Fulanno - Hash Negro En Las Misas Fúnebres (LP)

 

Not sure why Argentina of all countries seems to have a really fertile soil for retro/stoner rock, but here you’ll find excellent bands like Mephistofeles and Sahara and also Fulanno. "Hash Negro En Las Misas Fúnebres" was originally released in 2016, but then only in digital format. Now, Helter Skelter (sub-label of Swedish Regain Records) has finally given it a well-deserved vinyl release. This is more of a MLP than a full album, though. Five tracks and around 30 minutes of play time. Opener “En Tu Nombre” is a slow and heavy thing with the fuzz on eleven on the guitar. The sound is very “live in the studio”, which I really like. Very nice dynamics and a big sound. Singer Fila Frutos may not be the new Ronnie james Dio, but he is definitely good enough to carry the songs and I really do like his vocals. The title track is closer to doom than stoner with its slow drums and heavy riff. "Osciloscopio" also fits in the same box and it kinda makes me visualize lava slowly making its way down a mountain. The vocals kinda sails over the wall of guitars, which are really in your face, while the drums have quite a lot of air and reverb. “Hordas” continues in the same vein, if only a few bpm’s faster. The last song "Perfume Póstumo" picks the tempo up a few notches but without leaving the doom zone. A bit morr stuff is happening in this track and I’d place it in the same box as Witchfinder General and Cathedral with some Sabbath overtones (of course). A highly interesting album if you’re into heavy, slow and quite primitive stoner/doom. I really like this release, but their album "Nadie Está A Salvo Del Mal" is a few notches better, but this is a safe buy!

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: Helter Skelter/Regain

The Sonic Overlords - The Last Days Of Babylon (CD/LP)

 

If you’re a fan of the Tony Martin era Black Sabbath, here’s a band you definitely shouldn’t miss out on! Swedish quartet The Sonic Overlords (who really do their name justice) is fronted by singer Marcus Zachrisson Rubin with Morgan Zocek (Sideburn) on guitar, Daniel Ramirez on bass and Per Soläng (Corroded) behind the drums. The album kicks off with slightly oriental sounding up-tempo rocker “Utopia”, making me think of Rainow meets Black Sabbath, while next track “In My Darkest Room” takes the tempo down to a nice mix of slow Sabbathy doom riffs and melodic vibes. “Fools” picks up the pace again and even if I do see Black Sabbath peeking out behind the corner it does have a nice dose of Sonic Overlords personality. “Lords Of Tomorrow” takes us back down into the basement… even under the basement. Doom of the highest order, in league with Swedish colleagues Sorcerer. A really fat riff with nice melodic vocals. This is great stuff, indeed! “World of Fire” starts off nice and easy to develop into a powerful ballad resting on a heavy foundation. Marcus, who also fronts cover band Ozzy The Coverband, does a great job, and despite the risk of doing so, does not sound like a copy of neither Ozzy, Tony or Dio. He definitely has his own touch which fits this band like a glove. “Sands of Time” is a mid-tempo cruncher which reminds me a bit of Grand Magus on “Iron Will”, but also with some softer parts weaved in. Very nice and dynamic. ”Shine” continues in the same vein, where they take it down with a softer pre-verse, and then flick the power switch and even features a football chorus as a new dimension. “Children of the Night” provides another dose of doom riffing. Detuned, heavy and powerful with Marcus’ voice as a flag bearer on top of the black mountain. One of my favorites on the album! “Eternal Heroes” picks up the tempo and the riffs are mean and suggestive, but the song still has a fateful feeling hanging over it. In the last track, “Past the End of Time” none less than Tony Martin guests on vocals. Maybe not totally surprising, since the song also has a strong vibe of Black Sabbath. The fact is I hardly hear the difference between Tony and Marcus’ vocals (and still I don’t feel Marcus sounds like Tony… figure that one out). I must also say, I really like the production, which is fat and powerful yet quite dynamic.

/Janne Stark

Year: 2021

Label: M-Theory

Void Commander – River (CD/LP)

Not sure why, but Sweden is more or less spitting out high quality retro/stoner rock bands! Sometimes the vocals are the weak link (for me at least), but most bands are damn good and they have a different approach than many of the foreign colleagues. So, add the name Void Commander to that list. The band is a power trio consisting of Linus Olsson on bass and vocals, Bobby Karlsson on guitar, vocals and harmonica and Jimmy Jönsson on drums. The riffs hit you like a brick and the sound is pleasantly analogue sounding with a lot of space and air. The vocals are first rate, both the voice itself and there’s also quite a lot of harmony vocals (which is not that common in this genre). The title track “River Lord” rips the album open with a killer mangling riff, which is suddenly thrown aside by a very odd jazz section which really makes you raise your eyebrows. Next up is “Stoner Eyes”, which is almost more of a doom style song with its slow and heavy driving riffs. Bringing back the early Ozzy vibe of combining doomy guitars with a harmonica solo, too, which is cool! Short but sweet. ”Worship Midnight” enters into a more bluesy vein, which also applies to “AGN”, while “Fucked Up” takes us back to the slower doom/stoner domains with a hi-hat that would have been considered a cymbal had it been opened just a tad bit more. Nice and messy, but they still manage to make it sound tight and organized. Unfortunately, the vocals are bit too shouty at the end, but otherwise fine! “I’m Drowning” starts out a bit carefully in a sort of bluesy southern rock vein, and after an unabashed count-in, the steamroller breaks loose! The dynamic verse does return, so it’s not total mayhem. Great shit! ”Shroom Bloody Shroom” finsihes the album in a classic slow and heavy stoner manner. I almost had some Sabbath vibes here (even without the title). A great album that will spin many times in the Stark residence!

Janne Stark

Label: Ozium

Year: 2021

Shaggy – Fighting Angels And Demons (LP/digital)

If you have read my review of Swedish hard rockers Shaggy’s pompy/proggy return album “Destination Nowhere”, you noticed I said I was expecting a hard/heavy rock album, but instead they went proggy/pompy. Well, THIS album is actually what I would have expected. Opening track “Black Hearted Angel” kicks off in a full-throttle Heep/Purple vein with power and conviction. It has some cool twists and turns in the solo section which really makes it stand out. “Bouldless Love” brings me back to Deep Purple’s “Perfect Strangers” but with a touch of Black Sabbath! Damn, this is REALLY great stuff!! Fat and heavy mix, killer vocals by Ulrich Carlsson (ex-M.ill.ion). The line-up again features original members Fidde Rognås on guitar and Tom Ryan on keyboards, introducing Stefan Husar on drums, Robert Ottosson on bass and, I presume, Fidde’s son Hannes Rognås on guitar. “No Soldier Of God” continues in the heavy vein, with a touch of prog. “A Thousand Miles” started with a quirkt loop-thing and continues in a vein more akin to the previous album, until the bridge kicks in with a ton of bricks weighing it down. A really cool and quirky song, indeed! “Dark Symphony” starts off with some really dark and heavy Sabbathy semi-tones and could have been something from “Seventh Star”. Heavy and dark, but not completely doomy. Love it! “Runner In The Dark” really reminds me of Uriah Heep, like a mix of “Salisbury” era Heep and the latter day albums. The album finishes with “Self Destruction” kicking off with a mean and brutal guitar riff, distorted Hammond organ and a kick-ass drive! One of the best tracks on an album filled with killer stuff! This rocks, big time!!

Janne Stark

Year: 2019

Label: GMR Music

Country: Sweden

Link: www.shaggytherockband.com

Gudars Skymning – V (CD)

Swedish rockers Gudars Skymning (Twilight of Gods, and also a Swedish equivalent of “Oh dear!”) have now released their fifth slab of seventies infused hard rock sung in their native tongue. If you’re into bands like Abramis Brama and Magnolia, this is without doubt right up your alley. After the instrumental heavy folsky “Orloks Boning” the band crushes on with the powerful riffster “Mars Makalös”. “Rakt ut I mörkret (olycksfågel del II)” continues with some heavy shuffle, leading into the up/mid-tempo chugging ”Allman” featuring Micke “Mojo” Nilsson on additional vocals and lead guitar. “Hjärtats ödemark” continues with some heavy riffing, a bit like blending Budgie, Black Sabbath and November. The verse and chorus of “Vid vansinnets berg” are almost a bit Sabbath doomy in the approach, while the bridge takes it into a slightly psychedelic landscape. “Soppan” starts out as a shuffle oriented number, but takes a turn into a doomy territory in the verse. What makes Gudars Skymning sound a bit different is Kenny-Oswald Dufvenberg’s slightly different melodic approach, which makes it quite unique. Even though the band has evolved a bit by each record, they haven’t strayed away from their original formula. This band just keep on delivering album after album, all having that high class and quality! Kick ass stuff!

Janne Stark

Label: Transubstans

Year: 2017

Country: Sweden

The Quill - Born From Fire (CD)

Swedish retro rockers The Quill have gone through various styles and line-ups. Now they have returned bringing back singer Magnus Ekwall, flanked by guitarist Christian Carlsson, bass player Roger Nilsson and drummer Jolle Atlagic. The new effort kicks off with Stone Believer and immediately Black Sabbath and in particular Zero The Hero comes to mind. No, it's not plagiarism, only very similar in feel. This is my favorite Quill line-up and they do not disappoint! Snake Charmer Woman proves the opener was no fluke. This one kicks it up a few notches in speed, but the heaviness prevails. Ghosthorse is more Sabbath than Sabbath. It's a track I think Iommi would wish he wrote today! What a killer!! Keep It Together takes it down a notch, starting off with naked vocals and Univibe-drenched guitar. It then leads us into Sabbath's Snowblind territory. There's not a weak track on the entire album, the mix is fat, full and fucking crushing, the band sounds better than ever and this is one kick-ass release you should not miss out on! 
Janne Stark

Label: Metalville
Country: Sweden
Year: 2017