Welcome to our planet of fuzz,the planet where we dedicate and pay respect to the latest and best rock, earth just can not handle! If you like your
music fuzzy and dripping in acid,come in and orbit the place where rock has no limitations, just domination. Kick back and enjoy the Journey Into Outer Space!
For the second time the Swedish Thalamus hits the surface, this time with a five tracker titled 'Sign Here for Nothing'. In 2006 Thalamus made a demo, and in 2007 the band released their highly recommended debut album 'Beneath the dying sun' which is hard to beat. Unfortunately that's what Thalamus doesn't manage to do on the new ep. But 'Sign here...' is still not bad in any way and delivers a good portion of nicely carved stoner/hard rock nuggets enough to satisfy the starving masses.
Thalamus starts off with 'Hope You Understand' which offers a quite thrilling 70's experience through time and space. Yes, I understand what this is all about and Thalamus is still making me happy with their Hammond flavoured Stoner Rock. Imagine that Blue Oyster Cult or some other 70's relic mated with Dozer or Kyuss and you're pretty close to how it sounds. The second track 'Breathe Easy' really makes me breathe easy without any difficulty, I smell greatness and self-confidence. Once again they offer you ear candy of high qualities, and not to forget the vocals which is superb!
All tracks are neatly assembled without the slightest sign of slips and even if not 'Sign Here...'is as strong as its predecessor Thalamus still shows clear signs of gigantism. Track no. three 'Black Day Sunday' runs you down like a raging bull on meth, it is fortunate that I'm writing this on a Saturday and not on a Sunday. Otherwise I would have been writing in the dark at this point. Anyway, Black Day Sunday is a loose cannon that churning out high-explosive riffs á la the seventies meets present time. This is one of the highlights for sure and it is also a proof that this ep is worthy the attention.
C'mon C'mon...let's motherfucking rock!
The Swedish Burn has returned with yet another superdooper rock carousel titled 'Rock Royale' that is a cross between 70's rock, Nick Royale and Hank Von Helvete! On the new album Burn offers you 10 fragrant rock'n roll rockets that makes one think of both The Hellacopters and Turbonegro, but also on old fav's like Blue Oyster Cult, Grand Funk Railroad, Poobah and even to some of the punkrock scene in the late 70's.
'Rock Royale' is the second school of rock that Jack Black haven't discovered yet, sad for him because for what I've heard these upstarts are something extra on stage! Unfortunately I missed them when they visited the city where I live. Yes I know, I should be punished for that, and spanked with burning guitar strings:)
The opening track 'C'mon C'mon' takes you on a nostalgic trip through burning amps and heavy hangovers. This is one hundred percent rock'n roll without the fuzz and Burn shows no signs of wanting to join the radio geeks (hopefully). The guitar riffs are cool and the vocals are a sassy mixture of Lydon and "Royale" seasoned with wonderful bass lines. The second gem 'The Wrestler' is something Mickey Rourke should have listen to before he made that movie. A word that pops up is; cocky, neat and tasteful, and when this four piece rock armada plays my ears is dancing with joy.
'A Girl Like You' and 'Oh!' are Burn's punkrock contribution of the disc that recalls of The Ramones or perhaps Boomtown Rats (early works), especially a girl like you. Oh! has a more New York Dolls meets Thin Lizzy feeling which might not be that punkish after all:) Other gems worth mentioning are; 'My Band' and the end track 'South America' which is one of the highlights on the album. Except for that South America is Rock Royale's longest track; it is a beautifully composed piece that contains both glow and superb music-making.
Rock Royale is entirely a safe bet even though there are one or two less interesting tracks. Both the presence and the fun permeate almost everything on the album which makes the less attractive songs to drown in the enjoyment. If you like the bands I previously named you will probably also like Burn.
If you are looking for some god old stoner/hard rock worshipping you have chosen "the right swamp", because this is what the Swedish Mangrove is all about.
The second effort 'A Distant Dream Of Tomorrow' contains 10 juicy tunes to chew on, that touches all aspects from the sacred 70's mixed up with a heavier stoner sound. In other words; you should not miss this power trio if you are a pre-historic fuzz rocker thirsting for some classy entertainment!
Mangrove begins the journey with the stylish 'Black Sun', which in a matter of seconds explodes and turns into an accurate fuzz machine churning out a ferocious cavalcade of yummy riffs. There is enough fuzz for everyone, even to set any space cruisin' granny off course! On the title track 'A distant...' and gem no. three 'Never Again' you get the same uplifting treatment. Especially on Never again which is a full-fledged rock hammer that hammers deep holes in the crust which is "surprisingly" similar to Black Sabbath's Never say die-era.
On the fourth song 'I've been seen upon the sun' Mangrove offers a somewhat slower performance, and the Swedes take a more relaxed position. Bands like Captain beyond, Led zeppelin and perhaps Leaf hound comes to mind, the song itself doesn't impress much on me but should satisfy those who prefer calmer rhythms. On gold nuggets like 'Mean Woman Blues' and 'Odd John's Mindtrip' the "swamp things" is back on track and fires two well-placed jaw knocks and as usual with these gentlemen, it is both well played and nicely arranged. Other highlights to this album is the eighth gem 'Walk Over the Ocean' and 'Legend Roads' which is a nice finish to a A Distant Dream Of Tomorrow, further comments is redundant since the seventies makes itself felt even here.
'A Distant Dream Of Tomorrow' is in general a safe bet, even though it made a few slips here and there. The tracks are beautifully assembled, the vocals are excellent and the sound is perfect for this kind of music. If you get hopelessly in love when you hear Grand funk railroad, Captain beyond, Positiva (latest effort), Nebula, Forte, Dozer, and Kyuss you should get this disc at once!
Someone has put a spell on Sweden and the only one that currently can save us from ruin is...Spelljammer!
The Spelljammer surely brings the juice to the fruits.
Their debut four track effort ‘Inches From the Sun’ is just as scorching as the title reveals, I only say this once; YOU CAN ALWAYS RELY ON SWEDEN WHEN IT COMES TO THIS KIND OF MUSIC!
If you are looking for some stuff that kick the balls out of the sack you have probably found the right instrument, because Spelljammer both kick balls and blow speakers (in the right volume). The guys in Spelljammer are currently looking for a label to release their stuff, so all labels; GET ON WITH IT...who will be the winning horse!?
The first song out on this beautifully crafted ep is the full fledged ‘Mountainside’, which starts with heavy grinding doomsday riffs, overlaid with a more stoner-oriented composition. Sludgy and just as heavy as it was meant to be...you get tonage of fuzzness along with a touch of doomsday sweetness. The second act ‘Witcher’ takes over where Mountainside left off, crushing and awe, and just as the previous gem you get a high-octane mixture of pissed off stoner riffs and “cheer” doomsday jumps.
If you like it raw and uncompromising, with clean vocals, you’ll like what these fuzzy wizards have cooked up; they surely know how to do it!
Spelljammer is some sort of hybrid between Acid King and a balls-kicking machine that has been buried in the sand outside Kyuss’ rehearsal “space” just waiting to be unbleached. These Swedes must have been breast milked by both Black Sabbath and Kyuss in early age because that’s just the way they sound, that is a yummy blend of fuzz rock and doom metal with some grunge thrown in. ‘Inches from the sun’ contains four well-crafted gold nuggets in 25 bong loading minutes that deserves to be placed upon the holy mountain of fuzz, not all the way up...but almost. I’m sure that Spelljammer will reach the highest peak next time; so far they have shown that the engine is booming!
Contact the band on MySpace and get yourself a copy, you can also visit Bandcamp to get their tunes. For fans of Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Acid King, Dozer, Sleep, Halfway To Gone, White Witch Canyon, galactus 77, Electric Wizard etc.
Back in the days when dignities like MC5, Thin Lizzy, Kiss and Johnny Thunders held court there were three kids who secretly drank diesel, shitted bricks and dreamed of becoming rock stars. These kids grew up and became BURN...
These rock fanatics known as Burn, hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden is a menace to society. This ain’t stoner and not that heavy but its rock’n rooooooooooooooooooooooll ladies and gentlemen, with some punk rock thrown in, and I just love it. As the title says; these kids are A REAL ROCK’N ROLL BAND! You get pure rock and fucking roll without any pompous arrangements and other shit, just plain and simple. These rockers “share the same cake” as The Hellacopters, early Kiss, Thin Lizzy, New York Dolls and MC5, and I bet the whole city of GBG shivers when this power trio takes the stage.
The first act ‘Try to get home’ is a burnout that literally drool of the 70’s delight, catchy riffs with good clean vocals and a whole lotta fun which makes you wanna go berserk through your living room with a beer in hand and there after puke yourself to death! Next track ‘Addict’ sounds pretty much the same, except for the I have-won-a-the-Hellacopters-look-a-like-contest sounding riffs with a piano in the background and everything. It’s not bad at all for being a clone and I’m quite impressed, but I think Burn should stick to their “own” sound instead of sniffing someone else’s ass.
The third upstart, ‘Burn charge recover’ is one of the outstanding tracks on ‘A Real Rock’n Roll Band’, this nugget runs through your head like a rampant horde of Mongolian monks on steroids! You get lots of good old rock’n roll stomping with lots of joy and Burn never seems to get tired in creating great music for great people. Their instruments just goes on and on like some prehistoric perpetual machine.
This trio have to be the long lost love Childs of Mr. Hellacopters and Mrs. Johnny Thunders because this is exactly how it sounds, a mix between old and new that has been Shaped into Burn. There is a refreshing ray of light that stretches through each song which makes the music feel more alive and kicking, and as I said before...this smoooooooookes! ‘A Real Rock'n Roll Band’ contains six beautifully composed gems, recorded in the same studio (evil grill) as one of my old bands which brings back some memoriesJ I’m a bit late with the review (I’m sorry) and during that time Burn have managed to put out their debut album ‘Rock Royale’ due for release on 27th of December that can be pre-ordered here at Bengans Music
Burn is a ‘retrocution’ that touches everything from the 70’s rock/hard rock era, and could easily have been one of the cool guys back in the days who was defending the rock throne against disco queers like the Bee Gee’s and ABBA. If you’re into “prehistoric” rock music together with some newer bands like The Hellacopters, Bad Wizard, Blood Of The Sun and so on you will go crazy when Burn hits the speakers. From now on my motto will be: BURN BABY BURN!
HeavyRock from Sweden
The Graviators - Storm Of Creation
Interviewed by Matt Frighetto
Matt - G'day guys, can we start with giving a brief description on how you guys met and what's been happening to date?
Hi Matt! -Martin & Johan grew up together and have known each-other forever and sometimes even get mistaken for brothers. We all come from the same place in the south (woods) of Sweden so we've known each other for quite some time. Martin and Niklas started to collaborate and recorded some songs between 2007 and 2009. Things were moving along pretty slowly when suddenly Transubstans Records contacted us after hearing a demo of the song Back to the sabbath and offered us a record deal. We became a four piece in early 2009, recorded the album in july and in august the video for Back to the Sabbath was shot. Tomas Tjader did a wonderful job on that one. Check it out on youtube!
Matt - the Record has fantastic production, where did you record it,how long did it take to record and was it costly?
We recorded in a studio called Sound Palace which is basically located in our backyard. Not literally, but it's located in the middle of the woods where we grew up. That's a big part of why we chose that particular studio, because it felt like home. Also the guys who ran it had a good reputation and we were familiar with their work. All in all we were there for about two weeks and it cost us dearly! (laughter)
Matt - Can you tell us about the label you are on Transubstans Records?
Transubstans is a label that has a great love for 70's rock and Doom Metal. They are based in the south of Sweden (Skane). We reminded them of Pentagram and that's basically how we wound up on their roster. We are obviously very flattered by this comparison and we couldn't be happier with them!
Matt - What is The Graviators song writing process?
The song writing process is usually Martin and Niklas getting together and magic happens! Both provide riffs and work out vocal melodies. Lyrics are divided up between Martin, Johan & Niklas. We could get into a whole page of who wrote what but if you buy the album it's all credited in the booklet. We all agree that the drummer does nothing! Ha Ha!
Matt - You guys have a massive yet vintage sound, what equipment do you guys use?
Martin uses a 100W Marshall Superlead from 1973 along with a Gibson SG. Johan uses Orange amplification and a Fender Jaguar. Henrik uses Ludwig Classic Maple drums. Niklas uses a SM 57.
Matt - I guess it's easy to pigeon hole bands and put them in genres, but what are your main influences and how would you describe your brand of rock?
We have alot of influences. Everything from Pentagram and Black Sabbath to Italian movie music, to great new bands like Swedens finest and label mates, Graveyard. We don't like to be tagged as a stoner band. There's more to our music than that. Call it heavy 70's influenced groovy rock or whatever. It's up to the listener to decide what to call us. Hopefully they think it's groovy, heavy and cool. We'll settle for that!
Matt - I guess you be pretty busy promoting record at this stage, what's the plan for tours etc?
Our dream is to get out there on the road and tour like crazy and live off of it. But we don't have a booking agency yet, so let's see what the future has in store for us.
Matt - Is The Graviators your only project or do you guys have other bands?
Niklas and Martin has a band called Nymf, and they're releasing their debut on Tranubstans in September. Henrik has a psychobilly band called Mondo Trasho and is also about to launch a country music band. He's a good ol' country boy!
Matt - Is music your lives or you guys work? If so what youguys do for work?
We can't make a living off of our music. Niklas is a nurse assistant. Martin works as a caretaker at a home for people with all types of psychological disorders. Johan is a kindergarten teacher and Henrik works as a machine operator in stainless steel.
Matt- How do you see the current music scene? Do you guys catch many new bands coming up the ranks?
We try to, but we're mostly into the old stuff. 60's and 70's music. When music meant something. It's a lifestyle for us.
Matt - Who would you recommend checking out that you have heard lately?
We're four individuals that listen to different music but as a collective we can recommend our Swedish friends Graveyard. They sound vintage, they look vintage. Their music is real and pure, and will probably blow your mind.
Matt - What's playing in The Graviators stereo at the moment?
Henrik's stereo is full of country. Gram Parsons, The Byrds (Sweetheart of the rodeo) Merle Haggard, George Jones, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Dillard & Clark etc. Johan always listens to Hawkwind. Martin is into Mastodons "Crack the Skye" and various progrsessive 70's bands. Niklas is listening to old school doom!
Matt - What can people expect when they catch Graviators Live?
They can expect to be run over by a runaway freight train! It's always a joy for us to be on stage and that's something that we want to share with our audience. We will take you on a journey, and it will leave you happy, and you can't wait to get on it again. You are the deer, we are the headlights!
Matt - What's the best Graviators gig so far?
The best gig we ever did was at the party celebrating the release of our record. Our label was there, they loved it, and it was just beautiful! We had great sound and we were very well rehearsed. Everybody had a great time!
Matt - What was the worst?
Our worst was probably at a local festival. We showed up right two minutes before ShowTime, some of us nursing a hangover from hell. Martin busted a string in the middle of a song so everything came to an awkward halt, and we got cut short. "Sorry guys, you're out of time". No shit. Another time, we played a gig, and there were 7 people in the audience. Or the drummer busts the kick drum head. But we've had more successful gigs than disastrous, that's for sure! Sometimes circumstances or twist of luck gets the better of you.
Matt - Given chance to jam with anyone dead or alive to form a supergroup who would that consist of?
We'll jam with anyone, dead or alive, as long as it brings us joy, experience and/or beer! Henrik: Actually, the biggest reason I joined the Graviators was that I have always wanted to jam with Martin. He's as good as they come and I had already been in a band with Johan seven years earlier, so I'm already in my supergroup!
Matt - What's the plan for the future?
The plan is to grow as musicians, write better and better music, and above all: Get out there and play for all of you lovers of real music!
Matt - Any Last words before I wrap this up?
Yeah, be on the lookout for a sophomore effort from us later this year. We'll keep you posted on our MySpace page!
Matt - Thanks so much for your time, your new record slays and wish you all the best for it in the future...
It's been a pleasure. Thank you Matt! All the best.
Norway has not only oil, fish cleaning and setesdalsgenser (a Norwegian cardigan)... they also have something called HONCHO!
This is the first time I have the honour to review one of my favourite bands in the stoner genre, and this is the third time the Norwegian fuzz devils in Honcho hits the ground with a bang! For you who does not know this band, SHAME ON YOU...it is almost an offense to call yourself a stoner rocker if you do not know about them. Anyway, the new effort ‘Battle Of Wits’ delivers 11 jaw bangs of higher rank in almost 55 swaggering minutes. I have to admit that Honcho’s debut ‘Corporate rock’ is a bit sharper, but still this is faaaaaaaaar from bad and Honcho still have allot to give and proves once again that they are one of the beasts in fuzz heaven!
The guys in Honcho have used heavy tools (as usual) in creating this album and every minute of it is a delight, and the 11 songs makes ‘Battle Of Wits’ to the perfect wedding crasher that blows the bridal gown of the bride in no time. That’s the 11 good reasons why you shall NOT miss this battle; otherwise you will be stuck-in-the-mud for the rest of your life!
‘Battle Of Wits’ starts off with the brilliant ‘Visine’, and from the very beginning Honcho shows the audience that Norway is to be reckoned with. First-class riffs that is neatly arranged, that provides a professional overall impression. The second mindblower ‘Changes’ along with the lethal ‘Coupe De Ville’ runs right through you without leaving any single piece of meat behind. These tracks are one of the absolute highlights on the album, once again Honcho shows who’s in charge and you get tons of leaden jaw knocks á la Norway! You get lots of retro and fuzzy moments of higher rank more than enough to satisfy any fuzz-pedal-worshipping-maruijana-smelling-ass-kicking-tattooed-stoner-rocker out there in the concrete jungle!
If you are planning to bring a knife to the gun fight, my advice is: JOIN HONCHO AND DO THE OPPOSIT! On the fifth nugget ‘Brought a gun to the knife fight’ you get a more “benign” treatment, but there are still a lot of heaviness, fuzz and catchy melodies involved. Therefore, there is no need to panic ;-) Tracks like ‘Powerlock’ and ‘Earth’ makes ‘ Battle Of Wits’ even more clever , and not to mention the end track ‘Clover’ which is a mixture of atmospheric relaxation and heavy fuzzness which easily etches itself into your mind.
‘Battle Of Wits’ is a high explosive album in 11 acts, nicely packaged with lyrics and everything you would expect of such a dignity as Honcho and almost every tune brings joy to both ears and soul. If you want a real goodie for Christmas and you’re a fan of Kyuss, Dozer, Pawnshop, Fu Manchu, Mannhai or whatever you will dig this band too...these guys are g.u.n.s. for hire!
Grab the limited edition album containing the missing part of one of Yakuza’s fingers at Myspace,Check it Out.
Swedens allmighty StonerRock Gods Numbah Ten have just posted their first 3 albums @320k or Flac for free download over at Bandcamp.. Grab em before they dissapear!
Numbah Ten (2002)
1. Sleep 04:27
2. I'm a god damned wreck 03:31
3. You 03:59
4. Shut down in a bubble 02:28
5. Reconstructed bones 05:03
6. Unreachable flower 03:54
PsychedelicRock from Sweden
Atlantic Tide - Eyestroids
A supersonic whirlwind of fuzzadelic sweetness sweeps through my ears and makes me shudder with delight. It's not every day my ear drums feast on such blissful tones like these... Freddie has done it again!
The guys in Atlantic Tide are no rookies. Freddie for example, has been playing in bands like Terra Firma, Harms Way, Unleashed, Loudpipes and Born Of Fire. Izmo took care of the drum kit in Terra Firma and Stabel has been rubbing guitar strings in Blackshine.
The two tracks on the debut 7-inch were meant as a demo but High Roller records got interested in the band and wanted to put them on plastic, which was a really good move. 500 copies are made and to all vinyl nerds out there I would like to say that this release is available in both green and black color (150 green/350 black).
If you have any idea what music is about, you can clearly hear who is behind the distinctive riffs, which in my opinion is a feast for the ears. The songs are neatly arranged and literally bursting with intricate melodies, especially 'Eyestroids' which could just as easily have been a Terra Firma /Harms Way tune. This is the first time ever that Freddie sings in a band and it sounds great, even though it may seem a bit tentative at times. But who cares, as long as the Atlantic tides are flowing into my ears I am more than happy.
On the flip side you will find the title track 'Bad Acid Queen' which is more like a mix between stoner and acid rock. Once again you get to know the strength of this Swedish power trio who has the ability to transform metal into gold, and I must say that the drummer is an absolute beast. You cannot find a drummer more accurate than this! ;-) I will listen to this great release for the next 24 h and bang my head against the wall like some crazy heavy metal freak, hopefully there will be an album in the near future. Atlantic Tide certainly takes the fruit out of the loom and even manages to squeeze juice out of dry fruits...from now on I will have Atlantic Tide written all over my chest.
BluesRock from Sweden
The Brimstone Days - Get It On
The Brimstone Days aim to be the live band with enough energy to get the listener and the audience caught up in a euphoric thrill. With clear influences from the 70s and with catchy tunes, they deliver retro-rock with a modern twist to dance to.
On the road of becoming The Brimstone Days many genres, plectrum and sticks have been worn out, and this not without result. The two original members, Håkan and Johannes, both feel they are heading towards something big.
After the recordings of the EP "Flowers and Rainbows" during spring 2009 bass player Elias Dellow decided to leave the band. In the beginning this drop-out was tough for the remaining band members since the band now wasn't the power trio they used to be. Shortly thereafter there was a new spark when bass player Hampus Hallgard joined and again the power trio was ready to deliver.
With the EP recorded and a live show that will take you to the flowers and the rainbows, The Brimstone Days has their minds set for bringing you tons of energy next time you catch them at a show, they now stand ready to conquer the stage.
Here is some heavy shit for ya. All amps and pedals being fully loaded and are set to kill!
The Deadists were formed in Gothenburg, Sweden in 2006 by the founding members Anders and Markus who had known each other from high school. They were always looking to develop a band that paid homage to their heavy riffing influences and when Peter, Paul and Joacim step into the picture their dream became reality which will prove to be a solid line-up. 2010 should prove to be an eventful year for The Deadists so far as they get to promote the new Ep and get back to playing some live shows in Sweden and all over Europe.
On the second release 'Time Without Light' The Deadists delivers a lethal mixture of sludgy stoner metal with some hardcore and post rock influences thrown in. In other words, this is a realm of many different styles. 'Time Without Light' is a quite intense rock assault divided into five chapters in almost 30 ear melting minutes which includes piles of heavy fuzz riffings, distorted bass and belly punching beats, fronted by a singer who eats molten lava for breakfast and pisses fire.
Tracks worth mentioning are the opening act 'Woven' and in my opinion the best track 'Infinite Self' along with the fourth gem 'Deeper Within' which include almost everything on the heavy rock menu. Loads of pissed off riffs and accurate song writing, a slap in the face to get your ears to fall off. As I said before this is heavy shit and those amps WILL kill you! These 'tank drivers' from hell reminds me of a huffy Pantera who is river dancing on a mine field along with Kyuss, Cro-Mags and Gallactus 77.
'Time Without Light' is an quite universal blend of diverse skills which sometimes according to me tends to get too much but The Deadists still manages to keep it on a level that feels genuine and not overly exaggerated. Crank it up really high and these dudes will boot down every door in the whole neighbourhood!
Imagine a sulphur-smelling cemetery where the ground is completely covered with human bones. Where all the statues of Holy Mary crying deluge of tears, and where the wailing of a thousand souls becomes a lament that is heard miles away. It does not get much bleaker than this...
Griftegård is an old Swedish word for cemetery or burial ground. The word "grift" comes from the Latin word "crypta" and Greek "krypt", if you put together the words "grift" and the Swedish word for yard (gård) you get Griftegård, simple huh? According to me they could not have chosen a better and more appropriate name for the band, which goes very well with the music.
After a ginormous stir-up among the tombs with their two-tracked ep 'Psalmbok' in 2007, Van-records has now released Griftegård's debut album 'Solemn Sacred Severe' . The album could be described as a desperate struggle between good and evil, and is a severe, melancholy, and a totally breath-taking sledge-hammer which hopefully will get the attention it deserves.
Right from the first moment Griftegård shows who's in charge and that they belong to the doom elite. The first act 'Charles Taze Russell' certainly drags the monsters out of the closet and is a full-fledged vulture that swallows the whole Christianity in a single bite! Cut by cut these doomsters work themselves into your head without leaving any piece uncut. This lament includes everything on the doomsday menu and is brutally good, dark, gloomy, and slooow as hell. Almost majestic with incredibly good and clean vocals. You get 101% doom metal, more than enough to scare away the heavenly father and to satisfy all pagan 'bible burners' out there!
The second monstrosity 'Punishment & Ordeal' is a mourning soak that nails you against the coffin in the same seductive way as before while the fourth track 'Noah's Hands' is more like being thrown into a deathwatch of Gregorian monks. This is the punishment for having jerking on the sly during confession! You get the same anxiety-charged guitar grinding as Electric Wizard so happily shows off, the only difference is that the Swedes are not as sludgy, but more epic and are running in the same vein as Candlemass, Reverend Bizarre, Count Raven and Warning.
There are lots of doom acts today that sounds much alike, but there is only a few who stands out and manage to climb the ladder all the way up. Griftegård are one of those bands who have successfully managed to reach the light and are probably poking god's ass by now. You get six killer tracks in almost 47 thrilling minutes just as mean as they were meant to be, the album is like going downhill on a crooked cross straight into the abyss. Griftegård are true riders of doom and 'Solemn Sacred Severe' is a masterpiece who deserves to be placed as one of the artefacts in front of the altar in the temple of doom! Simply, this disc is one of the best albums in 2009! The artwork on the vinyl release is unbeatable so hurry and get you a copy.
Heavy Rock from Sweden
Burning Colossus - Monolithic
The Swedish Burning Colossus stands with one leg on a foundation made of steel, while the other leg is probing the terrain in a rocky desert landscape, and then a surprising third leg is dancing madly backwards in the temple of doom. To make things a little easier, it takes three to tango!
After listening copiously to Burning Colossus' new release 'A New Horizon' I have decided that they are practicing a blend of stoner and doom with some old school heavy metal thrown in. Fronted by a vocalist/bass player who sometimes sounds like Glenn Danzig's younger brother! The singer is an absolute beast that caught my interest immediately who is without exaggeration one of the best throats around (if you ask me), he also recalls the singer of Wall Of Sleep. The concept is not new and has been done a thousand times before, but they have managed to find a way that feels refreshing and very interesting. You get eight tons of Swedish delight in 33 potency-enhancing and ear pounding minutes including all tastes on the menu.
The opening tracks 'The Great Unknown' followed by the mighty 'Monolithic' are two of the munchies that make a strong impression. Musically speaking it is like being dragged by a buffalo at 300 km/h, powerful, ruthless, and almost unstoppable. These colossus are two of the pillars that holds up the 'building', energetic and vibrant with lots of first-class riffings. Other tracks worth mentioning are the heavy metal flavoured 'Riders Of Doom' and 'Eaten By The Storm', which ends with the tones of an accordion. Quite original and a nice move! Once again Burning Colossus offers you an overwhelming show with lots of twists and turns and nothing can go wrong if they continue like this. The entire album is a showdown where each song plays an important role in the drama and all together they are priceless!
Burning Colossus is comparable to some of the bands in the Maryland doom scene, and also with master blasters such as Iron Giant, Sunride, Roachpowder, Wall Of Sleep, The Graviators and Kaihoro. These Swedes can safely stretch out on the 'muscle beach' along with the other aces in the same business as one of the major players in the market (if they get the attention they deserve). They are moving rapidly towards the highest peak on the sacred mountain and may soon be waving to all those who are trying to climb it. Keep the banners high... I salute you!
StonerRocK from Sweden
Skraeckoedlan - From the Sea They Come
We are four guys playing music that we really find grooyv and heavy, with all the lyrics in swedish. The reason for that is that we think that it gives an another dimension to the sound, and psychedelicness.
In the late september of 2009 we went to Örebro in sweden and recorded our first EP, "Flykten från tellus" (the escape from earth) in Bombshelter studios, with Oskar Cedermalm of Truckfighters as our producer/technician.
Its a 5 track EP with a abstract concept about the environmental issues going on, with the polarices melting and all, and in the EP, that leads to a big horrorlizard beeing awakened from the ice, and beguns to demolish earth.
And that is also what the name Skraeckoedlan means, horrorlizard.
Skraeckoedlan will hit the studio in January to Record their 1st Full Lenght Album ,put it in your FUZZ diary for 2011.
StonerRocK from Sweden
Numbah Ten - Beyond The End
After three years of hibernating and incubating in a time capsule somewhere deep in the Nordic Sky! Numbah Ten have arisen, swollen eyed and beaming with what is and very well could be album of the year! Gloriously titled Reborn in 3D, which leaves nothing to the imagination, this just simply has to be heard to be believed. Numbah Ten is no new comer to the scene they have always managed to make extremely good classic stoner sounds. Reborn in 3D see's Numbah Ten Delve into a totally new approach musically to what they have done in past releases.
Laid back, driven and sometimes angry with a somewhat depression like rhythm, Numbah Ten mixes perfectly balanced Psychedelics, Doom and Levitating anthems to create a master piece that would wake the gods up out of slumber! Each track on Reborn is completely different and unique in its own way, when its laid back you feel yourself floating, when its dirty heavy and thunderous you feel yourself filled with immortality, in a sense that you belong to the Numbah Ten Army of Doom!
Numbah Ten have matured to be what I can only say as one of the best acts going around to date! Forget Kyuss move on and embrace what Numbah Ten have to offer here! A clone free innovative piece of musical brilliance layered so perfect with all kinds of genres! Weather it's the 70's almost reggae styled track Power Flower to the anguished filled Mirrors of Time Numbah Ten will have you exhausted, haunted and thinking about this record for a long Time to come!
Clocking in at just over 78 minutes Reborn in 3D is of epic proportions and a must have in your collection make no mistake! Fans of First Band from Outer Space, Dear Mutant, Colour Haze and Dead Meadow will get a real kick out of this release. As far as I am aware Number Ten are releasing the record very soon independently, with intend to have a Label take over in the near future. The new version will be re-mastered etc, so why not get in contact with the band and pick up the very first edition of this truly unique record.
Bowl up, put on the headphones, take the phone off the hook and be prepared to be taken on a journey with Numbah Ten's Reborn in 3D, trust me you will never want to leave and find yourself spinning this record over and over to get that all time high you have ever wanted! Well done guys this was a truly epic voyage and its great to see you are back with us...
Once upon a time in the small-town desert of Kungsör, Sweden, three guys (bassist/vocalist Alex Risberg, his drumming brother Alvin Risberg and guitarist Erik Palm) emerged from the demo-band swamp. They had previously played in various constellations and under different names, but never all three of them together.
When all their previous band disbanded around the same time the three guys got together and decided that they would form their own band, and the power-trio Pike was born.
Yeah Baby this shit totally Smokes... Check em Out.
The doomsday machine has been brought back to life and the Raven sniffs fresh blood and is hungrier than ever...
It's been 13 years since the Count of all Ravens ruled the world, this time he is back with a vengeance determined to re-take the throne and not only rule but to rock the shit out of any living soul! On 'Mammons War', the 5th nugget in order by Count Raven you get 10 tons of grim reality, lots of unholiness and godless beauty but most of all, one hell of a doomsday show! The album shows off a full-fledged lustre and brilliance seldom seen and each song is a study in greatness of first-degree. Everything on this piece of plastic is done by the book and the Swedish hammers of doom certainly deserve to be named on 'Walk of fame' or perhaps it is more appropriate to say 'Walk in pain'.
The opening track 'The Poltergeist' and the following 'Scream' along with the outstanding 'Nashira' certainly bring those old demons in the closet back to life and may even inspire any priest to dial 666 on his divine phone. The music is quite epic, with pompous riffs and nicely arranged guitar solos but most of all there are Black Sabbath! The sabbathic worship literally drool down the church walls, which I adore and the vocals of Dan 'Fodde' Fondelius makes Ozzy feel more paranoid than ever!
The beautiful keyboard-based and slightly different title track 'Mammons War' once again shows that Count Raven belong to the elite, and they have broaden their musical skills quite a lot from time to time which I find very pleasing. The smoking track 'A Lifetime' and the majestic 'To Kill a Child' are one of my absolute favourites, especially the latter who easily rips the clothes of any nun and may cause Jesus to spin an extra round on the cross. This album is crazy and if you're into bands like Saint Vitus (children of doom era), Candlemass, Penance or Grand Magus you will go wild in the streets when you hear this gem.
'Mammon' is a term, derived from the Christian bible, that was used to describe greed, avarice, and unjust wordly gain and the word itself is a transliteration from the Hebrew word 'Mammon', which means money. I assume that the lyrics on the album is very much about these topics and I totally agree that these things are eating us all up, We have become our own enemies!...there is something to think about dear reader.
This is heavy shit folks, by heavy dudes, not for the weak but for the strong and unclean!... buy it and play it damn loud and make Christmas into a living hell for your neighbours!
StonerRocK from Sweden
Ponamero Sundown - Live The Lie
Interview by Tobias Beament
hi guys... identify yourselves!
Anders: Guitarist... That's it I guess.
Oliver: Male, caucasian. Play 4 thick strings and carry ten fingers
Peter: My id has expired nowadays so I'm a bit lost. Do I exist or do I not? Or am I just
ironic... Oh well, I used to be a gentleman with the ambition of finding the perfect resonance
of a drumhead......so I guess that still stands.
Nicke: Singer and sexsymbol.
When did you start as a band?
Anders, Peter and Ola (Our former bass player who left the band a couple of months before
the album was released) had previously played in a band for little more than a year and a half.
But that band was mostly filled with arguments and strong stubborn opinions than a healthy
musical atmosphere back then. I don't think that we even did a single gig with that band. And
after we broke up, the three of us decided to continue down a more rock-orientated road.
Everything just fell to place at once when Nicke joined the band and within a year we had
released three demos and played our first gigs.
Oliver(Most recent member) - I was originally intended jump in for a live gig in Lindesberg.
Nicke, whom I had a history together with in thrashmetal outfit Stressfest a few years back
gave me a call one day and asked for the favour. I was working on a solo project at
home(Still am), hadn't been in a band for almost a year and most of all hadn't performed live
in two years(which is quite depressing) I didn't hesitate for second!
The vibes were great, the guys are great and so I asked if I could stay.
What equipment to you use?
Oliver: ESP EC-254AT Black, Warwick Streamer Stage One 1986 Fretless(Couldn't afford
frets...). Hughes and Kettner & Trace Elliot amps.
Assorted pedals, some nice analog Chorus effect, Overdrive, and a white Crybaby blah blah
Anders: 2 BaCH Lps on gigs(and occationally a Gibson Explorer), a Matamp NEC, a Biyang
Fuzz (but I do change the dirt pedal quite often), a Silver Machine wah + a small selection
Peter: Green sparkle Ludwig drums with a 26" kick, suprasonic snare, DW double pedal and
Paiste 2002 cymbals...and don't forget the cowbell!
"I've got a fever....and the only prescription is more cowbell!"
Nicke: I just sing and dance!
How many demos have you made, and did you get good response of those?
Up until the record we have recorded 4 demos. Well I do think that we have most of the time
received good reviews of our demos. I mean there are some sites that always give us bad
reviews. But that's fine cos� you can't please them all, can you... But most of the time the
words have been positive about our music!
How did you get in contact with Transubstanse records?
Well, let's put it like this: The devil gave us an offer that we couldn't refuse.
Which pretty much means that we sent out some emails and later on a pre-mix of some of
the songs from the record to a few labels and Transubstans gave us an opportunity to come
onboard.
Did they pay for the expenses and in which studio did you record 'stonerized'?
As slaves to the music we stood for the expenses ourselves this time. We didn't know where
or how the record would be released when we went into the studio. But I guess that that's the
way to do it nowadays. First record then find a label. At least for us newcomers haha!
The record is recorded and co-produced by Robban Axelsson at Ljudion here in Stockholm.
what do you think of the 'so called' swedish scene?
Hmm, well yes there are a lot of 70ies/fuzz/groove/heavy rock/stoner bands here in Sweden
in various directions. Just look at the releases this year. We got new albums from
Truckfighters, Deville, Mangrove, Abramis Brahma among others. Blowback and Asteriod are
coming with new records soon. Numbah Ten have new material recorded etc. Plus that there
are a lot of new bands turning up here and there.
Can hardly call it a scene but we are aware of each other which is a good thing. Most of the
bigger ones are constantly touring outside Sweden since it's hard to get good gigs here. And
the rest of us are struggling the best we can. Trying to trade shows, helping out with gig
contacts and so on.
It's not like there are hordes of people showing up at shows or buying records hehe.
That's one way to look at it...
Many gigs lately?
Since Oliver just recently joined the band we haven't been able to book any gigs. But we're
working on it again which feels great. We played our first gig together at a punkfestival earlier
on last month and there will be a few more this fall. It's not like we are an all the time-touring
band because of our families but we're trying to gig on, for us, a regular basis(which means at
least once a month lol).
A little birdie whispered in my ears that you�re gonna do some gigs with numbah ten and the goddamned,can you tell us something about those plans?
Ever since Numbah Ten and Ponamero Sundown played with Grand Magus in Stockholm in
2008 there has been some talk to do something together again. And it so happened that they
knew The Goddamned, whom we played with at a biker party a couple of years ago. Well
we're thinking of doing some shows together as a package. A night filled with fuzz, 70ies hard
rock and psychedelica. I mean it can't get much better than that.
have you ever been to sweden?... hahaha, just kidding. Have you ever been outside of sweden with your band?
Well yes. We did a short tour last fall and played some shows in Germany and Belgium. And
we have also been in Denmark and in the UK. No massive touring but a show here and there!
what influences do you have, and what kind of music did you grew up with?
Oliver: Some diverse bands that shaped my youth(for the better): Rush, The Cult,
Coroner...Skinny Puppy!
Anders: I always tend to come back to these four for some reason: Iron Maiden, Ramones,
Bruce Springsteen and Black Sabbath.
Peter: I've got a lot of influences.....I listen to everything that I consider good with a fondness
for hardrock. I grew up listening to the old dinosaurs of rock.....and will never stop either. The
great thing nowadays is that it's much easier to find lost treasures from the golden 70ies (and
other)...there's so much! And on vinyl!!!
I've also always been fond of the harder school of rock. My double kick is pretty much a result
of that. Nothing beats a double bass roll...
Nicke: Punk and HC
any hobbies besides the music?
Oliver: "Beer snob[Bier;'n'b]", meaning I ruin myself every now and then buying rare beer
imports from around the globe. Some for direct consumption, others for safe storage in a dark
cellar for future treats and hangovers.
Anders: No, not really. I'm not totally sure if that's a good thing though...
Peter: Well...I guess that would be movies & football...though not together. Football-movies
usually sucks.
Nicke: Drinkin' Oliver's rare beer collection.
do you all have families and jobs, or are you slackers who drink beer all day long and beat the shit out of your neighbours?
Oliver: IT Consultant by day, bass player by night. I enjoy a few beers now and then(refer to
question 12), knock on any neighbours' door and offer them into beating the shit out of me,
singing Christmas carols off key.
Anders: Well I'm as far from a slacker as you can get. I got three kids and working my ass of
as a teacher in Pre-School.
Peter: Slave to the code...rider of the magic keyboard....inventor of superior things...
Nicke: Work work work and two teenage daughters which means more work
what do you think of sweden in general, good or bad?, or is it a disaster?
Geographically, it's very long country, larger than anyone probably believes, and contrary to
what anyone thinks...We do nurture our young under the snow the first 3 months. It's a nice
place.
Any future plans?
Well, we are starting to make plans for our next release. It's still a bit early but it wouldn't be a
surprise if we started the recordings sometime next summer. We have just begun to write
new material but we're usually a fast working band when it comes to that.
There are also some plans for some shows in Europe as well. But we're not totally sure
when...But sooner or later...And as always we're looking for gigs here in Sweden. It seems
that we're heading down to Gothenburg this fall which would be a blast if everything goes our
way.
Thanks alot for letting me harass you!... by the way, keep track of your computer next time you're out traveling;-)
Slick move...are you implying You're the one who stole it at the luggage claim last week at
Arlanda airport?!
