Drone Rock with sneering vocals, where WOLFEN explore the blurred intersections of Psych, Garage and Space Rock. Reverb appreciation is abound, the aforementioned vocals may be an acquired taste, but the trance melodies concocted by the glacial fuzzy guitars, languid, distant drums and 80's post-punk bass, initially appearing primitive, somehow burrow into your head. Space may be the place, but here we dig the fuzz!

What would happen if you locked Krautrock and Prog alumni in a lab full of Moogs, Mellotrons and Organs? Walrus' Guitar-less sound perhaps? (never hurt Van Der Graaf). Amid the bleeps, bloops, klangs and throbs 'Signals" is some sort of cross pollination of Goblin soundtrack and 'Dazed and Confused', while Walrus' self styled percussive 'Polar Kraut' continues on 14 minute centre-piece "Spistbergen" where creative juices really flow, revelling in its washes of Crimson-esque mellotron.

This mercurial Mancunian quintet are now on hiatus leaving behind a brilliant discography. Trojan Horse combine Prog & 90's UK Post-Rock/Post-Hardcore with technical wizardry, underpinned by a sense of melody and songcraft that allows for several euphoric, sun-bursting moments. Songs pinball from one segment to the next, colliding genres with abandon, from the wacky and whimsical through gritty heaviness and into serious beard-stroking Prog all with no capes in sight.

Beehover make behemothic Sludgy Noise Rock, despite merely being a bass and drum duo. The guitar tone is like a motorbike engine and the percussion is explosive and thumping. "A Chelsea grin/A Glasgow Smile" they sing in an authoritative Buzz Osbourne/Mike Patton drawl on "Army of Good Evil". You may think this is a confrontational and Neanderthal work. You'd be wrong, the songs are winding, progressive and labyrinthian. It's not all hash & bash. This tape rewards repeated visits.

Loved this LP back in 06/07 and it's interesting to revisit. Strap The Button are wildly eclectic, free form and they're all over the map here. Amidst the Psychedelic freak-outs, choral passages and sound collages you'll find the brilliant drone-rock opener "GNFaR CD001', the early Pink Floyd Vs Pink Panther theme of 'Mystery Song', while 'Paperclipbeard the Pirate' develops into a full-on Space-rock barnstormer. It is great to see STP recording again, check the Foetal Orange BC page for more

John Peel Endorsed, Über-Independent & Über Inspirational..... Unlabel released this compendium to mark 20 years in 2016. It doesn't look like the label is still active (as of 2024), but listening back to the brilliant post-hardcore of Headquarters, the 90's British post-rock styling of Cove and Charlottefield's spell-binding and dark 'Clipper', it proves that Unlabel curated some excellent releases. Hope to see them back one day! In the meantime, I'm browsing Discogs to see what I've missed...

Yellow6 is a master-hand (and prolific) producer of guitar-based dronescapes, though he also experiments with electronic elements, "Chrysler", which features a solemn, but reverbed, piano playing through a trance-inducing melody, is both sparse and beautiful. "Cycle" adds soft beats to the layers of sound, while a relaxing guitar arrangement provides a soothing atmosphere. Each song contains a reassuring repetitive structure, helping to create the album's amazing ambience.

Issuing this LP as a gift to all to bootleg, the fanfare and intrigue generated almost overshadowed what a brilliant record it truly is. Here, KGLW branch out from their Syd Barrett whimsy meets Garage Rock beginnings, the continuous flow of the music instantly identifiable and a joy to behold where lysergic Pop, trippy Psychedelia, Middle Eastern vibes, Motorik synth & Kaleidoscopic Garage is bent and shaped into all sorts of colours and forms. The absolute definition of Psychedelic.

The artwork & name of Vitskär Süden suggests Black Metal, but this LA based quintet create something progressive, spacious, and crepuscular; where plaintive vocals blend with moody, textured instrumentation that’s complex but accessible. Analogous with ‘Animals’ era Pink Floyd or Talk Talk during their ‘Spirit of Eden’ years, though heavier & more nocturnal, Vitskär Süden gracefully guide the fantastical concept of this LP towards its riveting destination via tempered atmospheric intensity.

Blackened Doom Metal, nebulous Drone, slow-motion Sludge and expansive Space Rock headline the monolithic sound created by Saturndust, where corrupted Grimdark atmospherics, temple-sized drums, churning riffs & spectral synths combine to conjure images of uncharted Alien territories and vast dreadnought starships. The vocals are growled, sung, shouted, screamed & chanted, helping to separate them from acts like Ufomammut who also explore the heaviest echelons of the Psychedelic Music galaxy.

‘Imperial’ warns with foreboding Skynet synths then launches into an neural tirade that hits like a tonne of bricks with its barked vocals, scathing bass & guitar assault and slamming drums. Such is its violence; it’ll knock the breath right from you. LLNN don't relent with the ultra-heavy Sci-Fi apocalyptic devastation either, they bludgeon, crush, and fully intend to overwhelm recalling bands such as Cult of Luna, Refused and Will Haven. Only, LLNN is a heavier proposition, much, much heavier.

This gargantuan compilation serves to underline the sheer amount of brilliant bands that can call Sweden home. It includes scene OG's like Greenleaf, Dozer, Mammoth Volume and Lowrider, but dig deeper into this treasure trove of Psychedelic gems and discover the Space-Rock of Yuri Gagarin, the Blues Rock of Stew, the Krautscapes of Fanatism, the 70's heavy of Witchers Creed and Sleepwulf or the tranquil Prog weirdness of My Brother the Wind among its near 60 tracks

Baton Rouge troupe Thou are known for devoting entire live sets to Nirvana covers, and their dope sick sludge recordings of Cobain & Co are collected here. The ‘Bleach’ era tracks, unsurprisingly, work best with ‘Blew’, 'Floyd The Barber' and ‘School’ being purposefully nasty sounding. However, their melodic side is on display on the likes of ‘Something In The Way’ and ‘Even In His Youth’. A particularly nihilistic version of ‘Endless Nameless, is the highlight, though.

Amplifier worship since 2002, Dutch trio Toner Low compile demos, outtakes and B-sides and signature tune ‘Duster’ here, showcasing their particularly dense brand of Doomy Stoner Rock and Space Rock. The Kyussian groove of opener ‘Tonerlow’ is indisputable, though vocally its not fleshed out. ‘Slightly’ & 'Radiant' both get the head-nodding, no doubt, while they come across as a heavier Colour Haze on the excellent ‘Fuel’, their earthy low-end rumble creating a hazy fog over the bluesy riffs.

There may be a set formula, but Amenra's sheer power is undeniable. Measured and consummate in all that they do, glacial, funereal riffs, grainy ambience and slow march drums create a canvas for anguished screams, yearning chants and spoken word. It's bleak, dense, heavy and purgative for the soul The Belgian Post-Metallers crawl to a critical point before ritualistically unleashing a deluge of cathartic noise.

One of the UK’s best bands upto 2019, the penny never dropped with the record buying public and they split. Led by Thom Corah, in possession of a stunning falsetto vocal range, this quartet garnered a reputation for their heightened melodrama and stirring songs like ‘Long Grass', where the lines of Post-Rock and darkly melancholic Folk were blurred. Perpetually touring, HNIC could be loud and visceral; this live recording, though, captures them at their most mournful. They are much missed.