Stoned Jesus : "Songs to Moon"

The Ukrainian band's 7th full length finds them leaning further into sludge with an atmospheric crunch that sits somewhere between the Melvins and Mastodon on the opening track of this album. There is ample post-grunge to the riffs as the vocals layer a more introspective melodic sense after the more burly bark the song started with. It feels like most sludge albums are going to get overshadowed by Neurosis this year, so it's a good thing these guys have a more rock side to fall back on and seperate them from keeping up with those Joneses.

"ZYX" has a more indie rock sound, and it is actually the most intersting of the first three songs. There is a cool groove, subdued vocals that provide a contrast, and nuanced guitar playing, so here's hoping they continue to explore this new direction. They jam a bit at the end of the song. There is more ofa progressive slant to this album. Keyboards play a larger role. Midway into the album, it is even more apparent that they have crossed over into prog. If it worked for Mastodon, these guys took notes. This leads to cleaner guitar tones becoming more abundant as a shift away from the fuzzed guitar tones that were a staple of where they came from. 'Jackal" is the first song where I pick up on any lyrical hints they live somewhere that is being obliterated. The song builds back up into a more dramatic, sweeping build of rocking out. 

The strummed 'Window in My Room' feels like a lost alt -rock ballad from the 90s. It ambles along with almost Nick Drake-like folk energy. The album closes with "One More Empty Day". The Nick Drake-like mood of the previous song carries over into this one. The album takes a turn from how it started, with the last two songs leaning into the softer side. Overall, it works I will give this album a 9 as I like some of the newer direction they head, even if the last two songs did not register for me; they are balanced out by superior moments.

6.6

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Stoned Jesus : "Songs to Sun"

 I liked their 2023 album "Father Light" and this one works off a more post-rock infused atmosphere, which creates dynamic contrast from when they exhale and step on the overdrive. The opening track finds them at a very balanced crossroads of sound, with enough metallic punch, yet more thoughtful vocal melodies that are almost another part of the instrumentation. Form and function in the arrangement, yet a feeling that they are jamming out certain sections and just going with the vibes in the moment. 

Not too adventurous that this feels like prog, but more intricate than just banging out some chords. "Shadowland" has a more Soundgarden-like groove. The vocals are a little lower, though not as brooding as the grunge-infused metal of the '90s. It is dark enough to keep me interested. 'Lost in the Rain"  finds more delicate guitar parts setting the stage for them to build up from. It is somewhat of a ballad with a pulse that throbbed out like a gathering storm cloud as it progressed. The time spent unpacking the tasteful guitar solo is well spent. 

"Low" is the most metallic song on this album so far. There is a "Children of the Grave' like gallop that keeps it moving. They balance this out by winding around into some riffs that are equally heavy in terms of their sonic depth as they are heavy metal. They jam out a little more with "See You on the Road." The last song, "Quicksand' is not a David Bowie cover, but a strummed jam that feels more like Monster Magnet. I will give this one a 9, which puts it on the same level as their previous album, showing they are not only consistent, but better than most bands trying to do this sort of thing. 

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November is Doom -The Top 10 Stoner Rock Albums of 2023

Living in Florida reminds me why I do not like reggae. It's too happy, and all sounds the same. But you do not have to get stoned to music that sucks. In fact here are ten examples of albums you can break out the bong to. After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 10 albums of the year. 2023. The very fact these bands 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. Perhaps you can find your next favorite on this list; and have included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway here are the top 10 Stoner Rock albums of 2023.

 10- Bongzilla -"Dab City" 

Carrying on the long-running tradition of delivering some of the best sonic baked goods, this stoner metal band rumbles on with no less enthusiasm as they had in the 90s when they started this.This album shows a band still doing what they do best, it has enough ebb and flow for me to keep my interest when something that normally drones on the kinds of jams they do might lose me. If you are a fan, then they surely will deliver what you love about them. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/06/bongzilla-dab-city.html

 

9-Dozer -"Drifting into the Endless Void" 

Sweden is not the sort of place I would expect bong-inspired hymns to descend from. But here we are. I should look to Europe for this sort of thing, since aside from Kyuss I am not big on the desert rock thing. These guys are darker than most stoner rock, they have a tense drive to them but steer away from allowing a retro sensibility to haunt them. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/november-is-doom-dozer-drifting-into.html

 8-Gozu-"Remedy" 

 I was wondering before I pressed play what this band did to get signed on Metal Blade Records. The answer is to write vocal-oriented songs that stand out from the pack. The vocal harmonies recall Alice in Chains, while the guitars have more of a Black Label Society grit to them. To their credit, they keep things pretty dynamic. Perhaps their influences are worn on their sleeves, but it all comes together better than most, riding a middle ground that is neglected in heavy music these days.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/november-is-doom-gozu-remedy.html

 

7- Stoned Jesus- "Father Light" 

This band from Ukraine falls along the more bong blazing styles of hard rock. Given the nature of their lives the lyrics are  apocalyptic in tone,  I am surprised bands there are still making music at all. Last July was their first rehearsal since the invasion took place. The current events influencing the tone of the songs, without preaching to you about them.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/stoned-jesus-father-light.html

 

6-High Priest - "Invocation" 

This band from Chicago brings it in a manner that pays homage to many bong-savvy genres. The first song strikes an effective balance of atmosphere and beefy rock riffs with a punch. that does not rely on Sabbath too heavily. I can hear the post-grunge strains of early Foo-fighters, mixed with a more surreal current running through it. They seem to always serve the songs. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/november-is-doom-high-priest-invocation.html

 

5-Strange New Dawn- "New Nights of Euphoria"

This Norweigian band features members of Green Carnation and In the Woods. The opening track has progressive elements but with an aggressive pounding propelling it. The sung vocals have a somewhat maniacal feel to them. The attack of the guitar is a little more black metal than doom, but you can hear how these elements are fighting against one another in harmonic chaos. Gloomy prog that grows on you with it's brand of weird. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/11/november-is-doom-strange-new-dawn-new.html

4-Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs, Pigs - "Land of Sleeper"  

The newest album from the British stoner/sludge outfit finds the more punk undercurrent that ran through their previous album smoothed out in favor of a more Sabbath like lumber. This was an element of their sound before, but this album is refined into a more metallic direction. I like the sonic heaviness  in play , that balances out the fact they are more of a metal band now. That is not to say there are not some burly moments that lean into more of a Motorhead like rumble when they step on the gas.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs-pigs-land.html

 

3-Haurun- "Wilting Within" 

The shadows sway with the bong-laden haze of this band's gloomy dirges. There is a great deal of maturity possessing the debut from this Oakland-based band. One of their most apparent strengths lies in the voice of  Lyra Cruz. Eliot Rennie's drumming certainly helps to keep things moving in a fluid manner. I really love what is going on here, aside from the deliberate choice to sacrifice the metallic heft of guitars, I think they make perfect choices in a flowing organic fashion.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/09/haurun-wilting-within.html

 

2- Rezn- "Solace" 

The fourth album from this amazing band out of Chicago. They often drone with a trippy vibe that carries exotic chord phrasings that make you feel like the drugs are already kicking in.  There are lots of well-layered sounds that sit in a much darker place than what you expect from psychedelic music, which is perfect for me. This perfection multiplies when they stop jamming around a get into the swirl of their songs which finds an androgynous tenor vocal weaving melodies around this concoction. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/02/rezn-solace.html

1-Royal Thunder - "Rebuilding the Mountain" 

 It's been seven years since their last album and the band went through some personal shit before returning reconfigured with drummer Adam Diprima back in the fold. This album took several listens to really grow on me, but was a worthwhile journey. They can not be accused of doing more of the same and the lengthy break brought a fresh coat of sonic musing to the table. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2023/05/royal-thunder-rebuilding-mountain.html

Stoned Jesus :" Father Light"

 

This band from Ukraine falls along the more bong laden styles of hard rock. The first song which is an acoustic ditty, is more of a set up from the jammed stoner boogie to come. The first verse is somewhat apocalyptic in tone, which given the fact the Ukraine has been under siege for the past year, I am surprised bands there are still making music at all. Last July was their first rehearsal since the invasion took place. Lyrically there is a great deal of current events influencing the tone of the songs, without preaching to you about them. Lines like "Nobody cares whos is right , who is wrong" makes you wonder about what they are really speculating here. I have a hard time believing they are in a bomb shelter thinking about witches'. 

"Thoughts and Prayers" is lyrically clever and addresses what is going on in their world in a tasteful manner. It also sheds light on , something one side of America's political divide does not like to focus on which is they are likely to scoff at thoughts and prayers when it comes to how politicians respond regarding mass shootings, which is no different than how they are addressing the situation in Ukraine, aside from the occasional photo op. They know they can not do anything or are afraid to do anything. Not one to address politics on this blog, but given where this band is from and how their lyrics address it this is hard not to do, and pretty necessary. 

There is more of a sinewy winding to the progressive slither of the riff to "Porcelain" .Dynamically it  heads them into a more Tool like direction. The vocals follow a similar syncopations that add more weight to this comparison. The drumming is not as balls to the wall as what Danny Carey does when it is time to step on the gas. "CON' is more upbeat and jammy . It is also brighter in mood and does not hook me in, though they are good at what they do so hard to find fault in their playing. The plaintive vocals are often rather dry feeling. The more ominous metal feeling to the last song works better for me, than the previous song. Not the most original sound, but the songs work well , I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me for the rest of the year.  Season of Mist drops it March 3rd.