Hot Ram Premiere “Ironbound” Video; Near Fall EP Out Today
Atlanta rollers o’ riff Hot Ram issue their new EP, Near Fall, today, Jan. 30. Comprised of three songs — get introduced: “Vimana Swamp” (7:27), “Black Weed” (6:02) and “Ironbound” (4:31) — it is a 17-minute onslaught of sludgecrete tones and gurgled vocals. Too thick to be slicing in the way sludge metal sometimes is, it retains a thoroughly stoner atmosphere via tempo languidity and tonal nod, growing more aggressive as it goes. Which is to say that “Ironbound,” a video for which is premiering below, hits hardest among the material included.
Bass, provided on “Ironbound” (and “Black Weed”) by Jerimy McNeil, who seems to have taken the role previously held by Dan Giampietro, is a big part of what makes it punch. With a chug that comes close to ’90s industrial if you squint your ears — guitarist/vocalist/engineer Billy Konkel switches to a cleaner chorus from the Godfleshier verse — “Ironbound” revels in the noise that “Black Weed” and “Vimana Swamp” are nodding toward. That doesn’t mean “Vimana Swamp” doesn’t have a bubbled-up-from-the-earth vibe enough to suit its title. Rest assured, it does. But while it remains very, very heavy, the way the riff settles back for the verse is a contrast, and it’s more about following the nod than getting smacked upside the head. Crushing feels like it goes without saying.
Near Fall is the first Hot Ram release in five years, so if it’s your first exposure to the band, you’re getting something of a compact summary of their take on stoner metal and sludge. The good news is you’ve got three records (and other stuff) you can go back and check out when you’re ready to hit it, the last of them was 2021’s Electric Medicine (review here). It might or might not be that Konkel (who is the remaining founding member), McNeil and drummer Dwayne Jones (Brian Ricks plays on these tracks) are thinking of it as a way to reintroduce themselves to listeners, but likely it didn’t start that way when recording began in 2022. Lineup changes would be part of a delay. Also life. Sometimes dank-ass riffy pummel takes a while. There’s your explanation.
But if it’s been around for a minute, that doesn’t make the Electric Wizardly riff of “Black Weed” any less potent. Hot Ram, to their credit, aren’t taking riffs straight out of Jus Oborn‘s playbook — as many do — but they find a midtempo fluidity that’s reminiscent of Dorset doom without lapsing into mimicry. Just after the midpoint, where Konkel lets out a noise that sounds like Matt Pike drinking nails, might be the noisiest stretch of the EP, but they bring it back to the central riff to finish out, because songwriting, and some riffs deserve to come around again to close.
You’ll find that like the two songs that precede it, “Ironbound” starts by establishing its riff. Once that’s done, the real fun starts. As always, I hope you enjoy:
Hot Ram, “Ironbound” video premiere
HOT RAM is an Atlanta based Stoner Metal band formed in 2016. It was during this time that Billy Konkel, HOT RAM founder, while working as a sound man in local Atlanta’s clubs, realized that he needed to be on the other side of the microphones and that he had a lot of music to write. Konkel enlisted Gordon White (Tetsu Nakasaka a local bassist/guitar player) to play drums. Gordon brought along Dee Flores on bass and together they recorded 2017’s E.P. “Leave A Beautiful Corpse”, 2018’s “Where Light Goes to Die”, and 2021’s “Electric Medicine”.
Billy Konkel and HOT RAM powered through all life’s obstacles and delivered 2026’s new E.P. “Near Fall”, (self-released on their home imprint Second Down Records) The album’s title was inspired by watching copious amounts of pro wrestling with his wrestling obsessed wife. “Near Fall” epitomizes and accurately describes the last few years that Konkel and HOT RAM were pinned to the mat for a 2 count (a “Near Fall”) and always getting back up to live another day….
“Near Fall” began recording in 2022, tracking drums at Leadbelly Studios and the rest of the album was recorded and mixed by Konkel at “Dark Overlord Studio” an over 100 year old warehouse/punk house.The opener “Vimana Swamp” is an about an ancient spaceship that crashed into a southern swamp and hidden in obscurity waiting for a return trip home. “Black Weed” Is about the smoking of the green: getting high and then Netflix and chilling with Lucifer himself from these self proclaimed “ High Priests of Dank Majik”. Lastly “Ironbound” lays up huge slabs of riffage —enough to tranquilize an elephant, lyrically forged with the hammer and brimstone of the Crusades.
HOT RAM’s “Near Fall” E.P. is for anyone that’s been on the ropes with little hope, but digs deep and finds the passion for dusting yourself off and not giving up!
February 2026 is the 10th anniversary of HOT RAM, and they look for it to be their brightest and loudest year yet. They start off the New Year opening for “High on Fire” in January, following it up with a couple of still un-announced festival dates this spring and summer to build some tour runs around what is expected to be a busy year.
Tracklisting:
1. Vimana Swamp
2. Black Weed
3. Ironbound
Near Fall Credits:
Billy Konkel Guitar/Vocals
Jerimy McNeil Bass (Black Weed/Ironbound)
Dan Giampietro Bass (Vimana Swamp)
Brian Ricks Drums
Drums recorded @ Leadbelly Studio-Matt Washburn
Guitars/Bass/Vocals/Mixed @ Dark Overlord Studio – Billy Konkel
Mastered @ Sound Artillery Studio – Jonathan Nunez (Torche)
HOT RAM 2026:
Billy Konkel Guitar/Vocals
Jerimy McNeil Bass
Dwayne Jones Drums
