Stoner/Hard Rock Review | Lollipop Magazine

Sweat Lodge – Tokens For Hell – Review

April 25, 2017

It’s their swan song, as everyone involved has already decided to put the band on hiatus and go raise kids or pursue other projects.

Can’t Swim – Death Deserves A Name – Review

March 11, 2016

This New Jersey band covers a lot of ground on a 15-minute, 5-song EP. I love the way they’re constantly playing around with song structures.

Harsh Toke – Light Up and Live – Review

April 29, 2014

“Plug In To The Moon,” from the band’s debut record, reveals that San Diego’s Harsh Toke is really more interested in a cosmic feel-good vibes.

Slough Feg – Digital Resistance – Review

March 21, 2014

Slough Feg wastes no time delivering fuzzy NWOBHM feelings on “Digital Resistance,” the title track of their ninth studio album.

Naam – Vow – Review

January 27, 2014

With Hawkwind and Iron Butterfly on the mind, Namm forge their own meandering path through the cosmos and desertscapes.

Indian – From All Purity – Review

January 21, 2014

The opening track is a howling hell hole of a song, recalling Made Out of Babies at their most cathartic. Plus, it’s called “Rape.”

Nashville Pussy – Up The Dosage – Review

January 21, 2014

Nashville Pussy is guaranteed to clear all the shit from your sinuses with all-business rock cleansers.

Red Fang – Whales and Leeches – Review

January 3, 2014

Portland, Oregon stoner rock crew turned heads with their eclectic 2011 release, Murder the Mountains, but things may have gone off the tracks since then.

Airbourne – Black Dog Barking – Review

December 4, 2013

Takes over a minute to get rockin’ but the strippers’ll be shakin’ and gyratin’, as long as they can find a babysitter.

Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats – Mind Control – Review

December 2, 2013

Kyuss’ drawl and Sabbath’s sock-hop, Deep Purple keys interlock with fuzzy riffs to make space for Beatles-esque piano tinkerings.

Windhand – Soma – Review

October 15, 2013

Catchy fuzz in the vein of Black Sabbath and Electric Wizard. “Orchard” is a fantastic, lurching buzz bomb from their second album, Soma.

Monster Magnet – Last Patrol – Review

September 18, 2013

Even if their new stuff isn’t as world-beatingly awesome as that of their glory days, it’s guaranteed to be way more badass than most new rock ‘n’ roll.

True Widow – Circumambulation – Review

August 26, 2013

“Stonegaze” crew out of Dallas that mixes stoner influences with the shoegaze sound.

Supermachine – Review

August 23, 2013

Recording sounds great, but if you were a fan of Scissorfight, most of these songs are a waste of the guitarist’s and bassist’s gonzo talent and locked groove.

Cathedral – The Last Spire – Review

August 21, 2013

The near seven-minute “Tower of Silence” closes Cathedral’s 20+ year run as doom giants, The Last Spire being their last album of new recordings.

Gozu – The Fury of A Patient Man – Review

August 19, 2013

Soulful vocals over fuzzy, well-crafted classic rock: Handclaps here, probably some cowbell, and metallic gallop and doom plod, just for good measure.

Deville – Hydra – Review

August 16, 2013

There’s enough metal chug and stoner swagger to keep this a rock record, but the polished production will make the shaggy wary of commercial overplay.

Inter Arma – Sky Burial – Review

August 6, 2013

It takes a few minutes for Inter Arma to be satisfied with the doom-drenched plod before adding additional elements, like a faint roar in the distance.

Spiritual Beggars – Earth Blues – Review

August 2, 2013

Michael Amott’s (Arch Enemy, ex-Carcass) retro rock project fights back from losing members and getting lost in the shuffle of fine bands flooding the genre.

The Saint James Society – Bab(a/y)lon Rising – Review

August 1, 2013

Distinctly ’80s UK post-punk/Goth rock reverb from Austin, Texas’ glammy psychedelic garage rockers.

Hot Lunch – Review

July 31, 2013

Big amps, lots of wah and distortion, Kyuss-souled stoner rock yahoo, and “Killer Smile” has drum fills Sabbath’s Bill Ward would approve of.

Bottom – MMXII EP – Review

July 5, 2013

Bottom has always been heavy and dark, but not like this! 2013 Bottom leans more Melvins/Blag Flag, with huge slabs of guitar fuzz to get their point across.

Blaak Heat Shujaa – The Storm Generation – Review

July 1, 2013

“Incident at Stinson Beach” is a fine instrumental that showcases the band’s penchant for psychedelia, surf rock, spaghetti Westerns, Middle Eastern scales and Far Eastern melodies.

Mudhoney – Vanishing Point – Review

June 28, 2013

Mudhoney have always been barbed, pissy, raw yet melodic, and raging against inclusion in the Seattle Boys Club of the early ’90s.

ASG – Blood Drive – Review

June 21, 2013

These 12 songs are catchy, memorable, and sound like classics as soon as you hit play.