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Crank this to 9.4 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2020 Genre: Progressive Doom Sounds Like: My Dying Bride, Moonspell, Katatonia The dynamic trio from Milwaukee, Wisconsin are back with their seventh release (outside live releases) entitled Aeon. Sleestak took a seven year hiatus from their 2013 EP ‘Book of Hours’. Aeon is a very diverse album that picks up nicely from the bands previous works. The eight tracks are quite diverse and beautifully produced.Lead singer Matt Schmitz has a very theatric way about his voice as we are reminded on occasion of the late Petrus Thomas Ratajczyk from Type-O-Negative. The album features a healthy goth-like backdrop with crisp guitar and percussion work that embrace the doom, stoner and progressive genres. Aeon keeps us quite engaged throughout as it contains a very balanced dosage of heavy along side of some very ethereal and spacious moments that include distortion and angelic choir-laced background vocals. We found ourselves further absorbed with each listen as the calming yet heavy blend makes for a refreshing journey. Track Listing: 1. Infinite Eternal (7:47) 2. The Void (6:52) 3. Black Iron Prison / Submerged (7:58) 4. Distant Lights (8:00) 5. Keepers of the Illusion (6:03) 6. Out of Body (6:01) 7. Omelas (4:22) 8. STCFTHOTS (16:41) Standout Track: "Keepers of the Illusion" really had us take a step back. Tremendous relaxed hooks completely lull you into this very relaxed state at the onset only to build to a cacophony of beautiful rage. Schmitz shows us his amazing range with his morph into some very dark death metal grimace. The dramatic spoken word further engages the listener with intrigue. Lovers of contrast and originality will gravitate towards this standout beauty. Adult Beverage Pairing: The relaxing rays of Aeon are complimented by a nice can of Thumbprint Scream Double IPA from Wisconsin’s New Glarus Brewing Company. This Imperial Double IPA will further your relaxation. Rich in both flavor and bitterness, the double IPA boasts an impressive 9% ABV and 85 IBUs (International Bittering Units), and has been voted by Beer Advocate as one of the top beers in the state. If you like complex, strong beers, then this beauty will flow perfectly with the entire Sleestak library. ROTATION RECAP : Song Structure 9.3 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 8.9 out of 11 Vocal Performance 9.4 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 9.2 out of 11 Percussion Prowess 9.7 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 9.7 out of 11 Contrast 9.8 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 9.6 out of 11 Production Value 10.2 out of 11 Authenticity 9.8 out of 11 Band Members: Matt Schmitz - vocals, guitar, keys Marcus Bartell - drums Dan Bell - bass Final Thoughts: Sleestak has an eye for different and beautiful. Take a look at their library of album covers and images. While the name certainly conjure’s up those evil cave-ridden creatures from our childhood, we can see their deep artistic eye. Kudos to Steve Somers and his ability to capture the wild and tie-into the beautiful production of Sleestak. Aeon features some epically majestic dark tracks that will expand your love for heavy. Sleestak embodies a refreshingly unique view upon the musical world that should not go unnoticed. The last two tracks of this album (20 minutes) will whisk you away into a very expansive and relaxing viewpoint Follow Sleestak: Bandcamp / Facebook

Turn this to 9.6 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2020 Genre: Sludge, Metal Sounds Like: Albino Python, Black Moth, Kylesa The Spanish trio Rosy Finch has come a long way since their 2013 release Wolves Waiting. Their sound has matured into a dark spectrum of sludge. The band’s latest release Scarlet is chockfull of impactful change-ups and dirty grinding grimness. Mireia’s vocals throughout the 38 minute endeavor are absolutely alluring. She balances sexy subtleness with bludgeoning despair. She is quite the talent as her fuzzy guitar melodies layer impressively with Oscar’s deep rich bass. Overall the album flows nicely and the band hits marks at all different temperatures. Rosy Finch’s ability to play off contrast to paint their desperate landscapes is what makes Scarlet powerful. The soft moments on the album become much more pronounced in contrast to the aggressive swirling guitar build-ups that really make this their best release to date. Track listing: 1. Oxblood (6:00) 2. Lava (3:55) 3. Vermillion (5:14) 4. Amaranto (4:31) 5. Gin Fizz (5:10) 6. Ruby (5:28) 7. Alizarina (2:09) 8. Scarlet (3:30) 9. Dark Cherry (5:05) Standout Track: "Vermillion" is on another fucking planet. There is a certain tone within the grinding licks that take over midway through the track. So much variety on this song. Each time this track hits, it shifts our mood and takes us away from everything else going on at the moment. Such a unique perspective and angular tones setting visions of red pigment exuding frommercury sulfide. Adult Beverage Pairing: Grab a La Tremenda from La Pirata Brewing, a crafty delight, dark amber colors with a toasted malty taste doused with fruity finish and everything bittersweet. 8% ABV the perfect Spanish exclamation on your Rosy Finch trip. ROTATION RECAP: Song Structure 9.1 out of 11 Hallucination Landscape 9.2 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 9.5 out of 11 Lyrics 8.9 out of 11 Vocal Performance 9.7 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 9.4 out of 11 Percussion Prowess 8.9 out of 11 Bass-work Prowess 8.9 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 9.5 out of 11 Contrast 9.4 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 9.6 out of 11 Production Value 9.1 out of 11 Final Thoughts: The album cover and attention to blood red throughout the song titles will make an impression on you during your first listen. Scarlet only gets better with each bloody rotation. Mireia is charismatic as all hell and knows how to let you into her emotion and despair. We love seeing a band truly hit their stride. Can’’t wait to see the trio perform live one day. Band Members: Mireia Porto: Guitar & Vocals Óscar Soler: Bass & Vocals Juanjo Ufarte: Drums Follow Rosy Finch: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 10.5 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2020 Genre: Stoner Doom Sounds Like: Solace, Down, Red Scalp Soak in the vitamin D and let the sonic wonder of Sun Crow penetrate your skin. The Seattle Washington natives' debut Quest for Oblivion masterfully crafts an engrossing doomscape that will have you sweating from their passionate fuzz. The album hits so many intangibles within the stoner doom genre, the richest of which is the authenticity and patience that Sun Crow displays. Vocalist Charles Wilson is exceptional at his craft, whereby the listener is enticed with distant rays of light on the opening track and his chords absolutely build to extraordinary heights. Its refreshing to see a band member exclusively devoted to the task of vocals. His range will floor you throughout this album. So striking is the contrast throughout the lengthy tracks, you will find yourself pausing and looking around your space. In steady stride Nechanicky is fucking brilliant with his fretwork prowess from start to finish complimented so importantly by the brooding bass backdrop of Brian Steel. We hear splashes of many different influences yet projected in a light so refreshing and new. Track Listing: 1. Collapse (7:02) 2. Black It Out (10:44) 3. End Over End (10:31) 4. Fell Across the Sky (11:10) 5. Fear (5:57) 6. Nothing Behind (4:57) 7. Hypersonic (9:05) 8. Titans (11:00) Standout Track: We cannot pinpoint another album that contains such a steady build and continual intrigue. Rightfully so, we hit the pinnacle at ‘Titans’ an 11 minute epic track. Wait until you hear the last fucking minute of this track. Words cannot do justice for the jolt of fuzz and eargasm that awaits. Adult Beverage Paring : Quest for Oblivion is only complimented with one of our favorite crafted double IPAs from the hills of Woburn Massachusetts. Welcome, Doomsauce, a Black Double IPA, at 7.8% ABV. Doomsauce has notes of soft, tropical fruits and is complimented with a velvety, smooth dark finish. The malts used are Midnight Wheat and Blackprinz. Midnight Wheat is the smoothest black malt available, because you get a slightly sweet, slightly roasty, incredibly clean finish versus any bitter, astringent, or dry flavors.With the onslaught of black malts, there is not a hint of any bitter or astringent tastes. ROTATION RECAP: Song Structure 10.7 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 10.8 out of 11 Vocal Performance 10.9 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 10.8 out of 11 Percussion Prowess 10.7 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 10.8 out of 11 Contrast 10.7 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 10.5 out of 11 Production Value 10.8 out of 11 Authenticity 10.9 out of 11 Band Members: Guitars - Ben Nechanicky Bass - Brian Steel Drums - Keith Hastreiter Vocals - Charles Wilson Final Thoughts: Sun Crow have set the bar for American bands as Quest for Oblivion hits incredible heights with its meticulous craftsmanship. We hope this creates a sense of pride and patriotism that perhaps will spark a new advent of European-like doom fervor. This may sound lofty, we know. We are passionate about the heavy, and ok perhaps over the top passionate, but do not underplay what Sun Crow has done on this album. It is something special that is a must for any music lover of any genre. Soak it in and give your collection a needed boost. Follow Sun Crow: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 9.8 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2020 Genre: Heavy Psych Rock, Space Rock Sounds Like: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, The Oh Sees We took an unorthodox approach to this one by way of an all out SLIFT binge. We downloaded their entire library off BandCamp and took a deep dive for 3 or 4 weeks. The realization that we came to is that Ummon, the band’s latest album, absolutely steers them in a new and impressive direction. Do not get us wrong their three other albums are impressive in the playing fields of Thee Oh Sees and King Gizzard and well worth your time. Ummon, however, is quite the cerebral adventure. While somewhat overwhelming to describe in words, the eleven tracks whisk you away in a very expansive and calming way. Jean’s piercing fretwork is psychedelic to the bone complimented by majestic echoing harmonized vocals throughout. Remi’s bass undercurrent keeps the movement alive. This album truly provides the illusion that listen vial their exploratory lens. The feeling of movement and navigation through out as the album hits some very unconventional angles, harmonies and space laden landscapes. Track Listing: 1. Ummon (5:45) 2. It’s Coming (8:29) 3. Thousand Helmets of Gold (4:52) 4. Citadel on a Satellite (10:07) 5. Hyperion (4:27) 6. Altitude Lake (6:04) 7. Sonar (5:05) 8- Dark was Space, Cold were the Stars (5:55) 9. Aurore aux Confins (2:48) 10. Son Dong’s Cavern (5:15) 11. Lions, Tigers and Bears (13:18) Standout Track: "Citadel on a Satellite" absolutely catapults you into another atmosphere. Spiraling fretwork and a sandstorm of echo make for one of themes impactful tracks on the album. Tremendous contrast abound and feverish chants will leave you satisfied and a SLIFT fan for life. Adult Beverage Pairing: If you can get your hands on a Bellerose Belgium Bière blonde extra made in France, you are in for a treat. 6.5% ABV this is a classic Belgian style blond beer which is slightly malty but still refreshing. If you’re a fan of IPA and want to try Belgian beers, this may be a good place to start. Expansive notes that will sit perfectly as Ummon forges forward in exploration. ROTATION RECAP: Captivation and Variety 9.9 out of 11 Vocal Prowess 9.7 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 9.5 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 10.2 out of 11 Bass Undercurrent 9.6 out of 11 Originality 10.1 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 9.8 out of 11 Contrast 9.9 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 9.4 out of 11 Production Value 10.1out of 11 Final Thoughts: The trio from Toulouse, France have really found an impressive new direction in Ummon. The clarity in production and more vivid space rock visions have made this one a heavyweight contender in our search for album of the year. Space rock and heavy psych fans will no doubt drool over all that this album brings. The trio clearly have poured a shit ton of creative energy and thought and it fucking shines. Band Members: bass player (Rémi) guitarist (Jean) drummer (Canek) Follow Slift: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 8.8 of 11 Released: 2020 Genre: Stoner Rock Sounds Like: Weedpecker, Snail, King Buffalo Hailing from Arizona, Hovenweep unveil an inspiring debut filled with uplifting psychedelic fuzz. Salivan Journey is a trip into a world of laid back heaviness. Upon first listen, we were drawn into the soft heaviness of the opening track “Cave”. The song quickly builds into a massive burst of spacious stoner rock bliss. Vocalist and bassist Mike has a lofty and calm approach to his singing, and among the fuzz creates welcome a contrast. Track two “Salvian Journey” is a stellar follow up with it’s soothing stoner presence. We are even treated to some sludge styled vocals for a moment, which brings things to another level. Tracks three and four continue on this journey of heavy psychedelic wonderment. “The Last Ones” is another addicting cut that flows beautifully with a dreamy heavy vibe and closing out the album is the spacey tune of “I Am A Locust”. Together, these four tracks weave together flawlessly and create a nice balance of heavy psychedelia. Tracklist: 1. Cave 06:30 2. Salvian Journey 06:21 3. The Last Ones 05:40 4. I Am A Locust 07:41 Standout Track(s) ”Salvian Journey” and “The Last Ones” Adult Beverage Pairing LazerSnake by Indiana’s 3 Floyds Brewing is a nice companion to Salvian Journey. The 7% American IPA has a dry and bitter taste that comes with most IPA’s, yet has a unique flavors of lime and peach. ROTATION RECAP: Vocal Performance 8.9 of 11 Risk of Subwoofer Damage 8.7 of 11 Captivation and Variety 8.6 of 11 Weight of the Heavy 8.7 of 11 Lyrics and Song Structure 8.8 of 11 Fretwork Prowess 8.7 of 11 Overall Album Flow 8.9 of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 9 of 11 Production Value 8.8 of 11 Final Thoughts Hovenweep show amazing talent and patience for a new band. Their brand of stoner rock is so open ended they can take their music in any direction. Follow Lightmaker: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 9.5 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2009 Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Atmospheric Metal Sounds Like: ISIS, Kylesa Talk about a mood-setting masterpiece. Black Math Horeseman's Wylit is one of the best loner albums to come around in a long time. By loner, we mean it will give you the uncontrollable urge to wander off on your own or take a walk with the headphones into a dark desolate place. BMH's debut is a mature work of art with tremendous balance and beauty. Sera Timms vocals are extraordinarily dark and ominous with soft monotone  perfection, her chanting creeps and builds are very powerful moments throughout the album. The guitar work is crisp and tight, building at just the right moments. The last track, "Birds of All Faiths" is a true stunner as Sera's vocals explode into demonic fits of possession half way thru the 11 minute song, along with some great guitar riffs reminding us of Jesus Lizard meets Kyuss' Sky Valley. Every collection requires such a mood-setter. Perfect for that rainy day or dark night where you just want to reflect. Standout Tracks: Birds of All Faiths

Crank this to 9.6 of 11 - Editor's Pick Released: 2019 Genre: Psychedelic, Stoner rock Sounds Like: All Them Witches, Wolf People, King Buffalo Flying high off 2015’s sophomore release Ramble Beyond, Bask from North Carolina soar with their third album simply titled III. Within the past few years we have seen Bask craft their sound as IIImay be the most polished and well written album of the three. Released on Season of Mist record label, the album contains elements of psychedelic and stoner rock with very intriguing storytelling. What really makes this album feel distinct is the warm Americana vibe carried throughout the songs. The vocals talents of Zeb Camp are among the best we have heard this year. He possess a natural and smooth vocal style which feels effortless and is extremely infectious. III will lure you in with “Three White Feet”. This track is all consuming from the start with an odd story and solid rhythmic hooks . Bask has a flare for the patient build as we head into track two with “New Dominion,” an authentic raw cut that really anchors the album. The percussion is stellar as we find ourselves honed in on the intricacies and urge to slowly crank up the volume. IIIdoes not let up one bit as “Stone Eyed,” “Rid of You” and “Noble Daughters I and II” carry on this warm and fuzzy psychedelic rock. The closing song is perfect as the thought provoking, folk-themed “Maiden Mother Crone” ends on things on nice note and wraps up the album. Track Listing: 1. Three White Feet 05:53 2. New Dominion 04:42 3. Stone Eyed 04:17 4. Rid of You 04:39 5. Noble Daughters I: The Stave 05:48 6. Noble Daughters II: The Bow 06:16 7. Maiden Mother Crone 04:39 Standout Track(s) “New Dominion,” really locks the listener in and kicks things in gear. Not far behind is “Stone Eyed”. Adult Beverage Pairing: Pick up some Freak of Nature by Wicked Weed Brewing in North Carolina. This 8.5% ABV Double IPA is crisp with a medium body with flavors and aromas of pine and citrus. A very good brew that compliments III. Rotation Recap: Captivation and Variety 9.6 out of 11 Vocal Prowess 10.1 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 8.4 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 8.8 out of 11 Bass Undercurrent 8.9 out of 11 Originality 10.2 out of 11 Contrast 8.9 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 9.9 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 9 out of 11 Production Value 9.3 out of 11 Final Thoughts: Bask have become a staple in our rotation. IIIis a refreshing rock album that does not wear out its welcome and has tremendous depth as each listen grows warmer to your sonic senses. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up on vinyl than go get their previous releases. Bask are: Jesse Van Note – bass Scott Middleton – drums Ray Worth – guitar Zeb Camp – guitar/vocals Follow Bask: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 8.8 of 11 Released: 2016 Genre: Stoner Rock, Instrumental, Sludge Sounds Like: Mother Engine, Sleep We need calm in our lives. Activities that can provide an escape and take our mind away from the everyday tensions that fester in our bodies. We find instrumental sludge to often be the deep tissue massage of the heavy music world. Steady, methodical, deep, and driving. The folks at Brunt have released their second medicinal EP that will add value to your stress remedy arsenal. The trio hailing from Guernsey (an island off the coast of Normandy) stick with their cathartic formula on Blackbeard. What we have here is three balanced tracks where the bass and percussion prowess delivers the Mariess brothers shine. Track listing: 1. Blackbeard 08:49 2. Son Of Smoke 09:27 3. Cetus 09:54 How is the production and artwork? Downright impressive on both fronts. Blackbeard is quite the headphone experience. Providing equality for each of the three instruments . What is scary is that the album was apparently recorded live by Mikey Ferbrache. If this is the case... what amazing clarity. And as for the artwork, we are blown away by the ingenuity of Eric Krick. Visit his diverse collection as we are hoping to have him become a mainstay on our Homage to the Artist page. Is there a standout track? This is one of those rare instances where we can actually say no. Remember that deep tissue massage is all about steadiness and consistency. Brunt does not waiver or go off on radical tangents. Rather they stay well within the peaceful confines of what is sludge. If you enjoy Blackbeard what other album would you recommend to we grab? Get lost in their debut Self Titled album from 2104, where you'll find morepsychedelic sludge.Also, check out All Black Rainbow Moon by Les Lekin. While they infuse more post rock elements it's still a sludge gem. What adult beverage do we recommend with this album? Add some antioxidants with the healing of red wine. We recommend Cadeucess Cellars (Maynard James Keenan) 'Anubis' a wonderfully balanced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. What are our final thoughts on Blackbeard? Blackbeard is a very pleasant listen. Well rounded across the board. Between the production, artwork and full-bodied nature of these three cathartic tracks you will add value to your music collection. Put this one in heavy rotation especially after coming home from a hard days work. Follow Brunt: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 8 of 11 Released: 2009 Genre: Stoner Rock, Sludge Sounds Like: Chevelle, The Melvins, Torche Cable's The Failed Convict, can be considered a concept album about an escaped convict named Jim; who heads to the West Coast in hopes of freedom. There are many different styles to their sound that come together here,  from a sludge crawl at times to a dirty blues, creating the mood for this story. "Jim’s Dream" sets the tone; as the main character is introduced here. His journey westward is full of twists and turns, which is played throughout the rest of the album. Pete Farris’s heavy vocals are easy to follow, which is important if you want to follow the characters journey. Cable never stray away from the mid-tempo sound for most of the album. Track 4 "Failure Comin’ Down" is only 1:20 minutes, but the groove and background vocals just suck you in and you want more, as it jumps right into "Gulf of Texaco", where you feel the aggression of the character. Cables’ ability to move between guitar driven anthems to bass heavy arrangements is flawless and works. The Failed Convict is lyrically and musically a fantastic album as it can fit any mood. Whether you feel like some stoner rock, bluesy metal or some sludge, this is for you. Let’s hope they stick around and write a part two. Standout Tracks: Golf of Texaco, Sleep Produces Monsters Follow Cable: Bandcamp

Crank this to 9.5 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2017 Genre: Stoner Rock, Heavy Psych Rock Sounds Like: Dead Meadow, Arenna, Oceansize Kick back and let this album numb you. The German-based foursome have a knack for slow and steady wins the race. Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree debut album Medicine is aptly titled for its hallucinogenic effect as it is chock full of psychedelia. Psychedelia that goes off on quite a few tangents as the band meanders into some very distant territory. Marc Dreher really brings us back to solid footing with his tremendous percussion work coupled with his brother Lucas’ poetic and vibrant fretwork. After the first few rotations we found ourselves slowly attaining the ability to focus more as the fog began to clear. At about our fourth rotation Medicine was making much more sense and soon became a mainstay. Track listing: 1. Every Night I Walk the Same Trail of Thought (10:27) 2. Burn the Sun (7:30) 3. Medicine (6:13) 4. Sail Away I (14:14) 5. Sail Away II (6:57) If we could only pick one track to download which would it be? Oooh that's a tough one given this is such a mellow and trippy album that flows together so well. While "Sail Away I" and "II" take us on an amazing journey, we have to give it to the title track "Medicine". This fucking song gets into some intense doom bass-work along with some of the best contrast with Dreher’s tremendous high pitched melodies. We hear Sleep blended with Oceansize and Tool. We know... hard to grasp, but the shortest song on the album takes the cake here. What adult beverage do we recommend accompany this album? Killer Bee Dark Honey Ale (6% ABV). Head west from Germany to Canada and enjoy the impeccable flavor that involves plenty of roasted malts, tasty honey, and dark fruit. What are out final thought for Medicine? This foursome have the patience of saints and you come to appreciate their steadiness and homage to psychedelic doom. The ultimate build-ups will not blow you away, but the contrast and chemistry sure will. After a few rounds of bludgeoning drudgery the skies open and majestic fretwork will invigorate you. This is a mighty impressive debut album from a band that we are excited to follow as they commence their career. Give this one a gander and stay with it. Well worth your time. - 2/6/2017 Band members: Marc Dreher - Drums, Vocals Christopher Popowitsch - Bass Lucas Dreher - Guitar Simon Weinrich - Lead Guitars, Psychedelic sounds Follow Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree: Bandcamp / Facebook

Turn this to 8.6 of 11 Released: 2020 Genre: Space Rock, Instrumental Sounds Like: Colour Haze, My Sleeping Karma CB3’s latest release, Aeons is fundamentally sound and soothingly galactic. Swedish veterans aka Charlottas Burning Trio have been a breath of fresh air since day one. Their consistent sound does not look to hit risky boundaries or dive into bizarre territory, rather the band continues to crank their atmospherically soothing mix of stoner undercurrents laced with intricate jazz inspired fretwork. Their library will buttress the backbone of your collection, we strongly recommend you take the time to peruse. Track Listing : 1. Zodiac (3:51) 2. Sonic Blaze (6:49) 3. Acid Haze (9:07) 4. Warrior Queen (7:25) 5. Apocalypse (5:00) Standout Track : "Warrior Queen" takes the prize for its majestic melodies and dramatic contrast. We love the wild mood swings on this one. Layers of impressive fretwork and an onslaught of percussive genius by Salomonsson. Adult Beverage Pairing: Love the Swedish brewed porter, Carnegie, coming in at 5.5% ABV. Rich and soothing caramel notes that blend so well with Aeons. ROTATION RECAP: Captivation and Variety 8.7 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 8.4 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 8.7 out of 11 Bass Undercurrent 8.7 out of 11 Originality 8.5 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 8.6 out of 11 Contrast 8.8out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 8.5 out of 11 Production Value 8.8out of 11 Final Thoughts: The Swedes are just solid. Again, nothing dramatic to write home about but solid as fuck. Start to finish the album is a nice fluid ride captivated by a jazz-infused meandering closer that will impress nonetheless. Instrumental rock fans need to check-out the trio’s full library. Follow CB3: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 7.9 of 11 Released: 2011 Genre: Garage Rock Sounds Like: Honkeyfinger, Speedball Baby, Brimstone Howl Having formed in 1994, Bantam Rooster put out 5 albums before calling it quits in 2003. Although they never hit their stride in the popularity arena, the band put an imprint on the garage rock scene. Fans of Bantam Rooster are quite savvy folks from a perspective of what Bantam Rooster brought to the garage and punk rock scenes. Their style was a bit unruly dancing on the southern hillbilly end yet their sound still holds true through today’s garage rock sentiment whether you time warp them back 10 years or forward 10 years. Hailing from Lansing, Michigan, the band was led by Thomas Jackson Potter a balls to the wall performer with a super aggro-falsetto appeal. .Potter entertained several different bandmates over their span and often toured as a duo. Ultimately they became the lost child of the duo scene as label-mates the White Stripes (Sympathy For the Record Industry) catapulted ahead while Fuck All Y’All died a pretty quick death. This was their last album and Potter went on to start his new band Chrome Spiders in 2007. Track List: 1. Dumb It Down 2. High Priestess 3. This Time 4. Shitlist + 1 5. Perceptive Pornstar 6. Crack In Your System 7. The Detroiter (part 2) 8. You´re The Sun 9. Burn Down 10. Lockdown Monologue 11. It Girl 12. Dealbreaker 13. High School Girls 14. This Close To Suicide The fourteen tracks flow quite nicely as Bantam Rooster ends their force with quite a bang. This album was in our opinion their best and most energetic and visionary. Throughout the track list we hear the roots of what has now hit tremendous popularity from the Black Keys to the Dead Weather on to the Derangers. The production is appropriately gritty and mono but volume quite crisp working quite well. From the heavy tracks that feature the screeching of Potter of "Dumb it Down" to "Shitlist +1" to the more pensive Doors influence "Perceptive Pornstar" Bantam Rooster delivers variety with a very heavy twang. The punk-edge bleeds further through accompanied by tremendous harmonic work and Ramones-like distinction on "High School Girls". The closer "This Close to Suicide" offers up a very melodramatic ending and morphs into some of the heaviest vocals on the album. Potter sounds like Brian Johnson set afire. What a powerful ending. Fuck All Ya All is a whirlwind of gritty and heavy twangy fun. We strongly recommend this one for fans of unfiltered garage rock and rockabilly. Bantam Rooster certainly ended their legacy on a strong up-tick. Ultimately the album contains an intriguing mix of simple but heavy guitar rhythms and a lead singer with pipes that leave you never questioning his conviction and energy. Very entertaining all around. Standout Tracks: Shitlist +1, Dumb It Down, You´re The Sun

Crank this to 8.4 of 11 Released: 2018 Genre: Doom Sounds Like: Agalloch, My Dying Bride We have been on the prowl for some unique atmospheric doom. Blood Folke hailing form St. Paul Minnesota quenched our thirst with a folking solid third release. A step above their previous releases as this one holds fast to their picturesque landscape of mellow darkness and goth undertones. Terrific folking production catapults this diverse 34 minute blend of dramatic doom. Lauren’s string prowess on the viola is the perfect differentiator asIII paints a rich landscape. The vocals are troubling at points and really hold this one back from an Editor’s pick unfortunately. Vocalist, Dan Wieken is at his folking best when he kicks it up a notch and gets out of the slow goth mode. Check out the 6:27 mark on the opener "Frost". He cranks it up a bit as cries of angst disguise the sometimes off-key drone. Further on "Vulture" Dan impresses with some heavier gritty vocals. Track Listing: 1. Frost (7:25) 2. Occult (7:42) 3. Tighten the Reigns (6:59) 4. Vulture (12:08) Standout Tracks: "Tighten the Reigns" kicks folking ass. Lauren’s strings shine and Dan does a stellar job with the fretwork. Great contrast and energy on this track. The build-up towards the 6 minute will fire you up for sure. We are not going to lie to you….Dan’s vocal break on this one helps as well. ‘Vulture’ is not far behind with its epic contrast and attention to detail. Adult Beverage Pairing: Three Hour Tour (6.1%) ABV from Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery delivers a wonderful coconut Milk Stout. Lighter bodied and silky smooth along with rich chocolate overtones. ROTATION RECAP: Weight of the Heavy 8.5 Fretwork Prowess 8.6 out of 11 Captivation and Variety 9.2 out of 11 Vocal Performance 6 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 8.8 out of 11 Contrast 8.5 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 8.6 out of 11 Production Value 8.4 out of 11 Lasting Impression: We encourage you to give this one a few rotations. The texture and thought put into this album is unique. The last two tracks steal the show for us, they are incredible and well worth your time. Give this one a gander and throw it in heavy rotation. Band Members: Joe Krawetz - bass Lauren Gaffney - viola Bryan Pierson - drums Dan Wieken - guitar vocals Follow Blood Folke: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 9.6 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2014 Genre: Psychedelic Rock Sounds Like: Wolfmother, Led Zeppelin, Dead Meadow We are way past the odd and confusing band name. What we have settled into is that this is that this is a fucking great band that will hopefully be around for a long time. On their third release, Spirit Knife, Jeremy Irons & the Ratgang Malibus (JIRM) continue to mature and prove that their sound is rich and complex. Deep melodies and patient complex song structure are what define the band. As a listener you need patience and to let their albums grow on you like a fine wine. In our previous review Bloom, we used names such as Led Zeppelin and Mystic Krewe of the Clearlight to describe their vibe. We accentuate "vibe" in that JIRM has a sound all their own. Spirit Knife takes things a step further from their last album offering up fewer but much longer songs that are consistent melodic wonders. The album is more beautiful than it is heavy. The themes throughout are quite melancholy and on the darker side.  Lead singer/guitarist Karl Apelmo continues to amaze us with the maturity and the strength in his voice. Very charismatic vocals and we are confident that he will create some significant buzz in the rock world... eventually... his voice is too inviting to dodge significant notice. 'Spirit Knife' is loaded with vibrant echo effect on Apelmo's vocals. We are huge fans of echo particularly on a solid and distinct voice like his. Spirit Knife is definitely less 'psychedelic' thanBloom.  In fact, we could argue 'Spirit Knife' is more of a straight rock album. Bloom was filled with more Graveyard-like bluesy psychedelic rock anthems whereas 'Spirit Knife' contains more depth and layers within each track. After several listens the songs will intrigue you and we found ourselves hearing new subtle changes. You know the saying... "more is not always better". Focus and consistency is whatSpirit Knifedelivers. A consistent mood throughout that becomes more appreciated if the listener takes it straight through and avoids jumping tracks. The first track, "Fog by the Steep" sets the tone for the album and is perhaps our favorite on the album. An eerie guitar melody reverbs throughout. Within the first minute you hear the screaming guitars kick in along with Apelmo's Plant like screeching. Believe it or not this may be the heaviest moment on the entire album. The next track "Wind Seized" will whisk you away via enchanting echo and great lyrics. The song is one of the more uptempo tracks off the album, but contains some great high and low change-ups. Track 3, "Sworn Collision" is a beautiful tune. This one took quite awhile to grow on us. At first we felt the song conjured up melodies from the intro to "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds", but as do all of the tracks on this album, the layers get pulled back and we got beyond this. This is one of the more heartwarming tunes on the album. Track 4, "Once Levitated" also takes some time to grow on you. The melody eventually becomes infectious. This song shows JIRM's tenacity in sticking with their melody primarily driven by the inflection in Apelmo's voice accompanies by sweet and vibrant guitar-work. The next three tracks continue on a similar vein... great soothing jams and longer songs that call on your patience in letting the wine age and develop. The last cut and title track is epic. Ten minutes of echoing bliss. The song culminates into a powerful ending. We are hopeful that in six or seven years, we are going to look back at JIRM's library of works and greatly appreciate the tenderness and precision put forth in Spirit Knife. JIRM takes well calculated risks on this album. While they toned down the psychedelia, they could have gone the route of more commercially viable music with shorter lengths and catchier melodies. Thankfully, they did not and have created eight very powerful songs that take time to appreciate. Stay with this one and put it on your heavy rotation. We know this will be a mainstay in our collection indefinitely Follow Jeremy Irons & the Ratgang Malibus: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 10.4 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2020 Genre: Heavy Rock, Post-Metal Sounds Like: Red Scalp, Solstafir, Baroness Empress have fucking thread the needle on their third release entitled Premonition. The album is sonically stunning with its majestic tones and elaborate song structure. The trio hails from Vancouver, British Columbia and are a must for your heavy collection if you enjoy the three ‘Sounds Like’ bands above. Lead singer and guitar frontman, Peter Sacco (former SEER) delivers one of the best vocal performances of the year. The sadness that fills his lungs is distinct as all hell and will consume your thoughts. Empress delivers steadfast patience in letting their songs breathe so as to make the high points and culmination on tracks all that more powerful. Their song structure hits unheard of levels that remind us of Swan Valley Heights and Red Scalp. Rich well thought out painted landscapes that whisk you away. Track Listing: 1. A Pale Wanderer (8:09) 2. Sepulchre (4:44) 3. Passage (4:57) 4. Trost (6:11) 5. Hiraeth (8:03) 6. Premonition (7:04) 7. Lion’s Blood (9:39) Standout Track: We will be cliche here and say, its an across the board gem, as the album bleeds perfectly together. Guns to our heads though, we will take the closer "Lion’s Blood" for its utter chilling movement just before the 7 minute mark. The fucking bottom drops out and Brendan Gunn absolutely kills it with some of the most chilling bass work we have heard. Not but 30 seconds later we hit blissful majestic post rock vibes that then morph into absolute beautiful anguish. Now just a short second place behind is "A Pale Wanderer". This track has an infectious melody that will stay with you for life. Adult Beverage Pairing: Bloomsday a 7% ABV cites-like orgasm from Fieldwork Brewing in California has the perfect complexity to match Empress’ latest masterpiece. A creamy body is balanced out with a hint of the hop's high alpha bitterness, creating a fruity bite that tastes just like fresh squeezed juice, pith and all. With an aroma that could level a house and a tropical intensity that could make your eyes feel like they're going to pop right on out, Bloomsday IPA wrapped up in liquid poetry. ROTATION RECAP: Captivation and Variety 10.7 out of 11 Vocal Prowess 10.4 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 9.8 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 10.2 out of 11 Percussive Vision 10.2 out of 11 Originality 10.4 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 10.7 out of 11 Contrast 10.6 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 9.7 out of 11 Production Value 10.3 out of 11 Band Members: Peter Sacco- guitarist/vocalist Chris Doyle- drummer Brenden Gunn- bassist Final Thoughts: This is precisely why we do what we do. A band that has absolutely taken their sound to a new level on their third release has captured a sound and feel that must be in everyone’s collection. The seven tracks will engage you from start to finish. We so appreciate the time and clear effort that went into the making of this album. Finds like this help cushion the blow on our inability to go to great live shows that to Covid. Well we are sorry to get a little negative, but throw this one on during your next outdoor endeavor or blissful hike. It will be a game-changer for you. Follow Empress: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 10 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2016 Genre: Progressive Metal, Sludge Sounds Like: Young Widows, Dripping Goss, Swans We could have easily glossed over this new release. With a band name like ‘Bloodiest’ you can't blame certain music enthusiasts for thinking death metal, lack of contrast, and incessant high decibels. Oh contraire mon frère, this ain’t no fargin bludgeoning one level metal act. Instead, our ears were pleasantly perked to the sound of a very pensive mood setting act. An act with free-flowing texture and eight songs that have the ability to really alter your mindset. Please do yourself a favor and welcome this six piece Chicago act to your music collection. While we yearn for films that take us away and get us thinking differently about the world around us, so does Bloodiest. A sonic escape very difficult to pin down into one genre. While maintaining a dark and ominous backdrop, the self-titled album dances between sludge, doom, avant garde, stoner, progressive and experimental. All while maintaining a central theme movie soundtrack quality. The production is sensational as the vocals deliver vibrant echo along with grinding Tool-like guitar clarity, and some very stellar percussion-work. Track Summary: Mesmerize (5:18) - Terrific opener with Floater-like vocals coupled with hints of Adam Jones’ fretwork. The despair and circuitous ways of this track make it perfectly titled. A terrific build and culmination ensue all with a boatload of experimental beauty. The Widow (7:53) - Persistent repetitive percussion support a brilliant onslaught of varied acoustics and electric fretwork. Gregorian chants lurking in the background takes the listener away. Enter some of the best vocals we have heard in a long time. The accompaniment drops volume down to let the vocals soar. This one will send chills throughout. Perhaps our favorite track on the album. Condition (2:55) - Cleanse the palate with a beautiful instrumental. Dark melodies accompanied by chord changing creeks that will more than intrigue the listener. Then culminating in rudimentary degenerative paralyzing chords. Broken Teeth (7:32) - We can’t help but conjure up images of Roger Waters at the onset of this one. The track quickly takes hold with vibrant melodies and a grinding underscore that will peak the listeners interest to see how this thing is going to end. The build-up and chaos that ensues does not disappoint. Mind Overlaps (3:23) - Continuity in the backdrop, but this song is ultimately soundtrack-like filler. The track maintains the escape, but lacks statement. He Is Disease (6:36) - Clearly the most evil and heavy track on the album. While the vocals are very diverse on this album, the vocal tangent on this track is freaking impressive and downright ballsy. Separation (7:58) - This track reminds us of Swans meets Evil Blizzard. Separation is drilled in your head. The power of repetitiveness, but swirling echo and some of the most original licks you will hear. Reverb and fuzz tones galore. Suffer (2:04) - The closer is concise and leaves us satisfied. Why not delve into some new hardcore metal while maintaining the drone and dark melodies from previous tracks. A truly powerful punctuation on a terrific album. Standout Tracks: The Widow, Separation, Mesmerize Members: Bruce Lamont - Vocals Cayce Key - Drums Tony Lazzara - Guitar Eric Chaleff - Guitar Colin Dekuiper - Bass Nandini Khaund - Piano/Synth It is not uncommon where bands with as many as six members lose our attention after a few rotations. Often we find too many musicians drowning out the melodies and dampening the contrast. Much to the contrary with Bloodiest, as each musician respectfully intertwines with each other to craft a fine piece of work with surprising clarity. At Rotation11 our passion is discovering music with an innovative and fresh sound. Bloodiest exude hand picked freshness with a very intelligent and organic make-up. We encourage you to put this in heavy rotation as it will significantly enhance the diversity of your library. Follow Bloodiest: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 10 of 11 - Editors' Pick Released: 2020 Genre: Stoner Rock, Heavy Rock Sounds Like: The Sword, Kylesa, Demonic Death Judge Scorched Oak have gone above and beyond on their stellar debut album Withered Earth. The trio hailing from Germany have hit the ground running with a patient and full-bodied heavy album. The riffs are thick and laced with touches of heavy blues coupled by the duel vocals of Linda and Ben. The vocals are one of the main draws to the album as Linda's bluesy tone compliments the sludge onslaught vocals of guitarist Ben. This male/female interaction elevates the band to Kylesa levels, which is fucking impressive for a debut album. Each track is very full and lengthy. You will encounter many peaks and valleys of heaviness on this record. The quieter moments are just as strong as its heavy counterparts, marking for a very enthralling listen. The music has a heavy and weighty feel in vein of bands like Wo Fat and early Sword. It's an album that needs to be listened to in its entirety to appreciate the layers and patience put in. Withered Earth doesn't stick to one particular metal genre, it has such a broad range that will attract many fans of heavy rock. Track Listing: 1. Mountain 06:21 2. Swamp 07:45 3. Forest 09:37 4. Tide 10:29 5. Desert 14:26 Standout Track(s): If we must pick a track, we will start with "Forest". This tune begins with a quite dirty blues note, than 2:00 in it takes off. The rhythm here is very smooth and heavy with trippy vocals that have the slightest echo. The bass breakdown is tremendous and when Linda's vocals creep in, it's stoner rock heaven. Adult Beverage Pairing: We need something rich with flavors and layered like Withered Earth. We recommend Galactic Cowboy Nitro by Colorado's Let Hand Brewery. This 10.6% American Imperial Stout hits with bittersweet chocolate and black coffee, yet not overdone. Like Withered Earth, you must experience to appreciate. . ROTATION RECAP: Captivation and Variety 10 out of 11 Vocal Performance 9.7 out of 11 Weight of the Heavy 9.6 out of 11 Fretwork Prowess 9.6 out of 11 Overall Album Flow 10 out of 11 Contrast 10.1 out of 11 Album Cover Aesthetics 10.2 out of 11 Production Value 10 out of 11 Final Thoughts: Withered Earth is loaded with heavy cosmic jams and bluesy stoner riffs that go one for days, it's a thing of beauty. Do yourself a favor and just get this album. Follow Scorched Oak: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 8.7 of 11 Released: 2016 Genre: Doom, Heavy Psych Rock Sounds Like: Ethereal Riffian, Opeth The Boston based trio Blue Aside has found a way to slip under the radar even though one of our offices is located just outside bean-town. The band delivers what we like to call cathartic doom. The five track EP features steady and relaxing rhythms that will comfort your mindset. What Blue Aside excels at is dramatic contrast in vocals meandering between death and heavenly psychedelic verse. Tracklist: 1. The Traveler Of Time And Space (5:23) 2. Otis' Sun (7:32) 3. Orange Eyes (9:03) 4. Black Rays (6:48) 5. The Inevitable Journey (7:33) Total Time 36:19 Line-up/Musicians: Adam Abrams / Guitar, Vocals Matt Netto / Drums, Vocals Joe Twomey / Bass, Vocals Released by Hydro-Phonic The opener, “The Traveler of Time & Space” starts off simplistically with little flare and standard death vocal doom fare. At about the 2:40 mark we become pleasantly surprised with the more advanced rhythms and spacious vocals. The swirling guitars add a lot of flavor and intensity as Adam Abrams closes the track with an intense solo. “Otis’ Sun” is a seven minute wonder. Very inspirational track that contrasts dark and evil. The soft vocals are heartwarming and we love the melody that is driven home here. This track blends quite well with “Orange Eyes” the lengthiest track on the album. There is a ton of originality on this track as the varied vocals work so well with the guitar melody. Subtle acoustic guitar kicks in midway through the five minute mare that launches the track into otherworldliness. "Black Rays" is perhaps our least favorite track as Alice Cooper with a punk edge derails us a bit. We appreciate the variety. The guitar work however does not disappoint on this track. There are some very impressive licks throughout. The closer "The Inevitable Journey" is the heaviest of the five tracks. An instrumental onslaught for the first two and a half minutes. Quirky vocals ensue which work quite as we hear some classic Galactic Cowboy influences. The Orange Tree is an impressively diverse album. Doom fans looking for something a bit different need to give this one a listen. The album will grow on you after each rotation as the multiple layers in vocal style and strong guitar work will take a more defined shape. Give this one time as the gents from Boston have quite the vision. We look forward to exploring some of their other works. Standout Tracks: The Inevitable Journey, Otis’ Sun Follow Blue Aside: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 8.3 of 11 Released: 2017 Genre: Psychedelic, Progressive Rock Sounds Like: The Pineapple Thief, Chevelle, Oceansize There has been very little excitement over the last few months on the new band front with respect to the progressive rock genre. We were pleasantly surprised to have stumbled upon Croatia’s Daughters of Kilimanjaro and their debut EP release. The three tracks which run approximately 20 minutes in length total are filled with texture and great songwriting. Daughters of Kilimanjaro possess a tight sound and chemistry that takes a hold of the listener immediately. There is an intangible we have not heard from many of the new progressive rock bands out. No tiring long-winded build or tangent that is hard to grasp. Rather, the Croatians impress by their straightforward and crisp approach. Very nice harmonies ala Chevelle blend nicely into powerful build-ups in solid Tool fashion on each of the tracks. While this is a formula we have heard before, Daughters of Kilimanjaro pull it off through authentic chemistry. Tracks: 1. Kilimanjaro (5:48) 2. Maze (7:03) 3. Bartok (8:10) What is our favorite track? The build-up in "Maze" is powerful and engrossing. Great percussion typifying that straightforward approach we appreciate. The lyrics are intriguing and complimented by some very high pitched and lofty fretwork. Check-out Fila’s climatic angst and scream to close the track... impressive. How is the production value? Above average. As Leonard Klaić deserves some compliments here for a very even and crisp job. While the band features intense percussion and guitar-work, the sound fills your headphones and the room with balance and precision. What adult beverage do you recommend accompanyEven Quentin Got Disgusted? ‘The Cocktail’ Zadar Maraschino – a liqueur flavored with maraska cherry, a characteristic product of Dalmatia Sour cherry juice – of that same maraska cherry behind the above liqueur which grows mainly in the vicinity of Zadar Fresh lemon juice – essential to the cocktail Arancini – candied orange peel traditionally manufactured in Dubrovnik and responsible for the distinct Crocktail taste What are our final thoughts forEven Quentin Got Disgusted? Daughters of Kilimanjaro show balance and poise on their debut EP. Progressive rock fans should appreciate their not trying to do too much. Rather they perfect the classic build and anthemic song structure that has been quite lacking over the past several years. We recommend you keep this one in heavy rotation. Currently a ‘name your price’ release on BandCamp, it is well worth you throwing some Croatian Kuna. Band Members: Fila-vocals Vedran-guitar Taro-guitar Tibor-bass Slat-drums Follow Daughters of Killimanjaro: Bandcamp / Facebook

Crank this to 8 of 11 Released: 2010 Genre: Heavy Rock, Sludge Sounds Like: Baroness, Kylesa, Torche It’s pounding, aggressive, heavy and sludgy... just a few words describing Black Sleep of Kali’s Our Slow Decay album. What makes this a stand out from the crowd is the infectious melody within each song. The vocals are top-notch, with standout belches to harmonized interludes, supporting the music beautifully. If you were ever a fan of the band Black Market Flowers, the vocals resemble this style, just a bit heavier. The drumming is intense and is the driving force for most of the album. There really is no weak moment here, track 1 "There is Nothing" starts right off with crushing power vocals and a sweet bottom-heavy deep sound. Followed by "The Crow and the Snake" and "Eulogy", which are extremely catchy, intense rhythmic songs, the vocals really shine in "Euology", it’s actually uplifting. "In Time", is an 8 minute down-tempo heavy groove with exceptional vocals, sounds amazing on headphones. "The Great Destroyer" is intense sludge with tight drumming leading the way. The change-ups are flawless as shown in "Cries of the Crow", 4 minutes in, the song takes a nice subtle turn into a smooth heavy rhythm, it’s like enjoying one your favorite ales. The album closes with more stoner driven, guitar driven songs such as "Big Sky" and "An End with No Beginning". There is a wealth of talent here, and we at Rotation11 hope they don’t fly under the radar, they can be a force to be reckoned with. Standout Tracks: Eulogy, The Crow and the Snake Follow Black Sleep of Kali: Bandcamp