ALBUM REVIEW: Seven Planets, "Explorer"

By: Peter Morsellino 

Album Type: Full Length  Date Released: 07/02/2020 

Label: Small Stone Records 

“Explorer” CD//DD//LP track listing: 

1). Vanguard 

2). Plain Truth in a Homespun Dress 

3). Explorer 

4). 206 

5). Seven Seas 

6). Great Attractor 

7). Grissom 

8). The Buzzard 

The Review: 

Light em up if you got em, folks, we're going for a ride. 

Is been eight long years since the last album by these West Virginian kings of the Acid Blues, but it is immediately apparent upon starting this bad boy up that Seven Planets has accumulated absolutely no rust. In only a touch over 35 minutes, this album takes you on a tour of the galaxy, leaving no stone unturned in their search for badass stoner jams and crushing riffs. 

If there is one thing that is very clear when it comes to this release, it is that Seven Planets has not been sitting around for these past eight years. Taking time off to fight personal battles (guitarist Leonard Hanks' cancer diagnosis, for one) did not mean that the music was placed on the shelf. There is a very real feeling of release to this album. These sounds have been bouncing around these guys' heads for the past eight years and now that it has been released into the world, there is nothing that can stop it. 

Continuing and expanding upon the path laid out by their previous albums, “Explorer” is a groove laden trek through the furthest reaches of Stoner Rock. The beats hit hard, the atmospheres are far out and the jams hit right in the sweet spot to take the listener to outer space before bringing them back down to earth with some balls out fist in the air riffage. It's a goddamn good time. 

And that is really the undeniable fact about this album. It's just so much fun. Seven Planets could have come back from an eight year hiatus with a chip on their shoulder and laid down some angry trudging riffs and in all honesty it probably would have been awesome. But instead they have conquered their demons and released an album of triumphant joy. 

This is a band that has gone through hell and returned to show us not only that hell, but the beauty that they've encountered on their way there and back. If you're looking for some fantastic acid grooves and progressive blues jams then this is the album for you. 

“Explorer” is available HERE

Band info: bandcamp || facebook 

ALBUM REVIEW: Throttlerod - "Turncoat"

By: Theron Moore

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 24/06/2016
Label: Small Stone Recordings

The band takes its time building songs, one musical layer at a time, piecing tones together like puzzle pieces with the vocals being the perfect final fit.  This band demands your time and attention to bond with and rightfully so, the songs deserve it.  Great, great record.  Seek it out.  Light a candle.  Pour a glass of wine.  Let it speak to you.

‘Turncoat’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

01).Bait Shop
02).Lazy Susan
03).Never was a Farmer
04).Lima
05).Turncoat
06).You Kicked My Ass at Losing
07).Gainer
08).Every Giant
09).Cops and Robbers
10).Breadwinner
11).I Know a Ship
12). The Guard

The Review:

Gotta admit, never heard of this band.  Not much of a stoner rock aficionado although I do enjoy certain bands of the genre as well as a bit of the ole mean green itself on occasion.  Have to come clean, I enjoyed Throttlerod’s “Turncoat” which as I understand it, is the first record the band has put out in seven years since their previous release “Pig Charmer.” 

Southern fried weed N roll by way of Richmond Virginia, South Carolina removed.  Throttlerod’s down homies managed to avoid channeling generic Sabbath in favor of Seattle’s Skin Yard and dare I say, more traditional hard rock throughout the record?  And it’s heavy without trying hard which for me says more about how in touch they are as a band with their identity than a lot of other groups I’ve recently listened to that strain to prove who they are. 

Throttlerod’s sound is eclectic but heavy without having to try, the sign of a band that’s firing on all cylinders. The band takes its time building songs, one musical layer at a time, piecing tones together like puzzle pieces with the vocals being the perfect final fit.  Don’t expect Electric Wizard or Sleep with Throttlerod.  This band demands your time and attention to bond with and rightfully so, the songs deserve it.  Great, great record.  Seek it out.  Light a candle.  Pour a glass of wine.  Let it speak to you.

‘Turncoat’ is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook

Zun - "Burial Sunrise" (Album Review)

By: Victor Van Ommen

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 25/03/2016

Label: Small Stone Recordings

The slowness of “All That You Say I Am” or the moment in “All For Nothing” that the bass loses its raunchiness and transforms into a lush swelling of lower tones, define this record. The mood is laid back, the pretense is absent, and the vocals that drift by like a breeze on a cold night add up to something special.  “Burial Sunrise” is a record that is musically spot on as well as one that encapsulates the spirit and soul of Desert rock.

“Burial Sunrise” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Nothing Farther

2). Into the Wasteland

3). All For Nothing

4). Come Through the Water

5). All That You Say I Am

6). Solar Incantation

The Review:

Zun’s “Burial Sunrise” is pushed by serene melodies that reflect the peacefulness of a clear and vast night sky. Helmed by none other than Gary Arce (Yawning Man) and fronted by two of the most recognizable voices in the desert - John Garcia (that guy from Kyuss) and Sera Timms (Ides of Gemini) – Zun’s debut has been regarded as one of the most anticipated albums of the year. To further support this claim, there’s Mario Lalli (Fatso Jetson) on bass, Robby Krieger (The Doors) on electric sitar, Bill Stinson (Ten East) on drums, and Harper Hug (Brant Bjork) playing the role of producer as well as contributing some drum tracks and synths.

Despite the cast of musicians, I’d hesitate to call Zun a supergroup. There’s a unified vision on “Burial Sunrise,” and a unified vision is not something that is inherent in the concept of a supergroup. This makes for a sense of togetherness and in doing so avoids the potential pitfall of each contributing musician fighting for the limelight. Sure, Zun might have been put together by Arce, but there´s no sense that this is his band or that he is the boss. The sounds and grooves contributed to “Burial Sunrise” by this family of musicians therefore sound free, like everyone involved had the greater good of the record as their goal. This chemistry has resulted in an arresting mix of spacious melodies, malleable grooves, and a laid back atmosphere.

This being a collective effort is the through-line of the six songs that make up “Burial Sunrise.” Arce’s guitar is instantly recognizable in that he writes sounds, not riffs. Arce uses Zun to continue his quest in experimenting with effects, driving the mood of the record by way of hypnotic passages. His playing is underscored by a rolling rhythm section which keeps a steady push to the meandering songs, upon which Garcia and Timms are able to build. Be it the march of “Into the Wasteland” or the to and fro of “Come Through the Water,” the bass and drums are kept in the center of the mix, having the other instruments rotate around them like planets rotating around the sun. Both rhythmic and free, Zun has succeeded in capturing the psychedelic sound of the low desert.

This relaxing vibe resonates through these songs. The slowness of “All That You Say I Am” or the moment in “All For Nothing” that the bass loses its raunchiness and transforms into a lush swelling of lower tones, define this record. The mood is laid back, the pretense is absent, and the vocals that drift by like a breeze on a cold night add up to something special. Neither Garcia nor Timms have been hired to help sell this record, they are just straight up a perfect fit for these songs. Garcia’s quiet croon in album opener “Nothing Farther” is unintelligible but no less a key ingredient in the overwhelming vibe of the track. Timms adds to this with her melancholic delivery, allowing her voice to seep through all of the empty spaces in the mix, pushing the music far apart which in turn adds to the spaciousness of the album.

“Burial Sunrise” is a record that is musically spot on as well as one that encapsulates the spirit and soul of Desert rock. Zun will probably never tour and might not even make another album, but “Burial Sunrise” makes for a worthy stopgap for each one of these artists involved. It’s nice to hear something as fresh as Zun while waiting for that new Yawning Man album to make the scene.

“Burial Sunrise” is available here

Band info: facebook

Freedom Hawk - 'Into Your Mind' (Album Review)

‘Overall a very strong album that holds strong throughout; immense riffs and licks, explosive drumming, engaging vocals and solid bass playing- it doesn’t get much better.’

Album Type: Full-Length

Date Released: 23/6/2015

Label: Small Stone Recordings

‘Into Your Mind’ CD//DD//LP Track Listing

1). Blood Red Sky

2). Journey Home

3). Lost In Space

4). On Your Knees

5). Waterfall

6). Radar

7). Beyond Our Reach

8). Into Your Mind

9). The Line

10). All Because Of You

Freedom Hawk is:

Lenny Hines | Drums

T.R. Morton | Vocals, Guitar

Mark Cave | Bass

Review:

The Virginia Beach rockers are back!

Now a trio since  the departure of Matt Cave, they bring out their 4^th album and follow up to their 2011 release ‘Holding On’.  Heavy riffs, rolling grooves and soulful melodious guitar entwine to produce their immediately identifiable sound. ‘Into Your Mind’ brings another dimension to their fuzz tinged offerings with all the swagger one would have expected after their previous effort.

A twinge of Ram Jam sneaks into opener ‘Blood Red Sky’; to what proves to be a bloody amazing album, flecked with stoner vocals and Sabbath like grooves,  it oozes into the sub conscious pummelling the senses with aplomb. Definitely the most radio friendly song, a stoner rock band can write, it has the rhythmic pulse of Led Zeppelin with the charisma of Ozzy. Rather adroitly they alternate and meld the prime elements of 70’s, 80’s and 90’s classic rock, metal, psychedelic rock, grunge and even a tinge of thrash. A belting opener.

‘Lost In Space’ epitomises the Virginia Beach trio at their finest; harnessing every single element that makes them enjoyable to the listen to; sci-fi lyrics, guitar riffs and lead melodies that create momentum and splashes of colour to lift the arrangements. The passion they have for hard rock and its history is transferred directly into this song and its finely tuned style of song writing.  The lead break in ‘Journey Home’; housing more layers than a triple decker sandwich, brings the catchiness up to immensely classic levels whilst the refined drum rolls from Hines and psychedelic chord choices make ‘Waterfall’ an absolute must have for their live shows; housing a slinky funk groove before opening up to a stoner rock ballad, superb stuff.

With a nod to Southern Rock, they take a wander with ‘Beyond Our Reach’, with clean, echoing guitar rhythms that hammer into the brain and take root enabling you to hum them all day long. Putting a pin in their heavy distortive work to get their point across, and they do, so very well.  Smoothly moving into the title track ‘Into Your Mind’ with a Clutch like stomp, you’re subjected to wondrous harmonies that combine Soul, Blues, Hard Rock and Stoner Metal with style,  making this trio diverse- yes but also enticing, flowing with musical chemistry. Jim Morrison’s influence is a shining beacon on the opening vocals here. A track that can only be described as organic; it is like no other on the album but reflects the roots of the Hard Rock/Metal genres. This song reminds the listener; no matter what kind of song they write, what lies at their core- delivering energetic rock whilst worshipping at the altar of the greats. It is by this point that I have realised just how good drummer Lenny Hines is; almost Ian Paice like, his dexterity for fills and his stylistic variations are immense. Each drum part is superbly arranged and executed with intent and attention to dynamics.

‘The Line’ glides in next; instantly attention grabbing, sombre and melodic, driven with emotionally charged vocals and strong bass lines, it is wondrously morose and melodic. The guitar lines take over about half way through and lead the song to an enchanting instrumental ending. Ending on a high with ‘All Because Of You’; it is a funky, groovy number that will cause those with even the blackest of souls to have a little wiggle round the kitchen.  It is simple yet effective and with more than ample guitar wizardry, catchy drums and bass entanglement, it takes me a minute to calm down and declare that I am in no doubt this record is winning. With the focus honed on refined, hook-orientated chord progressions and the Ozzy like crooning of guitarist T.R. Morton these 10 songs remind me of everything from Sabbath to Kyuss; Clutch to retro Corrosion of Conformity.

Overall a very strong album that holds strong throughout; immense riffs and licks, explosive drumming, engaging vocals and solid bass playing- it doesn’t get much better. They have developed a fantastic writing/playing style that pings the senses and has massive potential for success within the retro/classic rock movement. They balance the vocal and instrumental parts alongside excellent attention to detail with their arrangements. Capitalising on the best of the 70’s whilst adding their own twist based around excellent song writing as opposed to stylistic retro posturing.  If you love classic rock and up tempo metal/hard rock then this will settle nicely between the ears and tickle your fancy.

Words by: Kat Hilton

‘In Your Mind’ is available here

For more information:

Like: https://www.facebook.com/freedomhawkmusic

Official: http://freedomhawk.net/

Follow: https://twitter.com/freedomhawkband

Listen: http://freedomhawk.bandcamp.com/

Photos: http://instagram.com/freedomhawkband

Abrahma - 'Reflections In The Bowels of the Bird' (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 12/5/2015

Label: Small Stone Recording

‘Reflections In The Bowels of the Bird’ CD//DD track listing:

1). Fountains Of Vengeance

2). An Offspring To The Wolves

3). Omens Pt.1

4). Weary Statues

5). Omens Pt.2

6). Kapal Kriya

7). Square the Circle

8). Omens Pt.3

9). A Shepherd’s Grief

10). Conium…

Abrahma is

Sébastien BISMUTH | Vocals, Guitars, Synths and Effects

Nicolas HELLER | Guitars

Guillaume COLIN | Bass guitar

Benjamin COLIN | Drums

Review:

Abrahma, a band on Small Stone that I was actually not familiar with at all,  so with having no previous knowledge of this bands history I’ll base my review from that perspective. First thing about this release that will grab you is the absolutely stunning album artwork, second thing is definitely the title of the record. With a title like “Reflections In The Bowels of a Bird”, I’m thinking “what the hell, is this going to be a death metal record out on small stone?” All kidding aside, not at all just a rather abstract and quizzical album title and what “Reflections In the Bowels of a Bird” is right out of the gate, is a declaration of no bones about it heavy rock record with flourishes of psychedelia and tweaks of nineties era hard rock  Each time I listened to this record I kept having this overall feeling of early nineties grunge nostalgia ala Alice in Chains or Soundgarden, then I read the bands bio, which states that exact thought as being a large influence. The key to this statement is one of influence being injected where needed to augment the bands style not an overall clone of music from that era.

“Fountains of Vengeance” starts the record off with a distortion intro right into a modernized approach on an early nineties hard rock sound. Excellent vocals are immediately noteworthy and a good indication of what we’re in for with the record. Second offering “An Offspring To The Wolves” gets darker and slower on the listener and almost sounds like a different band altogether. Really liked this track for the weight and gravity of it, there were some great parts displayed that built up the urgency of the song and then fly off the handle into a nice weird psychedelic part.

With track three “Omens Pt. 1“ begins a trilogy of more spacey and mellow songs that thread through the record, “Weary Statues” puts forward a faster more aggressive approach until the halfway point where they go into something that reminds me of a spacey Solitude Aeturnus or late 90’s Sentenced, before they jump back into the original attack of the song. This is a very cool and interesting track that makes me look forward to the remainder of the record.

“Omens pt. 2” continues with the mellow and ethereal vibe from part one, bringing  to mind Faith No More in parts. Cool guitar parts weave into the psychedelic effects before matching screams with a jazzy saxophone piece! I love crazy instrumentation on rock records and especially the addition of saxophone so this one hits me. Next up “Kapal Kriya” stretches out the ending of “pt. 2” before becoming its own beast, heavier bass and angry sounding vocals do well for the entire track and this is a stand out track on the record for me. I hate to keep coming up with influences and likeness but this track really pulls heavily from the repertoire of Tool. “Square The Circle” comes off as a fast, almost radio friendly hard rock/metal song. Not my thing, but I believe fans of the band will dig it.

“Omens Pt. 3” is a much darker concluding chapter to the trilogy, more dire and dismal in all ways and kind of sets the tone for the last quarter of the record. Next up is “A Shepherds Grief” and this song features Ed Mundell formerly of TAB and Monster Magnet fame, as one would expect it’s got his signature guitar tone all over it. This is a good tune and I like it a lot, more of a straight ahead rocker that showcases the vocal talents as well as the fuzzier direction the band can take. Finally “Conium” closes out the record on the note of a more solemn rocker, sort of a ballad with a dire and somber tone. I might be missing something but it seems like Abrahma decided to close out their second record with a sense of hopelessness and doom but in an accessible way.

So to wrap things up, if you’ve got a yearning for something harkening back to early nineties grunge tinged psychedelia that provides you with a straight ahead rock with chops and hooks to spare, this will definitely be a release for you!

Words by: David Heaton

‘Reflections In The Bowels of the Bird’ is available here

For more information:

http://abrahmamusic.net/ | https://abrahma.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/ABRAHMAMUSIC | https://twitter.com/abrahmamusic

The Sludgelord News: ABRAHMA Reveal New Album Artwork on Smallstone Records

Paris-based heavy psych outfit ABRAHMA just unveiled more details on their sophomore record "Reflections In The Bowels Of A Bird", due out mid-May on Small Stone Records.

"Reflections In The Bowels Of A Bird" will be ABRAHMA's second full-length on Small Stone Records, and features prestigious guests such as Ed Mundell (Monster Magnet, The Atomic Bitchwax), as well as Thomas Bellier (Black Heat Shujaa) as its co-producer. Its fabulously coloured artwork was created by Barcelona's artist Jalónde Aquiles.

The band released a teaser that displays all album details as well as the release date for their upcoming video "An Offspring To The Wolves".

Get a full insight into ABRAHMA's new record NOW 

Forcefully ascending from the depths of Paris rock underground, it only took ABRAHMA one album to emerge as one of the torchbearers of French heavy rock on the international scene. Released in late 2012 on renowned North American label Small Stone Records, "Through The Dusty Paths Of Our Lives" unveiled an incredibly mature songwriting, while showcasing the band’s sombre and complex music realm. With this first full-length, they laid the foundations of their peculiar stoner aura adorned with the darkest riffage of the Seattle sound, and drew the attention of the international press. 2015 will see the Parisian foursome release their second album to date, due out this spring on Small Stone Records.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

09.04 - STRASBOURG (FR) Mudd Club
10.04 - LICHTENFELS (DE) Paucnhy Cats Inn
11.04 - MUNSTER (DE) Rare Guitar
12.04 - TILBURG (NL) Roadburn Festival
13.04 - France TBA
14.04 - MONTPELLIER (FR) Black Sheep
15.04 - MADRID (SP) Maravillas Club
16.05 - BARCELONA (SP) Rocksound
17.05 - VITORIA (SP) Helldorado
18.04 - NICE (FR) Le Volume
19.04 - Italy TBA
20.04 - SAVIGNANO SUL RUBICONE (IT) Sidro Club
21.04 - MUNICH (DE) Orange House
22.04 - DRESDEN (DE) Ost-Pol
23.04 - BERLIN (DE) Desertfest Berlin

www.abrahmamusic.net www.facebook.com/ABRAHMAMUSIC www.twitter.com/ABRAHMAMUSIC www.smallstone.com

The Sludgelord News: LO-PAN: Ohio Riff Dealers Announce US + Europeans Tour Dates In Support Of Colossus

Ohio riff dealers, LO-PAN, will take to the streets next month on a near two-week Northeastern run of live dates. Kicking off on March 12th in Detroit, Michigan at Berserker II alongside Poison Idea, Iron Reagan, Incantation, Full Of Hell and many others, the NxNe Tour 2015 will trounce eleven cities, coming to a close on March 22nd in Columbus, Ohio. The band will be joined by Detroit rockers, Against The Grain. From there LO-PAN will take a short breather before crossing the Atlantic for a European expedition that will see the band level the stage of Roadburn, Desert Fest, Asymmetry Fest and more with psyche peddlers, Abrahma, and psychedelic war metallers, Black Pyramid, sharing the stage on select dates.

LO-PAN will be touring in support of their critically heralded Colossus long player, released last Fall via Small Stone. Produced and engineered by Andrew Schneider (Unsane, Rosetta, East Of The Wall et al) at his own Translator Audio Studio in Brooklyn, New York and named for an ancient statue of the Greek titan-god of the sun, Helios, the record continues to raise the eyebrows of fans and media globally.

Sputnik Music dubs Colossus, "an essential heavy rock album," further enthusing, "The ultra-heavy fourth album of Columbus luminaries LO-PAN certainly lives up to its title, bludgeoning the listener with a cavalcade of gargantuan riffs from the ground up... the quartet tread a fine line between the technicality of Tool and the sheer riff-power of Swedish stoner rock heavyweights Dozer, while succumbing to both bands' penchant for infectious motifs." Verbicide opined, "Not only do they bring the rock to the world of stoner rock, they are also master craftsmen, knowing how to write classic-sounding tunes," while Hellride notes, "Like the real-life manifestations of the album's title, LO-PANare giants walking the earth and Colossus will leave a heavy footprint in the mind of anyone who hears it. Rarely will getting stepped on sound so good." Elsewhere the feelings ricochet. The Sleeping Shaman calls Colossus, "a fantastic album," asserting, "if you're into powerful, driving, stoner influenced heavy rock that is big on riffs and melodies and gut punching grooves then this album will thrill you," Rockandrollfables.com gushes, "If Torche and Roadsaw had a baby, the resulting bouncing baby boy would be Ohio's LO-PAN. Take those sludgy riffs and clean vocals that bring to mind Roadsaw's Craig Riggs and you have the recipe for something great...a monumentally monolithic masterpiece from start to finish," while The Obelisk notes, "...where their last full-length, 2011's Salvador, was a pinnacle for their songwriting's blend of fluid groove, soulful vocals and memorable tracks, Colossus reaps the reward of all their touring in pushing LO-PAN's methods even further. So it's a meaner, more precise LO-PAN this time around."

LO-PAN NxNe Tour 2015 w/ Against The Grain:

3/12/2015 The Loving Touch - Berserker II - Detroit, MI [info]

3/13/2015 Grog Shop - Cleveland, OH

3/14/2015 The Lost Horizon - Syracuse, NY

3/15/2015 TT The Bear's - Boston, MA

3/16/2015 Wonder Bar - Asbury Park, NJ

3/17/2015 The Depot - York, PA

3/18/2015 Saint Vitus - Brooklyn, NY

3/19/2015 Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA

3/20/2015 The Pinch - Washington, DC

3/21/2015 31st Street Pub - Pittsburgh, PA

3/22/2015 Spacebar - Columbus, OH

w/ Abrahma:

4/09/2015 Mudd Club - Strasbourg, FR

4/10/2015 Paunchy Cats - Lichtenfels, DE

4/11/2015 Rare Guitar - Munster, DE

4/12/2015 Roadburn - Tilburg, NL

4/14/2015 Black Sheep - Montepellier, FR

4/15/2015 Maravillas Club - Madrid, ES

4/16/2015 Rocksound - Barcelona, ES

4/17/2015 Helldorado - Vitoria, ES

4/18/2015 Le Volume - Nice, FR

4/19/2015 TBA - IT

4/20/2015 Altraquando Club - Zero Baranco, IT

4/21/2015 Orange House - Munich, DE

w/ Black Pyramid:

4/23/2015 Desertfest - Berlin, DE

4/24/2015 Romer - Bremen, DE

4/25/2015 Desertfest - London, UK

4/28/2015 Sedel - Lucerne, CH

4/2/20159 Gaswerk - Winterthur, CH

4/30/2015 Das Bett - Frankfurt, DE

5/01/2015 Schaubude - Kiel, DE

5/02/2015 Asymmetry Fest - Wroclaw, PL

Colossus is out now via Small Stone Recordings. Order your copy today at THIS LOCATION.

http://www.lopandemic.com
http://www.facebook.com/lopandemic?fref=ts
http://www.smallstone.com
http://www.facebook.com/smallstonerecords?fref=ts 

Source: Earsplit PR