Tomorrow, March 28, marks the release of the second Smoke Mountain full-length, The Rider, through Argonauta Records. With it, the Floridian three-piece bring into focus the gothic atmosphere somewhat obscured by the low fuzz of their debut, 2020’s Queen of Sin (review here), while saving room in the final three tracks for the band to do a complete revisit to the initial self-titled demo/EP (review here) that set them forth with such ceremony upon its arrival in 2017.

Those three songs appear in their original order, even, so if you told Smoke Mountain at any point in the last eight years or so you liked them, it would seem your voice was heard. The path the band take to get there makes up the heart of what The Rider have on offer, and as they take the chug of Type O Negative‘s verse riff to “Black No. 1” and revamp it for opener “Hell or Paradise,” they do so with a clearly conveyed intent to bridge the (imaginary) gap between doom, goth and heavy rock. This journey culminates in the likeminded march of “The Sun and Heavens Fall,” rich in presence and correspondingly lo-fi in its buzz, as is the procession through “The Way to Heaven” — faster, like late 1970s catchy heavy punk gone cult stoner, so yeah, a little Misfitsy as it gets swallowed by the noise of its own making — the big-on-crash “Bringer of Doom,” and the title-track, which runs under three minutes and has a “Neon Knights” or “Turn up the Night” kind of tension to it its verse.

The Rider, then, isn’t without its sense of dynamic, but it leaves little question that Smoke Mountain know what they’re about in terms of mood and songwriting, and the aesthetic they’re exploring here, continuing on from the first LP, is deceptive in its complexity owing in part to the rawness of the production and the live, in-the-room feel of the performances. And much to the band’s credit, they revisit their origins in such a way as to convey the progression they’ve undertaken since, whether that’s the hypnotic chorus of “Demon” or the stomp of “Violent Night” snapping you back to reality, or the eponymous “Smoke Mountain,” which remains a filthy delight of crunch and march while still letting the vocal cut through. The closing trilogy are distinct, but I don’t think so far out of character with the new material prior as to be incongruous. The tones are there. The structure, the melody. Groove is groove. You split hairs, I’ll nod out.

A suitably blasphemous thematic gives a metallic aftertaste, something dark and seething, and there’s a level of harshness intended in the recording itself, but for experienced heads, nothing on The Rider should be such a challenge as to be completely inaccessible. This is an asset on the band’s part, and something one hopes they’ll carry forward as they move toward the potential realizations of a third record, learning from the meld they undertake in these songs and bringing that experience to the studio as they did after the first outing going into this one. If you’d take on the whole album — awesome; it’s streaming below — keep an ear for the goth vibes and the malleable way the band speak to the different facets of their sound both before and after they dive back to retell their origin story.

And however you go, and wherever you end up, I hope you enjoy.

PR wire info follows:

Smoke Mountain, The Rider album premiere

The Rider combines elements of the past, present, and future of Smoke Mountain. In addition to featuring the three songs from our debut EP, The Rider contains five powerful new tracks that provide a glimpse into the direction the band is heading. We’re very happy with the final product.

Smoke Mountain, the celebrated doom trio hailing from Tallahassee, Florida, is thrilled to announce the release of their highly anticipated new album, The Rider, out March 28th, 2025, via Argonauta Records.

Formed in 2015, Smoke Mountain quickly carved out a place in the doom metal scene with their self-titled debut EP in 2017, which garnered widespread acclaim and set the stage for their first full-length album. Released via Italy’s Argonauta Records in 2020, Queen of Sin earned critical praise for its haunting melodies, crushing riffs, and atmospheric depth.

With The Rider, Smoke Mountain builds upon this legacy while exploring new sonic territories. The album remains true to the band’s doom roots, showcasing their signature blend of occult themes, heavy grooves, and evocative lyrics. At the same time, it reveals a matured approach to melody, arrangement, and production.

Tracklisting:
1. Hell or Paradise
2. The Way to Heaven
3. Bringer of Doom
4. The Rider
5. The Sun and Heavens Fall
6. Demon
7. Violent Night
8. Smoke Mountain

Smoke Mountain on Facebook

Smoke Mountain on Instagram

Smoke Mountain on Bandcamp

Argonauta Records on Facebook

Argonauta Records on Instagram

Argonauta Records on Bandcamp

Argonauta Records store

The statistics of COVID-19 change with every news cycle, and with growing numbers, stay-at-home isolation and a near-universal disruption to society on a global scale, it is ever more important to consider the human aspect of this coronavirus. Amid the sad surrealism of living through social distancing, quarantines and bans on gatherings of groups of any size, creative professionals — artists, musicians, promoters, club owners, techs, producers, and more — are seeing an effect like nothing witnessed in the last century, and as humanity as a whole deals with this calamity, some perspective on who, what, where, when and how we’re all getting through is a needed reminder of why we’re doing so in the first place.

Thus, Days of Rona, in some attempt to help document the state of things as they are now, both so help can be asked for and given where needed, and so that when this is over it can be remembered.

Thanks to all who participate. To read all the Days of Rona coverage, click here. — JJ Koczan

Days of Rona: Sara, Lee and Brian Pitt of Smoke Mountain (Florida)

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How are you dealing with this crisis as a band? Have you had to rework plans at all? How is everyone’s health so far?

We’ve had to postpone a few shows, including the record release party for our new album, Queen of Sin. However, [we were going to do] a special stream for everyone stuck at home on the Void – Stoner Doom Worship Facebook page on April 7. As far as our health goes, we’re all as unhealthy as ever, but we’ve managed to avoid the virus thus far.

What are the quarantine/isolation rules where you are?

Most people are working from home or not working at all, restrictions have been placed on bars and restaurants, there are limits on crowd sizes, and there’s a curfew. We’ve also added a few rules of our own: 1) drink, 2), drink, and 3) drink.

How have you seen the virus affecting the community around you and in music?

There are fewer people on the streets and fewer items available in the stores. Small businesses seem to be hit the hardest. There are several local institutions that may not be able to recover from this financially. The music scene is definitely on hold in our area for the moment. No live shows. Our record label, Argonoauta Records, is located in Italy, which is a country that was hit really hard by this, so they’re postponing all shipments for the time being.

What is the one thing you want people to know about your situation, either as a band, or personally, or anything?

We are all doing well under the circumstances and appreciate this opportunity to connect with the music community. We want to encourage everyone to stay safe and sane! We’re trying not to be hard on ourselves during this turbulent time. This is going to pass.

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https://smokemountaindoom.bandcamp.com/
www.argonautarecords.com
https://www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords/
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The opening title-track on Smoke Mountain‘s debut LP, Queen of Sin, is also its longest cut (immediate points). The Floridian three-piece will issue the album on March 27 through Argonauta Records as the follow-up to their 2017 self-titled first EP (review here), and all told, it comprises eight tracks running a concise, dirt-coated, fuzz-laden, sans-bullshit 34 minutes of doomed riffing, bedeviled lyrics and grooves that would be antisocial if they weren’t also such a party. Cultish themes pervade “Queen of Sin” and “The Master Serpent” and “Midnight Woman” and “Devil Woman,” but could hardly be considered uncalled for considering the wash of distortion from which they arise and the raw atmosphere of denim-clad fuckall they bolster. Smoke Mountain very obviously have no time for screwing around. The record gets down to business and stays down to business for the duration, its songs classic in structure and deceptive in efficiency and melody for being as outwardly gritty as they are.

Clarions to the converted pervade through “Touch the Sun” and the slow-crashing “I Walk Alone,” and “Deathproof,” which follows and for which one can see the video premiering below, brings biker imagery and VHS grain in both aural and visual realms. I didn’t see the Tarantino short of the same name when it came out as part of the Grindhouse feature, but he wasn’t the first to use the title either, and Smoke Mountain are likewise tapping into an obsession with ’60s and ’70s dropout/biker culture, fires burning around the hook line, “I’m deathproof till I die.” Though less Satan-minded than some of what surrounds, “Deathproof” is a fitting example of Smoke Mountain‘s penchant for songcraft that works as a steady theme across Queen of Sin along with the persistent buzz tone, and as it’s consistent in length and overall structure with much of what surrounds — “Devil Woman,” which follows, brings a speedier blast, satisfyingly proto-punk but still consistent in aesthetic ahead of the crawling closer “End of Days” — it’s as fitting an introduction as one might ask to the sort of nastiness the trio have on offer throughout their first long-player.

Counterculturalism is a welcome vibe in these heady days, and if one is looking for an escape into riffs, Queen of Sin gives a thick morass to dive into, its consuming push and echoing vocals only seeming to add to the nod that remains true regardless of an individual song’s tempo. It’s an easy one to dig, with zero pretense and zero attempt to be something it isn’t. Each half of the album closes with a slower cut and that brings a bit of Electric Wizard to the proceedings, but on the whole Smoke Mountain are working to dig out their own filthy niche, and in so doing they draw together a cast of right on songs and would-rebel-but-why-even-bother-man? vibes. If you can’t get down with that — shrug.

Fucking a.

“Deathproof” premieres below. Please enjoy:

Smoke Mountain, “Deathproof” official video premiere

“Queen of Sin is our first full-length release. It picks up where our debut EP left off, with tracks ranging from 70s-influenced stoner fuzz to slow and crushing modern doom.” The band comments. “We even tossed a post-apocalyptic biker track on there just to mix things up. This album has something for everyone.”

Florida-based occult fuzz rockers, Smoke Mountain, are set to release their hotly anticipated debut! The album, titled Queen of Sin, is slated for release on March 27th 2020 via Italy’s renowned Argonauta Records. Smoke Mountain, which is the brainchild of family members Sarah, Lee and Brian Pitt, introduced stoner and doom fans worldwide to its doomy, fuzz-drenched sound in 2017 with the release of its highly acclaimed self-titled EP. The band combines elements of vintage and modern doom to create a sound that is both current and timeless.

Smoke Mountain on Thee Facebooks

Argonauta Records website

If you’re a regular denizen of The Obelisk Radio, you’ve probably already guessed by the massively expanded playlist that we’re back on the main server at this point. It’s been months on the backup, and while anyone is still reading, let me just say out loud how much I owe to the hard work Slevin has put into the back end of making this thing happen. From a huge file-recovery operation to yesterday turning the thing back on after I moved a bunch of files and screwed it up yet again, the dude is just unbelievable. Seriously. This site is coming up on nine years old, and Slevin has made it happen every step of the way from a technical standpoint. I am in awe of his prowess and generosity of spirit.

So now that we’re back up and running at full capacity, the only thing to do is to keep building it going forward. And here we are.

The Obelisk Radio adds for June 13, 2017:

High Brian, Hi Brain

Though they start out with the post-Queens of the Stone Age shuffle of “Liquid Sweet,” the crux of Austrian rockers High Brian‘s playfully titled debut long-player, Hi Brain, lies in classic psychedelia, unafraid to directly make a Beatles reference or two in “Aquanautic Smoke” or name a track after Jefferson Airplane‘s Surrealistic Pillow. That song, “Surrealistic Pillow,” turns out to be one of Hi Brain‘s catchiest, but hooks abound throughout the nodding “All but Certainty” and the later, Stubb-style raucousness of the pair “The Conversion” and “Blood Money” as well, while centerpiece “All the Other Faces” and the aforementioned “Aquanautic Smoke” engage effects-laden drift and poised fluidity, resulting in an overarching sense of within-genre aesthetic variety that moves easily throughout the vinyl-ready 44-minute offering. They close with the molten roll of “Time,” their longest cut at 5:52 and a bolder melodic take, as if to signal a potential direction of their growth on their way out. There are plenty of encouraging signs before they get there, certainly, but hey, one more never hurt. An impressive introduction to a project that one hopes continues to develop and expand its approach.

High Brian website

Stone Free Records website

Mountain Range Creative Factory

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Arduini/Balich, Dawn of Ages

Words like “powerhouse” are invented for releases like Arduini/Balich‘s Dawn of Ages. The Cruz del Sur release brings together Fates Warning guitarist Victor Arduini (who also produced) and Argus vocalist Brian “Butch” Balich, and while I’ll confess that on first listen I went right to their cover of Sabbath‘s “After All (The Dead)” — fucking righteous; and there aren’t a lot of people I’d trust to take on that song or anything from the Dio era — extended pieces like “Beyond the Barricade” (17:27) and “The Wraith” (13:44) offer listeners a deep push into a heavy metal that’s progressive, powerful and doomed all at the same time, executed with a clarity and a purpose that shimmers with class and just the right balance of patience and aggression. Rest easy, traveler, for you are in the hands of masters. Rounded out by drummer Chris Judge, Arduini/Balich is what happens when heavy metal goes right, and from the doomly unfolding of opener “The Fallen” through the 2LP’s three concluding covers of Beau Brummels‘ “Wolf of Velvet Fortune,” Uriah Heep‘s “Sunrise” and the already noted Dehumanizer highlight, there isn’t one moment where they relinquish their hold on either their craft or their audience’s attention. It’s the kind of outing that might cause a last-minute revision to best-of-the-year-so-far list, to say the least of it. Not to be greedy, but I’ll take a follow-up as soon as possible. Thanks.

Arduini/Balich on Thee Facebooks

Cruz del Sur Music website

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Audión, La Historia de Abraham

If the driving Motörhead-onic thrust of the title-track to Audión‘s La Historia de Abraham rings familiar, it might be because the rhythm section of the Buenos Aires trio consists of bassist Gonzalo Villagra (also vocals) and drummer Walter Broide (also backing vocals), both formerly of Los Natas. Honestly, that pedigree would probably be enough for me to get on board with the 10-track/49-minute self-released full-length, but then you get into the roll and drift of the subsequent “Llegaron Sordos” and the fluid cascade of “Colmillo Blanco,” and guitarist Dizzy Espeche makes his presence felt tonally and vocally throughout to add a new personality to whatever familiar aspects might persist. “Lesbotrans” dives into a ’70s-style swing and the blown-out “Diablo vs. Dios” follows it with the age-old question of what might happen if The Who went garage punk, but there’s flourish of psychedelia on the interlude “Para Rosita” before “El Carancho” and “Queruzalem” round out with some of La Historia de Abraham‘s weightiest impacts. I think it’s fair to say Audión have some tinge of Los Natas‘ style to them, but their first outing shows them working toward building something new from that as well, and that makes their arrival all the more welcome.

Audion on Thee Facebooks

Audion on Bandcamp

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Grey Gallows, Underlord

Not that it isn’t plenty malevolent on its surface, but there’s an even more extreme threat lurking beneath “Underlord,” the nine-minute opener, titular and longest track (immediate points) on the debut full-length from Phoenix, Arizona’s Grey Gallows. It doesn’t take long for that sense of extremity to manifest in a blackened sensibility that pervades both in the riffs of a song like “Belladonna” — the middle cut of the five included — or the overarching spaciousness that finds its way into the grime-coated “West of Hell,” which follows. With a depth of guitar worthy of filling one’s lungs, “West of Hell” churns in a manner faster and somewhat sludgier than the alternately nodding and atmospheric “Priestess” showed the Opoponax Records outing to be earlier, six-stringers Joe Distic and Cat weaving noted lines and crunch riffs around each other for seven densely grooved minutes amid low-end push from bassist Lee, adaptable and creative drumming from Shane and Zue Byrd‘s vocals, which hit in form no less distorted in the back half of “Priestess” than they are punker drawled in closer “Buzzard Dust.” Nasty. Nasty, nasty, nasty. That’s basically what the math works out to on the 35-minute outing, but it’s worth noting that even on their first album, Grey Gallows demonstrate a ready willingness to balance various stylistic impulses off each other in such a way that’s only going to make their sound richer as they proceed. Richer, and even nastier. So be it.

Grey Gallows on Thee Facebooks

Opoponax Records webstore

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Smoke Mountain, Smoke Mountain

The first EP from this Floridian three-piece does precisely what it’s supposed to do: introduces a newcomer band with three unpretentious tracks of dirt-fuzz riffing. The immediate vibe of opener “Demon” is early Acid King as the vocals follow the riff in classic stonery fashion, but the three songs get longer as they go and “Violent Night” proves immediately more spacious en route to the eponymous march of “Smoke Mountain.” What would probably be called a demo in a prior age, Smoke Mountain‘s Smoke Mountain makes its primary impression tonally but shows potential in its songwriting as well, and as a quick sampling of what the band are getting up to in their first stages, there’s little more one could reasonably ask of it, particularly as “Smoke Mountain” hammers home its chorus in a balance of clean vocal melody and absolutely filthy guitar, bass and drum crash. That duality, should they maintain it as they move forward into whatever might come next, can only serve them well. One to keep an eye on.

Smoke Mountain on Thee Facebooks

Smoke Mountain on Bandcamp

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