Do you smoke weed? Have you continued to smoke more this year? Here are the albums you should have been listening to. These are album that are not prog or doom, falling somewhere in the middle with more than likely a heavy doses of bong blues to them Ok now that that is out of the way, much like in years past, I sort through the genre lists before making the overall top ten of the year list. I know many of you are ready for this year to be over with. Hate to break it to you but nothing is getting better next year. The fact these artists made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album, there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more.
After all we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, you look forward to listening to it again. Sure, you can bitch and complain about your favorite band not being on the list. However, I listen to five new albums a day so yes, I heard your favorite album and was not impressed. No, I do not care what you think about it. I do hope you can find your next favorite on this list and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out audio on these guys. Anyways here are the top 10 stoner rock a albums of 2022
10-White Hills- "the Revenge of Heads on Fire"
This duo sounds continues to evolve. This is a re-imagining of their "Heads on Fire " album from 2007. The songs are re-worked and re-mixed. Now it is something clearly more stoner rock than psych- garage rock. Things are still trippy, but heavier. The vocals drifting as the drums batter against the swirl of sonics swarming the song. There is still a very 60s throb to it
Abysmal Hymns: White Hills : "the Revenge of Heads on Fire"
9-Alunah - "Strange Machine"
Hailing from the same city in England as Sabbath, but to their credit they are not trying to sound like them, aside from the lumbering riffs. Their female vocalist aides in this endeavor. She has a strong alto and recalls many of the so-called occult rock bands from a decade ago. There is a wider range of sounds that deviate from what you expect from this sort of thing
Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Alunah : "Strange Machine".
8-Sasquatch- "Fever Fantasy"
Los Angelos has not been the best poster child for legalizing weed as they have had the worst Covid cases next to New York, and homeless tent cities lining the streets. It had brought a surge of weed worshiping metal bands to the forefront with these guys being one of them. Their newest album finds them clawing their way to the top of the stoner heap
Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Sasquatch - "Fever Fantasy"
7-Thammuz-"Sons of the Occult"
This Swedish bands proves themselves very capable of doing some interesting, blues-based things, that offer melody and chops without relying on shredding noodling solos. At the albums strongest points, they work off a hushed tension that assembles darker sound that I love. When the vocals are more hushed they work best with the music.
Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom -Thammuz :' Sons of the Occult"
6-Shaam Larein- "Sticka En Kniv I Världen"
The occult gloom of this Swedish band's sound marks this as the darkest band on this list. like the dark throb that opens the newest album by this Swedish band. Colored by the kinds of clouds that might hang over a doom album, sultry vocals shroud the emotive narrative of the song as the guitar builds layers of sonic tension. The vocals often weave hypnotic chants rather than concern themselves with hooks,
Abysmal Hymns: Gothtober-Shaam Larein: "Sticka En Kniv I Världen"
5-Greenbeard-"Variant"
This Texas band reminds me a great deal of the winning combination of sounds that Atomic Bitchwax used on their less coked out punk racing moments. You know the times when they had had catchy songs and grooves? These guys are not limited to just that kind of straight forward rocking, they are able to pack the bong and dish out some very 70s cruising grooves as well. At the end of the day could you draw comparisons to Queens of the Stoneage? Yes, but Monster Magnet was doing this before those guys and this band is carrying the tradition well.
Abysmal Hymns: Greenbeard : "Variant"
4-Amon Acid - "Cosmogony"
The English based band is doom of a space rock variety owing more of their existence to Hawkwind than Black Sabbath. Though they are heavier and more ominous than most of the psyche bands who cross over into doom. The dynamic range is impressive going from crushing weight to using exotic Middle eastern flavored chord progression to unwind serpentine riffs.
Abysmal Hymns: November is Doom- Amon Acid- " Cosmogony"
3-Melvins - "Bad Mood Rising"
Some things are expected with a new Melvins album. There will be a degree of weirdness. The opening track of their new album finds this degree dialed up to the high end of their weird spectrum. This proves to be a very solid outing for the band doing what they do best, I would not say it's as heavy or sludgey and more like something to pack the bong to
Abysmal Hymns: Melvins : "Bad Mood Rising"
2-Crobot- "Feel This"
These guys made the Skid Row album that Skid Row should have made. Brandon Yeagley is not paying tribute to Sebastian Bach, but he captures his spirit much better than Skid Row's most recent singer. They play a style of high energy hard rock, that gives ample balls to the guitars. Though the surreal bits of atmosphere that make up these songs, proves the devil's cabbage is in play.
Abysmal Hymns: Crotbot : "Feel This"
1-Clutch -"Sunrise on Slaughter Beach"
With their 13th album it might first feel like the Baltimore based band is circling what they did on the more explosive "Psychic Warfare" album, but the deeper you venture into it, this changes. While the opener does try to recapture that magic, they return to the grooves where their true strength lies. They took top place because these songs are infectious, and this is an album you can just leave on repeat.
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