“Though I’m past one hundred thousand miles
~ misheard David Bowie lyrics
I’m feeling very still
And I think the Doom Charts knows which way to go…”
Time flies by ever faster. And the faster the world spins, the shorter the lights will glow. But luckily, we have these amazing albums to bring us into a time and space where everything can last forever. Music is an entirely different kind of art, and the only one that can truly do this. Because those sounds, those notes, those rhythms, and those riffs, leaking away from the Earth, will travel through the universe for all time, beyond our comprehension of the very concept of time itself… Below are 18 albums capable of granting you escape velocity. Climb aboard, leave the world behind, and let the music carry you beyond the boundaries of time…
The following are words of adoration from Doom Charts Contributors, devotions to albums they could not stop spinning. Each month, our writers gather to celebrate the finest in doom, sludge, metal, stoner, progressive, psychedelic, and other heavy realms. Their selections are woven into the Doom Charts, published on the first Friday of every month. But some affections run too deep for the regular edition. Some albums fall just outside the chart, or inspire so many write-ups, and only one was chosen. Here, those excesses of love remain… Unfiltered, unbound, and still echoing… A few last words which hopefully will inspire you to listen to those albums…
7 WEEKS – GOING BACK HOME
Alt Rock, Stoner Rock, Heavy Rock
Limoges, France
F2M Planet
Wow! I’m instantly hooked by the sound quality of this tenth album by 7 WEEKS: raw, powerful, and fiercely rock! Produced by Adrian Bushby (a two-time Grammy Award winner for his work with MUSE and FOO FIGHTERS), the band brilliantly realizes its ambitions. Going Back Home skillfully blends the grit of a stoner rock trio with an undeniable melodic sensibility. The band holds nothing back, adding, here and there, sci-fi electronic textures or catchy choruses. This EP shines a spotlight on a great melodic heavy rock band.
~ Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral)
CASTLE – CARRIE CHAINS
Heavy Metal, Doom Metal
San Fransico, California, USA
Hammerheart Records
Heavy metal for the masses! CASTLE have a barnburner here with their seventh album, Carrie Chains. The album occasionally delves into NWOBHM, thrash, and doom, but at its core, it’s an old-school metal record steeped in tradition. The guitar work is distinctively crunchy and riff-driven, with melodic leads that add plenty of flair and intensity. Both the rhythm and lead parts offer nods to many guitarists of the classic heavy-metal era, while the vocals are powerful and commanding, cutting through the weight of the guitars with confidence.
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)
EARLY MOODS – READY FOR THE GRAVE
Doom, Proto, NWOBHM
Los Angeles, CA, USA
RidingEasy Records
The Sabbath/proto loving Los Angeles band EARLY MOODS brings more riffs and evil on album three, Ready For The Grave, but also sound like they are straight off one of those NWOBHM comps that we all love. Like something Metallica would have covered on Garage Days when they were still cool. Like something Lars would have tape traded for back in the day. You still get plenty of Sabbath worship, but sometimes the record sounds more like Diamond Head than anything else, and that’s just fine with me.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip, Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour)
EARTH ALTAR – HAWK AND SWAN
Progressive Rock, Space Rock
Nova Scotia, Canada
Black Throne Productions
As its title might suggest, Hawk and Swan, the second full-length release from EARTH ALTAR, is an album filled with beautiful contrasts. Across the eight tracks, the Canadian duo maintains an utterly captivating balance between warm, earthy tones and the eerie coolness of electronica. In addition, the enchantingly unpredictable path of space and progressive rock adds mystery, while a healthy amount of trippiness ensures the listener never knows what’s coming next from the mind-bending ride that is Hawk and Swan. And, although the album is primarily instrumental, EARTH ALTAR proves that they don’t require words to relay a spellbinding story, setting brilliantly colored scenes and enthralling the listener with the thrilling twists and turns found on each and every track. Much less about genre affiliation and entirely about the immersiveness of the experience, Hawk and Swan is sure to charm music fans from both the heavy and light sides of the underground music scene.
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)
EQUISETUM – COR EX PUTREDINE
Doom Metal
Massa, Tuscany, Italy
My Kingdom Music
It goes through a myriad of different styles of doom. From traditional, Gothic, to even some of the more extreme forms. “Cor Ex Putredine,” is a dynamic offering and fortunately its two members have the chops to pull it off. Vocalist Noctuaria and multi-instrumentalist Mortifero are each masters of their respective craft—-I mean, they really dropped a stunning debut album here.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal)
EXITIUM SUI – UNRAVELING
Blackened Doom Metal
Perth, Western Australia
Meuse Muse Records
This album is a decayed beauty piece of art that matches misanthropic black metal with despondent doom….while also being moving and beautiful, albeit in a twisted, broken way. Anyone who isn’t a metalhead, specifically one that loves underground metal, would find this to be raw, archaic noise but those who know, know.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal)
LUME – BLINDING LOVE
Rock, Desert Rock, Post-Rock, Slowcore
Chicago, USA
Ohmstead Collective
Blinding Love is a slow-burning and deeply emotional record that pulls you in without ever needing to raise its voice. Built around guitar, bass, drums and vocals, LUME let the songs unfold patiently, creating an atmosphere that is intimate, heavy and completely absorbing. Subtle drones, tape loops and additional synth textures drift in and out of the core trio, adding depth without taking away from the rawness of the music. Seven tracks, 34 minutes, and an album that completely got under my skin.
~ Marek (Dezarbuzator)
MAMA DOOM – EMINENT WOMB
Doom Metal
Poughkeepsie, New York, USA
Argonauta Records
It isn’t often that a non-extreme metal band (doom or otherwise) has such an unnerving and mysterious sound but “Eminent Womb,” goes toe to toe with any of the extreme metal I’ve heard this year for sonic density and stark, underground sounds.
~ Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal)
MAUNAH – HJARTA
Doom, Post-Metal, Dark Folk
Denmark
Prophecy Productions
To the discerning listener, Hjarta, the debut album by the Danish band MAUNAH, doesn’t sound like a first attempt. And for good reason: it is the work of experienced musicians with diverse yet complementary backgrounds. This is evident in the organic finesse of the song structures, which draw on doom and post-metal influences. It is also evident in the powerful, raw energy they capture and the heavy, dark atmospheres that gently give way to lighter, more ethereal ones. It’s a wonderful blend in which Søren Sol Koldsen-Zederkof’s folk-tinged vocals find their rightful place beautifully! MAUNAH invites us on an introspective journey in communion with the elements, one that is bound to stir your soul and overwhelm your emotions!
~ Jay Baner (La Capsule Stoner)
MISTER EARTHBOUND – MABON
Swamp Rock, Psychedelic Rock
Richmond, Virginia, USA
Self-Released
Virginian psychedelic swamp rockers MISTER EARTHBOUND are back on the fall equinox with Mabon, the third in a series of four season-themed EPs. For this autumnal release, the band appropriately allows a noticeable amount of darkness to creep into their sound, replicating the onset of decay that spreads through previously lush vegetation and the sudden bite of acrid chill in the air. While you’ll still hear the hazy waves of psychedelia and the swampy, bluesy soul that make up MISTER EARTHBOUND‘s signature sound, the band’s doom influences really come to the forefront, adding a palpably sinister edge. While I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each of MISTER EARTHBOUND‘s seasonal EPs, marvelling at how well the band captures the mood of each period while painting strikingly vivid sonic landscapes to match, I can safely say that Mabon is my favorite…so far!
~ Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground)
MOON DESTROYS – OMNI
Stoner Rock, Heavy Psych, Post-Grunge
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Blues Funeral Recordings
The first MOON DESTROYS record was pretty cool. It seemed to be missing just a little something, but how can you go wrong with anything that former Torche guitarist Juan Montoya is involved in? Well, the band certainly found what was missing, and so much more, with Zach Amster from the amazing Denver band Abrams, joining as lead singer and on rhythm guitar, with the results being the gigantic, fuzzy, heavy and wonderful second record from the band that is OMNI.
~ Rich Piva (Musipedia of Metal, FuzzDoomRip, Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour)
Landing somewhere between Deftones and Mastodon in the key of King Buffalo, MOON DESTROYS wrecks the stage with its huge riffs, pop infused energy and unrelenting groove. OMNI in contention for AOTY!
~ Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect, Doomed & Stoned Countdown Show)
MORTUARY CAVE – DARKNESS ECHOES
Death-Doom, Doom, Sludge
Canada, British Columbia
From The Urn Records
I still haven’t found my definitive Album Of The Year yet, but the debut from these Canadians has a VERY good chance of grabbing that title! The trio all have (harsh) vocal duties , that in combo with constant tempo shifts, great riffs and variation within the tracks is enough to tick all the boxes that are required to call this an EXCELLENT album! (or mini-album as they themselves suggested). If you’re into MSW (Hell) or Lungburner then this is for you!
~ Rob Hammer (Rob Hammer, Doom/Stoner/Sludge/Psychedelic)
PROBLEM WITH DRAGONS – PERMIAN
Metal, Doom, Prog, Sludge, Stoner
Easthampton, Massachusetts, USA
Self-released
On Permian, PROBLEM WITH DRAGONS unleash a primordial collision of crushing sludge, proggy doom and cosmic psychedelia. Nine tracks of tectonic riffs, punishing grooves and ritualistic vocals twist through eerie atmospheres and hypnotic, space-bound excursions. Prehistoric in weight, extraterrestrial in spirit, this is metal from a world before memory. When dragons existed…
~ Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe)
SATURNA – LIGHT AND SHADOW
Classic Rock, Psychedelic, Soulful Blues Rock
Barcelona, Spain
Spinda Records / Ripple Music / Discos Macarras
Light and Shadow, two fundamental forces existing in both opposition and harmony, both are found throughout in a delicate balance. The softer, slower-oriented songs, with their combination of psych and blues, are already part of SATURNA’s repertoire, but you may be surprised to find a solid amount of 70’s rock represented here on Light and Shadow. Some of the tracks go into proto-metal territory, with excellent throwback guitar riffs which only add to the overall appeal. The powerful vocals are ever-present and remain a defining part of SATURNA’s sound. Together, these elements make for another strong entry in their catalog.
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)
STILL WATER ZOMBIES – STILL WATER ZOMBIES
Doom, Psychedelic Doom
St Marys, Georgia, USA
Self-released
Formed in 2025, the band STILL WATER ZOMBIES has just released its eponymous debut LP. Showcasing impressive musical maturity, the band skilfully explores the various dimensions of psychedelic doom, infusing their sound with generous amounts of fuzz and subtle proto-metal influences that approach them with the Nordic scene. All the elements are there: power, energy, melodies… The formula is familiar, but striking the right balance can often be difficult at first. But when it comes to this album, the balance is there, and it’s perfect. In my opinion, Still Water Zombies is one of those brilliant debut albums that could establish the band as one of the best in its genre for years to come, provided they can build on this success, of course.
~ Jay Baner (La Capsule Stoner)
SUB RUINAM – SUB RUINAM III
Doom, Sludge, Drone, Noise
Midlands, England
Self-released
Weight of a really heavy thing falls slowly and crushes you… by hugging. Thats what they sounds like. There is that kind of anger you imagine you’d hear from the other apartments, so incomprehensibly hateful it is hard to fathom, but when you knock on the door they’re the nicest and most polite person alone in there. The album is an amazing collection of aural offences, mostly centered on the lower end of the sound range and if I had to guess without listening I’d say it’s all below about 700 Hz range. These are the vibes I get from SUB RUINAM. And I LOVE it! If you liked last year’s Old Year album “No Dissent”, you’ll love this one too.
~ Jukka ‘Shrike’ Kolehmainen (Shrike’s Listens)
THE WELL – …AND FLAMES RAN LIKE LIVING ANIMALS
Psychedelic Rock, Doom, Stoner
Austin, Texas, USA
Spaceflight Records
A powerful, eclectic, and rich emotional electrifying well of music. Texas sludge and psychedelic fuzz pummels your soul and requires repeated listening for full effect. A slab of music destined to be appreciated for the times.
~ Turbo (Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour)
VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CITY – VENCEREMOS
Heavy Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Progressive Rock, Folk Rock
Ioannina, Greece
Napalm Records
Much like Age of Aquarius, VILLAGERS OF IOANNINA CIT deliver us an album that is full of magic and charm, partly due to their continued use of traditional instruments, which have become a signature part of their sound. In comparison to that album, Venceremos has much darker lyrical themes with an honest view of the dilapidated state of the world and of man. The songs slowly build, gradually unfolding into epic tracks filled with emotion and intensity. Subjects of greed, war, and control are present, but so too are hope, change, and resistance.
~ Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun)
After quite a few requests, the Peroration Playlist is back…
Click below to listen to all albums featured on this Peroration Edition available on Spotify…
Doom Charts Peroration Playlist
Don’t forget to visit all those individual pages for longer reviews, news and interviews…
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); Bucky Brown (The Ripple Effect); Chris Beck (Doom Tomb Podcast); Chris Tighe (The Mighty Decibel);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); Jon McGough (Stoner Rock Army, Stoner HiVe, Outlaws Of The Sun); Jonny Pirie (Hour of the Riff); Joop Konraad (Stoner HiVe); Jukka ‘Shrike’ Kolehmainen (Shrike’s Listens); Justin Wittenmeier (DoomedForMetal); Kyle SB (Good Boy PR, Stoner HiVe); Marc-Eric Gagnon (Stonefly Effects); Marek (Dezarbuzator); Mitch Kline (DoomyRiffs.com); 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); Rod Reinhardt (Captain Beyond Zen); Ronny Dijksterhuis (Stoner HiVe); Stephanie Zalta (DoomCakes, Screaming From The Heavy Underground); Steve De Rique (Howls from The Hollows, Doomed & Stoned,Stoner HiVe); Thierry “Pumpkin-T“ François (Metal Intégral); Tom Hanno (Tom’s Reviews); Tom Schmahl (Rock Circuz) & Turbo (Rich & Turbo’s Heavy Half Hour).
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.
