Hour of Power 01/10/14

1. Some Kind of Sorcery (The Socks / ST) PRE
2. Black Magic Woman (Black Coven / Demo) PRE
3. Slice of That Vibe (Groan / Ride the Snake EP)
4. Give Graviation To the People (Black Space Riders / D:REI) PRE
5. Spirit of the Cult / Darkest Day [live] (Devil)
6. In Through Glasses (Warp Riders / Astral Plane EP)
7. Young Wisdom (Black Wizard / Young Wisdom)
8. Secret Sect (Demon Eye / Leave the Light) PRE
9. Fuzzy Belly (Moosataur / ST)
10. The Haunter of the Dark (Bretus / The Haunter of the Dark [outtake])* PRE
11. Acid Violet Land (Chains / Violet Wizard) PRE
12. Squall [teaser] (Ichabod / Merrimack) PRE

*This is an outtake from the album sessions and though it is the title track, will not appear on the upcoming album itself

 PRE = Pre-Release / Not yet available

Doom Chart: Most Paranoid Songs of 01/08/14

Top 25 Songs

#). Song Title (artist/album)

1. The Seeker (Doctor Smoke / Demo 2013)
2. Leadersheep (Saturn / Ascending)
3. Robotic Invasion (Fu Manchu / split single w/ Moab)
4. High Priestess (Black Majik Acid / ST)
5. Champions (Sandrider / Godhead)
6. Queen of the Black Harvest (Ice Dragon / Steel Veins single)
7. Sinistra (Wounded Giant / Lightning Medicine)
8. Frown Curve (March the Desert / Waves on the Moon EP)
9. Fall Through (Maze of Roots / 2013)
10. Ruler of Dust (Moon Coven / Amanita Kingdom)
11. Invisible To See (Space Mushroom Fuzz / Stealing Some Time)
12. Behold, The Annunaki (Brimstone Coven / II)
13. Burnout Blues (Sangoma / Diviner)***
14. Gary's Graveyard (Smoke / ST)
15. Echoes in the Void (Black Skies / digital single)
16. Horse Called Doom (Arrowhead / Atomsmasher)***
17. Gunslinger (Valley of the Sun / Electric Talons of the Thunderhawk)
18. Witch Is Burning (Doublestone / Wingmakers)***
19. Come Samhain (Zodiac / digital single)
20. Slave the Hive (High on Fire / digital single)
21. Battalion of Zero (Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals / Walk Through Exits Only)
22. As You Wish (Vista Chino / Peace)***
23. Oblivion (Switchblade Jesus / Myelin Constellation)
24. Black C (Black Skies / Circadian Meditations)
25. Dead Friends (Doomriders / Grand Blood)

*** New Song

Outgoing songs:

Ride to Ruin (Hollow Leg / Abysmal)
Madness! (Space God Ritual / Eldritch Tales)
Sin revolución no hay evolución (At Devil Dirt / Plan B: Sin Revolución no hay Evolución)
Dawn Rising (Red Fang / Whales & Leeches)

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PARANOID Spotlight on:

VALLEY OF THE SUN – “Gunslinger”

One of the biggest "what the fuck?"s in the entire underground world of stoner rock has been that Cincinnati, Ohio trio Valley of the Sun had been left unsigned and virtually ignored by record labels around the world for years on end.  Well, that's all changed now.  After two well-received E.P.'s the band successfully crowdfunded their debut long-player and made it available to download for all those who helped fund the recording.  The pre-order of the 10 song album was up on bandcamp for weeks while the band searched for a label to help with the distribution and release behind the scenes.  They streamed but a single song from the record, "Gunslinger" which is just a taste of what's to come.  Meanwhile the band inked a deal with Truckfighters's very own Fuzzorama Records to release that album April 1, 2014.  The bandcamp for the album called 'Electric Talons of the Thunderhawk' has been removed but "Gunslinger" is still available to stream at the link listed above (#17).

In a major reversal of fortunes, Valley of the Sun will hit the European roads with Truckfighters and White Miles between February 14 & March 8, playing Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Netherlands, France, Belgium and the U.K. (whew!).  Being one of the crowdfunders myself, I have my digital copy of the album already and I can say the band's success is well deserved.  The formula found on the band's 'Sayings of the Seers' E.P. of muscular fuzz and high doses of energy is respected without being repeated by rote.  The band has a few new tricks up their sleeves and the album is a full and satisfying listen.  "Gunslinger" isn't the only great song on the album, I'd say it's neither the best nor the least of the collection, it certainly makes for a fitting encapsulation of one side of the band.  The song will be joined by a second, "Maya" soon enough.

NEWS: SATELLITE BEAVER CHANGE BANDNAME AND REVEAL FIRST DETAILS OF THEIR UPCOMING ALBUM!

2012 was a seminal year for me.  It's the year I tumbled down the rabbit hole of underground heavy and there's been no looking back.  One of my favorite releases from that year was 'The Last Bow' 4-song E.P. by a Polish band called Satellite Beaver.  Recently the band announced on their facebook page that they have changed their name to Sunnata, but have kept the same personnel, etc.  The name is a Buddhist word and means "emptiness" or more accurately "voidness".  I've kept up with the band and over the course of the last year or so the band has released a couple live performance videos of new songs.  The songs are heavier, thicker, more psychedelic and the change in name is fitting.  Read the press release below for more details:

Warsaw doomsters SATELLITE BEAVER announced that they have changed their name for good. After much deliberation and discussion, they have decided to move on as SUNNATA! As Satellite Beaver, they released three EPs and played some of the biggest central and eastern-european stoner festivals, including Desertfest Berlin, Days Of The Ceremony (PL) or Robustfest (UA), and shared the stages with acts such as Sungrazer, Karma To Burn or Suma.


"Many things have changed since our start in 2008. After three short-length releases and numerous shows we all (finally) agreed to make a step closer to become premium pop-stars. However, the new band name doesn’t imply any line-up or make-up changes. It simply suits our approach to the music, which has become way heavier and trippy in comparison to what we played back in 2008. So here it is." – says drummer Rob.


Along with their name change, SUNNATA have also revealed first details of their upcoming full-length album titled CLIMBING THE COLOSSUS. The album is already in the mix and will contain 7 tracks filled with noise, fuzz and downtuned trips. The upcoming long-awaited record by Sunnata is scheduled to be released in March 2014 and a first single will be coming out soon!

If you want to keep yourself updated with their gloomy news, follow SUNNATA on their official websites:


facebook.com/sunnataofficial 

sunnataofficial.bandcamp.com 

twitter.com/followsunnata 

vk.com/sunnataofficial

Wolves of Winter - Demo (Album Review)

Review by Love Among Ruins.

I wanted to introduce you to Wolves Of Winter, a desert stoner hard rock band from Arizona.  WoW has recently released a noteworthy demo on Bandcamp.  After I heard the demo I contacted the band and talked to Josh McGee, who established the band back in 2011 and he tells me they are planning to release their self titled debut album hopefully sometime this spring.  Coming from Phoenix, Arizona, the band is a trio consisting of Josh McGee who is the main vocalist & guitarist and responsible for most the writing on this demo, with David Weaver on bass and Mike Horn on the drums.   After a few lineup changes before this, Josh tells me he feels as if he has a real good group of guys that "really mesh and get along".

So what we have on this demo is a total of 10 smashing tracks at about 35 mins that give the listener much to chew on.  Ranging from classic rock, to grunge, to stoner & doom and back again this demo is sounding very promising for what could be their debut album.  McGee has some pretty slick guitar licks and shows off his abilities throughout the album with lots of soaring riffs, and clever hooks.  McGee also belts out these tunes with edge, grit and confidence.  The tracks "A Childs Reasoning" & "Tooth & Nail" came crashing though with their deep thumping bass & sizzling guitar riffs.

This trio of guys show a great deal of musicianship especially in the all instrumental progressive track "The Blind Leading The Blind", a lavish, doom influenced number that got my attention real quick.  The album finishes strong with tracks like the bass heavy doomy "Rubber Band" and the bluesy, sultry track "The Start of the Season" and finally the last song, and my favorite track titled "Astrothoughts" features a cool vibe and a catchy chorus that I can't get out of my head.

Bottom line:  This demo is a hard hitting album with tons of potential, it shows us listeners that there is a confident trio of guys that are serious about making a name for themselves not just around the Phoenix area but as far as the ear can hear.   I will be keeping track of the progress of Wolves of Winter and their upcoming debut.  To be continued...

Highlights include: "Astrothoughts" and "Blind Leading the Blind"

Rating: 4.5/5


Total Run Time: 35:12

Members:

Josh McGee (Guitar / Vocals)

David Weaver (Bass)

Mike Horn (Drums)

From: Phoenix, Arizona

Genre: Stoner, Desert Rock, Hard Rock

Release Date: December 20, 2013

Wolves of Winter on facebook
Wolves of Winter's Reverbnation

Doom Chart: Most Paranoid Albums of 01/04/14

Top 30 Albums

#). artist - album title

1. Sonic Mass - All Creatures Strange
2. Blizaro - Strange Doorways
3. Brimstone Coven - II
4. Arrowhead - Atomsmasher
5. Uzala - Tales of Blood & Fire
6. Doctor Smoke - ST EP
7. SubRosa - More Constant Than the Gods
8. Blackwitch Pudding - Taste the Pudding
9. The Great Electric Quest - Chapter II EP
10. Tombstones - Red Skies & Dead Eyes
11. Wounded Giant - Lightning Medicine
12. In the Company of Serpents - Of The Flock
13. Black Majik Acid - ST
14. Ancient Warlocks - ST
15. Hollow Leg - Abysmal
16. Velvet Robe - Night Soil
17. Asomvel - Knuckle Duster
18. Satan's Satyrs - Wild Beyond Belief
19. Sandveiss - Scream Queen
20. Sandrider - Godhead
21. Sangoma - Diviner
22. Space Mushroom Fuzz - Burning the Almanac***
23. Dirt Wizard - No Son of Mine***
24. Earth Witch - Earthbound EP
25. Moosataur - ST***
26. Tombsealer - ST EP***
27. Choke the Palm Tree - Hoax***
28. The Whorehouse Massacre - Altar of the Goat Skull***
29. Mountain Witch - Cold River
30. Iron Man - South of the Earth

*** New Album

• Last Chart
• About the Doom Charts

PARANOID Spotlight on:

SANGOMA - DIVINER

Sangoma is a strange beast.  A proggy, spacey, psychey stoner rock quintet from Huntington, West Virginia, there's something about the different elements all coming together that makes Sangoma sound European.  Or maybe it's more than that.  Maybe it's vocalist Blair Yorke's intrinsic style with his slightly peculiar inflection.  Or maybe it has more to do with the band's iconoclastic music after all.  While there are many divergent genres and subgenres of hard rock and metal, there is an overall American sound, and it's been there for ages.  You can hear it in the frantic pace of Sun Studio's Million Dollar Quartet, the snarling, loose heaviness of the suburban garage bands of the 1960's and in the grooves of most hungry bandcamp bands.  Somehow, there's always seemed to be a bigger emphasis on fine art in the UK and Europe, whereas in the states expression has always been king.  There's a much larger discussion here about the difference between artistic sensibilities and art history, but I won't belabor it.

Sangoma produces fine art.  That's not to say there's no expression here, but when I listen to 'Diviner' there's just something different here.  The songs can be sprawling, but the band still exerts a level of control not often found in American underground bands.  The songs can be aggressive, but aggression is not an end in itself.  There's just more to it than that with this band.  Oddly, a sampling of the band's self-titled debut from June 2012 is a fine example of the 'American sound', heavy, loose, snarling and expressive.  Perhaps the largest difference of all comes from the change in drummer.  The fast and busy Nick Stiles from the first record has been replaced by the more sympathetic Jon Linville for 'Diviner'.  The difference is readily apparent.  While Stiles provided much of the band's propulsion on the first record, that push now seems to come from the rhythm section of Garrett Babb (rhythm guitar) and Josh Harshbarger (bass).  The constant has been the consistent vocals of Yorke and the scorching leads of guitarist Greg Gilbert.

The debut isn't without its memorable moments, but in the end 'Diviner' takes things to another level.  Melody takes hold making songs like "Burnout Blues" and "Consult the Orb" unforgettable.  'Diviner' can be ordered on CD through Sangoma's bandcamp page for a frugal $6 (I got my copy!) or as a digital download for $4.  You can find the page on the link at the #21 spot on the list above.

Hour of Power 01/03/14

1. Forevermore (Old Man Wizard / Unfavorable)
2. What's Eating Harry Lee (The Heavy Co. / The Uno Dose E.P.) PRE
3. Angel Savior In the Cannibal House (Doctor Cyclops / Oscuropasso) PRE
4. Witness a New Low (The Bad Guys / Self-Titled)*
5. Canfield [live] (The Midnight Ghost Train / TBA) PRE
6. Horse 44 [live] (Gaggle of Cocks / American Trash)
7. The Coffin (Violet Temple / Violet Temple of Doom) PRE
8. Ring of Fire (Violet Magick / The Story Of ...) PRE
9. Satan Woman (Amenti Rover / Self-Titled E.P.) PRE
10. Salutation (Harvest Bell / Wheel of Foretaste E.P.) PRE
11. Rise of the Royal Reptile (Sonic Mass / All Creatures Strange)

*Thanks to Ron from the band Mount Fuji for the tip!!

 PRE = Pre-Release / Not yet available

Doom Chart: Most Paranoid Songs of 01/01/14

Top 25 Songs

#). Song Title (artist/album)

1. Ride to Ruin (Hollow Leg / Abysmal)
2. Madness! (Space God Ritual / Eldritch Tales)
3. Champions (Sandrider / Godhead)
4. Queen of the Black Harvest (Ice Dragon / Steel Veins single)
5. Sin revolución no hay evolución (At Devil Dirt / Plan B: Sin Revolución no hay Evolución)
6. Sinistra (Wounded Giant / Lightning Medicine)
7. Echoes in the Void (Black Skies / digital single)
8. Robotic Invasion (Fu Manchu / split single w/ Moab)
9. Frown Curve (March the Desert / Waves on the Moon EP)
10. Fall Through (Maze of Roots / 2013)
11. Leadersheep (Saturn / Ascending)
12. The Seeker (Doctor Smoke / Demo 2013)***
13. Behold, The Annunaki (Brimstone Coven / II)***
14. Oblivion (Switchblade Jesus / Myelin Constellation)
15. Ruler of Dust (Moon Coven / Amanita Kingdom)
16. High Priestess (Black Majik Acid / ST)***
17. Black C (Black Skies / Circadian Meditations)
18. Gary's Graveyard (Smoke / ST)
19. Invisible To See (Space Mushroom Fuzz / Stealing Some Time)
20. Come Samhain (Zodiac / digital single)
21. Slave the Hive (High on Fire / digital single)
22. Dead Friends (Doomriders / Grand Blood)
23. Dawn Rising (Red Fang / Whales & Leeches)
24. Battalion of Zero (Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals / Walk Through Exits Only)***
25. Gunslinger (Valley of the Sun / Electric Talons of the Thunderhawk)***

*** New Song

Outgoing songs:

By Endurance We Conquer (Argus / Beyond the Martyrs)
Monster of the Highway (Black Rainbows / Holy Moon EP)
Forevermore (Old Man Wizard / Unfavorable)
*Last Prediction (Dozer / Vultures EP)
Tears of Blood (Tombstone / Evil Seed single)

• Last Chart
• About the Doom Charts

PARANOID Spotlight on:

HIGH ON FIRE - "SLAVE THE HIVE" 
It's taken forever for "Slave The Hive", the new one-off single by High on Fire to break through in this paranoid mind of mine.  I first heard it on and downloaded it from the Scion A/V page where it's available for free [see link in song listing #21 on this week's chart], and thought, "well, this is okay.  But just okay."  It took months for the song to even enter the Doom Chart but it's been on for two weeks now and it's starting to gain traction.  If nothing else, it's a new High on Fire song, and how the hell can I argue with that, the Oakland trio were one of the main reasons I got into this kind of music in the first place and it turns out, after sticking with the song I've come to realize that "Slave the Hive" gives me everything I liked about High on Fire in the first place.  The band reminds me of Motörhead in that they just rock from beginning to end with no mercy.  "Slave the Hive" is just another piledriver in the deck, and that's not a bad thing when you think about it.

The song has been released on a 7" single which was available on the band's recent Scion sponsored North American tour.  It's also the band's first one-off single since the release of "Speak in Tongues", which was a leftover track from the 'Snakes for the Divine' album sessions [listen/download it here].  As far as I know, it's also frontman/guitarist Matt Pike's first new song to be written and released since committing to a sober lifestyle, despite my estimation that the song may be an average High on Fire song (which is still way above the common average), the band seems to have lost none of it's edge.