Generally speaking, reviewing compilations is kind of pointless. I recognize that’s no way to start a compilation review — at least not the most encouraging way — but I’ve found over the years that by the time you get done saying who’s involved, maybe why if there is a reason as there is here, and what they’re doing, you’re done. There’s no real chance to dig in, and I’ll admit that with a digital comp of the sort that boasts 21 bands and runs 111 minutes long, that’s no less the case. But The Mindful Collective was put together at the behest of OHMs Peak, which does these things, to benefit Music and Memory, which uses playlists (né mixtapes) to trigger recognition from dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. Thus the full title: The Mindful Collective: A Charity Compilation Supporting Music & Memory. The idea is that music can “restore a sense of self.” Fair enough. It’s been giving me a sense of self since I was like eight.

I could sit here and list out the 21 acts taking part, but cut and paste is more efficent, so here it is from the Bandcamp page:

Tracklisting:
1. Lower Slaughter – Take A Seat 04:02
2. Torpedo Torpedo – Fade 05:22
3. Domkraft – Spiral Noises 05:16
4. KNUB – Wet Lung 05:34
5. Spiralpark – Slumber 04:47
6. Kal-El – Cloud Walker 06:55
7. Beneath a Steel Sky – Everyone you’ve ever known 04:35
8. Fomies – Neon Gloom 03:35
9. Blessings – No Good Things 03:44
10. CHEEKS – hi list 2 die list 03:21
11. Pothamus – Zhikarta 07:26
12. Cosmic Reaper – Bloodfeather 06:03
13. Apex Ten – Ruthless 06:26
14. Froglord – Follow the Star 04:00
15. All is Violent – Born Of Kalahari 04:47
16. Sheev – Tüdelüt 05:01
17. coastlands – hollowing 05:51
18. Bask – In the Heat of the Dying Sun 04:57
19. Sunbreather – WINE 06:07
20. Doble Sesión Nocturna – Acto III: Que No Quede Ninguno 05:44
21. K L P S – TRIBULATION 08:06

Now you see why we’re really here. From the big tones of Froglord to the big melodies of Fomies to the big tones and melodies of Kal-El, the listener taking on The Mindful Collective will definitely get a sense of the taste behind the curation, and that gives a progression to the tracks as each plays out. Torpedo Torpedo are thicker sounding than Lower Slaughter, who give a rocking start, and Domkraft make density groove. They, Kal-El, Bask, Pothamus and KLPS brooding and lumbering at the end might be the heaviest of what’s included, but All is Violent — who are new to me, thanks OHMs Peak — the blackened post-rock of lowercase-‘C’ coastlands remind that there’s more than one definition of heavy. So it is that KNUB‘s noisy crunch speaks to the punk underlying the rush of Spiralpark‘s “Slumber,” or the cultish riffing of Cosmic Reaper acts as a go-between for the crush of Pothamus and instrumentalists Apex Ten, whose melodic flourish is recognizable in “Ruthless.”

Understand, I’m not saying that what I generally think of reviewing comps doesn’t apply here, just that it doesn’t actually stop the compilation from either (1:) being good, or (2:) attracting attention and some amount of money for a worthy cause. The Mindful Collective does both these things, while remaining stylistically cohesive despite showcasing variety. Sheev later on hint toward the hardcore aspects of Cheeks earlier, whereas the bombastic breakout later in Cheeks‘ “Hi List 2 Die List” locks in a nod that would have to make Domkraft smile. One foot seems to be kept in the post-metallic, or at very least atmospheric heavy — to be less genre-specific; because it isn’t about genre so much as the music itself — but the fuzz-laden roll of Sunbreather‘s “Wine” makes a welcome touch-ground after the progressive churn of Bask‘s “In the Heat of the Dying Sun,” and Doble Sesión Nocturna drench their doom in reverb and space it out, adding both a meditative aspect and echoing reach in the penultimate spot before KLPS bring it back around to the onslaught.

The primary power of compilations comes in exposure. A comp can let a band give a listener a sampling and entice them to dig further. Maybe that’s an oldschool way of thinking — or just old — but if you replace ‘comp’ with ‘algorithm-dictated playlist’ the same applies. I said above that All is Violent were new to me, and they’re not alone here. Blessings, Coastlands, Spiralpark, Doble Sesión Nocturna, Cheeks and the airy post-sludge of Beneath a Steel Sky are less familiar than the likes of Kal-El or Domkraft or even the mighty Froglord for me, and of course no experience is universal, so a given listener will be intrigued by different stretches of the 21-track outing, and it feels like The Mindful Collective is aware of this (that’s not to say ‘mindful,’ because if I did I’d have to punch myself in the face) and accounts for it in the curation. You might think of a compilation modeled on style, where it’s less about what a given act is saying than how they ‘fit’ in terms of genre. As noted, this isn’t that. There’s cohesion in sound as it all works under the umbrella of ‘heavy,’ but even among groups who share arrangement elements or have some likeness of mood, each is differentiated by its place in the overarching flow, and so each gets its moment of genuine showcase. I could see wanting to chase down more from any number of these acts, from Lower Slaughter to KLPS, in no small part because I have.

And then you get to the practical reality that when you shell out eight dollars or however much of your hard-earned, you’re supporting the same people who someday are going to come to you in the rest home and play you this mix so you can remember who you are, and that adds another layer of meaning. So often a compilation’s true impact isn’t until years and years afterward, and I don’t think there’s anything so ambitious happening here — the songs donated by bands aren’t exclusive so far as I’ve checked, for example — but the fact of the matter is whether you’re a longtime convert or making your first forays into heavier styles, there is a ton on The Mindful Collective to dig into, and the worthiness of the cause speaks further to the value of the art. At the very least, it’s the kind of thing one might want to support, regardless of how a given individual feels about reviewing compilations.

Various Artists, The Mindful Collective (2026)

OHMs Peak Charity website

OHMs Peak Charity on Bandcamp

OHMs Peak Charity on Instagram

OHMs Peak Charity on Facebook

A litany of familiar names playing a litany of familiar tunes, Spaceship Landing: A Tribute to Kyuss is a fairly straightforward concept. Rather than the Magnetic Eye-style ‘redux’ model, the compilation of mostly European bands put together at the behest of Witching Buzz follows the oldschool pattern of more ‘greatest hits’-style selections. I don’t know how many of these songs are exclusive or not, but from Fuzz Evil and Abel Blood to Rhino and King Howl, it’s an assemblage 20-strong put together to honor the band largely credited with defining desert rock for the rest of us mortals out here on the scorched earth.

So like I said, an easy enough concept to grasp. Slated for a Halloween release. The PR wire has it like this:

Spaceship Landing: A Tribute to KYUSS

Release Date and Cover Art Unveiled

A Global Homage to the Godfathers of Desert Rock

The legacy of KYUSS – the pioneers of desert rock and the spiritual fathers of stoner metal – echoes endlessly across generations and continents. Now, over two decades after their final ride into the sonic sunset, a legion of underground bands unites to pay respect in a massive, fuzz-drenched tribute.

“Spaceship Landing: A Tribute to KYUSS” will be released October 31, 2025 by Witching Buzz and features 21 bands from across the globe, each offering a thunderous reimagining of a KYUSS classic. This is not just a tribute – it’s a worldwide celebration of riff worship, sand-blasted psych, and raw desert energy.

Full Tracklist:
Amammoth (Australia) – Son of a Bitch
Mörkekraft (Norway) – Writhe
Sonic Wolves (Italy) – Thumb
Rhino (Italy) – Green Machine
Gurnslinger (Jersey) – Molten Universe
Void Cruiser (Finland) – 50 Million Year Trip (Downside Up)
King Howl (Italy) – Freedom Run
Rainbow Bridge (Italy) – Apothecaries’ Weight
Fuzz Evil (USA) – Supa Scoopa and Mighty Scoop
3 Wheeler Band (Mexico) – 100°
DoctoR DooM (France) – Space Cadet
Poste 942 (France) – Demon Cleaner
ISAAK (Italy) – Odyssey
Folwark (Italy) – Whitewater
Abel Blood (USA) – Caterpillar March
Epic Down (Germany) – Hurricane
Loose Sutures (Italy) – One Inch Man
Wet Cactus (Spain) – Phototropic
Wolfnaut (Norway) – El Rodeo
Mercure (France) – Size Queen

[cover art by Captain Maoos]

Be sure to follow our Bandcamp page to get notified the moment the release drops: https://witchingbuzz.bandcamp.com/

With each band offering their own sonic twist while honoring the spirit of KYUSS, Spaceship Landing is a must-listen for desert dwellers, fuzz fanatics, and anyone who’s ever felt the low-end rumble of the California sandstorms in their soul.

Raise your amps. Board the spaceship. KYUSS lives.

https://www.witchingbuzz.ovh/
https://witchingbuzz.bandcamp.com/

I was thrilled when Italy’s Argonauta Records asked if this site wanted to have a hand in presenting the first Magick Sun, Mystic Moon covers comp in 2023, and so the second was a no-brainer to sign on to as well. The focus this time out seems like a conversation between generations — whether that’s communing with the 1960s or 1990s, etc. — as is perhaps inevitable for this kind of thing. If you need further enticement, it’s free.

That’s pretty much all you need to know, since it means there’s zero risk in checking it out, save that of hearing something you might enjoy from among the 17 inclusions. Sounds vary, loyalism to the originals varies, and that’s exactly what you want from it. I didn’t really have a hand in putting it together, so I’m not gonna say I’m proud or anything like that, but I am glad to collaborate with Argonauta once again and if there’s Vol. III, I’d probably get on board for that too. Just saying.

The PR wire had word of the release:

Argonauta Records Releases ‘Magick Sun, Mystic Moon Vol. II’: A New Free Bandcamp-Exclusive Covers Compilation Celebrating the Roots of Heavy Music

Argonauta Records proudly presents Magick Sun, Mystic Moon Volume II, the second chapter of its acclaimed covers compilation series. Featuring 17 diverse and passionate reinterpretations, this exclusive digital release co-presented by THE OBELISK is now available for free via Bandcamp only, with all donations reinvested into boosting visibility and free credit circulation to help spread the word across the globe:

https://argonautarecords.bandcamp.com/album/magick-sun-mystic-moon-vol-ii

Once again, the Italian underground powerhouse curates a kaleidoscopic selection of tributes that span genres and generations: from The Beatles, David Bowie, The Who, and Jimi Hendrix to Tool, Radiohead, ZZ Top, and Nine Inch Nails. As with Volume I, the artists involved reflect the deep and eclectic spirit of the Argonauta roster: unified not by genre, but by vision, intensity, and reverence for music that shaped them.

Among the participating bands are returning favorites and fresh faces alike, including Almost Honest (who appear twice with Beatles covers), the volcanic Godzilla Was Too Drunk to Destroy Tokyo, psych heavies Rainbow Bridge, heavy doom bringers Mourn the Light, avant-rock explorers Folwark, and the crushing force of Columbarium, among many more. The result is a journey through doom, psych, sludge, alt-rock, classic heavy rock and beyond, all infused with love and grit.

“We launched this series with the intention of celebrating the music that brought us all here,” says label founder Gero Lucisano. “Volume II keeps the same spirit alive: it’s totally free, and every donation helps us push these great bands even further out into the world. These songs are a tribute to the past, but also a reminder that the heavy underground is as vital as ever.”

Adding to the uniqueness of the project, the cover artwork is an entirely hand-drawn original illustration, capturing the retro-psych and mystical spirit of the compilation, a perfect visual match to the eclectic soundscape within.

More than a simple collection of covers, Magick Sun, Mystic Moon Vol. II is a community-driven, artist-powered homage to the soundtracks of our lives. It’s about rediscovery, transformation, and the joy of honoring your heroes with your own voice.

Stream/download for FREE now and if you feel like supporting, every euro goes back into making the underground louder.

Tracklist – Magick Sun Mystic Moon Vol. 2:

Almost Honest – Wait (The Beatles) – 04:11
Sons of Ghidorah – Putting Out the Fire (David Bowie) – 06:14
The Dead Flowers Graves – Dig Up Her Bones (The Misfits) – 02:36
Godzilla Was Too Drunk To Destroy Tokyo – Godzilla (Blue Öyster Cult) – 03:02
Moonin Down – Shakin’ All Over (The Who) – 03:11
Pia Isa – Burn the Witch (Radiohead) – 04:29
Blu Mamuth – Warszawa (David Bowie) – 04:09
Sbarco – Getting Away With It (James) – 04:03
Columbarium – Memoriam (Memoriam) – 02:48
Mourn The Light – Headless Cross (Black Sabbath) – 06:08
Godzilla in the Kitchen – Schism (Tool) – 06:59
Zombie Eater – El Diablo (ZZ Top) – 03:47
Ciminero – Night of the Vampire (Roky Erickson) – 04:11
Hell Valley High – Send Me a Postcard (Shocking Blue) – 03:17
Folwark – Pilgrimage (Nine Inch Nails) – 05:09
Mandy Manala – Black Sheep (Gin Wigmore) – 04:03
Rainbow Bridge – Hear My Train A Comin’ (Jimi Hendrix) – 07:38
Almost Honest – And Your Bird Can Sing (The Beatles) – 02:58

www.argonautarecords.com
https://argonautarecords.bandcamp.com/
www.facebook.com/ArgonautaRecords
https://www.instagram.com/argonautarecords/

Various Artists, Magick Sun, Mystic Moon Vol. II (2025)

The title Deep Seven Vol. 1 is a stated reference/homage to Deep Six, which came out in 1986 and is regarded as a starting point for grunge for its early assembling the likes of Soundgarden, Green River, Skin Yard and The Melvins, among others. At the time, these were mostly noisy bands trying to feel their way from being punk to something harder, and what came out of it was a generational declaration of themselves in rock and roll and to-date, the only underground rock scene ever to have been picked up by a major label en masse.

A once-in-a-forever happening, and no, I don’t think producers Haldor Grunberg of Satanic Audio and Kamil Ziółkowski of Electric Witch Mountain Recordings, which is the label behind the release and the studio where he seems to have recorded the bulk if not all of it, and features in five of the seven bands included (plus one as a guest), are trying to position Wrocław, Poland, as “the next Seattle.” But, there are parallels to be drawn. The two compilations share an underlying ethic in representing the work of groups and a collective of like-minded artists, working toward their own purposes as individuals, bands, etc., but united in some cases by stylistic similarities (or shared personnel) and in some cases drawn together simply by virtue of making outside-mainstream art in the same city — again, in this case, Wrocław and Poland’s greater Silesian region around it.

These are admirable goals, and with exclusive, new tracks from Palm Desert, Ziółkowski‘s solo-project Mountain of Misery, Solar Trip, Spaceslug, Gozd, O.D.R.A. and Sealess, the 45-minute collection has much to say about the city these bands call home and the sonic elements they share. Perhaps unsurprisingly, among the latter is a strong thread of grunge. This is certainly emphasized in Mountain of Misery‘s “Hollow Water” (5:436 and Spaceslug‘s “Lost in the Tide” (7:36), the latter of which is the centerpiece of the collection and the leadoff of the vinyl edition’s side B, but certainly in the punkier-at-its-root noise rock chug and shout-topped bite of O.D.R.A.‘s “Breslau Babilon” (5:15) — Breslau being an older name for Wrocław — and the despondent atmosphere that begins the subsequent closer “Fading Away” (4:30) by Sealess, there are hints of grunge to be actively or passively heard.

More importantly, that’s not all there is. Spaceslug, who aren’t the longest-tenured here — Palm Desert, whose “Elegy of the Past” (9:22) is both the leadoff and longest track (immediate points), formed in 2008, and O.D.R.A. may go back farther (both bands have Ziółkowski on drums) — are arguably the most known outside of Poland. Their textured, rich interpretation of heavy psychedelia is characteristically fluid in melody and groove on “Lost in the Tide,” which may or may not have some relation to their 2018 LP, Eye the Tide (review here), and comes across as languid but not at all still. The riff is sharper than it seems on first listen, metal-born but heavy-raised. It feels purposeful in its position, not the least for the hypnosis.

“Lost in the Tide” is surrounded on either side by Solar Trip‘s “Blueshift” (6:18) and Gozd‘s “Disguise the Emptiness” (6:22). These are the only two bands in which Ziółkowski isn’t a member, though he contributes recognizable guest backing vocals to the latter, for another aural tie-in, feeling like a linear progression from the psychedelic redirect of Solar Trip — instrumental save for samples and nodding toward modern space-prog in a nonetheless driving movement — through the hypnotic nod of “Lost in the Tide,” and into Gozd, who push even further into open air.

No doubt the fact that these songs were all recorded in the same studio with the same producers between August of this year and last month has something to do with Deep Seven Vol. 1‘s ability to creative this kind of overarching flow; the tracklisting is able to put the listener where it wants them from the moment Palm Desert takeoff from the relatively straight-ahead first half of “Elegy of the Past” to the jammier, trippier second. Mountain of Misery serve as a transition ahead of Solar Trip, Spaceslug and Gozd, and just when you feel like you’re as far out as you can go without the music falling apart around you, O.D.R.A. bring a sudden regrounding and a suckerpunch at the same time. And Sealess not only make sense to finish because they move from the mellow, almost post-heavy fluidity of the early going in “Fading Away” to a more solidified payoff, but the return of vocalist Wojciech Gałuszka from Palm Desert alongside guitar, drums and synth from Ziółkowski and Grunberg‘s production, feels like a bookend to the release as a whole.

And that Ziółkowski and Spaceslug bassist/vocalist Jan Rutka also play in Palm Desert shouldn’t be discounted. Granted, it’s a lot of Ziółkowski front to back as he moves between drumming, singing, keys and guitar in different bands, but his approach seems to be an essential piece of what these same groups are sharing. It’s part of the point, not a thing to hide, is what I’m saying. These bands are supposed to be connected, and they are. That happens in terms of their aesthetic purpose — the blend of psychedelic, heavy, and various niches of rock music — their respective memberships, and of course their geography.

Deep Seven affirms the validity of all of these, and within the broadly varied Polish underground, which is just as likely to produce a Behemoth or a Batushka (or two) as a Dopelord or a Major Kong, casts the included acts as offering something distinct from the rest. They’re not prideful or arrogant about it — at least not in the songs, though O.D.R.A. want nothing for brashness with their Church of Misery-style swing and hardcore-meets-Sabbath overtones — but the message that these groups and this region have something to offer listeners is resonant in the material itself. For that alone, one hopes a Vol. 2 or a Deep Eight or whatever it ends up being called surfaces at some point in the future.

Of course, a crucial difference between this comp and Deep Six is that scene was just beginning to take shape where this one is more established — but again, at no point does it feel like Deep Seven is trying to pitch itself to a commercial music infrastructure that simply no longer exists to support it even if it wanted to. Instead, in a context where these sounds can be heard by anyone, anywhere, anytime, on demand, Deep Seven Vol. 1 reaches out and speaks of people and place in stylistic terms, and in so doing captures something special. If you want to call it the ‘Silesian sound’ from here on out, this offers a glimpse at some of what that means.

Various Artists, Deep Seven Vol. 1 (2024)

Electric Witch Mountain Recordings on Facebook

Electric Witch Mountain Recordings on Bandcamp

New Year, new label samplers. I’ve seen a few coming out, as one will, as record labels begin to look forward at the year to come, celebrate recent releases and herald their 2024 to be. I’ve found over the last couple years that when I want something weird or different, Forbidden Place Records can reliably intrigue and, even if a given record doesn’t change your life, a rabbit hole to go down isn’t nothing, and the Escape to Weird Mountain Vol. 9 comp. — you’ll note that it’s ‘escape to‘ rather than ‘escape from‘; we’re leaving everything and going to the mountain — has a whopping 19 tracks. If you can’t find something in that for even a momentary distraction, maybe go back to the start and try again.

Let’s go through:

1. RUNT, “The Void” — I think the kids call this style industrial punk. Either way, there are a fair amount of solo dudes-as-bands out there now on either side of the country between RUNT, N8NOFACE, Trace Amount, King Yosef, and so on. The shout reminds of Negative Reaction, and as to “where’s my god now,” he’s in the same place he’s always in: the cheese drawer. Clearly a priority for the label and an immediate ‘something different’ to start. Win.

2. Cani Sciorii, “Ringhia” — Sharply punctuated heavy/noise rock boogie. Reminds a bit of Sandrider in the early going but the vocals take it elsewhere. Brash. Gets trippy in the second half but they bring the sway back around.

3. Tojo Yamamoto, “The Mongolian Stomper” — An apparent homage to Archie Gouldie, who was a professional wrestler, the low start-stop fart-fuzz gets quirky complement by the lead guitar and rough-delivered verses. I don’t know if the song is actually about Gouldie, but there are two old wrestling samples and it ends talking about the stomper, and it’s the tone either way.

4. Death Spa, “Make it Hurt” — Weirdo electronica becomes kind of a thread through Escape to Weird Mountain Vol. 9, as the label has more than dabbled by now in multiple spheres. Death Spa are rawer than RUNT, more intense, with a bridge that sounds Mediterranean and screams to complement that call out the title with an especially pleading sensibility.

5. Molefunken, “Suck Your Thumb” — Starts with a set of ‘na-na-na-na’s that is the hook. Big early Funkadelic vibe here in the gang vocals, ’70s swing, and dance-your-ass-off intent. It’s lo-fi, but it’s a party.

6. Prosthetic Bung, “Breaking the Bung Curse” — Avant vibes and echoing fantasy-epic storytelling captured barebones but with enough echo to give an atmospheric impression either. A bit of hi-hat chicanery behind the vocals, which are mostly spoken and partially decipherable, but which add to the ambience amid all the freak-rock swirl and effects-born chaos. Four weird-ass minutes. Ends with “the end.”

7. Saint Omen, “Destroyer” — Another spoken vocal ties it to the prior bung curse, but Saint Omen are more pointedly riffy, with a hook delivered in harsh vocals after a verse low-rumbled like Mark Lanegan, a sample and a lurching nod with buzzsaw-tone soloing and vibrant crash.

8. Sign of the Sorcerer, “Black Night” — You ain’t gonna hear me complain about the nod. Clearly moving into cult rock territory, “Black Night” is slow, foggy and fuzzed, modern in its ancient cavernousness, and almost cruelly stoned. A record to look for, and not the first so far.

9. Oopsy Dazey, “Regrets” — The grunge sidestep from LáGoon‘s Anthony Gaglia and Jamie Yeats of Wizzerd ticks any ’90s nostalgia box you might have while keeping a foot in the drug-cult spirit. Yeah, it sounds like The Dandy Warhols circa 1996, but it lives in a world where drugs and murder are legal, so look out.

10. Your Gaze, “IDK” — Pretty obviously self-aware, if the name is anything to go by. “IDK” feels like the next stage of post-. Like, it’s post-post-punk. Post-post-heavy, post-Joy Division, with just enough heavy slog underneath all that morose, emotionally-goth float to give it presence when the ‘drums’ speed up at the finish. I promise you it sounds cooler than my description.

11. Land Whales, “Dias de Martes” — Cuba’s Land Whales self-released their Null Days LP in November and were picked up by Forbidden Place no doubt for the strong ’90s alt vibes, not quite retro since the shimmer is so modern, but that way it kind of drifts off at the end then circles back to a fuller hook puts the lie to any lackadaisical positioning.

12. Brunsten, “Gamechanger” — A proggy two and a half minutes with semi-spoken lyrics and a so-British-it’s-British-even-if-it-isn’t vibe, but it turns jet-engine buzz and shoutier in its second half and makes its short-ass runtime count for every second. Builds like this take some bands three times as long.

13. NAQOY (vs. planetDAMAGE), “White Rat” — Low volume, moody, drity techno, heavy in its underpinning but actively not trying to be rock and roll, and so not. The beats are hypnotic in their pulsation and the song establishes itself and remains on a linear course for its four minutes, almost like an aside to another dimension coming out of Brunsten, but sharing an exploratory aspect with a lot of what’s included here.

14. Veuve Scarron, “MMDCN” — Something about the gang chorus here reminds me of some ancient Marilyn Manson hook, and I can’t quite place it. Once the hook takes off circa 1:15, the way it’s both caustic and melodic. The whole spirit in this one is pretty despondent, malevolent, but I’d have to dig further to know if it’s the standard self-loathing or what thematically. There’s nothing else here that sounds like this though, so “dig further” absolutely will happen.

15. Under the Clothesline, “Speed Only” — You’re sitting there thinking “Wow this has really gone on for a long time. When’s the garage rock gonna show up?” Here you go.

16. Dark Shaman, “Horror Night” — Rolling out cultish nod with full, classic doom riffing and a groove that goes from Black to Sabbath in scope, I’m calling this one a victory outright and keeping that bass buzz in the second half shuffle all for myself, thank you very much. I don’t know this band but I like them now, so that’s what a label sampler gets you.

17. Buskas, “Desiderium” — Be it heretofore known that Buskas are not fucking around. “Desiderium” is the longest song on this compilation at 6:46 and it fills that time building into a rumbling assault of distortion and aggression. Vocals are harsh-throated and positioned to cut through the mix, but the nastiness infects even the nod itself, so that even the crash cymbal hits mean. Don’t be surprised when you hear about this band again.

18. Ash Eater, “Any Port in the Storm” — I’m apparently doing a track premiere for this Portland band next week. Timing is everything. Quicker than it seems, their “Any Port in the Storm” shouts in echo and twists itself up mightily without losing its course. At least until it decides to shred itself into oblivion, that is. Fair enough. See you Wednesday, bruhs.

19. Basic Shapes, “A Quiet Place” — Well clearly not. Bringing together electronica and a stark, punkish riff, Basic Shapes underscore the curated feel of Escape to Weird Mountain Vol. 9 by bringing together multiple sides shown across various bands prior. That’s context rather than their artistic intent, but true nonetheless. Basic Shapes‘ obvious bent toward individualism is no less a vital representation.

Well, that’s it. Used to be I’d get label samplers in CD sleeves in parking lots at club shows, or like band demos, or whathaveyou. It’s not quite the same being on Bandcamp — don’t have to pay for parking — but I’ll be curious to see a few years from now which of these bands and who else under the Forbidden Place banner I might be covering more in-depth in a few years’ time. Either way, you could do far worse than being the go-to when someone wants something fresh, and I hope you find something in here you never heard before that you dig, because that’s the point of the whole thing to start with.

Thanks for reading.

—

After avoiding the cold that ransacked the house for the last two weeks passed back and forth between my wife and daughter, I would seem to have succumbed. Or at least I seem to be succumbing. I’ve been developing a cough over the last 36 hours like it’s a finely-tuned prog metal riff, and have been feeling generally like what an old friend once referred to as a, “bag of bashed assholes.” So be it.

But it was a week. It had ups, it had downs. I’m going to see Elder tonight at Madison Square Garden. That kind of rocks. I think I’ll have a photo pass? I hope I will? But even if not, it’ll be a trip to be in the building when that happens. Will write about it of course blah blah.

Monday is a day off from school, so kid’s home. MLK. Legit. That’ll make writing for Tuesday a challenge, but the week is packed so I’ll need to figure it out. Pyramid, Saturna, Ash Eater, Kungens Man, maybe something next Friday. Then the week after is more of the same. This thing just keeps going.

Have a great and safe weekend. Have fun, watch your head. I’ll be posting on Monday, because what’s a holiday anyhow, and seemingly into perpetuity thereafter. Thank you for reading and being part of it.

FRM.

The Obelisk Collective on Facebook

The Obelisk Radio

The Obelisk merch

Assembled at the behest of SloomWeep Productions and offered as two separate digital compilations, StonedChine Vol. 1 and StonedChine Vol. 2 are specifically focused on the growth of underground heavy sounds in China and the Chinese diaspora. Each volume offers one or two tracks per band and has a runtime that, on its own, would be a 2LP — Vol. 1 is 54 minutes/eight tracks/five bands, Vol. 2 is 63 minutes/six tracks/three bands — if physically pressed. The styles included run a gamut between and sometimes within the bands themselves, as Alpaca from Shanghai lead off with 2019’s single “Drown” (12:04) and the maybe-new “Jauria” (8:03), moving between sludge to psych-dub jamming to grindcore in their first piece while in “Jauria” they use a declarative chug as a backdrop for a Crowbar-style airing of grievances, shifting into a dramatic solo section before looping back to the central riff.

Immediately, StonedChine Vol. 1 claims extremity as part of Chinese heavy, and The Hermit, who close with the whistle-from-the-movie-inclusive “Kill Bill” (6:19) with their Bongzilla-type crust ‘n’ crackle sludge, reinforce the message. But the ‘various artists’ release doesn’t skip on the variety either, as Ramblin’ Roze picks up from Alpaca with a turn toward heavy rock that nonetheless keeps the threat of violent intent palpable with an opening news-broadcast sample about nine hikers being found murdered in the woods.

That song is “Mountain of the Dead” (8:35), and with feedback building behind its start, one expects an onslaught, or, given the content, at very least a madcap boogie in the vein of Japan’s Church of Misery, but the fuzzy roll that ensues is more Uncle Acid in its languidity and guitar interplay, melodic grunge-doom vocals more straightforward to keep up with the tempo boost as they kick into a “Hole in the Sky”-style riff and transition back to the hook with Heaven and Hell-style purpose, lead guitar howling behind the vocals before it goes down the drain at the end. Ramblin’ Roze‘s “Escape” (4:37) is partly acoustic and has an even stronger lead vocal performance, a thick Zeppelin vibe that grows raucous near its conclusion after a relatively peaceful start. They’ve reportedly had lineup changes since 2020’s debut LP, Howl of the Coomb, from which “Mountain of the Dead” is taken as a remaster, but would fit on any number of EU/US heavy rock imprints.

Guangzhou-based deathsludge rockers Rude Gove offer two tracks from last year’s Chirp of Doom in “Save My Soul” (4:15) and “Yeti” (4:15), rawer in production and more beastly in their assault, like they dug a whole in their own low-end mud and decided to record there. Peppered with lead guitar hinting at melody, “Save My Soul” is gritty, low and guttural, and “Yeti” follows suit with a speedier swing and more open cymbal crash, the vocals veering toward cleaner throaty shouts but still with plenty of Carcass-type gurgles to fill it out, catchy and no less coated in dirt-dust for that.

Based in Melbourne, Australia, meditative psych explorers SPAWN issued their righteous Live at Moonah Arts Collective (review here) through SloomWeep in 2021, and are the most tripped-out act on either volume of StonedChine, with “Meditation in an Evil Temple” (6:28) as their lone inclusion, resonant in its worldly acid flow. They’re a sharp curve from Rude Gove just before and they give way to the aforementioned The Hermit to cap Vol. 1, but can’t help but stand out even from the scope of intent Alpaca laid out. Returning to harsh vibes, “Kill Bill” — from The Hermit‘s 2021 The Wall of Desire EP — boasts some subtler layering in the guitar near its finish and is fluid in its movement from one part to the next, making its primary impression in bite with some depth underneath.

Vol. 2 is perhaps more solidified in its methodology, but consistent in the purpose of highlighting the Chinese underground. “My Pet Depression” (8:04) and “Endless Parade” (13:32) come from Apollo 20‘s Endless Parade 10″, released in 2021, and they appeared in succession there as well. The melodies in the vocals of the former remind a bit of Acid Bath‘s brooding slog, but “Endless Parade” offsets its early whispers with blown-out shouts soon enough before re-mellowing and nestling into an engaging solo-topped jam at about six minutes in that carries them for the duration, some cricket chirping added among the light effects swirl to help ease from one to the other.

A lucid ending there lets the punch of bass at the outset of BanyanRiver‘s “The Ghost of Temptation Still Haunts On Me” (15:36) have that much more impact, and as the longest cut on either volume of StonedChine, it declares itself with a patient buildup and a slow, Black Sabbath‘s “Black Sabbath”-type pull in a short opening movement before a dead stop and feedback arrive to announce an ultra-dense janga-janga march. By the time it gets to including what might be vocals beamed in through another dimension, it’s a semi-metallic thrust that will drop to chants and meditative doom, but the bass and drums still hold the march as the guitar gradually freaks out en route to the inevitable noisy ending. “All is One” (7:48) launches from there with standalone chant-like vocals for its first minute-plus, and maintains that ceremonial spirit as it works its way into a central nod, growing furious and punk in its shove at 5:35 and riding that speedier course to its end, laced with feedback.

Bass also introduces HallucinGod‘s “Go Space” (6:49), which is a less-directly sludged nod at first, clean vocals resting atop an angular but flowing doomer riff, turning semi-psych with guitar effects and backing vocals in its midsection before reviving its prior lumber. HallucinGod‘s second track, “Marijuaua Desert” (11:27) (sic), is broader in its arrangement and remains grounded in the kickdrum even as the guitar reaches into ethereal atmospherics branched outward from the solid groove underpinning. Layered group chanting in the verse fascinates and gives over to speech in the left channel and swirl in the right, but the hint toward the intensity to come is in that drum, which grows steadily more active before taking off into a modded High on Fire-style breakout turned almost cosmic in HallucinGod‘s hands, if only momentarily. They’ve grown huge in the interim, which is shown in the slowdown and subsequent roll toward the return of the folk instrumentation that started the track for its ending, which fades out and brings StonedChine Vol. 2 with it.

With more than a few surprises throughout, these two StonedChine compilations get their point across in the freshness of the bands’ approaches to heavy. As SloomWeep posits, the Chinese heavy underground is new — the label counts 2011 as the country’s first stoner-doom show; Never Before (who don’t feature here) played — and many of these acts sound accordingly young, but it’s new bands, new players and new ideas that result in new sounds, and it may be that the bridges being constructed between styles by some of these groups, whether it’s sludgy grind-dub or just an individualized take on doomed psychedelia, will continue to flesh out as the next decade or so plays out. In any case, the mission of StonedChine in showcasing China’s flourishing heavy scene — as well as SloomWeep‘s roster of talent — is unquestionably a success, and coming out of a comp with the homework of more bands to dig into is an ideal made manifest here. It’s not a minor undertaking, but being split between its two volumes helps, and both the educational value for those outside its own geographical sphere and as a listening experience, easily worth the minimal chasedown. All you have to do is be willing to hear something new.

Various Artists, StonedChine Vol. 1 (2023)

Various Artists, StonedChine Vol. 2 (2023)

SloomWeep Productions on Facebook

SloomWeep Productions on Instagram

SloomWeep Productions on Bandcamp

I went back into the archives and looked, and I’ve been writing about Argonauta Records fare for more than a decade now, and I remain an admirer of the way in which Gero as the founding principal and the imprint as an entity conduct themselves with little regard for trend or anything so much as what speaks to his/its/their own passion. I was asked last month to be a part of ‘presenting’ this compilation, and to be perfectly honest with you, I was likewise honored and confused as to why, since the thing was (nearly) done by then and it’s not like I had much more to offer than some text and that circle logo to digitally-stamp on the cover.

But hey, I’ll take it. It’s nice to be thought of, nice to be asked, and I’m happy to be a small part of it however I can. In addition to having great respect for what Argonauta has accomplished in its time and for the way in which Gero has grown the label over the last 11 years, I also did a lot of the music that comes out under the label’s banner.

Some of this stuff has been released before, some of it hasn’t, but after what one imagines was a not-insignificant logistical challenge in putting it together, the 19-track Magick Sun & Mystic Moon — not to be confused with Barcelona psych outfit Magick Brother & Mystic Sister — emerges as both a good time listening experience and a celebration of the stylistic range that typifies Argonauta‘s roster, the totality of which goes even farther than this. And, of course, one of the most essential facets of what Argonauta does is that it continues to grow and seek new creative voices to support, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this isn’t the last time they do a project like this either. Just a heads up, I guess.

I wrote the text below to coincide with the stream of Drive by Wire‘s cover of The Smiths hitting Bandcamp, and it’s got a little more background on what inspired the compilation, etc., put in PR wire blue for form’s sake. Before I turn you over to it, I’d like to say a direct thanks to Gero for having me on board.

Dig:

ARGONAUTA RECORDS – ‘Magick Sun & Mystic Moon’

Get it here: https://argonautarecords.bandcamp.com/album/magick-sun-mystic-moon

Argonauta Records presents the covers compilation ‘Magick Sun & Mystic Moon,’ featuring 18 acts from the long-running Italian label’s roster, diverse in sound and celebrating influences both glaringly obvious and wholly unexpected. From The Doors and Stooges and KISS to Billy Joel (?!), Darkthrone, The Smiths and Candlemass, artists from a wide swath of styles and legacies are honored by denizens of one of the heavy underground’s most vibrant imprints.

Partnering with respected heavy blog The Obelisk, Argonauta brings forth new and unreleased tracks from the likes of Ancient VVisdom’s Nathan Opposition, who bookends the release in the opening and closing spots, as well as Drive by Wire from the Netherlands, Temple of Deimos, Blues Weiser, Autumnblaze, Mos Generator, Hebi Katana and Mitochondrial Sun, and rare and previously-issued works from Snail, Shadow Witch, Indigo Raven, When the Deadbolt Breaks, Dee Calhoun (ex-Iron Man, current Spiral Grave frontman), Deep Space Mask, Buzzard Canyon, Mourn the Light, The Black Legacy and Sator.

In being utterly packed with righteous executions and aesthetic breadth, ‘Magick Sun & Mystic Moon’ is nothing if not representative in its entirety of Argonauta’s ethic of supporting artists and groups united by passion and quality more than aural homogeny. But if it’s raw heavy you seek, there’s plenty to go around.

“18 Artists from our stellar roster joined forces to give life to a wonderful compilation made of a wide range tunes and bands being honored,” says Argonauta boss Gerolamo Lucisano. “As the label, we are extremely proud of their top quality songs and effort, especially as the project was started and assembled during the difficult times of the pandemic era.”

Begun in 2012, Argonauta Records approaches its 11th year of existence having already contributed significantly to the sphere of underground rock and metal. A somewhat light-hearted concept to contrast with difficult times, ‘Magick Sun & Mystic Moon’ reminds listeners as well as the parties involved in making it that it’s both okay and necessary to step outside one’s normal methods and expressive ideologies, to challenge convention inside and out, and at the most basic level, to have fun doing it.

That spirit is palpable here, and we hope you experience it as well in listening. Thank you for your support.

Tracklisting:
1. NATHAN OPPOSITION (Ancient VVisdom) – The River of Dreams [Billy Joel]* 03:26
2. DRIVE BY WIRE – How Soon Is Now [The Smiths]* 05:23
3. TEMPLE OF DEIMOS – Dancing Days [Led Zeppelin]* 03:41
4. BLUES WEISER – Rags to Rags [Eels]* 04:07
5. AUTUMNBLAZE – Transilvanian Hunger [Darkthrone]* 03:44
6. MOS GENERATOR – She [Kiss]* 06:05
7. HEBI KATANA – Money [The Beatles]* 03:06
8. SNAIL – Fearless [Pink Floyd] 05:06
9. MITOCHONDRIAL SUN (Niklas Sundin) – Neverending Story [Limahl]* 03:44
10. INDIGO RAVEN – Push the Sky Away [Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds] 04:10
11. WHEN THE DEADBOLT BREAKS – Not to Touch the Earth [The Doors] 04:01
12. DEE CALHOUN – The Knoxville Girl [The Louvin Brothers] 04:11
13. DEEP SPACE MASK – Strange Ways [Kiss] 03:49
14. BUZZARD CANYON – Where Eagles Dare [Misfits] 02:20
15. MOURN THE LIGHT – Bewitched [Candlemass] 06:45
16. SHADOW WITCH – I Wanna Be Your Dog [The Stooges] 03:47
17. THE BLACK LEGACY – Been Down So Long [The Doors] 04:28
18. SATOR – A Forest [The Cure] 09:54
19. NATHAN OPPOSITION (Ancient VVisdom) – The End of the World [Skeeter Davis]* 02:24
*previously unreleased

www.instagram.com/argonautarecords
www.facebook.com/argonuatarecords
www.argonautarecords.com/shop

Various Artists, Magick Sun & Mystic Moon (2023)

It’s a pretty clever play on the idea of an International Space Station. The ‘international’ part: four bands, each from a different country. ‘Space’: well yeah, everybody here gets decidedly cosmic, thank you kindly. ‘Station’: there’s enough of it to make either your own radio or land your starship on, however you choose to interpret the word. One likes to think it’s in an optimistic spirit that Worst Bassist Records brings together Nashville, Tennessee’s ElonMusk — who probably regret that moniker by now — Electric Moon from Germany, Swedish jammers Kungens Män and Norway’s Kanaan to pay conceptual homage on the International Space Station Vol. I four-way, all-instrumental, 88-minute split double-vinyl to the most genuine evidence of what humans can achieve when collaborating across their own pretend/tribal borders, reminding us that even as the international order teeters (war in Eastern Europe, pandemic, climate change, on and on) and such cooperation feels ever rarer, the possibility of a better way exists.

Each band gets a side, and uses it for one song. It is something of a surprise to find an American band included here at all — Europsych has a tendency toward insularity; it looks out for its own and in the past I’ve perceived a bit of nose-up as regards many US acts; obviously not the case this time — but ElonMusk not only get a quarter of the ‘station’ to themselves, they go first. Thus “Gods of the Swamp Planet” (22:02) unfurls its synth-laced mellow roll a headphone-ready expanse of tripped-out serenity. Floating guitars, floating synth, subtle flourish on the toms and cymbals (thinking of the ride at about nine minutes in), and it’s an outbound motion that builds from the initial drone of keyboards as the guitar, bass and drums arrive, set and launch the course, setting their own mood and that for the release as a whole. Just as “Gods of the Swamp Planet” seems to hit its comedown, at 13:28, a louder and more uptempo movement starts, still with the synth droning out behind, but the drums hit harder, the guitars soar higher, and a post-Earthless triumph rings out, if only or about two minutes. It feels live if it isn’t, in part because of the residual energy carried over as “Gods of the Swamp Planet” settles down again, but at 18:37, it turns back to its squibbly scorcher lead and more fervent nod, and rides that groove until residual drone carries it out.

Side flip. For pleasant surprises, Electric Moon‘s “Duality” (15:46) is the shortest inclusion, but offers a markedly uptempo take, immediately digging into the space rock purpose hinted at in the split’s title and apparent theme. The band recently shifted lineup, bidding farewell to Dave “Sula Bassana” Schmidt, and I’m not sure whether this is their first song without or their last with him — the lineup is now “Komet Lulu” Neudeck (who also runs Worst Bassist Records) on bass, Johannes “Joe Muff” Schaffer on guitar and Bernhard “Pablo Carneval” Fasching on drums — but the band’s long-established modus of immersive and cosmic instrumental heavy psych is given extra flash through a steady percussive tension and a swath of layered guitar effects, smoke trailing their way through the consciousness as “Duality” careens toward its midpoint. Shortly thereafter, a break to silence and a measure of transitional guitar leaves a blank slate from whence the guitar and keys begin to rebuild a post-rock pastoralia, a serene six-minute contemplation that’s a standout from Electric Moon‘s work to this point, if one that carries a familiar hypnosis forward to new ground. Perhaps that’s the band’s portrayal of cross-cultural fellowship. If so, it should rightly be considered a focus point for the release as a whole.

Record switch. The second platter finds prolific Stockholm collective Kungens Män already in motion by the time the needle hits the platter, bending space, time and their own strings as “Keeper of the One Key” (23:24) unfolds its they’re-already-gone-and-it’s-time-for-you-to-go-too interstellar languidity. Smoothly delivered as ever for the band — class explorers through and through — the guitar turns to an improvised sounding bounce and starts running scales at about nine minutes in, but the truth is if you’re not on board by then, Kungens Män have already left without you. But don’t worry, there’s time to catch up as they dig, dig, dig into the realms of hidden matter and unknowable energies, physics turning into so much lazy-eyed goo in their capable, moderating control. It’s not quite as drastic a second-half departure as that of Electric Moon before them, but “Keeper of the One Key” shifts into a more distorted lead tone after hitting the 20-minute mark and caps with a bit of chug to wash down all the prior noodling, its long fade capturing the moment when the jam probably came apart but still giving a sense of the various infinities surrounding Kungens Män as they elicit deeply entrancing calm out of chaos. It’s also telling that as International Space Station Vol. I plays out, the songs get longer.

On that note, one more side flip — and/or a format switch — to the digital-only-because-it-wouldn’t-fit-on-a-12″-anyway “Beyond” (27:43) from Kanaan, who follow 2021’s Earthbound (review here) and herald the upcoming Diversions Vol. I: Softly Through Sunshine with evocative-of-waves ribboning astral jazz. Never mind that with its runtime it’s an album unto itself, “Beyond” underscores both journey and arrival for this collection, gradually making its way into a slow wash of melody and breadth. Should there be any residual doubt the Oslo-based troupe are as we speak positioning themselves as one of the foremost purveyors of next-generation European heavy psychedelia — not an insignificant crowd from which to distinguish themselves — the apparent ease with which they drift into and through the piece’s midsection and out toward the encompassing and louder finish is marked by patience as well as vigor. The final element to go is a howling guitar — convenient aural analog for the outing as a whole — but by the time they’ve gotten there, Kanaan have asserted their emergent mastery over the expanding omniverse of their sound. “Beyond” reminds that time is a construct and the best thing you can do with your mind is expand it. If you want elevated consciousness, then you need to get on that elevator.

United in purpose and largely in mood, International Space Station Vol. I may be the start of a series, or like so many ‘vol. I’ outings, it may not. I won’t claim to know. For right now — such as it is with that whole “time is a construct” thing — the efforts on the part of Neudeck in bringing these acts together are not to be undervalued, and while splits and compilations are often the realm of tossoffs, leftover recordings, etc., this version of the ISS reminds of the incredible capacity human beings have when willing to set aside largely-imaginary differences of demographic and opinion in favor of unity. It wants nothing for substance, building structure from formlessness. Beautiful in ideology and execution.

ElonMusk on Facebook

Electric Moon on Facebook

Kungens Män on Facebook

Kanaan on Facebook

Worst Bassist Records on Facebook

Worst Bassist Records on Instagram

Worst Bassist Records on Bandcamp