Heavy riffs, killer guitar solos, and Neil Young! Fuzzy is digging this sweet little EP from Santa Cruz's SLOTH. You might remember the last time I reviewed the band (https://www.fuzzycracklins.com/2020/10/sloth.html) and I'm glad to say that Sloth returns with their signature lo-fi heavy psych stoner doom. And this time, it's got vampires. Check out "Children of the Sun" on Bandcamp:

Let's talk a little about the homage to Neil Young who sure has laid down some killer guitar fuzz in his time, so it is awesome to hear him get some love from the Underground. SLOTH's interpretation of Young's iconic "Hey Hey My My" amps up the fuzz and dials down the vocals almost out of the mix completely, and I love it. (And hey hey my my, speaking of cover songs, go check out The Swamp's cover tribute "Swamp Sabbath" with 14 Black Sabbath tracks at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQuDAgwN_wY)

"Salem" slows things down (if that was possible) and adds in acoustic guitar, and it sounds to me like a song Neil Young would be proud to call his own. 

The title songs anchors the EP, and it starts off with a great sample, and then launches into a slow thunderous riff. 

There's a theme that ties the songs together. From the band: 

The album is heavily inspired by Stephen King's Salem's Lot and follows the concept of the Master Vampire preying and recruiting the townspeople into his undead legion. Songs throughout the album are written through this perspective (such as "Salem" and "Children of the Sun"). The former is a melancholic folk/ country inspired song written as through the Master Vampire's thoughts as night falls on the town. The latter song, "Children of the Sun" follows Sloth's characteristic doom tinged proto-metal in a mind booming finale with apocalyptic fuzzed out grooves, booming drums, grooving bass, and swirling twin guitars. 

Not every solo band can pull off a big or complete enough sound to pass for a 3 piece, but the songwriting going on here is executed perfectly by the lone musician (Ariel Pang). 

I dig this so much I'm having trouble explaining exactly what it is that grabs my earholes so completely. I think it's because the album delivers that old-school heavy ass sound in a way that doesn't sound old at all. 

A few copies of the limited edition CD are available at https://heavysloth.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-the-sun

Sloth hails from Santa Cruz, California (Fuzzy's college town!). From the band:

I (Ariel Pang) am the sole creative behind "Sloth" including writing, producing, recording, all instruments, and mixing/mastering of the album as well as designing the art for the covers/CDs for sale on the bandcamp. Coming from the Northern Californian redwood city of Santa Cruz, the monolithic landscapes of the region have also largely inspired my creative processes.

Go check out (and follow) Sloth over on Bandcamp at https://heavysloth.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-the-sun

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Fuzzy never complains about short EPs and especially not during a pandemic. So I'm glad to hear from the dudes in BLACK MARKET DRUGS -- has it really been over 2 years since their debut album? (Fuzzy's review is at https://www.fuzzycracklins.com/2019/02/black-market-drugs.html) The vocals and overall sound are a little more mellow this time, but the band is still loud and pissed off. (And who isn't a little more mellow after the past year?) BMD is pretty much the poster child in my unpublished Book of Doom Punk. Listen to Black Market Drugs on Bandcamp:

The opening track is the closest to the band's original sound and is sure to please both old and new fans. Fuzz with an angry punk edge with the vocals in overdrive.

The middle track gets a little dreamy, but psych rock has always been a part of BMD's sound, and "Drained" is a cool song.

Each of the 3 songs has a distinct style, and I might say that the final song "20 Sack" is my favorite with its melancholy guitar tone yet thundering riff that grows and grows as the song pummels along. 

I'm glad these guys dropped this treat of an EP on us, and here's hoping it's a lot less than 2 years before we hear from them again.

Self-proclaimed "fuzz-drenched power trio" Black Market Drugs hails from So Cal (West Covina). 

Also check out their 2019 debut and follow the band at https://blackmarketdrugs.bandcamp.com

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SATAN'S CHILDREN just released "Abstract Expressionism" which is their first album since 2017. Slow and heavy, with a destination in mind but in no hurry to get there. There's plenty of satanic samples, haunted house organ playing, and bone-rattling. The band calls their music "psychedelic doom" but to me it's more like "horror psych." Symphonic doom without the symphony, but with the same intent. Definitely the soundtrack for your next escape room experience -- from a haunted mansion. Or graveyard burial. I'm definitely digging it, too (pun intended.) Check out "Abstract Expressionism" by Satan's Children on Bandcamp: 

Fuzzy's Favorite: I usually pick a favorite song, but instead I want to pick "The Vocals" since they really stand out while fitting perfectly with the feeling of the music. And if I really have to pick a song, I'd say "Lost Chord of Creations" brings together the best of what Satan's Children has to offer. And the guitar solo in "0.1345094 Is An Intimidating Number" is not to be missed. 

Satan's Children are from Vancouver -- or are they? No personnel info is available, so it's possible they are not even alive. Which explains the unearthly sound of this album. 

From the band:

These kids have become an intelligent & talented musical being whose desire is to create music as a powerful mind transcending tool that everyone can use to ultimately bask in the wisdom of the ever lasting universe. Know what we're sayin?

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Ya gotta love it when a band delivers on the promise of their demo, and Germany's KYNING ("kinning") will drop their debut album this Friday (April 9) which more than delivers on the promise of their three-track demo. Fuzzy dug the demo so much that I included a track on my "Green Fuzz Ritual" comp back in 2019. The 3 songs from the demo have been re-recorded in a full studio, and along with a previous live song, are joined by 4 new tracks. Listen now to "Bury me closer" and come back on Friday to hear the full album on Bandcamp: 

So what's to dig here? Kyning works from a heavy, riff-driven foundation upon which they are not afraid to build up their music with a prog energy. And the vocals -- the singing simply puts Kyning into a league of their own. The singing stands out not only for being unique, but also in its delivery. It's a challenge for a singer to keep up with the leaps and bounds of this style of music, and singer / guitarist Johannes is more than up for the challenge. 

Did I mention the progressive elements going on here? And there's also a taste of jazz and improvisation, such as the extended instrumental section in "Sacred Trickster." 

The song titles and lyrics suggest these songs are about an ancient king and in fact the band's name itself is a reference to that. Here's what the band says about it -- 

Band name as well as the album title derive from old english - kyning, the king or kind, Ân the numeral 1, but also beginning. With tha band's name and the overall aesthetics of the cover we wanted to show things old and withered, terms and symbols that had an importance long ago but today remain hollow and obsolete. Thus the withered and overgrown throne on the cover: the image of the old king is still to be seen, but the most innocent creature - once hunted - now sits on the symbol of the kingship of yore, it's reign obsolete.  Ân though gives the notion of something new, the possibilities of starting anew from the ruins of old. It also marks the start of our musical journey as a band and represents the years we play and write songs together - all coming from different backgrounds musically.

Fuzzy's Favorite: "The Once and Future King" capture's the band's blend the prog with stoner riffs and the vocals and then adds a killer guitar solo on top of that, which aims for the stars but then chills out and brings you back to earth. "Yokai's Reach" is definitely the most epic song on the album. But every song on "Ān" more than pulls its weight and you won't find yourself skipping around on this album.

With its fusion of prog & stoner, "Ān" is an album that will be unique in your collection, so be sure to follow Kyning on Bandcamp at https://kyning.bandcamp.com

Kyning hails from Germany with members: 

• Drums: Nils
• Vocals/Guitar: Johannes
• Guitar: Matthias
• Bass: Otto

Listen to my interview with Johannes on The Fuzzy Underground Podcast at https://fuzzycracklins.podbean.com/e/ep-5-live-streaming-kyning-talks-to-fuzzy-cracklins/

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"Clairvoyance" is the debut album from Greece's HIERONYMUS DREAM.  Pure instrumental psych with touches of space rock and krautrock in equal measure, these 4 tracks clock it at half an hour and deliver nothing but high-energy music to fuel your next flight into outer (or inner) space. Check out "Clairvoyance" on Bandcamp:

Nothing less than straight-up brilliant psych is going on here. Energetic, detailed, and it has a depth of sound which serves as a foundation on which the musicians can weave their dream. (It might be that the outdoor live recording gives this album its deep sound.) Each instrument is pulling its weight without taking over the sound, and the resulting songs are balanced and crafted.

Fuzzy's Favorite: "Cleomedes Heavens" but you can't miss with any of these songs. 

Also check out Hieronymus Dream's new single "Second Trail of Alcyone" -- 

Hieronymus Dream is a 5-piece band that hails from Rhodes, Greece. 

From the band:

Rhodes Island, Greece in the year 2020. Where the mountain meets the sea and the sea meets a starlit sky. The five-piece band Hieronymus Dream found themselves to create there own version of cosmic Psychedelic-Neo-Krautrock with the 4-track debut EP “Clairvoyance”.

Following the ancestor steps of bands like Aphrodite`s Child, Neu and newer artists like Maserati, they come to take the listener into a deep, but yet smooth psychedelic shamanic dream ride.

The album was recorded live outdoors under the Rhodian sky fully analog.

Follow Hieronymus Dream band on Bandcamp to keep up with their music and news at https://hieronymusdream.bandcamp.com

Hieronymus Dream is featured on Fuzzy's new compilation "Sargent Signals Psychedelic Genocide Part B 2020" on Bandcamp at https://theswamprecords.bandcamp.com/album/psychedelic-genocide-part-b-2020

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If you ever thought to yourself, I really dig grunge but I wish it was just a little heavier? Then you are in for a treat with "Cellar Door" by MAGUS SCORPIO. This 2-track debut EP shows off the chugging riffs and killer vocals of Wisconsin's Mike Mata who handles it all. Check out "Cellar Door" on Bandcamp: 

To me, grunge is stripped-down heavy metal but you can call it whatever you like. It's just hard-charging rock, right? And that's enough to enjoy right there. But what MAGUS scorpio adds to the mix is just a little extra layer of heaviness, and also some extended solos which are rarely found in classic grunge. For instance, dig the solo at the end of "Broken Meditation" which just flat-out rips the roof off.

Hey it's NYP on Bandcamp so check out "Cellar Door" and be sure to hit that follow button on MAGUS scorpio's Bandcamp page so you can find out when their album is released.

MAGUS scorpio on Bandcamp

From MAGUS scorpio band: 

MAGUS scorpio is a unique project combining the dark and heavy sounds that make up doom and stoner rock inspired by Satanism in a modern setting while contrasting the experience with a touch of psych/euphoria most notably expressed through 90s alternative (at times known as grunge) music and the sweet leaf we all know and love.

MAGUS scorpio is looking for a label to release their upcoming album. Contact magusscorpio13@gmail.com

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Just released last night is Fuzzy's latest compilation on Bandcamp with 27 killer psychedelic tracks, "Sargent Signals Psychedelic Genocide Part B 2020" featuring songs from the best psychedelic and heavy bands from around the Underground. Check it out:

Check out Fuzzy's new compilation "Sargent Signals Psychedelic Genocide Part B 2020" on Bandcamp at https://theswamprecords.bandcamp.com/album/psychedelic-genocide-part-b-2020 (it's NYP) and be sure to follow THE SWAMP RECORDS on Bandcamp for more killer music comps!

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Scroll to the end for a free album code! "Unostentatious" is the debut EP from POLYMERASE which delivers a very chill blend of psych and stoner. A little slower in tempo than most, and that gives the songs a chance to explore the details in the riffs. Filled with fuzz and solos, this collection of tracks is not to be missed by fans of desert / psych / stoner music. Top rate music lies within! Listen to "Unostentatious" on Bandcamp:

I really dig the guitar tone that carries the album, with the slow pace, both of which build up to some wild solos such as the one at the end of "A Night with a Succubus." These songs don't wander around -- they have a mission to lay down a riff and build it up and send it off into outer space. 

Another highlight for me is the opening riff of "Lightbringer//Lightgiver" with is haunting melody that leads into a killer song.

We don't get vocals until the last song "Green Is The Color of Evil" (which it is), and they are a battle fuzzed-out and sludgy versus clean singing, and a perfect fit for the music. Also this song kinda hits some of the sounds from The Stooges -- always a good thing in my book!

I'm definitely digging this album!

Fuzzy's favorite: All 4 of these songs are excellent desert rock, but I'll pick "A Night with a Succubus" for the best title. 

Polymerase band is from Quezon City, Philippines with members: 

• VN Jose- Vox
• Vincent Jose- Guitars/Bass
• Francis Ilagan- Drums

From the band:

Polymerase started in 2014 in Quezon City, Philippines with brothers Vincent and VN but because of Life, the band has been set aside. They made a couple of recordings but was eaten into the abyss when the computer with the saved files got broken. It was only in 2020 during the pandemic when VN reminded Vincent about their long-forgotten band project, so the latter immediately went riffing and made a new recording, posted it in facebook to draw out the attention of any drummer friend who has a free time. Then, Francis, a former drummer bandmate of Vincent messaged and tried putting beats for Polymerase. After exchanging emails and ideas, Unostentatious happened. The sound ranges from the genres of psychedelic-doom, sludge, space rock, stoner metal, and everything in between. The band is hoping to release an EP or a full length by the end of this year.

We don't have a lot of bands in the Underground scene from the Philippines, so be sure to follow Polymerase band on Bandcamp to keep up with their music and news at https://polymerase.bandcamp.com

Grab a code and add this album to your Bandcamp collection! Redeem at 

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