Features

	Stoner Hands of Doom VI Listener`s Guide
	Written by: Hochi666 on 8/17/2004 8:22:35 AM
Again Christopher McEvoy (Hochi666) delves deep into the world of underground rock, doom, and metal to put together a listener’s guide for the Stoner Hands of Doom festival, one of two festivals taking place over Labor Day weekend. Whether you’re going to SHoD, Three Days of Darkness (and there’s another listener’s guide for that one, too), or just staying at home, wishing you were surrounded by a bunch of sweaty, drunk strangers, appreciating all that’s heavy, this should prove to be an insightful read. - Arz
Once again the industrial city of Youngstown, OH, will play host to a small but formidable army of high volume, hard rocking young men (and a few women) as the sixth and certainly not final Stoner Hands of Doom festival takes place over Labor Day weekend (September 3 – 5, 2004) at the mid-west cradle of monolithic rock known as the Nyabinghi. This year’s SHoD line up was assembled through the wisdom and care of Nyabinghi soundman and producer/promoter extraordinaire Greg Barrett. Greg`s mission statement from the beginning of his involvement with SHoD VI was to showcase new bands and other acts that have not yet had an opportunity to perform in such an esteemed festival environment. SHoD VI may not be quite as large in overall numbers as the Emissions from the Monolith IV festival that was held at the Nyabinghi this past May; however, the line up is none the less highly diverse. So, get ready to have your eardrums pounded and your intestines pummeled as the pristine sound system at the Nyabinghi is already being warmed up and cranked for three days of non-stop doom, rock, and metal. Friday, September 3 Delicious Website: www.faroutfreakyshit.com <> Slow, mellow spaced out rock on a major psychedelic trip. Delicious are an all-instrumental trio looking to push open the doors of perception in new and exciting ways. Recent Recording: Self Titled (Sancho Records, 2003) Sounds Like: Slow and psychedelic time-evolving jams in the vein of Hawkwind. Beaten Back to Pure Website: www.beatenbacktopure.com <> Beastly and demonic southern "doom n` roll, " Beaten Back to Pure combine throaty death metal-inspired vocals with aggressively down tuned, sludgy guitars. Recent Recording: The Burning South (This Dark Reign, 2004) Sounds Like: EyeHateGod on the southern death metal tip. Fallopian Dudes Website: www.fallopiandudes.com <> The Fallopian Dudes sound kind of like this: Let`s say Fu Manchu are kidnapped by Phil Anselmo, shot full of black tar heroin, forced to listen to EyeHateGod`s Dopesick on repeat for two days, and then sent out on to stage and told to perform Beach Boys covers. In other words, they`re pretty cool. Recent Recording: New EP due out soon! Sounds Like: Fu Manchu, Clutch, Sabbath Headache Website: No band website available <> This band’s name is not a misnomer. “Headache” accurately describes the sound of this Lansing, Michigan band. Slug down a big bottle of your favorite cough syrup and get down with the aggressive and abrasive Strap It On-era Helmet sounds of Headache. Recent Recording: Self Titled EP (Shifty Records, 2004) Sounds Like: Helmet vs. EyeHateGod Human Being Lawnmower Website: www.thehumanbeinglawnmower.net <> Human Being Lawnmower, from Erie, PA, use their MC5 inspired name to kick out crushing, bluesy, sludge jams and chop up other various rock styles like the blades of a fine Toro self-bagging model. Recent Recording: Self Titled demo (Self released, 2004) Sounds Like: Black Flag, Clutch, MC5, Fu Manchu Saturday, September 4 Sons of Otis Website: www.sonsofotis.com <> Sons of Otis are hard driving, deep psychedelic space explorers on a continuing mission to seek out new grooves and heavy, spiritual drug vibes. Recent Recording: The Pusher Picture Disc (The Music Cartel, 2002) Sounds Like: Goatsnake, St. Vitus, The Melvins Secret Order of Tusk Website: www.audiodemolition.com/tusk <> Secret Order of Tusk play dark, mysterious, serial killer-inspired thrash metal that is not afraid of the groove and carries a heavy atmosphere of doom. Recent Recording: Sick of Living/Unwilling to Die EP (Audio Demolition, 2004) Sounds Like: Slayer meets High on Fire Throttlerod Website: www.throttlerod.com <> Throttlerod are high octane, take no prisoners, wall of guitar rock n` roll with a high flying southern twang vibe. Down to a three-piece, reports say they’re still the leaders in heavy rock and haven’t lost a bit of their intensity. Recent Recording: Hell and High Water (Small Stone, 2003) Sounds Like: Corrosion of Conformity, Black Label Society Rebreather Website: www.rebreathermusic.com <> Rebreather`s brand of metal is like a big thick meaty steak. Your Rebreather steak is purposefully a little undercooked, but steaming hot and oozing with juicy blood. Each bite is a blast of stacked up power chords that cause a surge of heart-stopping cholesterol. Recent Recording: Starchild/Rebreather Split CD (Twin Earth Records, 2004) Sounds Like: Godflesh, Goatsnake Cable Website: www.cabletheband.com <> Rooted in classic rock, but pushing the edge in many different ways, Cable strike out with thick fuzzed out bass grooves, watery stoner sludge, punishing overdriven guitars and weird evil riffs. Recent Recording: Pigs Never Fly (Translation Loss Recordings, August 2004) Sounds Like: Judas Priest meets Bongzilla Artimus Pyledriver Website: www.artimuspyledriver.com <> Artimus Pyledriver are beer-drinking, hell-raising, high-octane redneck rock. With song titles like "Swamp Devil," "Dirt Road White Girl," and “Shaggin` Ass," you can see that Artimus Pyledriver arrive with their attitude blazing. The guitar work is very big-sounding and impressive. The band is tight. The vocals are raw. (Skratch Magazine - H. Barry Zimmerman) Recent Recording: Southern Fried EP (Self released, 2002) Sounds Like: Mountain, MC5, Bad Wizard Wretched Website: No band website available <> This is the Stoner Hands of DOOM festival after all, and who better to carry the torch of true doom than Wretched? This Washington, DC, powerhouse has been issuing forth old-school doom with twinges of psychedelia since the early nineties. Recently reformed as of January 2004, with new vocalist Jon Blank and a brand new rhythm section on board, guitarist and founding member Jeff Parsons will set ears on end with crushing classic D.C. doom. Recent Recording: Center of The Universe (Hellhound, 1995) Sounds Like: The Obsessed, St. Vitus, Spirit Caravan Unorthodox Website: No band website available <> Washington DC`s legendary hardcore scene took sharp left turn at some point near the late 1980`s. It splintered off and mutated into a slower more Sabbath-aware music and evolved into that which we now call "classic doom" or "true doom.” Reuniting and disbanding seemed to be the course of action for Unorthodox for many years, but time seems to have stabilized these merchants of doom. They will, along with Hellhound label mates Wretched, be giving first hand lessons at performing real, classic, true doom metal. Recent Recording: Balance Of Power (Hellhound, 1995) Sounds Like: The Obsessed, St. Vitus and Spirit Caravan Wooly Mammoth Website: www.woolymammothmusic.com <> Washington, DC`s Wooly Mammoth have garnered considerable notice this year for their high profile split release with the Wino-fronted project The Hidden Hand, entitled The Night Letters. Wooly Mammoth have a vibe of universal pop accessibility to their material that other bands working in the ‘70`s inspired fuzz rock domain are missing. Recent Recording: Wooly Mammoth/The Hidden Hand Night Letters Split CD (MeteorCity, 2004) Sounds Like: Blue Cheer, The Cult, Kyuss Greatdayforup Website: www.greatdayforup.com <> Crunch-heavy hard rock from New York, with high energy and lots of memorable grooves and catchy riffs. Strong melodic vocals with occasional harmony back up make Greatdayforup a tasty listening experience. Recent Recording: Solace/Greatdayforup Split CD (Underdogma Records, 2004) Sounds Like: Helmet, Milligram, Only Living Witness Rue Website: No band website available <> Harsh southern sludge metal with tuned-down brutal guitar work. The sound of Rue is angry and harsh. Blood-curdling, acidic vocals split the mix with high energy aggression. Recent Recording: Self Titled (Shifty Records, 2003) Sounds Like: Bongzilla, Weedeater, Fistula Sunday, September 5 The Atomic Bitchwax Website: No band website available <> Are the Atomic Bitchwax still the same ass-kicking, demon slaying, jam happy hot-rod rock n` roll machine without Ed Mundell? Transplanted from the band Core, new lead guitar slinger Finn Ryan will be ready to answer any and all questions about his axe wielding capability. And don`t forget about the amazing rhythm section of Keith Ackerman on the skins and the dynamic bass stylings of Chris Kosnik. Recent Recording: Spit Blood EP (MeteorCity, 2002) Sounds Like: MC5, UFO, The Allman Brothers, ZZ Top Solace Website: www.solacedoom.com <> Solace continue to evolve. Not content to simply tear your soul out with mind bending psychedelic doom rock, they`ve upped their game by integrating more aggressive tempos and hardcore inspired vocals. Soon, this beast will be more powerful than any other rock outfit out there. You cannot resist the swirling electric surge of Tommy Southard guitar for much longer. Might as well give in now. SOLACE! Recent Recording: Solace/Greatdayforup Split CD (Underdogma Records, 2004) Sounds Like: The epitome of stoner rock. Test-Site Website: www.testsitecontrol.com <> A largely instrumental outing, Test-Site seek to combine a keen interest in the more rocking aspects of ‘70`s progressive rock, like Red-Era King Crimson with highly evolved math-metal chops. Heavy, catchy, powerful, mesmerizing. Recent Recording: Self Titled (Daimajin Records, 2004) Sounds Like: Mastodon, Player`s Club, Isis Black Nasa Website: www.blacknasa.com <> Black Nasa see The Atomic Bitchwax`s bassist and vocalist, Chris Kosnik, step out on groovy "good time" southern rock slide guitar tip with a true pop sensibility. Recent Recording: Deuce (MeteorCity, 2004) Sounds Like: Foghat, Grand Funk Railroad, Nebula A Thousand Knives of Fire Website: No band website available <> Halfway to Gone guitarist Lee Stuart has joined forces with drummer Bob Pantella, bassist Taj Briggles, and singer Mark Sunshine to form A Thousand Knives of Fire. Recent Recording: No published recordings; their debut release is expected on Small Stone, 2004 Sounds Like: Halfway to Gone with more vocals Devil to Pay Website: www.deviltopay.net <> Straight up and down American heavy metal full of bluesy doom riffs, thick grooves and crunchy guitars, as well as true sense of melody. Recent Recording: Thirty Pieces of Silver (Benchmark Records, 2003) Sounds Like: Corrosion of Conformity, Alice in Chains, Unida Hyatari Website: www.freewebs.com/hyatari <> Wave after wave of destructively powered guitar and bass distortion come at you, droning and marching forth at a regular and steady pace. Hyatari synthesize thick slabs of SUNN0))) and Sleep-inspired doom-drone tempered with latter-era King Crimson soundscapes. Recent Recording: The Light Carriers (Self released, 2003) Sounds Like: SUNN0))), Neurosis, King Crimson Burnout Website: No band website available <> Songs about drinking with the Devil done in up in a beefy, boozin’ riff-rock roar. Burnout have a mid-tempo greased up blues boogie vibe that works it`s way into your ear like a Lynyrd Skynyrd nail and a Goatsnake hammer. Recent Recording: Armour of the Gods (12th Planet Music, 2003) Sounds Like: Clutch, Alabama Thunderpussy, Unida Penance Website: No band website available <> Drinking in classic doom metal influences like very early Black Sabbath and Trouble, Penance have been turning out doom-laden, groove-rich, choice-riff, lyrically prolific and musically diverse explorations since the late 80`s. StonerRock.com`s Rob Wrong says that they are, "pure-DOOM!" Recent Recording: Spiritualnatural (Martyr Music Group. 2003) Sounds Like: Black Sabbath, Trouble, The Obsessed, and Pentagram Sweet Cobra Website: No band website available <> Chicago, IL based Sweet Cobra take the "peanut butter and chocolate" approach by combining hardcore tempos with stoned out rock grooves to create a slamming sound highlighted by the hardcore bark of lead throat and bassist Botchy Vasquez. Recent Recording: Praise (Seventh Rule Recordings, 2004) Sounds Like: Unsane, Player`s Club Orodruin Website: orodruin.us <> Hailing from Rochester, New York, Orodruin combine European styled melodic vocals and the occasional haunting synth with overdriven chainsaw guitars that churn out black opium-stained riffs of doom. Recent Recording: Claw Tower (Psychedoomelic, 2004) Sounds Like: Black Sabbath, Cathedral, Saint Vitus We’re All Gonna Die Website: www.wereallgonnadie.com <> Boston’s We’re All Gonna Die take the start-stop rhythms of Helmet, add melodic vocals, and top the whole deal off with plenty of hooks. Its classic rock without blatant classic rock trappings. Recent Recording: Go to Hell (Underdogma, 2004) Sounds Like: Helmet, The Cult, Danzig - Christopher J. McEvoy
The sixth annual Stoner Hands of Doom festival takes place over Labor Day weekend, from Friday, September 3, to Sunday, September 5. CDs, T-shirts, and LPs from many of the bands discussed in this feature are available for purchase from our All That`s Heavy Online Music Store.