Torche "Harmonicraft"

The mighty Torche are back. After 4 years since "Meanderthal" in order to fill this year with another splendid release, these boys bring "Harmonicraft" in their luggage. I gotta admit i love this band since day one. Every album is just amazing and these guys know how to throw one hell of a party. I was lucky enough to see them live once and it was fucking fun and loud. In this new album, they deliver a rainbow of tracks that will please every Torche fan. Playing as a quartet again and after their latest "Songs For Singles", i was kinda worried that they would loose all of that heavyweight sound they brought us on "Torche", "In Return" EP and in "Meanderthal". Their sound has become a little bit more polished, but the spirit remains the same, just look at the tracks, since the opening track "Letting Go", that carries the Torche watermark all over it, to "Walk if Off", a song that brings me the grunge years, a more fast, nirvanaesque track, to "Solitary Travel", a more melancholic yet melodic track that only Torche can pull off, and the instrumental title track "Harmonicraft", this album is all about positive energy and having fun. Wacky riffs are thrown all over the album as the artwork certainly reveals that psychedelic but always humorous side of Torche that we all know. Great album from great dudes! Buy it here. Recommended!

OBS: Link has been taken down... i won't re-up this, sorry. But i bet you can find it just around the corner.

listen | somewhere over the rainbow

Ocean Chief

Ocean Chief is a Doom band from Sweden and this album, "Den Förste" was one of the best things i heard back in 2009. Holding only 3 songs it delivers half hour of thick, stoned, dragged doom. At a first audition it might not hook you immediately, but i'm sure it will just take three or less auditions for you to realize "Den Förste" is a very good album. You can buy it here.

myspace | doom vikings in the sky

Young Hunter

Another gem dug out from Bandcamp Swamp, Tucson's psychedelic doom act Young Hunter. This Demo, "Children of a Hungry World", features only two tracks, but what is small in quantity is really awesome in quality. It opens with "Cities of Black Mesa" that starts with some heavy riffs that grab my attention for what comes next, the whole environment of the song, the male/female duet that give that occult aura to the song.. really nice. What really caught my eye on this band was indeed the whole construction of the songs, they aren't boring, amazing how they mixed in a very intelligent way all the doom, stoner, sludge influences, resulting in a psychedelic music spell. Be sure to check them out.

bandcamp | hungry for doom

Bell Witch

Power sludge/stoner/doom duo formed by Dylan Desmond (Samothrace/Lethe) and Adrian Guerra(Sod Hauler/Lethe), this is their debut and it was recorded at Airport Grocery Studios in Seattle by Brandon Fitzsimons (Wormwood, BlackQueen, Sod Hauler, Book of Black Earth..) and mastered by Chris Hanzsek. These guys have shared stages with Hull, Indian, Laudanum and many great names. Grab it while its hot! Recommended!! 

bandcamp | praise the witch

Traitors Return To Earth

Wow... chegou-me ontem à caixa de correio este EP enviado pela banda Traitors Return To Earth, a banda formou-se em Julho de 2010 em Columbus , Ohio, por um motivo apenas: de tocarem a música mais pesada de sempre em volumes que não lembra a nínguem. Nota-se claramente as influências de bandas como Electric Wizard, Sleep, YOB, Weedeater, EyeHateGod e outros. Este EP "Smoke Screen" foi lançado agora, foi gravado, mixado e masterizado entre Março e Abril deste ano. A banda sofreu entretanto algumas perdas mas não é isso que os vai desmotivar em deixar de cumprir a sua missão. A nível de som o EP está bastante bom, a produção está excelente que me leva a imaginar a banda a tocar entre uma enorme cortina de fumo... de erva. Mas realmente o que me fascinou mais foi o grande nível/qualidade deste EP para uma tão jovem/fresca banda. Poderão adquiri-lo gratuitamente pelo bandcamp da banda (name your price) mas sejam no minímo simpáticos e contribuam nem que seja para umas cervejas ou uma ervinha da boa. Recomendado! Obrigado desde já à banda pelo envio deste excelente EP.

return to smoke