it. Today, Transience is a luminous album of extremely intense prog metal. The singer is exceptional, and the musicians are equally so. Transience is an album that doesn’t reveal all its secrets on the first listen, but the more I listen to it, the more I’m drawn in. I’m not so far from the emotions felt a few decades ago when discovering certain albums by Blue Öyster Cult, Queensrÿche, or Rush. Believe me, these illustrious references are not undeserved!
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)

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); Ben Bellum (The Greatest Thing You’ve Never Heard); 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); Edouard Dubuisson (Les chroniques d’Eddy, MetalUniverse); Günther “Doktor420” (Stoner HiVe); Hugh Jones (The OG Metal Prophet, The Prophet’s Heavy Underground); Ioannis Valiakos (Desert Vulture); Jamie Laszlo (Sea of Tranquility); Jay Baner (La Capsule Stoner); JC Cansdale-Cook (The MotorFuzzin’ Ibex); Jim Thompson (Heavy in the Hills); Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun); Jonny Pirie (Hour of the Riff); Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe); Jukka ‘Shrike’ Kolehmainen (Psychotropic Caravan, Abhorrence, Shrike’s Playlists); Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal); Kyle SB (Good Boy PR, Stoner HiVe); Marc-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects); Mel Lie (Sunday’s Heavy Tunes); Michael D’Amato (Playgroundz Rocks, D’Amato Production); Mitch Kline (DoomyRiffs.com); Remco van Hattum (Riffsniffer); Remi VL (Remi Post Too Many Links); Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip, Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour); Rob Hammer (Rob Hammer, Doom/Stoner/Sludge/Psychedelic); Roberto Fuentes (Red House Store); Roberto Lucas (Denpa Fuzz); Rod Reinhardt (Captain Beyond Zen); Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe); Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground); Stevie Reek aka Steve De Rique (Howls from The Hollows, Doomed & Stoned, Stoner HiVe); Svempa ‘Doomsday Jesus’ Alveving (Cries From The Underworld); The Doom Oracle (Spectral Ecstacy); Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral) & Tom Schmahl (Rock Circuz).

Feel free to send in your albums to stonerdoomcharts@gmail.com where they’ll be delegated to all the Contributors 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 and your favorite albums.