Astroqueen – Rufus Rising EP

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · May 29, 2025

Sweden’s Astroqueen has returned with a new four song EP called Rufus Rising. Originally formed in 1998, the stoner metal quartet, consisting of Daniel Anghede on vocals and guitar, Daniel Tolergard on guitar, Johan Bachman on drums, and Mattias Vester on bass, are back in true form. Their 2001 debut album Into Submission, which was re-released in 2023 (review here) under Into Submission (Re:Mission), is simply a classic! I feel it’s one of the definitive albums from the early 2000’s that classified what true stoner rock from Sweden was all about, at that time. The fuzzy guitars on that record are amazing and every song on it is exceptional. The press release for Rufus Rising states: “Astroqueen is back with fresh material! This time, they’ve dusted off unreleased tracks from their debut album, Into Submission. New guitars have been recorded, but fans will still recognize the old, fuzzy Astroqueen sound we all love!” The band returned to their original engineer Andy La Rocque and reworked these tracks, which sound incredible.

The opening song is called “Turbin Turbine” and it totally rips! Erupting out of the gate with a righteous fuzz-laden guitar sound, the track kicks into the desert groove that was so prevalent on Into Submission. Granted these songs were written at that time but the sound is so pure and fresh that it totally works in today’s modern world. Daniel Anghede’s vocals sound fantastic and the production on these songs are loud and clear. “Other Side Of Nothing” stomps on next and crushes like the opener. There is an unmistakable tone and vibe that only Astroqueen can deliver, from the fuzz drenched guitar riffs to the infectious melodies that they create. The vocals are catchy and the hammering drums give the overall sound a distinct wallop. It’s so great to hear that familiar and glorious sound refurbished and blasting in my ear drums again.

The third track called “Tidal Wave” is one of my favorites. The band released it as a single last year and I’m happy that it’s included on this. The song is a raging rocker that is saturated with fuzz and wrapped in hook-loaded melodies. The vocals, once again are terrific and the dense rhythms are doused in heavy psych and distorted bliss. The song floats right into “Rufus Rising” which is an airy and atmospheric sound off of sorts. The ambient noises drift off into outer space and beyond. The crackle and synth segments fade away and has the listener craving for more. The EP is only nineteen minutes long but it really locks in to what Into Submission started, twenty four years ago. I really hope to hear another full length album from Astroqueen in the near future. These tracks are a tease but they are so damn good. Majestic Mountain Records has released this record on May 2nd 2025 on assorted vinyl options (which I believe are already sold out!), which further explains the demand for some new Astroqueen material. This band is one of the OGs in true stoner/ desert rock and have created music that is still alive and thriving-and still current sounding today.