Reports are sparse, but there appears to be growing underground backlash to the utopian technocracy that has been thrust upon all of us, making constant demands on our time, attention, security, and sanity. It feels like everything is accelerating, with a constant stream of cortisol-inducing stressors that authorities assure are just part and parcel of life in 2026 and beyond. It’s the new normal, so get used to it (they say). It’s just something our stupid evolution didn’t prepare us for, but we can always cope with more drugs (we’re told).

A growing number of people are getting fed up with the new normal and questioning everything, including the loss of essential humanity in this soulless zoo of concrete, asphalt, plastic, noise, and polluted air. The cork is about to pop and release some pressure, with the backlash manifesting in some noise of our own – using the very electricity powering the Metropolis.

Punk rock has long been an outlet for that instinctive, primal urge to rage against the machine. Far from a passing fad, the medium has had surprising longevity. Without the backing of the corporate machine that brought us so much watered-down and faux-punk at the turn of the century, lovers of raucous noise are banding together, plugging in and plugging away with defiance and resolve.

Enter SLOVENIANS, dotted with outrageous tats and spilling over with excitability, irony, and rage, the four-piece powerhouse from Brussels have been dissing since 2012. The band has several releases to their name already, but a new record coming which dons a loving mash-up of punk, stoner, and blues (dig the fulsome harmonica on “Le Flues” and the boisterous guitars on “Creep Inside”). Of course, rock ‘n’ roll in all its stripes has always been just a step away from punk (from the early days of Jerry Lee Lewis to metal bands like Metallica), and Slovenians blend their ingredients smoothly, yet with no less bite.

While tracks like “Don’t Wanna Wake,” “Somebody Help,” and “That Shit Off” may seem nihilistic on the face, Slovenians stay rooted in a deeper message: “No matter how damaged, defeated or lost someone becomes, there is always a path forward.” Sometimes we just need to hear someone shout it with guts to believe it.

Punk rock as a message of hope? You decide as Mottow Soundz issues Slovenians’ first new record since the pandemic: Birds of Disgrace. Coming to shake the world above ground on September 4th, today Doomed & Stoned is airing out the new single: “Zwarte Kat.”

The vibe feels unmistakably dangerous, full of black cat energy that knows how to really rattle those gilded cages of ours. Laurent’s furious drumbeats and Guillaume’s basswork are matched by Logan’s throaty vox and frantic riffing from guitarist Félix. It all gives me the urge to pick up a bar stool and fling it (disclaimer: do not do this at one of their shows).

Stick it on a playlist with Motorhead, some rowdier High on Fire and Melvins cuts, and of course classic punk from yesteryear. Available soon for pre-order here and here.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

A blistering mix of raw punk-rock energy, melodic tension, hardcore urgency and hardened life experience, Birds of Disgrace is Slovenians’ most ambitious and emotionally charged release to date.

Formed in Brussels in 2012, Slovenians have spent more than a decade carving out a distinct place in the European underground. Blending explosive punk rock with gritty stoner and blues influences, the band quickly built a reputation for high-intensity performances and uncompromising songwriting, earning a loyal following across Belgium and beyond.

Across fourteen tracks, Birds of Disgrace confronts addiction, grief, shame, social hypocrisy, loneliness and survival, delivering songs that are as brutally honest as they are cathartic. From the psychological turmoil of new single ‘Somebody Help’ to tracks such as ‘Creep Inside’, ‘Don’t Wanna Wake Up’ and ‘Doctor Doctor’, the album explores both private collapse and public failure, capturing the emotional fractures of modern life.

At its core, the record is also about endurance. Songs like ‘Start Again’ and ‘Le Flues’ reflect the album’s central message: no matter how damaged, defeated or lost someone becomes, there is always a path forward.

Lyrically and musically, Birds of Disgrace balances punk sarcasm, dark humour and emotional depth without losing the raw urgency that has defined Slovenians since their earliest days on the Brussels underground circuit.

The band’s journey has not been without tragedy. In 2017, Slovenians lost founding guitarist Sinkesh Krištofik in a sudden accident, an event that deeply affected the group and cast uncertainty over their future. Choosing to continue in his honour, the band returned with renewed purpose, later dedicating their 2020 EP Sinners to his memory and channeling that resilience into their evolving sound.

That spirit of persistence continues to define Slovenians today. Over the years, they have shared stages with punk legends such as The Exploited and performed at major events including Rat Rock Festival, solidifying their reputation as a powerful live force driven by intensity, honesty and connection with their audience.

With confirmed appearances throughout 2026, including a performance at Punk Rock Holiday in Slovenia, Birds of Disgrace by Slovenians is released on 4th September 2026 via Mottow Soundz.

A new generation of Dutch garage rock has arrived…

More and more, a generation saturated in deep fakes, doubtful news, and AI generated slop is flying to the accessible unpolished power of punk rock to express their angst with the world.

We know with punk it’s not rocket science: 3-chord power chord progressions, fast-paced 4/4 time signatures, and 140–220 BPM. What does make the genre come alive, and distinguish a punk band, is their lyrics, attitude, and live performances. There’s no sense in trying to reinvent the wheel. More important is to keep the wheel turning.

A band that’s doing that and then some is the cleverly monickered SICK SHOOTERS, following in a scuffed tradition that has spanned decades yet lost none of its edge in the present day. Punk has become a rite of passage in many ways between the generations, so it’s good to get some fresh life breathed into the genre in this new 11-track stomper, ‘Super Sonic Rock Saga’ (2026).

The Utrecht foursome give bright, high energy aura to songs like “Evacuation,” which laments being caught in the crunch of political control and the nagging human instinct to be free. You wanna run, but “what you gonna do…when they’re coming for you?”

Frenetic energy and sweet guitar soloing are surrounded by warm, dissonant fuzz and primal garage anthems on Sick Shooters’ Super Sonic Rock Saga, out March 19th via Wap Shoo Wap Records (get it here).

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Netherlands’s newest garage rock ’n roll wrecking crew, Sick Shooters, are ready to pull the trigger on their explosive debut album, Super Sonic Rock Saga, next month on Wap Shoo Wap Records.

All four members of the Utrecht quarter earned their stripes in local punk outfits No Brains, Spurn, and Ultragoblin. Battle-hardened by years in the underground scene, the result is raw, urgent, and unapologetically loud.

Super Sonic Rock Saga delivers eleven razor-sharp tracks packed with undeniable hooks. Fuelled by raw production and the striking absence of a bass guitar, the album channels the spirit of ’90s garage punk while tipping its hat to ’70s power pop. It’s a lean, high-voltage sound that wastes no time and pulls no punches.

From straight-up punk rock blasters like ‘Evacuation’ and ‘Never Comin’ Home’, to fist-pumping garage anthems such as ‘Heartbreaker Soulshaker’ and ‘Supersonic Lovin’’, and even bittersweet love songs like ‘Sweet Telephone’ and ‘Daisy’, the band proves they can hit hard without losing melody. No filler. No half measures. Just full tilt rock ’n roll.

You can just tell when a band has chemistry. DUSTED ANGEL has the raw energy of Helmet and all the brash, in your face attitude of Mudhoney. Not a new band, by any means, jamming since 2008, but now landing on so esteemed a label as Heavy Psych Sounds, the band is finding their way to many new ears in the heavy underground.

The Santa Cruz, California band (made up of Clifford Dinsmore on vox, guitar slingers Eric Fieber and Eddie Gregor, bassist Elliot Young, and drummer Steve Ilse), are riding the crest of a comeback wave following their last album in 2010. All the more remarkable and heartening, considering the many trials they have fought through to get to this moment. Now on the other side of COVID’s nightmares, Dusted Angel brings us their second full-length ‘This Side of the Dirt’ (2025), 8 tracks in all.

It’s stoner doom as it’s meant to be, with lead-heavy chords you can feel right inside your chest and a defiant punk ethos. Rage Against The Machine comes to mind, but Dusted Angel has more of a rubber meets the road chug – the kind of rhythm that makes you wanna break 55 every time you drive.

They’ve held their own on stages throughout the years with the best of them, paired with bands like Fu Manchu, High on Fire, and Melvins. Good rough 'n’ tumble company, for sure. With this fiery vibe, you can’t help but get caught up in the punchy surge and defiant electricity of songs like “Kiss of Shame,” their first single “Death Crushes Hope,” and the music video we’re premiering today: “Plastic People.”

Look for Dusted Angel’s This Side of the Dirt, out September 19th on vinyl and digipak via Heavy Psych Sounds (pre-order here).

Give ear…

Dusted Angel’s journey is one of passion, perseverance, and reinvention. Fifteen years after their debut LP “Earth-Sick Mind”, the sleeping giant awakens to delight the masses with their bulldozer-like blend of heavy rock, punk rock, metal and desert riff worship, topped with Dunsmore’s commanding vocals. Whether slow-burning or full-throttle, their music is built for volume, leaving audiences battered, blissed-out, and begging for more. The fiery quintet is back and ready to sweep everything away in its path, and you’re more than welcome to hop aboard this crazy party train!

Lead singer Clifford Dinsmore shares the origins of the band:

“At the end of 2008, when I first heard that Bill Torgerson (who I’d played with for years in Bl'ast!), Eric Dog Feiber, Elliot Young and Scott Stevens were jamming I was instantly curious. When mutual friend Kieth Meek told me they wanted me to join I had to see what this is all about. Hearing The Thorn and Seeking The Dawn for the first time blew my mind and I was all about being a part of this project. After I wrote a song called Dusted Angel, we mutually agreed that would be the name of the band.

"We were very active in the first couple years, playing live constantly. We released a 7” and our full length, Earthsick Mind. When we lost Bill Torgerson, it was a severe blow to the band because he is such an irreplaceable drummer. In my mind there was only one strand of hope and one man for the job: Steve Ilse! When I approached Steve, he was busy and extremely hesitant. When I told him he was the only person that could ever replace Bill, he reluctantly joined on a part time basis. When Scotty began to have severe problems with nerves in his arm and hands we began our descent into obscurity.

“We were still playing a few great shows a year with the likes of Fu Manchu, High on fire, Melvins, Red Fang, Radio Moscow, Chrom, and other friends bands that would momentarily resuscitate the motivation. I never lost interest in Dusted Angel, and always dreamed of the day we could be more than a side project. After I had survived two different kinds of cancer and Scotty left the band, our friend Donny Champion sat in for a brief period on second guitar. Then the whole COVID-19 nightmare happened and I did a year of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant.

"When I came out of the fog and was able to function again we began doing limited shows with one guitar. We decided we wanted to dedicate more time to Dusted Angel and our search for a second guitar player began. Eddie Gregor was an old friend and was always around, blowing our minds with his guitar playing. When I asked, "What about Eddie?” Everyone just assumed he was too busy. When I finally asked him what he thought about being in the band, he said he had recently pictured playing with us while watching us perform. When he decided to give it a shot, things instantly gelled.

“The rest is history and for the first time in years we were able to feel like a real band again. Since his induction, it’s been non stop momentum. Incredible live shows, recording the new record, signing with HPS, and the opportunity to finally take Dusted Angel around the world. We look forward to whatever happens next!”

What could be better than a breakfast with Death? What a party, right? Might sound bizarre, but you’ll be up for the vibe right away as soon as you get this album rocking. DUEL releases ‘Breakfast With Death’ (2024) this weekend on Heavy Psych Sounds, a hard-fighting, whisky-spitting, rubber meets the road rock 'n’ roll road trip from Austin, Texas. But it’s not just rock, this is heavy rock with desert, doom, and psychedelic mods on this stream rolling machine, with a rhythm that will not let up from Drew Potter (bass) and Patrick “Scooch” Pascucci (drums).

This is just high octane, kick-ass stuff, beginning with the over-caffeinated heartbeat of “Ancient Moonlight” made perfect by cool, lower-range crooning from frontman Tom Frank (vocals, guitar), who doesn’t seem concerned in the slightest about how fast this thrashy train is moving. The dank ending 3:13 is like everything suddenly going into slow motion and the tracks melting right beneath the wheels.

“Chaos Reigns” has a rambunctious '70s rock start, but the low-end is like nothing heard generations ago. This is heavy as all fuck with two downtuned guitars. And those verses are defiant. The rhythm section likes to go insane in short bursts, especially during the punk-thrash chorus. Nice to have some bitchin’ guitar soloing too from Jeff Henson (lead guitar).

“Satan’s Invention” was the lead single from this album and starts strong and rebellious “I don’t believe in the devil! Hell is a place here on earth!” Later the guitars do a solo version of that verse and the chorus. The band describes this one as “a four-minute Thin Lizzy-sequel rocker exploring the evils of man and the illusions of life. The countless lies we are fed from birth to death. All at a beat you can dance to!” The backing vocals are effective and the riffs and vocal intonations work out really well together here

Nice to see a band like Duel traffic in and out of different styles of rock and metal so seamlessly, not just between songs but within the tracks themselves. In “Fallacy” we get full-on groove metal, but everything about the song still screams DUEL, whether it’s the tuning of the instruments, the chemistry of the musicians, or the defining vocal tone and harmonies (a singer and two backers). The middle section goes into a more regret-filled, horror-tinged sentiment that’s right in Beastmaker territory.

“Pyro” may not be the best song to highlight on the 4th of July (let’s keep our forests from setting on fire for Pete’s sake, folks), but it’s definitely high octane and mischief-filled. “You think you’re innocent, Tom quips, and right away you’re thinking no. The guitar solo here takes us into an alternate universe, while the second guitar joins the rhythm section for some truly impish grinding and some sweet dueling guitar play later in the song.

"Berserker” features some grueling bass and drum work, and a trippy chorus with hypnotizing guitar riffage that recalls 1960’s classics.

“Tigers of Destruction” charges at us with Metallica-esque fury in those monstrous monotone verses that greet us from the start. The Duel beast continues to morph and evolve throughout the song, and the guitar solo introduces elements of psychedelic and grunge. This is going to be one of your favorite tracks on the album.

“Greet The Dead” dredges up a stormy clash of riff and rhythm, then showcases some awesome basswork. Tom’s range works ideally on this song’s verses and chorus. Finally vocals that aren’t high for me to sing along with. There are some great harmonic touches from backing singers Jeff and Drew, as well as a whirling dervish of a solo the finish.

“Burn The Earth” begins with an early-doom, Saint Vitus type groove but gets way rowdy just a minute in. I cannot emphasize how important it is to listen to this with some decent speakers that really bring out that bass. It’s pulse pounding with great energy, rowdy vocals recalling those gritty early Neal Fallon days in Clutch. Two minutes in and the song is still revving strong, then a disjointed, jerky breakdown that takes us into strange Ozzy dimensions of spooky. When the ravaging chorus returns at 3:07, you’ll for sure snag this for your End of the World mixtape.

Duel’s Breakfast with Death comes out Friday, July 5th on Heavy Psych Sounds on vinyl, CD, and digital (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Red Fang, Danava, High Desert Queen, Hippie Death Cult, and Greenbeard.

TRACKLIST

1. Ancient Moonlight
2. Satan’s Invention
3. Chaos Reigns
4. Fallacy
5. Pyro
6. Berserker
7. Tigers of Destruction
8. Greet The Dead
9. Burn The Earth

Greek stoner-doom tribe SADHUS, THE SMOKING COMMUNITY are back and more raucous than ever with a third LP on the way by mid-month.

Hailing from the sunny port city of Piraeus in the greater Athens area, ‘Illegal Sludge’ (2023) is the band’s first LP since 2018’s Big Fish, and it is indeed a riot. Damning doom metal riffs, punchy percussion, and whiskey-soaked roars will really get your blood pumping.

Today, we get a listen to the album’s first single and music video, “Woodman,” an up-tempo punk-sludge number set to the backdrop of a barbeque that becomes an outlet for a lot of pent up aggression. Note that it is the shortest song on the new record, with most tracks averaging five-minutes in length, so there’s plenty here to get you doomed and stoned.

Check out Illegal Sludge by Sadhus, The Smoking Community – releasing November 17th on black, blue, and white vinyl via Ouga Booga & the Mighty Oug Recordings (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Eyehategod, Demon Head, C.X. and Bongzilla.

Give ear…

Hailing from Osaka, BlackLab has earned a reputation throughout the heavy underground, releasing In a Bizarre Dream on UK label New Heavy Sounds last year and playing Desertfest London, in one of their first ever shows outside of Japan. While there, they took time to record three live session videos.

Says the band:

“This live session was put into our itinerary in London by our label. It was done the day before Desertfest, so it worked great as a warm-up for the show. We recorded three tracks: ‘Weed Dream’ from the 2nd album 'Abyss’ and 'Lost’/'Dark Clouds’ from the 3rd album 'In A Bizarre Dream.’  We did it at Reservoir Studio right near Finsbury Park. Most studios in Japan are in dull buildings, but it was a very nice place converted from a traditional English house. So we were thrilled to be able to perform in such a wonderful environment. It was a great start to our musical experience in London.”

“Weed Dream” features grungy doom-punk riffs, a fiery beat, and a freaky story, with a stormy mood throughout. Its fierce spirit is palpable. Doomed & Stoned debuted the studio version of the song in these pages and reviewed it here.

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GET THEIR MUSIC

Rocking their way ever closer to that ten-year mark, GRANDE ROYALE is back with ‘Welcome To Grime Town’ (2023), a lively 12-tracker that witnesses a dynamic fusion of retro, garage, and punk with snappy choruses, rhythm aplenty, and singing, stinging guitar leads.

Whether their name derives from the Munich-style lager or to the Beastie Boys or something altogether different, there are elements of each that spiritually feed into their sound, notes of celebration and defiance. “I know this is real. We will live, we will die. And I can’t get it out of my mind” says the song “Utopia.” Grande Royale’s music is teeming with hot blood, assigned a tag that made me smile with approval: action rock.

The latest single to emerge from the band’s forthcoming LP is “Stark Raving Mad.” Now this is a party song if I’ve ever heard one, a party that ends up with a lot of spilled beer and maybe something burned right down to the ground. Today, Doomed & Stoned brings you the world premiere of the music video. Reached for comment, the band says:

We wanted to do a “sci-fi vibe” video in a humorous way. Mats, the doctor, is a famous actor and a good friend who did a great job playing Stark Raving Mad. We picked Mats up at the psych ward. Directed and filmed by Robin Pagmar.

Welcome To Grime Town by Grande Royale drops March 24th on The Sign Records (pre-order here or here). Meanwhile the single drops tomorrow and you can add it to your collection right here.

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SOME BUZZ

Grande Royale is a rock 'n’ roll band who fuse the early '70s rock scene of Detroit with the '90s rock scene in Scandinavia, and throw in some vintage pop elements for good measure. The band formed in 2014 and released their debut Cygne Noir in the same year.

During their career the outfit has toured all over Europe and Grand Royale has become a name to be reckoned with in the Swedish rock scene. Now preparing to unleash their sixth studio album, Welcome to Grime Town, this offering marks a new chapter for the band seeing Calle Rydberg replace Andreas Jenå on guitars and vocals.

'Welcome To Grime Town’ is the sixth studio album from the Scandinavian garage rock outfit Grande Royale. Showcasing the band’s range from a more laid back, melodic and acoustic side to catchy and energetic hard rock. The new record will be released on March 24th, 2023, via The Sign Records.

'Welcome To Grime Town’ delivers twelve powerful tracks all encompassing Grand Royale’s compelling style. Raucous riffs, electric guitars and dynamic percussion manifest into a fiery explosion. From “Tell Me” to “The End,” Grande Royale present an thrilling journey of high-octant tracks and more intimate melodic moments. “Tell Me” makes for an energetic opening setting the tone for the album. “Utopia” unveils a softer side with an acoustic composition gradually building before erupting into full-throttle distortion. Taking another turn, “Stark Raving Mad” brings a taste of punk with a gritty edge. With inspiration for the track drawn from a Monty Python-ish universe, “Stark Raving Mad” is a catchy hit.

Given the extreme conditions of isolation, fear, government overreach, economic turmoil, and general pandemic pandemonium, it is not surprising to find more albums turning from sorrow and hurt to outrage and anger. ‘Regrets’(2022) is simply explosive.

Aggression is the name of the game in the latest offering from Thunder Bay, Ontario crew ALIENATÖR. Brad King (guitar, vox), Sean Skillen (bass, vox), and Simon Paquette (drums) pack a big wallop for a band of three. Their sound is a hash of sludge, hardcore, noise, and crust, with a message that’s urgent and dire.

In the mirror you see an awful lack
Cannot stand the face that’s staring back
Seething anger nowhere else to hide
Hatred fills the emptiness inside

Like their first album 'Pariahs’ (2019), Regrets is fast and aggressive. What makes this one different is how utterly bleak, raw, and abrasive it feels – a reflection, perhaps, of the slowly evolving chaos around us.

This Just In: Rabid bassist on the loose! “Revisionist History” comes at us like a rowboat caught in the maelstrom. Vocals are good 'n’ pissed, to the extreme of hoarseness. Elsewhere, singing is mean and raspy – as in “Blood Red Blood,” where the bass gets a chance to strut its stuff even more.

If you love a good riff, “Loss Leader” is your song. The guitar leads are mysterious, slow, and strong. Drums rally for the title track, which makes “Regrest” feel like a fun ride downhill.

In the music video for “Priest,” the band is playing in an abandoned office building with their backs turned to one another. I can’t help but draw a parallel to all the conversations going on in social media bubbles that have us caged in, alienated from one another. But the song is about something much heavier: the abuse of religious power.

Sometimes a man
Is not what he appears
Sometimes behind those kindly eyes is the
Sum of all our fears

Around the 3-minute mark, bass and guitar do battle epically. The tonal nuances brought out by this recording are remarkable.

The B-side welcomes us to a furious slam dance in “The Less Dead,” followed by the dissonant headbanger “Flat Earth Society.” Things get funky for “Irreconcilable” with a beat I can really groove with. In contrast, “Your Funeral” is an agitated rattler that inches its way ever closer to the big bite.

The introduction to “Wounded Birds” vaguely reminds me of System of a Down’s “Aerials,” and it soon takes flight with all hands on deck. The vocals practically breath fire, so maybe this is one of Cersei’s dragons. “Dark Matter,” on the other hand, is a winter wind that calls upon the strength both singers amidst the blur of a veritable snowstorm.

Regrets plays out like a nervous breakdown, but a damned exhilarating one. Alienatör releases it this weekend on compact disc and digital formats (get it here).

This is the Doomed & Stoned world premiere.

Give ear…

Band Commentary, Track-by-Track

“Regrets is a grim postcard from the depths of the human psyche. Our darkest release yet, it is a reaction to years of deep political turmoil, the erosion of truth, as well as personal politics of grief, loss, and struggle. It’s an album that touches on personal and social themes. Flourishes of melody drenched in a caustic sludge, painted in shades of black. We still have some blistering fast punk-influenced tunes but we’re branching out and showing our songwriting depth.”

–Alienatör

I. Revisionist History

Right out of the gate we have the rhythm section carrying the song before a snakey guitar line weaves in over top. That’s something we weren’t able to do when we wrote the first album as a 2-piece. The odd-time signature gives it an off-kilter feel. The lyrics are about the erosion of truth in our public discourse and the dangerous narcissists who create their own reality and try to shove it down our throats.

II. Loss Leader

This song is about grief and loss, especially as a result of the opioid crisis. I’ve experienced a lot of deaths and tragedies personally and professionally and this song is about dealing with that. Musically, it’s got a proggier feel than anything we’ve done previously and a bit of a middle-eastern influence. It’s also the first song this line-up of the band wrote together.

III. Blood Red Blood

This opening riff is one I had kicking around for a while. We counted it as 9/8 or something wacky. Sean wrote the rest of the music around it. I like the breakdown in the middle a lot. The title was inspired by the Wilco song Sky Blue Sky, so there’s an influence you probably weren’t expecting. I wrote lyrics about the cycle of violence, toxic masculinity and how “hurt people hurt people.” Often, what we do to others gets paid back to us in the end; “blood in, blood out.”

IV. Regrets

One of the more heartfelt and emotional songs we’ve done, this one deals with personal struggles and the passage of time. I like the energy and a looser feel of it, musically. Sean’s really standing on his head with some of the bass fills on this one, especially in the middle section, but it’s all tasteful and fits perfectly, elevating the whole song. Simon finds interesting ways to fill the empty spaces on the drums. It gives a new dimension to our sound.

V. The Priest

The darkest song I’ve ever written. This is another one, where the rhythm section really drives the song and the guitar comes in, jagged and angular on top. Ralph Rowe was an Anglican Priest who molested countless kids from fly-in reserves in the 70s and 80s. He ruined so many lives and then plea-bargained for a prison sentence that was a slap on the wrist. There’s a documentary about him called “Survivor’s Rowe.” Here, he serves as an example of the type of abuse of power that we allow those who we place in positions of trust. We put a lot of work into the dynamics of this one. Lots of tension and release and then the calm atmospheric part toward the end, before we bring the hammer down again.

VI. The Less Dead

The “less dead,” is a term for marginalized members of society who are considered less of a priority for police investigations and are therefore are easy victims for predators. Sex workers, people of colour, people with addictions or mental health issues, members of the LGBTQ community, and the poor fit in this category. The closest to a straight-ahead punk song on the album but Simon’s crazy tom work in the bridge really elevates it. Very fun to play live.

VII. Flat Earth Society

Remember when we used to think that increased access to information would make humanity smarter? This song is a reaction to the age of misinformation we currently find ourselves in. COVID conspiracies, climate denialism, and the age of social media propaganda have altered our perception of reality and divided our society. This song is about the echo chambers we create for ourselves and how we are being manipulated by those in power. We opened for Soulfly before the pandemic and Sean said watching the people bounce up and down on the dance floor while they played contributed to the feel of the breakdown.

VIII. Irreconcilable

This one is about Canada’s history of genocide against Indigenous peoples, which was brought back to the forefront of public consciousness when hundreds of graves were found on the sites of former residential schools. This song is about the relationship of denial that white settlers have with colonialism, how we refuse to “reconcile,” what’s been done, and our role in it. Great dynamics in this one, as it ramps up from a slow simmer into a crushing chorus and back down again.

IX. Your Funeral

This one’s a bit different with the tension of the jerky snare-driven rhythm and then the straight-ahead release of the chorus. I find it interesting to juxtapose a kind of uplifting chord progression and driving beat with lyrics that are bleak and depressing. This one’s about being a wage slave, feeling like you’re a cog in the machine, wasting your life, and going through the motions.

X. Wounded Birds

This one is a kind of anthem for all the broken people, those who suffer from trauma, depression, substance issues and the like. I’ve had my own struggles so this one’s a bit cathartic, lyrically. Musically, it shows us branching out and experimenting more, adding a lot more depth.

XI. Dark Matters

A pretty unique tune in our catalogue. It’s about the things that keep you awake at night; lies you’ve told, people you’ve lied cheated, or stolen from. I imagine one of our favourite politicians feeling some of these things late at night if they have any conscience left. It’s fun for me to take on the role of the negative voices in someone’s head, as I do here. Musically, it’s swirling and chaotic with some flashes of light in the darkness and gloom. An unsettling way to fade the record into black.

Sometimes you’re just in the mood for an old fashioned, beer drinking, bottle breaking rock ‘n’ roll good time and MICK’S JAGUAR surely delivers. Their new record holds nothing back lyrically, with titles like “Speed Dealer,” “Molotov Children,” “Nothing to Lose,” and “Free On The Street” (which I’ve been singing a lot lately). Then there’s the band’s three guitar attack! Musically, 'Salvation’ (2022) is a rousing, fist-raising, fire-starting nightbreed that scratches all the right itches for me.

Today, Doomed & Stoned is bringing you an advance listen to its closing track, “Georgian Pine,” which vocalist/guitarist Grace Hollaener tells us “is inspired by Matthew McConaughey’s performance as Moondog in Harmony Korine’s masterpiece The Beach Bum. It’s an anthem for the apathetic resistance (see trend of 'quiet quitting’) to the horrors of proto-fascism, climate change, and late capitalism that plague our modern condition. It’s also a cracker jack little ditty about getting high and eating fast food.”

“We always like to throw a curveball with the album closer,” says singer John Martin. “So, when Grace took over lead vocals for this pop banger sans guitar solo, we figured it is the perfect way to find 'Salvation’ after the nine pissed off tracks that came before. It’s the sun coming up after a blackout night at the bar. Maybe things will be okay after all.”

If you’re ready to “turn on, tune in, drop out” when you read the day’s headlines, “Georgian Pine” may be just the medicine for you.

Mick’s Jaguar will be releasing Salvation on December 2nd via Tee Pee Records/Totem Cat Records (pre-order here). Stick it on a playlist with Thin Lizzy, Kiss, Sex Pistols, Mudhoney, and The Shrine.

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Born in the wild, alive to stalk death, and destined to make righteous noise via the annihilation of shit rock, Mick’s Jaguar is a force to reckon with.

Formed in Brooklyn many moons ago, as a one-off Stones’ covers band for an impromptu New Year’s Eve party, at its core, the NYC collective is the bastard son of an unholy union between Judas Priest and Guns N’ Roses.

Their debut album – 2018’s 'Fame and Fortune’ – received praise from both American and European press alike, with Classic Rock Magazine noting that the only way to describe their sound is, “If Ace Frehley was in Thin Lizzy and it was the summer of 1977…and they were all really into the Sex Pistols…and AC/DC.”

Since 2018, the band has toured nationwide, making appearances at the inaugural Psycho Smokeout in Los Angeles and Desertfest New York, as well as opening for legendary punk and hard rock acts like Airborne, The Adicts, and Turbonegro’s late/great Hank von Hell.

After losing their original bassist amidst the dense jungle boughs of Thailand, Mick’s Jaguar have since enlisted close friends Jack Ridley (Drowners) and Aaron Roche (Wye Oak, Anhoni, Tōth) to record another round of ten, bar fighting rock tracks at Brooklyn’s Figure 8 Recording with engineer Philip Weinrobe (Adrianne Lenker, Alanis Morissette). The result? Their killer new record, Salvation, which once again finds the band living too late, bound for hell and quite possibly, the last great rock and roll band on the planet.

“Like every band says at every show these days, it feels incredible to be back,” says vocalist John Martin. “But after the last three years of bullshit, this is the music you need to hear. Having both Tee Pee and Totem Cat in our corner is huge too. We’re stoked to see there’s a new wave of bands coming up that are making music for rock fans like us.”

'Salvation’ by Mick’s Jaguar is released 2nd December on Tee Pee Records/Totem Cat Records.

Houston-based STOCKHAUSEN & THE AMPLIFIED RIOT tap into the spirit of vintage punk, the quirkiness of krautrock, and the pent-up aggression of garage rock on ‘Era of the Inauthentic’ (2022). Besides its thought-provoking title, the new five-tracker is powered by a mighty heartbeat and lyrics that question everything.

“What if it Never Ends” asks the scary pregunta on all of our minds, while “Tilde Mae” channels all of that pent-up anxiety into a twisted kind of joie de vivre. Paul Chavez’s vocals remind me more of David Cunningham than David Byrne here, and dig the far-out Forbidden Planet-esque effects two minutes into the song! They seem unexpectedly at home in this slam-dance of hypnotic strumming and tight percussion. What a way to work out your pandemic frustrations!

However, it’s not that eleven-and-a-half-minute wrecker we’re revealing today, but the EP’s first single “Hunky Punk” – which feels as fresh as punch to the nose. Look for Stockhausen & The Amplified Riot’s Era of the Inauthentic, to be released on August 19th on Artificial Head Records (pre-order here).

Give ear…

SOME BUZZ

Initially forming in early 2020 as a three-piece garage rock blues band, the pandemic put the brakes on Stockhausen & The Amplified Riot and it’s now continuing as a solo project by Paul Chavez. Drawing inspiration from styles including '70s krautrock, psych rock and post-punk, along with artists such as David Bowie, Kraftwerk, and Stereolab to name a few, Stockhausen & The Amplified Riot thrives in the realms of experimentation.

'Era of the Inauthentic’ (2022),0. the title taken from a quote by Alan Vega of Suicide, combines an alluring concoction of textures from clean-toned and fuzz laden guitars, to dynamic percussion, and audio FX. “Adolescent Lighting” kicks off the new EP with a dynamic sound. “Hunky Punk” brings heavier guitars for a hard rock and punk fueled track, while “What if it Never Ends?” fuses distortion with a drum machine that oozes danceability. “Tilde Mae,” the longest track on the release, delivers almost twelve minutes of Teutonic riffs, punchy beats and an injection of intriguing electronics. The minimalist effect of “Intubation Blues” vocals accompanied by drums and harmonica introduces a different mood, concluding the EP with a dramatic effect.

'Era of the Inauthentic’ is an eclectic venture through Stockhausen & The Amplified Riot’s distinctive sound. Powerful guitars deliver on the rock and punk elements of the project’s music, while electronics enhance the atmosphere of each track. Full of unexpected segments, 'Era of the Inauthentic’ will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Dallas trio MOUNTAIN OF SMOKE is back with a sound as large as their name. Brooks Martin (bass, vox), PJ Costigan (drums), and Alex Johnson (pedal steel, synth) are a mean force to be reckoned with, producing a kind of doom that’s sludgey, apocalyptic, and spooky as hell. You can feel your heart beating harder during songs like “Captain Bryant” with its incessant beat and gnarly lyrics. Each song on ‘Gods of Biomechanics V15’ (2021) zeroes in on a different tale, many of them based on sci-fi vignettes from cinema and literature.

Says the band:

In the early stages of quarantine, we were discussing what we would do to fill the time and we decided to focus on writing as much as we possibly could. The result has led to us finishing our next full length, beginning work on another full length, a cover album, and an ep collaboration with another DFW local artist. In the wake of this we were left with some songs that hadn’t been used for this project or that project but that we felt confident in. We decided to rework the six songs to turn them into a cohesive EP.

Musically we wanted to keep in line with what we had done on the original Gods of Biomechanics. Alex packed away the synth and brought back the pedal steel. Brooks reset pedals and tuning to the settings used on Gods of Biomechanics. The Gods.. project is an ongoing tale based on the world of Bladerunner that we hope to add to as time goes. We pushed ourselves to make new songs that were different from the original Gods, but using the same instrumentation that we had used previously.

Lyrically the album is about this world of Bladerunner that captured all three of our imaginations as children but that’s also an oversimplification. For example, the opening track, Deckard, is about the character realizing he has been taking advantage as he ages. The character becomes more aware of his sins and being trapped in a world he cannot escape.

Look for the harrowing 'Gods of Biomechanics 1.5 by Mountain Of Smoke out June 5th on Seeing Red Records (pre-order here).

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Some Buzz

Gods of Biomechanics V1.5 is a continuation of Gods of Biomechanics released by the band in 2018. V1.5 builds on and continues the storyline setup in the 2018 release with a continuation of their Blade Runner-influenced world and will once again be followed up in the future with Gods of Biomechanics 2.0 in the next year or so.

Mountain of Smoke decided to record Gods of Biomechanics V1.5 using the same instrumentation that was used on the 2018 release to keep the sound inline while trying to build up the song structure and storyline. During the early stages of quarantine the band were discussing what would be next in the midst of no shows and not much to do, so they stayed busy and began working on several projects.

'Replicated,’ a killer cover album featuring a wide array of cover songs from White Zombie to Duran Duran, 'Imprint’ (the band’s upcoming 2022 full length), an EP collaboration with another DFW musician, another full-length to follow 'Imprint,’ and 'Gods of Biomechanics v1.5.’ With the three year anniversary of Gods of Biomechanics approaching, the band felt it only fitting for the continuation to be released around the anniversary.

In the spirit of the Gods of Biomechanics story, the EP will only see a digital release, with both a physical and digital release of their next full length, 'Imprint,’ scheduled for 2022.

You in the mood for a little something that’ll rattle your bones? Maybe shake things up a little? Well this song has been bouncing joyously through my head for days!

Introducing four-piece stoner punk crew DINER DRUGS from New Brunswick. The band was “born out of a desire to defeat the boredom of east coast living.” I think that’s something we can all kinda relate to these days!

Diner Drugs approach their craft with a kind of necessary rebellion that comes from the human urge to just do something. Because hey, anything’s better than watching paint dry.

You want movement? We’ve got movement here, boys. Diner Drugs’ style, in their own words, is “fast, loud and looking for a reason to throw a party.” To that, I give a hearty hellllll yeah.

You’ll get a feel for it on their latest single/music video “Need Time,” which Doomed & Stoned is premiering for your weekend. It’s not only a beast of track, but one that hearkens back to the joyous freedom of movement we all experienced as kids.

Hear it and more on their recent album As Is, which I have a good hunch fans of Red Fang, Cancer Bats, and Warish will wanna take out to the skate park for a test drive.

Give ear…

From the early German movies of the 1920s and the Universal monsters of the ‘30s, through the haunted house flicks of the '40s and the creature features of the '50s to the exploitation of the '60s, the Eurotrash of the '70s, and '80s slashers, I’m a sucker for old horror movies. I could probably write a book, or at least a lengthy essay, about it. And just like my other movie passions, sci-fi and '80s action movies (and yet Jason X can bugger off to the early-2000s grave it belongs), that love seeps through in my music taste.

I’ve been an Alice Cooper fan for about as long as I can remember and more modern exponents of horror-infused rock like Rob Zombie and the various Wednesday 13 fronted bands blast through my speakers on a regular basis. But where Mr. 13’s records have been more shaky than Bela Lugosi’s performance in Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) by Ed Wood, another band arose to become the purveyors of True North Carolina Horror Rock. ™

The Gruesome Twosome of Devallia and Anders Manga, under the moniker of BLOODY HAMMERS, have been releasing records drenched in camp and horror since 2012. Since their inception the husband-and-wife duo have been mixing doom rock with goth elements with a big role for synths, keys, and organ sounds on their new record, 'Songs of Unspeakable Terror’ (2021 - Napalm Records), the band shows a different side of themselves.

I was quite surprised during my first listen, because Songs of Unspeakable Terror is a thoroughbred horror punk record. We’re getting 11 songs in a little over half an hour. In general the tempo lies higher than on the band’s other outputs, although you don’t have to expect any Misfits speeds here. The biggest difference though, is that the music is mainly built up around guitars, bass and drums, with Devallia trading in her keyboard for a bass guitar. As it turns out, this was supposed to be a side project, paying tribute to NY punk bands like the Ramones and the Plasmatics. It wasn’t decided to release it under the Bloody Hammers banner until after the record was completed.

So with that in mind, it’s unfair to treat this as a Bloody Hammers record, because it’s nothing like it. It is, however, a pretty neat horror punk record. Opening track “A Night to Dismember” ticks all the boxes of a good horror punk track. It’s fast, straight forward, and melodic, with tongue in cheek lyrics filled with horror references and the obligatory “woah-oh-oh” parts. “Hands of the Ripper,” on the other hand, comes closer to a traditional Bloody Hammers track, if it were performed by a punk rock band.

The first two tracks pretty much set standard for the rest of the record. Pretty much all tracks are mid-tempo to slow punk tracks, although a bit heavier, with a keen sense of melody and referencing one old horror movie after the other. Oh, and they’re catchy as hell. You’ll be singing along before you know it.

For me, this record represents the best of both worlds. Tracks like “The Ones Who Own the Dark” and “We Are the Damned” have the dark and gloomy atmosphere you find on most Bloody Hammers tracks, while “Waking the Dead” and “The Brain that Wouldn’t Die” could have been written by the Misfits. Whether it’s a fast or a slower song, the atmosphere is right and that’s why it works.

While most tracks adhere to the formula mentioned above, “Lucifer’s Light” stands out. This goth rock ballad comes closest to a traditional Bloody Hammers track and it’s a nice change of scenery. I don’t really understand why it’s the tenth track on the record though, since it would do better halfway through the record or as a closing track. In its current position, it takes away from the great closer “I Spit on Your Corpse,” which is a shame.

Even though this is not a traditional Bloody Hammers record, it fits in their repertoire. It won’t go down in history as one of their best, but there’s still a lot to enjoy and it highlights a different side of the band. One thing is for sure though, it will certainly do well at your next Halloween party.