Tag: metal

GREEN LUNG – Necropolitan

by desertrockunited3960, posted in Music Reviews

GREEN LUNG didn’t just make another record — they summoned a whole damn city of the dead and dared you to buy a ticket. Necropolitan is the sound of London’s occult underbelly clawing its way up through the pavement, grabbing you by the collar, and dragging you into a neon‑lit ghost carnival where every riff is a spell. Every chorus feels like a sermon delivered by a possessed town crier.

Recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios with Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Opeth) at the helm, the band stripped away the lush, layered mysticism of This Heathen Land and went straight for the jugular. This album is live‑wire, analog‑raw, and Sabbath‑heavy, like they found a cursed reel‑to‑reel machine in a crypt and decided to track the whole thing before sunrise.

GREEN LUNG have always been students of folklore, but here they sound like the professors who finally snapped, tore up the syllabus, and started teaching occult history with a flamethrower.

TRACK‑BY‑TRACK: A Guided Tour Through the Necropolis

1. Open the Hellmouth

A ritualistic ignition sequence. Torches lit. Sigils drawn. The floor cracks. You’re in.

2. Dance to the Grave

A swaggering doom‑rock anthem built for stomping through fog‑soaked graveyards in platform boots. Hooks sharp enough to carve your initials into a tombstone.

3. Black Magick Radio

Imagine tuning your radio at 3AM and accidentally catching a broadcast from a haunted station run by druids. Mellotron ghosts. Ritual chants. Riffs that smell like damp stone.

4. Necropolitan Line

A cursed subway ride through London’s occult history. Every stop is a different supernatural disaster. Fast, punchy, and dripping with swagger.

5. Evil in This House

The single, and the one that proves GREEN LUNG are the reigning monarchs of British occult metal. A riff the size of a cathedral and a synth solo that feels like ectoplasm leaking out of your speakers.

6. Together in Death

A doomed lovers’ anthem soaked in gothic romance and crushing groove. The kind of song that makes you want to hold hands in a cemetery.

7. Ozymandias

A colossal, sand‑blasted epic. Empires crumble. Statues fall. GREEN LUNG sound like they’re conducting the collapse with a conductor’s wand made of bone.

8. Alostrael (Be My Babalon)

Occult seduction meets psychedelic grandeur. Riley Pinkerton’s narration adds a ritualistic edge that feels like a spell being cast directly at you.

9. To the Gallows Born

A grim, galloping finale — part doom march, part folk‑horror fever dream. The perfect closing curse.

THE VERDICT

Necropolitan is GREEN LUNG at full power, fully ascended, fully possessed, and fully committed to dragging British occult metal back into the spotlight with a flaming torch and a stack of cursed hymnals.

It’s raw. It’s ritualistic. It’s triumphant. It’s the kind of album that makes you want to buy a cloak, join a secret society, and start worshipping riffs as ancient deities.

GREEN LUNG aren’t just carrying the torch — they’re swinging it like a weapon.

Tom K. Templar: Vocals
Scott Black: Guitars
Joseph Ghast: Bass
J. G. Wright: Keys
Matt Wiseman: Drums

https://greenlung.bandcamp.com/album/necropolitan-2

2025 Top 10 Stoner Rock & Heavy Psych Albums

by desertrockunited3960, posted in Music Reviews

10. Low Pan – Get Well Soon

Columbus, Ohio

If you’re a guitar player, this album immediately grabs you. The guitar tone is excellent, and the overall mix is dialed in perfectly. Bass, drums, and vocals all sit where they should, which makes a massive difference for heavy music.

Vocally, Jeff Barton delivers strong, on-key performances, and Tool fans will likely notice a faint Maynard-style familiarity without it feeling derivative.

Standout tracks:

  • The Good Fight

  • Wormwood (killer chugging riffs)

A strong, well-produced record that rewards careful listening.

9. Desert Smoke – Desert Smoke

Lisbon, Portugal

This self-titled release comes from a psychedelic stoner instrumental band that will resonate with fans of Yawning Man and reverb-soaked desert rock.

What makes this album special is the range. You move from slow-building, atmospheric passages straight into full-on guitar shredding. The players can absolutely rip, which adds a dynamic edge to the otherwise spacey sound.

Standout tracks:

  • Gravity Absence

  • 49th Steambox (the heaviest track on the record)

8. Borracho – Ouroboros

Washington, D.C.

Borracho proves once again how massive a trio can sound. Rooted in Sabbath-style riff worship, this band knows how to pound a groove and drive it home.

What elevates this album is the subtle use of synths, adding atmosphere without softening the heaviness. The result is thick, riff-forward stoner rock with extra dimension.

Standout tracks:

  • Vegas Baby

  • Lord of Suffering (a seven-minute burner)

7. Dax Riggs – Seven Songs for Spiders

This release stands apart from much of the list. Recorded in Riggs’ home studio in Louisiana, it’s more introspective and less polished, but that’s exactly its strength.

There’s a singer-songwriter quality here, with hints of Kurt Vile and occasional shades of Chris Cornell in the vocal delivery. It’s heavy in mood rather than pure riff assault, and it’s not what I expected in the best way.

Standout tracks:

  • Deceiver

  • Pagan Moon

6. Yawning Man – Pavement Ends

The godfathers of desert psychedelic rock return, and if you’re a fan, you already know the deal.

Yawning Man’s guitar work remains one of the most unique sounds in heavy music. Cavernous reverb, swirling textures, and a picking style that feels like heat waves rising off desert pavement. The guitars feel alive, constantly shifting and breathing.

Standout tracks:

  • Bomba Negra

  • A Bad Time to Be Alive

Close your eyes and picture Joshua trees under a fading sun. This is that soundtrack.

5. Margarita Witch Cult – Strung Out in Hell

Birmingham, UK

This one completely blindsided me. Rooted in stoner doom, the band brings unexpected twists that keep the album feeling fresh.

Mars Rover leans into a sci-fi doom vibe, while The Fool introduces baritone sax and trumpet. Yes, horns on a stoner doom record, and somehow it works. They even cover Billy Idol’s White Wedding.

Unpredictable, strange, and genuinely unique.

4. Year of the Cobra – Year of the Cobra

A duo that hits like a full band. Bass-driven heaviness leads the charge, with Amy Tung Barrysmith delivering soaring vocals over distorted low-end and solid drumming.

Despite using a Rickenbacker bass, the tone is massive thanks to effects and distortion. The stripped-down lineup allows the rhythm, melody, and vocals to shine without distraction.

Standout tracks:

  • Wardrop

  • Sleep

This album came out of nowhere and quickly became a favorite.

3. Stoned Jesus – Songs to Sun

Ukraine

This record nails dynamics. The band shifts effortlessly from atmospheric, synth-tinged passages to absolute riff bludgeoning.

Low delivers punishing drums and crushing heaviness, while New Dawn opens the album with a more expansive, melodic approach. Acoustic guitar, synths, and massive riffs all coexist beautifully.

Standout tracks:

  • Low

  • New Dawn

Heavy when it needs to be, expansive when it wants to breathe.

2. Howling Giant – Crucible and Ruin

This album blends stoner rock, progressive elements, and fantasy-leaning themes into something cohesive and powerful.

The twin guitar attack shines, but the vocals truly elevate the record. With both the lead guitarist and drummer contributing vocals, there’s depth and strength rarely found in the genre.

Standout tracks:

  • Hunter’s Mark

  • Scepter and Scythe

A creative genre fusion that feels fully realized. I also had the chance to interview drummer Zach Wheeler, and it’s worth checking out if you enjoyed this release.

1. Kal-El – Astral Voyager Vol. I

Norway

No surprises here. This is stoner rock excellence firing on all cylinders.

Heavy riffs, pounding drums, soaring leads, and long-form songwriting dominate the album. These are not three-minute tracks. These are eight-minute voyages meant to crush and transport at the same time.

Standout tracks:

  • B.T.D.S.C.

  • Cosmic Sailor

If space rock and stoner riffs are your fuel, this album is the engine. Volume II is expected in 2026, and expectations are already sky-high.

Final Thoughts

What did I miss? What would you add? And what releases are you most excited about heading into 2026?

SOLACE – Further (2025 Reissue)

by desertrockunited3960, posted in Music Reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Further first dropped in 2000, it marked the arrival of Solace as one of the East Coast’s most punishing and inventive stoner doom outfits. Twenty-five years later, Magnetic Eye Records has given the record a new lease on life, remastering the band’s debut and pairing it with a treasure trove of bonus material. Sadly, this reissue doubles as an unintended tribute to original frontman Jason L., who passed away earlier this year. His presence looms large across the record—raw, feral, and commanding—and this edition ensures his voice will continue to rattle speakers for years to come.

If Further were released as a brand-new album today, it would still feel like a major statement. The remaster sharpens its edges without sanding down the grit, giving the riffs more bite and the low end more weight.

The album’s opening run of songs sets the tone brilliantly:

“Man Dog” erupts with chugging riffs and Jason’s throat-tearing vocals, a track that feels halfway between Motörhead’s reckless charge and Sabbath’s oppressive stomp. It’s the kind of opener that makes a mission statement loud and clear.

“Black Unholy Ground” follows with a darker, more lumbering feel. The riffs here are suffocating, crushing down like concrete slabs, while Jason’s vocal delivery leans into apocalyptic sermon territory.

“Followed” drags things into the swamp. The tempo sinks, the distortion thickens, and the song oozes menace—perfect for fans who prefer their doom with an extra layer of grime.

“Whistle Pig” kicks the energy back up, riding a surging groove with a riff that borders on classic rock swagger, though twisted through Solace’s dirt-metal filter. It’s one of the album’s more driving tracks.

“Hungry Mother” pivots again, starting with a slow, foreboding build before exploding into one of the record’s heaviest climaxes. The song embodies Solace’s signature push-and-pull between sludge and fury.

This pendulum swing between ferocity and sludge, between heavy rock swagger and doom-laden crawl, is what keeps Further gripping even as it stretches past the hour mark.

Highlights from the remainder of the set include “Suspicious Towers,” which slips in a spoken-word lift from the cult sci-fi flick The Creation of Humanoids. Normally a gimmick, here it lands with eerie effectiveness, a perfect prelude to the song’s lurching menace.

The reissue doesn’t stop at polishing the core album. Six bonus tracks expand the picture, including covers of Iron Maiden (“Another Life”), Lynyrd Skynyrd (“On the Hunt”), Misfits (“We Bite”), and James Gang (“Funk #49,” captured live in Tokyo back in ’98). Far from throwaways, these renditions showcase Solace’s ability to bend other genres into their own brand of what they once called “dirt metal”—part doom, part hardcore muscle, part Jersey grit.

The remastered Further clocks in at over 90 minutes, but it never feels bloated. Instead, it plays like a reminder of just how vital this band was at the turn of the millennium—and how much Jason L.’s guttural roar defined their sound. This reissue doesn’t just honor an album; it honors a legacy.

Verdict: A powerhouse debut given new fire, Further (2025) is both a fitting tribute and a record that still competes with the best of the genre today. Pour one out for Jason, crank this loud, and let Solace’s dirt metal thunder roll.

Tracklist
1. Man Dog (2025 Remaster)
2. Black Unholy Ground (2025 Remaster)
3. Followed (2025 Remaster)
4. Whistle Pig (2025 Remaster)
5. Hungry Mother (2025 Remaster)
6. Angels Dreaming (2025 Remaster)
7. Suspicious Tower (2025 Remaster)
8. Heavy Birth/2-Fisted (2025 Remaster)
9. Another Life
10. We Bite
11. On the Hunt
12. Heavy Birth/2-Fisted (Distanced from Reality version)
13. Dirt
14. Funk #49 (Live in Tokyo ’98)

Recording line-up
Jason – voice, lyrics
Tommy Southard – guitars
Bill “Bixby” Belford – drums
Rob Hultz – bass