Suplecs – Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky
Suplecs are a stoner rock band from New Orleans, Louisiana that formed in 1996. The trio plays a mix of heavy riff rock and metal, with hardcore, punk, and doom elements. The lineup has stayed consistent since their inception, featuring Danny Nick on bass and vocals, Durel Yates on guitars and vocals, and Andrew Preen on drums. They have released five studio albums including: 2000’s Wrestlin’ With My Lady Friend, 2001’s Sad Songs… Better Days, 2005’s Powtin’ On The Outside Pawty On The Inside, 2011’s Mad Oak Redoux, and their latest, 2026’s Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky. Freshly signed with Ripple Music, Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky was released on February 20th 2026 and it contains twelve tracks at forty nine minutes long.
I have been a fan of Suplecs since the early 2000’s, when I discovered them via the old stoner rock dot com website. I consider them to be one of the “legendary” stoner rock bands from the early years that really got me hooked on this style of music. Their sound is unmistakably their own and Hymns From A Blood Moon Sky is their first new album in fifteen years and marks a thirty year career as a band. I was so excited when they announced their return, I have been waiting, eagerly anticipating this record.
The first thing I notice upon listening to Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky is how awesome it sounds! The recording and production on this album is incredible and each instrument is perfectly balanced in the mix. They tracked the recording at High Tower Studios with highly regarded engineer James Whitten, who worked with High On Fire and Thou, among many others. “Got Nothing” starts off the record with a bang! Heavy fuzz-laden guitars, distorted low end bass, and thunderous drums, it marks the triumphant return of these stoner metal veterans. The almost shouty hardcore style vocals are blended meticulously with the dense riff rocking music. Right out of the gate, this sounds like Suplecs in true form! “Pentacle Star” kicks in next and it continues the riff battering with glorious accents of guitar harmonies and tightly knitted rhythms. The musicianship is undeniable and Suplecs are truly back reclaiming their spot in the heavy underground music universe.
The third track entitled “I See You” has a more smooth vocal approach and it’s a tribute to guitarist Durel Yates’ mother. The mid paced rocker has excellent harmonic leads and stomping noise rocking accents which sounds terrific. The music has touches of grunge and prog infused within the slamming rhythms and heavy grooves. It blends right into the doomy tones of “Forest Of Fires”, slowing down the tempo into a heavy and devastating menace of molten metal. Suplecs are masters of gripping tonality, etching out grungy Sabbath riffs and fiery leads in momentous fashion. “Black Water Rising” has a righteous rocking groove that gets the head bobbing uncontrollably. There’s an unmistakable swagger to these songs that only Suplecs can pull off. These tracks have everything you could ever want from a stoner rock album. A great sounding production pushing fuzzed-out grooves and inviting tones, with cool vocals that gel nicely.
On the sixth track and half way point of the record, they go into “Old Spanish Trail”, a more mellow and trippy musical excursion. They utilize their talents magnificently and create an interesting and atmospheric orchestra of psychedelic rock. The dreamy instrumental layers in some tasty keyboards and really showcase their sound into an epic composition of jazzy ambiance. “Damn These Pills” delivers more heavy doom riffing with a hypnotic grittiness with crushing rhythms. The dark and haunting overtones give the song an eerie feel. The bass commands the changes and the sludgy and swampy riffs fuel the sound, off into the murky bayou. The next track “Mountain” is a desert rock delicacy! Bouncy rhythms and southern fried grooves are flavored all over this one. The subtle keys in the background give the song warmth and the guitar riffs are so powerful and satisfying with the smooth vocals bringing the song along. The cool tribal-esc percussion at the end is an outstanding added bonus to an already excellent number.
The next song expresses the punk and hardcore roots from Suplecs. “$6 Man” begins with the bass and fires into a steady rocking flow of riff-tastic fury. Pic slides and pounding drums make their statement in this less than two minute rager. Whereas “Heartless Bodies” strikes next and it’s another great song! The vocals have a nice blend of smooth to a more aggressive approach. I hear some great metal harmonies mixed towards the end which escalates the flow of the song. The first single on Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky was the next track called “No Apologies”. It’s yet another banger combining all of the key elements that make Suplecs so wonderful. The gliding rhythms shift from heavy doom to more progressive tones, and these guys are solid to the core. The fifteen year gap between records hasn’t slowed them down one bit! The ending sequence is especially enticing with some Maiden and metallic segments taking form.
The last song is another superb track entitled “La Ti Da”. It has a dense doom blazing sound that is brooding and darkly articulate. The horn section is especially sharp and adds a haunting allure to the song. There are elements of jazz back-lined throughout this recording too, keeping tradition alive in the NOLA spirit. Plenty of variance between these twelve tracks but always sounding like Suplecs. Hymns Under A Blood Moon Sky is a deep and introspective record that is a slow burner that transcends into an epic musical experience. Suplecs have returned better than ever and I am so grateful that they are back. This is absolutely the record I was hoping for and an early favorite for 2026. It’s the kind of record that is initially good but repeated listens solidifies the absolute brilliance of Suplecs and their songwriting skills backed by their sheer musical talent.
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https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/hymns-under-a-blood-moon-sky
