Heavystoned Albums
Heavystoned Albums · 16.05.2026
After a 10-year hiatus, the Portuguese duo "Her Name Was Fire" has released an album that makes us forget the anemic releases of QOTSA. I’m not sure how the two guys intend to present their compositions—which are simultaneously complex and catchy—in a live setting. Well, the record is so good that the band will essentially be compelled to perform it live. I would have personally chosen the second track, "Facekicker," as the opener, as it is somewhat more straightforward—less unwieldy...
Heavystoned Albums · 26.04.2026
Glowsun were the reason for several long journeys; be it Hellfest 2015 in Clisson, the "My Pig Whistles" festival in Lucerne in 2016, or BetiZfest in Cambrai in 2026. The concert at Hellfest turned us into fans, and the concert in Lucerne was a fan outing. At BetiZfest 2026, we were curious to see what the band had to offer after a 10-year hiatus. We were initially disappointed because there were no old songs to be heard. As the concert progressed, it became clear that Glowsun 2.0 had arrived,...
Heavystoned Albums · 20.04.2026
And then there are days when I receive music that goes far beyond my usual musical horizons. The Finnish band Marianas Rest achieved this with their release this year, "The Bereaved." Normally, an opener like "Thank You for the Dance" closes an album, a song that begins calmly, subtly, and culminates in an epic monument, practically a soundtrack. "Rat in the Wall," however, is as melodic as an Amorphis song, sung with growling death metal vocals and clean backing vocals. The following song...
Heavystoned Albums · 15.03.2026
We ze Germans pay high taxes for all sorts of nonsense, while Norwegians pay taxes for Olympic champions, advances in sports and technology, prosperity, and education. The latter, like in Sweden, includes a basic musical education, and thus Norwegians also pay taxes for bands like Kvelertak, Slomosa, Spidergawd, and Draken. All these bands tour, thrill audiences, and pay taxes for other bands and social achievements. All these bands have managed to become their own brand. Draken achieve this...
Heavystoned Albums · 01.03.2026
I've had this band on my radar since 2023 because they deliver such wonderful acoustic time capsules of the 90s, without major compromises, everything perfectly balanced with Olli's unmistakable voice, which sadly fell silent far too soon. This album is therefore the "Highway to Hell" album for this band from Emden. Everything just fits perfectly on this record; the songs have the right intensity, the right groove, and the right timing for the changes in dynamics, mood, or rhythm. The band has...
Heavystoned Albums · 20.02.2026
This album is heavy and stoned, heavy in the Black Sabbath sense, stoned in the sense of numerous references to Kyuss and Fu Manchu. To this already potent brew is added a raspy, clearly sludge-influenced vocal style, rounding out this current trinity of heavy music. What's more bothersome is the track order: there are three blocks of two songs each, all drawn from the same genre. For example, the opener (no)Hope and the following "Bloody Vampire" are more in the rockier Fu Manchu or Kyuss...
Heavystoned Albums · 20.12.2025
The notes on the Bandcamp page include a statement from the band. I quote: “Ouroborus, the debut album from SttS, brings together material written since the band's inception. The album's themes include neglect, contempt, grief, disillusionment, and everything related to them.” To summarize: songs that have been around for a while, timelessly well-composed, with lyrics on equally timeless themes. I remember: Iron Maiden's debut album came out in 1980, on which all the songs were, on average,...
Heavystoned Albums · 18.12.2025
These days I switched from Safari to Brave and get ad-free music on YouTube. And also such impressive music from Obsidian Sands from Edinburgh. A lot fits into my rather extreme patterns of music; In the doomy and heavier passages it sounds very much like Morne, only to fly over the ruins of the previous soundscape with an almost jazzy lightness in the next moment. The opener "Deep Hollow Country" feels more like a longer version of Karma to Burn compared to the following songs. However, it...
Heavystoned Albums · 14.12.2025
I'm not the type to rub it in others' faces just because I know something they don't yet. I already know that the new album by the Dortmund band Stargo, due out in February, will be one of the "Album of the Year" contenders. The pre-released single "The Great Machine" manages to showcase everything we can expect on the full LP in a single format. Loud, quiet, calm and hard, slow, fast, crowned with a powerful and perfectly suited vocal performance. Thomas from Broken Music told me I should...