Hotlist

This is the hot stuff right now:

The Heads: Everybody Knows We Got Nowhere Box Set
Eternal Tapestry: Guru Overload LP (test pressing...)
Kingston Wall: We Cannot Move 7"
The Cosmic Dead / Guardian Alien: Tunnel Channel Volume One LP
Sky Picnic: Her Dawn Wardrobe LP
Anthroprophh: Outside the Circle LP
Pharaoh Overlord: Överhörn CS
nick nicely: Space of a Second LP
Salem's Pot: Ego Trip 7"
Dark Fog: DFIII... Thousands LP
 

The Clamps: Deadly Kick for a Fat Fucker

Go Down Records (RIFFGOD 083)

The Clamps is a new Italian trio playing heavy high-energy rock'n'roll in the vein of Motörhead, The Hellacopters, Fu Manchu etc. This is their first release and really kicks ass. The CD includes twelve straight-forward tracks of pure adrenaline-fueled rock music with great riffs, raw vocals and tight beats. There's nothing that hasn't been done before, but the band really doesn't play around and just delivers their aggressive testosterone goods in the in-your-face manner that's very convincing. Track titles like "Bones", "Let's Go to Destroy", "Loser", "She's the Devil", "All Together to Hell" and "Never Cross My Way" might give you an idea of what they are all about. I got to say that this is not exactly my kind of music (not at all psychedelic, mind-expanding or spacey), but I'm sure that a lot of people will enjoy this very much. The album is produced very well and the playing is tight and fluent, so if you are a fan of raw and hard rock music you might want to check them out.

soundcloud.com/theclamps

 

Paul Roland: Professor Moriarty's Jukebox

Sireena Records (SIR 2112)

The master of psychedelic Gothic/horror rock and baroque pop and folk is back! After the release of a brand-new studio CD's Bates Motel (2012) and Hexen (2013)  it was now time for a compilation CD. But this is not your ordinary collection of old classics: Professor Moriarty's Jukebox compiles together ten recent, unreleased high-quality radio session tracks with nine alternate versions, outtakes, remixes and rarities making this a very interesting package indeed.

So the CD starts off with ten re-workings of Mr. Roland's classic songs from the 80s onwards. He had put together a new live band in 2012 and decided to record these songs in a studio for radio use since they sounded quite different and I must say that these are excellent versions with a full line-up including for example violin to give you some extra chills down your spine and also some folk vibes. My personal favourites are the opener "Re-Animator", the beautiful melancholic ballad "Captain Nemo", the rocking "Tortured by the Daughter of Fu Manchu" and the haunting "Nosferatu" that I think is one Paul's best songs ever. "The Crimes of Dr Cream" works out very well too and "I Was a Teenage Zombie" from the Bates Motel has lots of power and energetic, wild guitar solos! Great stuff. You can hear that Paul's getting a bit older, but it doesn't matter since he definitely still can deliver the vocals and has matured well.

The last nine tracks on the CD originate from various sources and times. Most must be relatively recent, but at least "Death of a Clown", a folk rock outtake from the Sarabande sessions,  dates from the 90s. "Meadow of the Sea" (unreleased re-recording from 2007) rocks out the most. Unreleased versions of "Fairies" and "Eight Little Whores", unreleased acoustic versions of "I'm Not Like Everybody Else", "Kali" and "Bates Motel" as well as remixed version of "I Dared the Devil" present Paul in his psych folk mode. The album is finished with the rather minimal cover version of Joy Division's "Day of the Lords" that was originally released last year on a Joy Division tribute album called Shadowplay. Paul makes the song sound like one of his own, so he does a good job I think. All in all, this is a pretty interesting and enjoyable collection of songs, please check it out. And while you're at it, also have look at Paul's many fascinating books on the occult, paranormal etc.

www.paulroland.de

Spiralmaze: Back to the Center

Self-released

Spiralmaze is a quartet from Chania, Greece, playing instrumental, trance/techno oriented instrumental, psychedelic and progressive space rock in the vein of Ozric Tentacles. Their latest album could almost be a lost Ozrics album from ten years ago or something. I'm saying this as a compliment, since the production, musicianship and vibe are all of high standard! There are a lot of programming included, but the band still uses real guitars, bass and drums as well, so there is a strong organic rock element in there too.

The album begins with the high-energy electro-rocker "Multiverse" and it's almost impossible not to dance. There's enough variation and very psychedelic soundscapes as well! "Hwang Ho" is a tad more soothing with its nice delay guitars, soaring sequencers and mellower parts, but also rather fast and rhythmical. I like it a lot! "Remipede" is heavier and more intense and also rather progressive and includes some samples too. Reminds me of Hidria Spacefolk a bit, and also has excellent solo guitar, like many other tracks too. "Myriad Small Creatures" is again like from the Ozrics song-book, but now it's time for psychedelic dub. And why not, since Spiralmaze can handle that as well. Samples are used to add some ethnic flavor. "The Longest Day (Part I)" is a four-minute spacey and ambient synthesizer piece, and during the long and excellent "The Longest Day (Part II)" the band goes into very danceable territories. Amazing worlds appear in front of your closed eyelids! The CD closes with the at first sort of tribal sounding, percussive title track "Back to the Center" that starts to rock out after 90 seconds. Great and tight going! This reminds me of the Finnish band Taipuva Luotisuora who also have ingested their share of the Ozric Tentacles. The beautiful end part sounds more like Porcupine Tree, though, but not bad at all. I realize I've been comparing Spiralmaze to a lot of other bands so let's also give them some credit for inventive, nice, original compositions and excellent musicianship and style. Check them out!

spiralmaze.bandcamp.com

Desert Lord: To the Unknown

Under a Serpent Sun Records (USSR-2)

To the Unknown is the debut album by Finnish stoner doom metal band Desert Lord following the Salvation 7" released in 2011. This quartet knows how to put together songs that have cool riffs, atmospheres enough variation and ideas to keep things interesting. The vocals are melodic but bit on the harsh side and suite the music just well.

This CD includes six songs and most of them are pretty long. The band kicks ass with the rather energetic opener "Forlorn Caravan", but things get slower and doomier with the over-nine-minute "Wonderland". There's some cool solo guitar on this one! The longest track (9:45) "Expanding Egos" starts off with an atmospheric acoustic guitar part, but gets heavy in two minutes with a dark, Sabbath-like doom riff and starts to rock out more later on. One of the highlights, I think. The mid-tempo “New Dimensions” somehow reminds me of The Obsessed, and also has a short, nice acoustic passage with spoken word. “Manic Survivors Song” sounds a bit out of place at first, and I don’t really like the rest of it either that much. The last song “Become Aware” is slow and heavy doom metal again, and a lot better piece. There’s also some cool stoner jamming involved! The vocals are mostly clearer on the two last tracks. Try this out if you like heavy stoner doom metal with a twist.

desertlorddoom.bandcamp.com

Fatso Jetson: Live at Maximum Festival

Go Down Records (GOD090)

This is the second live album by Fatso Jetson, veterans of the Palm Desert, California stoner rock scene. The album was recorded in Italy in May the 1st 2013, and released only on green (it figures…) vinyl. The sound quality is excellent and the band kicks ass live. The set list includes some songs from the classic SST albums (“Nightmares Are Essential”, “Salt Chunk Mary”, “Orgy Porky”, “Bored Stiff”), a few songs from the third album Toasted (released in 1998, the encore “Magma”, “Too Many Skulls” and the instrumental “Tutta Dorma”) as well as a song called “Flesh Trap Blues”.

The playing and singing is fluent and the band seems to be enjoying themselves. I’m sure that so was the audience! Sometimes the band gets more progressive (like on “Nightmares Are Essential”), and they’ve also got some Blue Öyster Cult and even punk vibes bringing to mind The Dead Kennedys or something like that. Fatso Jetson really aren’t that psychedelic except at times when they take time to jam a bit later on in the set, but they rock out and kick ass. A must have for all the Fatso Jetson fans!

fatsojetson.com

Hi Fiction Science: Curious Yellow

Esoteric Antenna (EANTOD 1034)

This is the sophomore album by acid folk/art rock/kraut rock/electronica band Hi Fiction Science from Bristol. I first got to know them through their appearance on Fruits de Mer Records compilation A Phase We've Been Through and also loved their first, self-released album and other songs released on FdM later on. The self-produced Curious Yellow was mixed with Jim Barr (Get The Blessing / Portishead) and sounds totally awesome. The very intriguing artwork and cover design is by Johnny O (Rocket Recordings). One important feature is the female singer Maria Charles (Ex-Fuzz Against Junk) who has a wonderful, clear and lovely voice like some of the best folk singers in the 60s/70s. The band's music is not overtly psychedelic or mind-expanding, but very emotional, thought-evoking and sometimes exciting, but mostly relaxing.

They start off with the hypnotic and mysterious sounding "Digitalis" that is one of the best songs on the CD I think. "Circles in Halftone" is a more tranquil and hypnotic piece until it starts to rock out during the few final moments. The melancholic and beautiful "Magpies "(Againts the Sun)" is closer to folk rock and much more melodic. The vocals bring to mind Annie Haslam or even Kate Bush! Lovely. "Vapour" is one of the bit more energetic tracks on the CD and even has some progressive elements especially on the guitars. The title track "Curious Yellow" has some 80s electronic pop and also kraut rock vibes and works out really nicely too. "Komorebi" is just a short, soothing vocal/keyboards piece, and then it's time for the pretty, dreamy ballad called "1000 Years". Musically the closest comparison might be Sigur Ros, and the same goes for the beginning of the next track "Fragmenting Sons" that starts to rock out in the post punk vein later on. The album is finished with "Squaretaker" that somehow reminds me of 80s King Crimson, among other things. Not bad at all! This is a very enjoyable and interesting album and people with rather different tastes in music might enjoy it. Give it a chance!

hifictionscience.bandcamp.com