Few things in music get my attention like the words REMASTER. If a band thinks enough of their music to go back and give it some more love and attention, then I figure I am in for a special treat. And a special treat is exactly what THE HOWLING EYE have delivered with DYING SUN REMASTER (2019). It's 48 minutes minutes of heavy stoner doom metal, mostly instrumental, and pretty much just epic overall.

It's been a while since I listened to the original DYING SUN (2017) and also I wanted to compare it with the new remaster, and ..... oh hell yes! The entire sound is heavier and fuller. I'm on my good headphones so imagine how this is going to sound when I get it going on the big ancient speakers at Happy Hour tonight. I'm not sure if The Howling Eye has any plans for a CD or vinyl but I would pick up both of those if they came out. This remaster deserves nothing less.

And there's more! Because the remaster includes a new track THE HOWLING CAVES that was not on the original album.

And there's EVEN more because they also recorded different versions of the songs! These guys have been busy. Here is DYING SUN REDUX:


I asked the band about this pair of new records based on the original Dying Sun. Here is what The Howling Eye had to say about REDUX:

The story begins in Feb 2018. The nights were long and cold as fuck and we were recording Sonorous at Kongo Studio in a small town near Warsaw. We used to record our parts for most of the day, having only a gas cooker to make our food and a small, jet-engine-like gas heater to get us warm, so in the end of the day we were all dead tired. Usually we would just rest, jam or both, but on one particular night Jacek (our sound engineer) left for Warsaw to see GOLD, a great Dutch band. We got pretty high and I remembered the idea to re-record our first EP, but someone proposed to make it different. I had a country Texas-ranger-like version of Dying Sun in my mind for a while back then. Even earlier we had noticed that the riff from 'Junkhead' sounds kinda similar to 'To, Co Czujesz, To, Co Wiesz', a Polish reggae/dub classic. Thus we decided to re-record the EP, but each song was to be in a different style. We didn't know what to do with 'Dwa Złote', though, so I guess we just wanted to play it faster and it turned out to be a drum and bass song. We only did one take of everything so it's pretty floppy at some places, but I believe it turned out good. 

And about REMASTER:

Hubert proposed the remaster last Autumn. Our first EP was recorded live at Hubert's basement and pre-mixed (all the mics were recorded into one 'sum' track), so basically everything better than that would be an improvement. We decided that there is no point in fooling around, it sounded cheap, dark and rough, so we wanted even more of it. We basically added more bass where we could and compressed the shit out of everything to achieve this roaring kind of sound. We came up with lyrics to 'Dying Sun', so Hubert recorded them and I overdubbed my solos. Hubert also experimented with stacking layers, reverb and delays, so I hope it's as filthy and swampy as it should be. We also came up with this concept of a dualistic EP, which is reflected in the covers. One side of it is happy and chilly, and the other is pure doom.

The heaviness, the drop into the fuzz towards the end, and especially that short part where the vocals break into Swedish. There is so much to dig in this song.


Malsten is:

Manne - Vocals
Fredrik - Guitar
Andreas - Bass and synths
Joen - Drums

Malsten tells me they have more music in the works so be sure to follow them and stay in touch:

Debut single from VELA NEGRA

VELA NEGRA has their debut single ready to deafen your eardrums and it is called O Inevitável Porvir (The Unavoidable Future). This is very heavy doom with great riffs to keep things moving, and sometimes the guitar heads off into space to keep things very interesting. The vocals here are simply incredible, starting clean and slow and building to tougher screams later on. Take a listen:


I will keep it super real and tell you that this song sounds extra dark and mysterious to me because I cannot understand any Portuguese. I am the same way with any language, and when in English I love fuzzed-out vocals. The singing here is very clean with variety, too -- sometimes low and steady, sometimes building up with energy.

Vela Negra is a new band from Basilia, Brazil. The band is new but its members bring with them experience from previous bands, and that explains why this debut single is so good. Vela Negra is Marcel on guitar, Fabão on bass, Tamiel on drums, and Zé Dai Hou with vocals and production.

And good news! Vela Negra has more songs in the works, so be sure to follow them to stay in touch:

Jestyn and Drew Cummings of WATCH ROME BURN

The great music from the PNW just won't stop and check out the high energy alternative punk rock from WATCH ROME BURN a duo of brothers Drew and Jestyn Cummings with enough riffs and fuzz and non-stop action going on. There's even a track with some harmonica and bluesy guitar in case you didn't get enough variety already. VOX HERETIC is the debut album and SNAKESKIN is the new single so check them out:

I dig the vocals and guitar of Zach Huskey and Erica Huskey's bass is right there to support it. There's a lot of variety to the songs, some are more grungy, some more punk, some slower, and the variety leads to a great album overall. Check it out!

THE FIRST GODS EP from DOS BRUJOS

DOS BRUJOS delivers another EP of metal jams that deliver such a tight set of thrash tracks it will be over before you realize it. Your mind will be locked into these building riffs, pounding rhythms, and fuzzed-out pedals. The only thing to do is set this on repeat and listen to it again.

Take a listen over on my YouTube channel:

MAVERICK pop punk by NATURAL MORONS

Extreme high-energy pop punk from Israel's NATURAL MORONS with lyrics way above the average. The vocals are delivered lo-fi with more than enough energy to satisfy the angriest listener, and the lyrics will take you all the way back to punk's roots. I dig the whole 12-track album and don't miss out on END LIFE TO NEW START with its heavy sound and killer guitar solo. And you will crack a smile when you hear WITH YOU. Check it out!

Natural Morons is the solo project of Mark with new members on the horizon before they hit the shows. (You all know how much I dig solo musicians -- after all LOUD & LONELY VOL. 1 is where everything got its start for me.)


BURN IDOL is the latest release from Natural Morons and according to Mark it owes a lot of its sound to a very special person in his life:



NATURAL MORONS can be heard on the usual places, and be sure to go and give them a FOLLOW over on Bandcamp where you can stay up to date with their music and news:

LOW MACHINE S/T debut album

Debut album from LOW MACHINE is 45 solid minutes of instrumental and vocals stoner with layers of synths and effects giving it a taste of krautrock as they describe it. Each song has a slightly different sound with some going very heavy rock and others going a little doom. And a few great samples. Variety is a good thing when it works, and it works here. A welcome addition to the already amazing amount of music from The Heavy South America. If you are in a hurry then go straight to Fangio which is a really beautiful song with its mix of stoner and synths and fuzz, or check out Reset which showcases the variety of the vocals along with some very heavy fuzz.


Low Machine is Francisco Palavezzati (Guitar, voicing, synths, mixing and mastering), Joni Cabrera (guitars, bass), Matthieu Bellemere (drums).

SONIC SLOTH debut album

I first heard SONIC SLOTH more than 6 months ago when I bumped into them on Soundcloud and asked them to get at me when their debut album dropped. And here it is. UNREAL is the word to describe this instrumental psych album with some doom heaviness and also prog energy. What a great sound these guys have. And this ain't no EP -- this is FIFTY minutes of great music. Take a listen to SONIC SLOTH:


SONIC SLOTH is a trio from Hanau, Germany including Marco Rehwald (guitar), Daniel Schäfer (bass), and Malte Denecke (drums).

And that album cover is so great! It is by Jo Riou. Go hit their Bandcamp page and get the shirt! (and a CD too while you are there).

I've put all of my heart, soul, and skills into making this awesome metal album that is new and original in a style that is my own, that I can only describe as true "21st century groove metal" paying homage to my favorite artist/albums while staying honest and true to my own style. 

I wanted to make an album that I myself would be stoked to hear/discover and I feel that I finally did this on this album! That being said, I am extremely proud of this album and I hope you love this debut album as much as I do!!!! 

If you followed my last solo project you know that I like to make an album that "flows" from start to finish, so please give this EP an honest chance (its just under 20 mins). 

REFUGE is a 6-person band of international teens based in Nairobi, Kenya. Their sound is high-energy, guitar-driven rock n’ roll with strong influences from the ‘70s greats of classic rock and blues.

The band’s youth and diversity is unmissable – members are 12 (singer) to 15 years old and they have roots in 7 countries and 4 continents. The lead guitarist and singer are also siblings.  All of the members come from parents that work in humanitarian aid and development, which is what brought them to Kenya in the first place. 

REFUGE started in late-2016 when Patrick (guitar), Gabe (drums) and Silas (guitar) would get together to jam at each other’s houses. It went better than expected during those early jam sessions, and the boys soon realized that they had the beginning of a band. Over time, they developed a very clear preference for the blues, classic rock, and improvisational jamming. That led to them expanding in order to bring in all the necessary elements to complete the band, eventually adding Ben on bass, Teresa on vocals, and Ike on piano/organ.

The band’s influences are broad but some of the artists they admire and learn from include Santana, Allman Brothers, Black Sabbath, Grateful Dead, Jethro Tull, Ten Years After, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and Blues greats such as Albert King, Elmore James and Buddy Guy.

Facebook @PGSBrefuge
Twitter @REFUGE_kenya

KAVOD debut EP THE WHEEL OF TIME

The heavy music from Italy keeps dropping and I am glad for it. KAVOD's debut EP "THE WHEEL OF TIME" delivers the heavy psych in the form of meditative doom. This is music that is so heavy with its bass and riffs and repeating rhythms that it makes your mind start to ponder and think and meditate. Do you think that is possible for music to do? I can tell you I have seen it happen. Here in The Swamp, we listen to all of our bands (of which Kavod has recently joined us, and we are grateful!) and while we were listening to THE WHEEL OF TIME, the fair Mrs. Cracklins became very quiet. Her eyes become glassy with a far-away stare. Finally I realized what was happening! "Are you meditating?" I asked her. Her reply, "Why yes, this music has made think about a lot of things." And that is meditative doom, my friends. Continue past the jump to listen to KAVOD's meditative doom for yourself...

Rusty Mullet blues punk trio

I put out a comp a few months ago called THE HEAVY SOUTH which was exactly what you think it was -- the best and the freshest and heaviest music from the South. And a few "South in Spirit" bands from across the Pond since Heavy and South are a sound not a city on a driver's license. Well today I am hear to tell you about Rusty Mullet and if I had known about them a few months ago I surely would have asked them to get involved with that. Better late than never, and even better than that, Rusty Mullet has a new album out very soon so hit the jump and let's take a listen to the lead single NUDE SADNESS.....

The Sun That Burned Too Long EP by Shy Lizard

THE SUN THAT BURNED TOO LONG is the debut EP from alternative rock trio Shy Lizard from Swansea in South Wales, UK. It's full of catchy hooks delivered with grungy, crunchy guitar riffs and punchy drum work. Shy Lizard is all about clean, tight songs that swirl around with a taste of punk and garage without getting too far away from solid rock & roll songs. There is a nice variety of sounds even with just five tracks. Some get a little more distorted, some stay a little cleaner. The band is Ed, Cherie and Levi with Ed and Levi alternating on lead vocals like at their live shows. I really dig this EP so stream the music for yourself after the break....

LUNOSPHERE X fresh music compilation on Bandcamp

BANDS! ARTISTS! Get on my next comp! Send WAV or JPG files, bio, and social links to fuzzycracklins@gmail.com

DEAD BUTTONS 211218 (live)

Listen to the guitar work on the latest EP from Dead Buttons (on "Witch" in particular) before you declare you are not a fan of live Korean psychedelic garage rock. Then go back and listen to the whole album. This is a live recording that captures the band's energy without sacrificing the sound quality. In true psychedelic form, the band includes keys and lays down an extended song at the end of the album. Even the notoriously picky Mrs. Cracklins digs Dead Buttons and we have been playing a lot of this album during Happy Hour.


I dig Dead Buttons so much I asked them to lay down a song on Lunosphere X my comp of fresh heavy underground music. Check them out on there along with a lot of other great bands!


Korean garage rock is new to me so I asked the band if they would answer a few questions.

Dead Buttons (Photo: Javier Puelpan)

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Hello to DEAD BUTTONS and thank you for taking the time to answer some questions! Please tell us how did your band get started, and who is in the band?

Hi, nice to talk to you. I’m Jihyun, guitar and vocals of the band Dead Buttons. I formed Dead Buttons in 2012 and we became current form recently, four of us now.

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Who is who on the album cover? [photo at the top of this post] and what instruments do they play?

The guy in the front is MJ, our bassist and I’m right behind him (in green hair). Left, she’s Goyang, the keyboardist and the right is Yeonsik on drums.

Jihyun, guitar and vocals (Photo: Javier Puelpan)

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Both of your albums on Bandcamp are live recordings. How do you get the sound quality to be so good?

Thank you. The first live album was recorded at Club Sharp and the second one was at Seng Gi Studio which are our local. Both of them are recorded during our live and thankfully the house engineer sent me the tracks and they were so good that we decided to release them. 

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Do you have any plans for a studio album?

We’re working on two singles at the moment. After that we are going to start recording our new LP. 

MJ on bass (Photo: Javier Puelpan)

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Do you have any upcoming gigs or shows or festivals to play?

We’ll be playing at Peace Train Festival in June which takes place in DMZ. It must be mind blowing! And also there’s a meaningful charity show called ‘Punk Against Sexism’ in the same month.

Goyang on keyboard (Photo: Javier Puelpan)

FUZZY CRACKLINS: Tell us what the music scene is like in Seoul, and what are some of the other bands we should listen to.

The indie music scene in Seoul is not really huge but very intimate. There are so many good bands we’d recommend you to listen such as Billy Carter,  Slant, The Crawler, Jambinai and our favourite Hellivision and many more.

FUZZY CRACKLINS: When you pack for a long trip and you won't have Internet, what are the albums you put on your phone before you leave?

I would definitely put Black Sabbath ‘Paranoid’ and their self titled album on my iPhone. Oh and IDLES ‘Brutalism’, too. And here’s MJ’s list - Ravi shankar ‘The livingroom session’, Fuzz ‘Live in San Francisco’, The Roaring 420s ‘What is phych?’, Kikagaku Moyo ‘House in the tall grass’.

Yeonsik on drums (Photo: Javier Puelpan)