Motsus – Atlas

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · February 28, 2026

Motsus are a Belgium three-piece band specializing in heavy instrumental stoner rock with doom and psychedelic vibes. The band consists of Tom Maene on guitar, Wouter Verhelst on bass, and Wouter Velle on drums. Formed in 2012, Motus released their debut full length album, 2018’s Oumuamua and most recently, their sophomore record 2026’s Atlas. Atlas came out on January 30th 2026 on Polderrecords and features six tracks at thirty four minutes long.

The classical guitar sounds of “Intro (El Toro de Fuego)” lulls you in with beautifully acoustic and clean guitars. It lasts just over a minute long and calms the listener before the storm of stoner rock commences. “Driver” cranks in with the heavy fuzz driven riffs accentuated by the hammering drumming. Motsus are proprietors of the almighty riff and can weave each note into full capacity and heaviness. They have a penchant for creating and executing transitions that carry a softer and subtle sonic sound into a full on distorted riffalicious explosion. “Driver” cruises down the stoner path with a pummeling and atmospheric enchantments. The jamming buildups are enticing and keeps the song interesting.

The third track “Duna” starts with subtle percussion and airy sounds that slowly builds into an almost Egyptian style jam. It then erupts into the massive fuzzed-out doom rhythm and bulldozes ahead with chaos and repetition. The eight and a half minute monster barrels on like a freight train. When “Exploder, Pt. II” kicks in, the menacing riffs are more fierce and powerful. The dense sounds of doom are brooding and massive, while keeping the dynamics in check with interesting and atmospheric tones abroad. The almost ten minute pounding of stoner rhythms and driving grooves are heavy and relentless. “Short Notice” starts off a little quietly and then crushes into a High On Fire beating of pounding percussion and dense cathartic rhythms. Motsus are comfortable in their execution and the music has an elaborate flow and drive that is undeniable!

The final piece on Atlas is the closing track entitled “Turboslak”. The musical avalanche of heavy doom is paced with crashing cymbals and a thunderstorm of drum beatings. The riffs are brutal and thick like molasses as the heavy flow is a wrecking ball of destruction. The sound quality is terrific on Atlas, as the band wisely chose Karl Daniel Liden from Sweden, to mix and master this recording. I am really impressed with this album as a whole and find myself going back to it often. Like all great heavy instrumental rock releases, there is something nuanced to encounter with each listen as the music takes you on an ultimate sonic journey. Motsus are a new discovery for me and one that I enjoy listening to regularly.