Tag Archives: Stoner band

Trouble – Run to the Light Album Review

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Trouble – Run to the Light (Expanded Edition)

Metal Blade Records

Release date: 16/06/2023

Running time: 58 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8.5/10

Emergency!  Emergency!  Quick – this is urgent!  Due to a slight administrative cock-up (that might be my fault, I’m not telling), a review for this reissue of Trouble’s classic third album almost slipped through the net.  But there is no way I’m going to let that happen.  Absolutely everything Trouble related should be treated with total respect and receive the maximum coverage.  Hence, here’s my review to commemorate the re-release of this landmark album.

Metal Blade, who released the original version of “Run to the Light” in 1987, have been gracious enough to give us all a chance to rediscover this album from Chicago metal legends Trouble.  Trouble is, as I’m sure you know, one of the great doom metal bands that originated the style back in the eighties – before the sub-genre even had a name.  Whilst everyone else was speeding up and thrash metal was coming to the fore, Trouble were one of the few bands who took their inspiration from early Black Sabbath.  They played slower, griding riffs resonating with melancholic power.     

‘On Borrowed Time’, with its funereal intro and gloomy pace, illustrates the Trouble template well: and features a revved-up section in the latter half.  The title track has a bouncy intro riff reminiscent of ‘Symptom of the Universe’ that’s married to a crushing, slower section.  It’s this multi part approach to song writing, contrasting sections of heavy and light, that most recalls Tony Iommi and crew.  Trouble isn’t directly stealing guitar lines or concepts, it’s the spirit and craft of Sabbath that they emulate.       

The bonus tracks in this Expanded Edition include three demos of album tracks that are interesting, but for fans only.  The real curio is the cover of The Beatles classic ‘Come Together’, which originally appeared on “The Best of Metal Blade Vol. 2” in 1987.  Fans of the band will be aware of Trouble’s affection for 60s psychedelia, so this track will make perfect sense.  ‘Come Together’ is no real surprise – it sounds exactly how you’d imagine it would – but it’s a nice temptation for the faithful.

“Run to the Light” offers little in the way of new gems, but to lament that would be to miss the point.  It’s incredibly important to have albums like this in circulation, available for all to investigate and add to their collection.  I can only apologise to the band and record label for the tardiness of my review; if it’s any consolation, I’ve already bought a vinyl copy to cherish (to go alongside my ancient CD copy).  I’d encourage readers to buy a copy of this Trouble album and indulge in the joy of doom.      

If you’re looking for Trouble, try their website, Facebook or Bandcamp.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Bongzilla – Album Review

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Bongzilla – Dab City

Heavy Psych Sounds

Release date: 02/06/2023

Running time: 57 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8.75/10

What’s that lumbering out of the murky haze?  Why, it’s none other than Bongzilla, trampling everything in their path with gargantuan, sludgy riffs whilst surrounded by billows of smoke.  No need to run, citizens – these dudes move too slow to pose any physical threat, you’ll outrun them easily.  This music is not about speed.  It’s about being refreshed beyond all recognition.

“Dab City” is the sixth album for Bongzilla, and their second for the Heavy Psych Sounds label.  They’ve been firmly established as a three piece for some time, comprising of Mike “Muleboy” Makela on bass and vocals, Jeff “Spanky” Schultz on guitar and Mike “Magma” Henry on drums.  Unsurprisingly, the album was recorded with the assist of various “mood enhancements”, right onto analogue tape.

There are seven songs here, with several of them hovering around (or over) the ten-minute mark.  You’re definitely getting your money’s worth.  Title track and opener ‘Dab City’ clocks in at 11.51 of super heavy, psychedelic sludge.  ‘Cannonbong (The ballad of Burnt Reynolds as lamented by Dixie Dave Collins)’ rolls in at nearly 14 minutes of slow’n’steady, frazzled doom metal.  And what a song title!

Other tracks offer more fried and fuzzed out rock, with ‘Hippie Stick’ and ‘American Pot’ revealing a groove and swing to their sound.  Vocals are less smoky and strangled and more like a zombie from The Walking Dead, but it all melts together well.  I don’t think there are any shocks on “Dab City”, but who cares?  Bongzilla have concocted a ripe batch of stoner, sludgy metal that will satisfy the righteous.

And remember, kids – don’t do drugs!      

Check out Bongzilla on their website, Facebook, Bandcamp, Instagram and Spotify.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al in association with Ever Metal.

Loose Sutures – Album Review

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Loose Sutures – Sado Sex for Dummies

Electric Valley Records

Release date: 26/05/2023

Running time: 36 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

9/10

Now here’s a great album to play next time the vicar pops round for a cup of tea.  Invite him in, sit him down; offer a nice cuppa, custard cream perched tenderly on the side of the saucer, engage in some small talk about replacing the glass windows in the vestry.  “What’s this delightful music?” the padre is sure to enquire.  “Why, it’s the new album by Loose Sutures,” you reply helpfully, “it’s called “Sado Sex for Dummies””.

Of course, you’ll then be able to tell your friendly priest that Loose Sutures are a band from Sardinia, Italy – and that this is their third album.  They’re a threesome, (oo-er), consisting of Antonio Pilo (guitars/vocals), Marcello Meridda (bass/percussion) and Marco Angius (drums/vocals).  And what pleasant, well mannered young men they must be.

Their music is a divinely fuzzy, scuzzy stoner rock with an intoxicating slather of punk attitude.  You can both bop along enthusiastically together in your armchairs to the rolling, out of control ‘Highway Shooter’, or bounce about gleefully to ‘Sadism and Gallows’.  The fun continues with the sleazy punkorama of ‘White Line’, while ‘Kinky Katy’ (featuring Alain Johannes) and ‘He’s My Friend’ (featuring Nick Oliveri) offer cheap thrills and menacing rock, in that order.

If you, or your fellow upstanding members of society are fans of Kyuss, the first QOTSA album, fuzzy Mudhoney or maybe even a little Electric Wizard distorted doom, you’re sure to love this.  Loose Sutures have recorded an album of wholesome, frolicking rock’n’roll that’s drenched in filth.  Invite the neighbours round to sample it with coffee and a slice of Victoria sponge.  Maybe leave the gimp locked in the under stairs cupboard for now, though.  

Check out Loose Sutures on Facebook, Instagram and Bandcamp.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Platinum Al’s Top 10 Rock & Metal Albums of 2023

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Just as per last year, I compiled my Top 10 Rock & Metal albums for Ever Metal, which was published on the site. Now you lucky devils over here at the Virtual Hot Tub get to take a look too!

Absolutely ridiculous, that’s what it’s been like trying to pick just 10 albums to make my “Best of the Year” list.  There’s been a ton of great music in 2023.  Here’s my attempt to pick out my favourites:

10. The Sound of Origin – Man in the Arena

Sludgy, Grungy, Stoner Metal from Huddersfield, this album features Trouble’s Kyle Thomas on a couple of tracks adding even more class to a solid record.

9. Church of Misery – Born Under a Mad Sign

Gruesome Doom from the Japanese masters of Sabbathian serial murderer Metal.  Killer!

8. Torso – A Crash Course in Terror

John Carpenter synths meet chainsaw guitars in this brutal, 80’s horror inspired monster of an album from Torso.  Short but evil.

7. The Lords of Altamont – To Hell with Tomorrow, The Lords are now!

Psyche Biker Rock with skronky keyboards and attitude, The Lords of Altamont deliver a slab of Garage Punk’n’Roll to keep the party going.  YEAH!!!

6. Tankzilla – Tankzilla

Debut album from this dynamic duo, a righteous cacophony of pounding, groovy riffs that’ll make your body move like a serpent. 

5. King Kraken – MCLXXX

These guys blew me away when I saw them live back in February.  Their album is also a work of Groove Metal wonder.

4. Kvelertak – Endling

Norwegian Punk Metal with a Classic Rock sheen?  Yes please!  More joyous tunes from Kvelertak is nothing short of a true gift.

3. Blood Ceremony – The Old Ways Remain

Folk Metal, flute infused Occult Rock that sounds both ancient and modern at the same time, we waited a long time but this album will cast a spell on you.

2. Green Lung – This Heathen Land

I was one of many waiting anxiously for the third Green Lung album, and it didn’t disappoint.  Exquisite Occult Rock that’s doomy and hook filled, Green Lung have exploded with this record.

And number one is…

1. Desert Storm – Death Rattle

Three years ago, Desert Storm were number 2 in my 2020 Top 10, after a little band called AC/DC.  This year they deservedly take the top spot, with a massive album that I’m still enjoying months later, up against some stiff competition.   

Plus some honourable mentions:

Baroness, who’s latest album “Stone” probably would’ve made the top 10 if I’d listened to it sooner.

The Damned – their “Darkedelic” album may not be for all of Ever Metal’s audience, but it’s bloody great all the same.

Metallica – that “72 Seasons” thing was good but too long.  Nice try.

Keep coming back to Ever Metal and Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot Tub for all the best rock reviews!

Tankzilla – Album Review

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Tankzilla – Tankzilla

Heavy Psych Sounds

Release date: 19/05/2023

Running time: 44 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

9.5/10

Let’s talk about Tankzilla.  To start, what a rad name!  According to the band’s PR, “Satan fucked a Panzer and the offshoot is Tankzilla”.  Which pretty much sums everything up nicely.  So nicely, in fact, that the rest of this review is a bit pointless.

Tankzilla are actually a duo consisting of Peter Van Elderen (guitar and vocals) and Marcin Hurkmans (drums), who started jamming together after their previous bands split.  Before you get clever and assume that these guys are gonna be just like Royal Blood, they’re not.  They have a whole lot more Motorhead in their dirty DNA.

‘Lucifer’, the first track, proves this nicely, with an opening riff reminiscent of ‘Deaf Forever’ by Lemmy’s crew.  The song quickly erupts into a bludgeoning juggernaut all of its own, crushing everything in its path and setting the course for the rest of this slab of sonic destruction.

Yes, the power of the mighty riff rules in Tankzilla’s blitzkrieg campaign.  ‘Crossroad’ drops more loud bombs adding a funky feel, while tracks such as ‘Wolfpack’ and ‘Soulsurfer’ have a hard rocking edge.  The assault slows a little with ‘Brother from Another Mother’, but keeps unleashing maximum firepower.  Bonus points for the sample from The Mandalorian too in ‘Mutant Freak’.  This is the way!

The final song, ‘Hard Way’, has a Melvins vibe to it – something else which makes me very happy indeed.  Whether firing on all cylinders or easing off the gas a little here and there, this debut album is devastatingly excellent.  Tankzilla are a relentless, riff loaded monster and nothing can resist their onslaught.  Definite Top Ten of the year list for me.

No time now, but remind me to tell you about that time with Motorhead in Europe, when we took the band to visit a military museum on a day off.  Philthy was hungover, so Lem let him sleep it off in an old Russian tank.  We closed the hatch and scarpered, leaving Phil in there all day.  He only just made it to the next gig in Copenhagen by the skin of his teeth.

Check out Tankzilla on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp and Spotify.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Grande Fox – Album Review

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Grande Fox – Empty Nest

Self-released

Release date: 19/2/2023

Running time: 41 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8/10

Thessaloniki, Greece: the home of Grande Fox, a psychedelic heavy stoner rock band – who have presented us with this, their fourth released project “Empty Nest”.  The band have been in existence for ten years, though they’re a new find for this listener.  I was intrigued to see what sort of feast these Titans would bring to the table.

Yes, the music on offer here is essentially stoner rock, as evidenced best by the Kyuss meets Clutch thunder of ‘Backstab’ and ‘Route 99’.  There’s some swirly psychedelia on display in the calmer moments of ‘Brutal Colors’, whilst final track ‘Birth of an Embryo’ has a doomy, Pantera feel.  The highlight of the album is ‘Hangman’, which features a folky blues element – the description might not entice readers, but believe me – it’s magnificent in its Dionysian glory.

So, there’s plenty of experimentations in this album, which for the most part works very well.  The only exceptions being vocals that move close to rap on ‘Rottenness of Youth’ and the riff of ‘Golden Ratio’ resembling Audioslave’s ‘Cochise’ too closely.  Now I love me some Rage Against the Machine, but sometimes these explorations veer too near Nu Metal for my tastes.

Running at around 41 minutes, the only promo copy I had of the album was a YouTube video, which made it difficult to keep track of which song was which.  However, despite my minor criticisms, I found “Empty Nest” to be an enjoyable and intricately crafted album.  Grande Fox are certainly ones to keep an eye on: they impress with their heroics enough here that one day they could be sitting on top of Mount Olympus themselves.  Yamas!   

Check out Grande Fox online, on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Spotify and YouTube.

This review is brought to you by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.    

Stöner – Boogie to Baja Album Review

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Stöner – Boogie to Baja

Heavy Psych Sounds

Release date: 24/02/2023

Running time: 27 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

9/10

You need to ask yourself: is this review late?  Or have I, the humble author of this review, chosen to emulate the gonzo journalism style of Hunter S Thompson?  And by that I mean, get so baked listening to this latest EP from Stöner that I lost all track of time in a psychedelic swirl, handing in the assignment a month late?  Or did the dog eat my review?  Only you can be the judge.  And the Ever Metal editors of course, who may decide to hand me my marching orders.

Let’s ignore all that and have a little chat about this release, shall we?  Gather ye round!

In a perfect example of a band name doing exactly what it says on the tin, Stöner are essentially a stoner rock supergroup comprising of Brant Bjork (Kyuss, Fu Manchu, solo), Nick Oliveri (Kyuss, QOTSA, Mondo Generator) and Ryan Güt (Brant’s drummer).  As a band, they take the desert rock template and steer it off into the ultimate version of this style.

As a result, the head bending riff of ‘Stoner Theme (Baja Version)’ and the grooving rumble of ‘Night Tripper vs No Brainer’ slouch comfortably alongside a punkier ‘It Ain’t Free’.  All the influences and intricacies of desert rock are succinctly demonstrated with a clanging garage rock cover of ‘City Kids’ (Pink Fairies/Motörhead); through to ‘Boogie to Baja’: a ten-minute driving rocker that reeks of desert parties, never ending skies and lamentable substance abuse.

‘Boogie to Baja’ is the highlight of this set, but the whole EP a great primer for the band Stöner and the varied music they create.  Almost an Idiot’s Guide as to what to expect for the uninitiated, it’s also inventive and addictive for the aficionado.  I ordered the vinyl copy and I’ve already played it to death.  That’s how late this review is.  But don’t you be late: go check out ‘Boogie to Baja’ now.

PS: I don’t own a dog.  

PPS: Would’ve finished this review sooner, if not for adding all the umlauts.

Check out the band website here. Or visit them on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

Heavy Psych Sounds can be found online, on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Bandcamp.

This review has been brought to you by Platinum Al in association with the mighty Ever Metal.

Heron – Empires of Ash Album Review

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Heron – Empires of Ash

Sludgelord Records

Release date: 02/12/2022

Running time: 37 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8.5/10

“Empires of Ash” is the new album from Heron, and if you like the sludge, this is gonna be one for you.  It’s the band’s third full length album, and you’ll know when you listen that there’s a whole mountain load of experience brewed up in this mighty concoction.  Experience, plus what seems like a lifetime’s worth of melancholy and frustration given voice through huge, expansive slabs of atmospheric thunder.

Starting with ‘Rust and Rot’, Heron take us on a 9 minute plus odyssey encompassing thudding drums and menacing guitar.  Vocals are guttural and brutal, the end result is a thrilling wade through a sludgey mire.  Contrast this to the second track, ‘The Middle Distance’: a sombre yet beautiful (yes, you read that right) epic, which only erupts into molten fury after the three-minute mark.  When the vocals come in, you’ll drop your pint.

‘Hauntology’ is another epic, and very aptly titled.  Eerie yet calm and pensive, till again it builds to an enthralling outburst.  ‘Hungry Ghosts’ is a more ruthless amalgamation of Conan with later period Danzig guitar flash.  The final track, ‘With Dead Eyes’ has a melodic entrance, and once more decimates with a powerful vocal.

Whether it’s doom, sludge, post-rock or any other shade of metal, there’s a wide variety of styles and influences on this album.  I was lulled into a relaxed haze before being startled awake with fiery exultations on several occasions.  Heron have really gone all out with “Empires of Ash” to create a record that is unique and imaginative.

Ozzy had trouble with a heron.  He’d just had a new pond built on his farm, and one bird kept gorging on Oz’s expensive ornamental Koi carp.  One night, we decided to lay ambush and surprise the heron with a siren and a shot gun when it flew in at dawn for breakfast.  Bill Ward fell asleep, so we floated him out on the water on an inflatable raft, as he snored under the moonlight.  When the heron arrived, I sounded the siren, Oz fired his gun into the air and Bill woke up startled, then fell into the pond screaming “I can’t swim!”.  Oh, we did laugh.  The bird flew off, never to be seen again. 

Check out Heron on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

Pay Sludgelord Records a visit on Facebook, Instagram and Bandcamp.

This review is brought to you by the combined powere and elegance of Platinum Al and Ever Metal.

Brant Bjork – Album Review

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Brant Bjork – Bougainvillea Suite

Heavy Psych Sounds

Release date: 28/10/2022

Running time: 42 minutes

Review by: Alun Jones

8.5/10

Brant Bjork must be a very busy boy at the moment.  We’ve already had an album out earlier this year from his desert rock supergroup, Stoner, and now here’s a solo effort too.  He’s a multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist singer song writer and no mistake, offering up sonic expeditions of varying styles and pace.  Most of all, though, Brant seems to be a decent bloke who’d be ideal company for a beer or three.

For “Bougainvillea Suite”, we’re in a more laid back, but still rockin’ mode.  The album is like a combination of Santana and Steppenwolf, full of relaxed but vital summer vibes.  ‘Trip on the Wine’, our first song, has a similar stomp to The Door’s ‘Five to One’, but less angsty.  The late 60s-early 70’s groove is maintained throughout, ‘So They Say’ embellished with a sweet, melodic construction and ‘Broke That Spell’ having an early Purple raunch.

Stoner band mate Ryan Gut adds percussion and keys, whilst the final member of that trio, Nick Oliveri, pops up on ‘Bread for Butter’.  This track and ‘Ya Dig’ are two of the more direct, heads-down rockers, whilst the extended blues jam of ‘Who Do You Love’ is trippy territory augmented with some almost Stooges-like lead guitar.  This last track is a real highlight, it’s like a long-forgotten experiment involving all of the bands I’ve mentioned!

And that’s it: eight songs that whilst not easy listening, can be mellow, psychedelic and still rock your bones.  “Bougainvillea Suite” would make perfect summer evening listening, a beer and a BBQ as the clear sky fades to black, good times with good friends after a long day shredding a pool.  But it’s been released in late Autumn, so what do I know?  Just buy it and enjoy.

Find Brant Bjork on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify and on a website here.

More info on Heavy Psych Sounds here, plus Facebook, Instagram and Bandcamp.

This review has been proudly presented by Platinum Al and Ever Metal.