Heavy Underground Band & Album reviews: My favorites in Riff rock/ fuzz/ stoner/ doom/ sludge/ heavy psych/ hardcore & metal

Ravine – Chaos And Catastrophes

Ravine formed in 2018 and deliver a mammoth dose of sludge heavy doom metal goodness. The lineup consists of Nico Schmutz (Robots of the Ancient World) on guitar, Justin Morgan (SkullDozer) on guitar, Matt Amott (Wölflaut) on drums, Dylan Wills (Brick Bath) on bass, and Paul Dudziak (Mammoth Salmon) on vocals. The five-piece just released their debut full length album,...

Crystal Spiders – Live 7/19/25

Live at O’Briens Pub in Boston, Massachusetts USA *July 19th 2025* There have been a few instances of being totally enthralled in a live band and charged up and energized by their sound and performance. When this happens, I feel like I’m in an altered state of consciousness. Slomosa had this effect on me (review here). My wife and I...

Domkraft – Self Titled (10th Anniversary Expanded Edition)

The heavy psychedelic doom trio Domkraft are a remarkable band. This ten year anniversary edition of their debut EP comes at you remastered and with two new unreleased tracks. The band consists of Martin Wegeland on bass and vocals, Martin Widholm on guitars, and Anders Dahlgren on drums. With four full length albums, two EPs, and a live record, Domkraft...

Bifter – First Impressions Of Hell 

First Impressions Of Hell is a heavy and scorching release from the Sydney, Australian four-piece, Bifter. Consisting of Rory Wheatley on vocals and guitar, Luke Martin on vocals and synth, Nathan O’Hara on bass, and Gus Hart on drums, Bifter is a sludge heavy stoner doom machine. First Impressions Of Hell was released on April 7th 2025 and contains twelve...

Sleeping Mountain – Self Titled 

Sometimes when I hear a certain band for the first time, everything just connects with their music and the particular state of mind that I’m in. Sleeping Mountain is a stoner prog rock band from northern London and they have made a huge impression on me. The power trio from the UK are absolutely fantastic! They consist of Aitor Mendez...

Temple Fang – Lifted From The Wind 

Temple Fang is a heavy psychedelic rock band from Amsterdam, Netherlands. The quartet features Dennis Duijnhouwer on vocals, bass, and synth, Jevin de Groot on vocals, guitar, and percussion, Ivy van der Veer on guitar, and vocals, and Daan Wopereis on drums and vocals. The band has two full length albums, their debut 2021’s Fang Temple, and their latest 2025’s...

Kentucky Green – Mammoth 

Kentucky Green is a heavy stoner blues rock band from Brisbane, Australia. Formed in 2019, the trio combine southern fried doom with de-tuned heavy blues. They have three full length albums including their debut, 2020’s Galactic Acid, 2022’s Creatures Of Bad Habits, and their latest, 2025’s Mammoth. Mammoth was released on May 28th 2025 and contains six tracks in thirty...

Hexecutioner – Tornit

Hexecutioner is a stoner/ doom/ sludge rock band from Seattle, Washington. Formed in 2021, they have released two full length albums thus far, 2024’s Pagan Ground and their latest, 2025’s Tornit. The band consists of Erin Gravina on guitar, vocals, and bass, and Bryce Hebner on drums. Daniel McManus played bass on Pagan Ground. The now two-piece band released Tornit...

MOOCH – KIN

Montreal, Canada’s heavy rocking and fuzzed out blues trio are back with a new album called KIN. MOOCH has released 2020’s Hounds, 2023’s Wherever It Goes, and 2024’s Visions, as well as the Cabin EP. KIN is the band’s fourth LP and their first with Canada’s excellent record label, Black Throne Productions. The album is barely a full length, clearing...