Spin It Hard

Burn the WITCH

2011-07-20T17:07:00.003+02:00

The song I give you today is from WITCH's first LP from 2006, on Tee Pee Records.

The band features J Mascis from Dinosaur Jr.

Please note that this time around he plays drums.

Here comes Black Saint

Hypnotic & Monolithic Sabbathian riffage.

An absolute winner !

The monster returns!

2011-03-05T19:35:00.004+01:00

Forget what you know about Metal.
Bow to the beast.
Listen.
Praise the bloodthirsty creature.
Pray for it doesn't come for you.

MEGASUS!

MEGASUS!

MEGASUS!

MEGASUS!

MEGASUS!

HAIL THE BEAST!

Devour them for they know not what HEAVY is!

MEGASUS!

Menace Of The Universe

Damned Hammer

Hard to believe this is 38 years old!

2011-01-26T17:29:00.004+01:00

Arthur Brown's KINGDOM COME is HUGE!
And this album is simply something I had not heard before and never thought I would come across.

My friend Eric introduced me to this band and eventually sold one of his copies to me.

That's a complete trip through time and space, where psychedelic mantras flirt with free electronic speeches and demented guitar riffs.

A must hear for any music fan who's need of something "new" that is almost 40 years old...

I give you 'Time Captives', the great opener.

Listen, enjoy then go buy yourself a copy.

Far out!

2010-08-06T18:01:00.006+02:00

'Aoum'
'Empires of the sun'

The British graphics team that gave birth to this one of a kind album, used to design posters for bands like PINK FLOYD or The INCREDIBLE STRING BAND to promote their appearances at the UFO Club in London.

I don't know what the guys were on when they recorded this one, but I can tell they were high.
Tribal rhythms meets mind-expanding spiritual vocal chants and incantations. This sounds like no other record.
Cult!

“As magnificent a blues-rock album as has ever been made!”

2010-05-31T17:11:00.004+02:00

Hope you all enjoyed that MEGASUS post last month. I can't stop playing and playing that piece of vinyl over and over again (will have to buy another copy soon!).

By the way, sorry for being so silent lately but i found a new job (finally!) and didn't found any time to post any thing new.

So, something completely different today with CANNED HEAT and their marvellous 'Future Blues' album, released in 1970 on Liberty.

This 'Future Blues' is the last album to feature Al Wilson (he died a couple of months after).

This is more of a Rock album, then of a Blues one.
It's heavy and wild, not so polished as other CANNED HEAT albums can be. It still breathes Blues roots throughout, but the tunes hit harder and the beats pound harder.

Let's try those three : "That's All Right Mama", "My Time Ain't Long" and "So Sad (the world's in a tangle)".

The cult of blood gave rise to a mythic beast called MEGASUS

2010-04-19T13:46:00.016+02:00

This Providence, RI Metal band clearly kicks anyone's ass that comes its way.

MEGASUS IS METAL.
It feeds on Metal.
It breathes Metal.

From Psychedelic 70's Proto Metal to furious blackened Death Metal, MEGASUS perspires brutality, violence and savagery.
The sonic assault herein is a raw aggression that keeps scorching ears and bludgeonning eardrums.
More than being an absolute monster (musically speaking) that Metal heads HAVE to own (I mean, if you love Metal, you'll love MEGASUS) , this baby comes in a deluxe gatefold cover.

The 180gr trans orange/black vinyl (limited to 200 copies) is just gorgeous.

The package also features a patch, a sticker, a giant poster and a high quality mp3 download card.

To make your mouth water, here are 'Megasus', 'Swords' and 'Iron Moutain'.

Egg hunt

2010-04-05T12:14:00.004+02:00

Here is my Easter present to my dear readers : WOLFMOTHER's second offering "Cosmic Egg".

Well, there's nothing new under the sun, WOLFMOTHER keeping playing some patented WOLFMOTHER sound, mixing those 70's Heavy Rock/Proto-Metal roots with modern Stoner Music.

I've liked that band since I first heard their self-titled ep, but that said, with the departure of the co-founders, the band has lost that sparkle that made them special.

The new WOLFMOTHER is less orgasmic, less psychedelic, more textured though and giving the melodies more space to strench into.

'Phoenix' and '10.000 Feet' are two of the new songs. Please go click them!

Loud, sloppy, garage-inspired crap and plainly inevitable

2010-03-30T16:04:00.004+02:00

Here comes a piece of music history.
The THROWN UPS was a band that didn't write songs and never actually praticed. They strictly based their first recordings on jams and eventually released 3 45s between 1986 and 1988 (their first 7", "Felch" was released on Amphetamine Reptile, making them the first group to be signed on that label).

Their sole LP, "Melancholy Girlhole" saw the light of day in 1990, as a triple 7" box in the US, on Amphetamine Reptile, and as a regular LP on the German label Glitterhouse.

For those who don't know anything about the band, just note Mark Arm and Steve Turner were parts of it just before founding MUDHONEY.
At that time, nobody had ever talked about Grunge.

Here come : Sloppy Pud Love, Stock Boy & Our Ladies R Bitches.

Of the filth, the decay and the decline of our times

2010-03-28T15:39:00.011+02:00

Let's put it straight, PISSED JEANS is a badass of a band.
I discovered the band thanks to the folks from Ongakubaka (they ranked "King of Jeans" in their 2009 Best Albums chart). And yeah, "King of Jeans" IS one of 2009 best albums.

So I first downloaded PISSED JEANS' 3 studio albums. I bought "Hope for Men'" and "King of Jeans" right away.
Immediately recognizable Seattle patented sound and attitude : fucked-up vocals, dissonant guitars, pounding dreams.

For those of you who are nostalgic of the Grunge scene (and especially of the THROWN-UPS), then you gotta rush on those 2 records (their debut is a bit too awkward at times).

Please try 'Secret Admirer' and 'Fantasy World', both from "Hope for Men".

Then click 'Dream Smotherer' and 'Spent'. Those are monsters.

Oh, and by the way, these are Sub Pop releases.

Super group. Super heavy. Super debut!

2010-03-11T17:33:00.006+01:00

I first heard about this potential "Doom supergroup" in the beginning of 2009 and have been waiting for their debut since then.

Now this is reality, and the vinyl version, mastered at 45rpm, makes it even more incredibly fantastic.

Absolutely one of the most accomplished records of 2009, and one to become a timeless classic imho.

Those massive, monolithic riffs Wino manages to pull off of his instrument are just so fucking hypnotic and grand there's no word to describe the heaviness of it all.
Meditative, spiritual and crushingly powerful at times.

I won't waste time on enumerating superlatives.
And considering the line-up of SHRINEBUILDER, I would lack superlatives anyway.

Just note this heavy baby is the european version and has a beautiful etching on side 3 (as the US version does) and is A/B blue/black and C/D orange/black (sorta marbled/splattered-ish... beautiful!).

I give you Solar Benediction and Blind For All To See.

Amen.

Extended

2010-02-21T18:45:00.004+01:00

Originally sold at their shows, this "Heavy Psych" has been extended with four additional songs and is now available on vinyl.

The Californian Heavy Psych combo returns to Tee Pee records and offers nothing else than their patented guitar-driven, spacy, psychedelic and heavy Stoner Rock that earned the band respect.

"Heavy Psych" ain't any better than any other NEBULA's album, but it's as good as any other NEBULA's album, and that's what we would ever expect from the band.

Eddie Glass being the last original member of the band doesn't make any difference. One could fear this new offering would lack that genuine NEBULA trademark. Absolutely not!

Go try those 2 : 'The Dagger' & 'Crown Of Thorns'

Birds of feather flock together

2010-02-17T16:53:00.003+01:00

Here comes another 2009 album that is strictly impossible not to mention.
I know some QOTSA fans don't dig this LP, but I still really don't understand why.

This truly is solid gold with plenty of great (let's admit QOTSA inspired-) songs.

I did rush on this record because of Josh Homme, John Paul Jones and Dave Grohl, but at the same time didn't know what was really to expect.
I think they managed to craft an invigorated version of QOTSA most recent releases.

Please try Scumbag Blues and Spinning in Daffodils (I definitely LOVE that song from the very first piano note to that drinking song-ish finish)

January special double feature

2010-01-21T16:17:00.009+01:00

I had seen those 2 covers everywhere, in stores and record fairs, but never tried any of those. They just didn't attract me.

One day, as I was scrolling down the Sludge Swamp's pages, I found that video and read that I was not the only one who didn't pay attention.
Why the hell did I do this to me? I should have rushed to the nearest record store as soon as I saw one of those covers.

RADIO MOSCOW is just that typical band you secretly dream of. A band that plays 70's Rock like no other band does. Making you think that everything's possible when 3 incredibly talented musicians turn their amps on to deliver. And man they deliver!

Think about the GROUNDHOGS, the JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE, SIR LORD BALTIMORE, BLUE CHEER, MC5, and all those furious 70's Hard Rock bands; RADIO MOSCOW is all of them.

Here are their 2 records so far : the self-titled one, released in 2007 on Alive Records and their latest "Brain Cycles", still on Alive, released in 2009. Please note there's a special 2xLP bundle pack available from the webstore. Go check it here

Their first LP is produced by Dan Auerbach from the BLACK KEYS. It's about Blues. Cranked up Blues. Those ol' stinky electrified blues cuts that make you pour another glass of bourbon.

"Brain Cycles" is slightly different, as it's more Psychedelic. More effects, more riffs, more guitars, more intensity, more drums. More of that special sparkle that gives birth to great albums.

Because "Brain Cycles" is undoubtedly one of 2009's top 5 albums (in my humble opinion that said).

And now, without further ado, here's my selected cuts for those 2 records I'm sure you're about to own (if you don't own them both already) :

Introduction + Frustrating Sound : The self-titled Lp opener. Intoxicating.

Fuse : Instro. Still on their debut. Addictive.

No Good Woman : From "Brain Cycles". Carved in the loudest of all 70's Rock! Thrilling.

250 Miles : Second cut from "Brain Cycles". Exciting.

I forgot to mention both LPs are heavy and coloured. Get them both!

Juicy!!

2009-12-20T17:16:00.005+01:00

What better than a snowy sunday? A snowy sunday with good ol' rocking riffage and bluesy vibrations!

Here comes JUICY LUCY's second offering, released in 1970 on the highly collectable Vertigo label.

Some personal changes, but still delivering as hell!

Some originals, some cover songs, great stuff all the way, deliciously crafted and absolutely hooking on the very first note!

'Thinking Of My Life' opens, try it first. Then give a listen to their personal reading of Uncle Frankie's 'Willie The Pimp'.

Tasty!

And that cover!!! Look!

Third and last

2009-12-08T14:25:00.002+01:00

This third and last PATTO's record is the most adventurous of the three.
This one also suffers the passing of time and some cuts here sound dull and having very little depth.

Fortunately, we also get awesome songs such as the thunderous and frenzied 'Loud Green Song' (Ollie Halsall's guitar is wicked!!) or the deliciously soulful and bluesy 'I Got Rhythm'.

Absolutely not the album to start with if you want to get into PATTO's discography, this one is eccentric (imagine a sea-shanty on acid) but still very interesting for all the 70's Rock freaks out there!

Bosstown Sound

2009-11-30T16:44:00.003+01:00

We're all familiar with the West Coast Psychedelic scene let by the Dead.
ULTIMATE SPINACH is one good competitor, from the East Coast, leader of the Bosstown Sound first initiated by Alan Lorber.

This "Behold and see" is their second album, not so different from their first one, with long instrumental parts and acid guitar solos that pave the way to psychedelic rushes.

Here we get some real great moments and some far out lyrics one would easily laugh at.

Here are 'Mind Flowers' and 'Fragmentary March of Green'.
To completely connect with the music, pot smoking is advised.

Ear candy anyone?

2009-11-04T18:56:00.005+01:00

Freshly departed from BLUE CHEER, Leigh Stephens teams up with Mick Waller (from the Jeff Beck Group) to release their only effort in 1970.

This is not essential to any collection, but to BLUE CHEER fans (I'm one!) and other 70s Rock completists.

Some interesting Heavy Rock tracks, some fillers / Pop (?) tunes, some originals, some covers.

I give you the 2 main rockers : 'Naughty Lady' and 'Cocklewood Monster'

From Cincinnati, Ohio

2009-11-01T17:00:00.004+01:00

WHALEFEATHERS have that special blend of Rock you can't get enough of.

They have the sound, the groove, the skills and everything in between.

Their second opus is clearly a record you'll have to own, once you'll have clicked on 'World of Pain' or 'Shadows', the opener and the closer.

They mix their Blues roots with a San Francisco Psych vibe, waving heavy organ parts and acid guitar solos.

They manage to confront all of their influences in one mere track, before moving to something different on the next cut.

Sorry about the sound quality. I bought my original French copy for 20€, still enjoyable, but not in the greatest shape.

US originals can rise up to $300 and french ones, to $100.

Heavy Bludgeonning Blues Rock

2009-10-29T17:18:00.006+01:00

This 'Imagination Lady' is sharp and invulnerable, delivering over-amplified Blues Rock licks, in a taking-no-prisoner/executioner style.

I don't like Stan Webb's voice a great deal though, still nobody can misjudge his guitar skills. He's one of those brilliant guitar players who still deserve to be widely renowed.

Reduced to a power trio, CHICKEN SHACK, with this fifth long player, decide to radicalize its Heavy Blues Rock, making it almost exhausting for listeners.

Is it pretty early Heavy Metal? Could be!

I give you 'Poor Boy' and 'Telling your fortune' (not the greatest track, but there's a drum solo!). Let's admit there's one tiny filler : 'Loser', last cut of this LP.

We obviously live better electrically

2009-10-26T17:05:00.003+01:00

Time has come to propose some vintage ass-kicking heavy-riffed bad ass Rock'n'Roll!

Enter John NITZINGER and his third effort entitled 'Live Better Electrically', released in 1976.

The two first LPs are absolute must-haves, this one is not. He still delivers his genuine boogie filled Hard Rock but, somehow, we don't believe in it anymore. It's 1976 and it's not the greatest year for Rock'n'Roll.

Click on 'Live Better Electrically' and 'No Way Around You' to get a good preview of what's inside of this record.

French Rock we can't be ashamed of. Finally!

2009-10-24T18:15:00.007+02:00

Finally!

How proud I feel! We now can enjoy (and be proud of) a French (female) Rock'n'Roll artist.

18 and rawking like nobody else does (in that country where Rock'n'Roll records sell not, but did they ever sold once?).

The lady is the daughter of a famous French artist and since her childhood days, she's been fed with music, scene and everything in between.

This is her first ever album and man, what a success! Everything you can expect when listening to a Rock'n'Roll record is here. You got the power, the intensity, the rage, the emotions, the craziness and the talent.

She didn't intend to create anything new but to play Rock'n'Roll, and man she did it.

Please try 'The Train' (my pick) and 'Burning' (my girlfriend's selection).

DOOM LEGEND

2009-07-25T16:17:00.004+02:00

I was watching 'Such Hawks, Such Hounds' this morning, the unmissable American Hardrock underground documentary -call it Stoner rock if you please, that features, among tons of others, the guy I wanna see live one day or another : Robert Scott "Wino" Weinrich.
And this naturally leads to this new post.

Wino teamed up with Jean-Paul Gaster (CLUTCH) and Jon Blank (REZIN) to give birth to his long-awaited solo effort, the combination of riffs and melodies he had in stock for years, but never could lay on tape.

The result is a strong, varied and vibrant album. Fans will immediately praise the undisputed Doom Master and worship. But how could things be different?

As always, Southern Lord Records did a hell of a great job with this must-have release : heavy weight cardboard gatefold sleeve with special pocket for the 4-songs bonus 10". There's a 'forest green' mailorder edition limited to 500 copies.

The bonus 10" is comprised of :

Chest Fever [The BAND cover]

Der Gift (the Poison)

The Comet and the Moon

On the (Sacrificial) Lam

Demons of defilement and delusion

2009-07-11T12:30:00.004+02:00

KYLESA, along with BARONESS and TORCHE, is one of my favorite "new" underground Metal bands that absolutely deserves a listening.

KYLESA is ferocious, fickle, ambitious and powerful.

Their latest release 'Static Tensions' is, IMHO, one of the greatest 2009 albums (so far).

Their Punk/Hardcore assault is combined with a sticky Sludge nonchalance and a phenomenal sense of groove.

'Said and done' is proof of that.

Melancholy has its own soundtrack

2009-07-01T15:47:00.003+02:00

I've been waiting months before I could finally lay my hands over this record.
I wanted to get the clear vinyl European press but been too late and found myself frustrated when I heard European press was sold out.
So I got myself that regular black vinyl US version, and man, this actually kicks some serious ass!

With 'Pentastar', this album is my favorite EARTH's recording.

Those of you who know it surely understand why.
And for those who don't know, here's a little treat : 'Junkyard Priest', vinyl only bonus track.

Can anything get any heavier?

2009-06-27T19:27:00.004+02:00

Parting ways with ELECTRIC WIZARD is the greatest thing that happened to Tim Bagshaw & Mark Greening.

They definitely took the downtuned heaviness of the WIZARD to an upper level, adding a harsh punk attitude to the ensemble and injecting more Metal into their Doom Metal.

'Misanthropic Alchemy' is their first proper full length and is a absolute gem.
On top of that, the Spanish label Mantricum Rec. did a hell of a brilliant job on this vinyl release : 2 gorgeous grey vinyl housed in a kick-ass gatefold cover. This baby is limited to 525 copies, so go order your copy now before it runs out of stock.

Try the full side A, 'Ramesses part 1' & 'Ramesses part 2' by clicking here.

Still I'm sad

2009-06-22T17:06:00.005+02:00

Johnny Morrow passed away 7 years ago, on june 22nd, 2002.

Please listen to 'Sleep To Win'

Hell is a Canadian concept

2009-06-20T17:09:00.019+02:00

The complete discography of one of the major modern Canadian bands ever : CURSED.

'One' - released in 2003 on Deathwish.
650 white copies, 250 grey copies and 10 black (test press).

First repress on Trash Art in 2007 : 500 black/gold copies on 180gr vinyl.

Second repress , still on Trash Art in 2008 : 500 silver copies.

'Opposable Thumbs' is my all time CURSED favorite.

'Two' - released in 2005 on Goodfellow.

700 black copies
300 clear copies
20 black (test press)
Never repressed whatsoever.

'Head Of The Baptist' stands as a good example of what you can find on this one.

'Three (Architects Of Troubled Sleep)' - released in 2008 on Goodfellow (North American pressing) and Reflections (European pressing).

On Goodfellow : 700 black , 300 grey/white marble and 85 black hand-numbered lp release cover.

On Reflections : 500 black, 250 black/clear and 250 clear. Deluxe gatefold sleeve.
Try 'Into The Hive'

'Hell Comes Home' 7" - released in 2004 on Hex.

1500 black copies
200 white copies
200 grey copies
100 clear copies
5 black (test press)

'Search & Destroy', the mighty STOOGES cover

'Blackout At Sunrise' - released in 2007 on Goodfellow.

2000 picture discs.

'Blackout At Sunrise', the title track.

#224

2009-06-19T15:08:00.011+02:00

MILLIGRAM from Boston, MA only released a couple of 45s and a couple of LPs.

The untitled 45 I offer today is supposedly a tour only release, featuring 2 covers + an outtake from 'This Is Class War' , their final album.

This thick white piece of plastic is limited to 98. There is 439 hand-numbered copies in total on various colors.

I'm not sure this baby can still be found anywhere.

Mean Machine (MOTORHEAD cover)

Back Seat Of My Car (DWARVES cover)

The Resentinel

NOTHINGNESS

2009-06-17T18:50:00.006+02:00

IRON MONKEY + ACRIMONY + ORANGE GOBLIN.
Who could have ever expected this new blog would have those three band names in one single first ever message?
I give you both of the DON 7" : 'Saxon Action' & 'Half Evil b/w Bastard Son'.

Too bad this band only released one CDEP called 'War & Wine' (later re-released in the US with 2 bonus tracks - on Tortuga : 'That's What I Hate' and 'Rock'n'Roll fever'). BTW, 'White Damage', the album closer, is one atomic bomb.

And it goes like this :
Bastard Son (GG Allin cover)
Half Evil
Rock'n'Roll Fever (David Allen Coe cover)
That's What I Hate