Written by: The Administrator
I'm no expert, but I'm fairly certain it is impossible to look at this album cover and imagine it attached to anything other than some comically distorted and trippy psychedelia. Y'know, the good stuff. Terra is the debut album from Acid Arno, a self-described "loud trio" out of Berlin, and the three track contained within do not disappoint when it comes to rich fuzz and expansive acidic leads. I'm in love with this poetic and extremely apt description lifted from their promo material: Terra combines "layers of bowing deep fuzzes, lysergic delays supported by stone primal percussiveness set down in a dilated dark-trip composition." If that isn't enough, their bandcamp description states that they are "grounded to space." And yeah. I couldn't agree more. All of this is exceedingly accurate. Well said.
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Written by: The Administrator
One of my most-listened EPs of 2020 was Deserts of Mars' stellar Return From The Void, an eclectic and addictive 5-track project that effectively consumed my listening habits for the better part of a year. I'm fairly certain that these tracks are permanently and physically etched upon my brain, and I ended my (very extensive) review by predicating that I would inevitably be listening Return From The Void until the band released something new. Little did I know that new music from the Mars camp would be a loooong time coming. But! I am happy to report that Deserts of Mars have successfully maintained a prominent position in rotation whenever the urge for some familiar stoner metal hits. Which is, y'know, quite often. I am also happy to report that the mighty Dead Planet Exodus, released independently on Oct. 18th, was well worth the wait. Self-describing their hefty and irresistible style as "Mars Metal," Deserts of Mars exists in a fuzzy and occasionally tempestuous zone between stoner rock, grunge, doom, and a little trad metal attitude strewn about as well. This thing is loaded up with hard rockin' riffs and sci-fi flourishes galore, and immediately establishes a well-defined interplanetary aesthetic--not cosmic per se, but rugged and dusty. This is a concept album through and through, with the interwoven crash-landed-on-an-hostile-alien-planet storyline proving an engaging and consistent framework. And not to be overshadowed by the narrative, the music itself is likewise engaging and consistent. If you're looking for a brief review: Dead Planet Exodus is a wonderful album that successfully builds a world and capitalizes on pent-up potential, and I have very much enjoyed spending time with it over the past few months. If you're looking for a significantly longer review: I've got you covered. Read on below!  Written by: The Administrator
Given an interest in both cryptids and excellent music, I am a proud Mothman and the Thunderbirds fanboy. Ever since hearing and subsequently reviewing the crisply remastered version of "Simpson = Real Footage," one of my favorite tracks from 2021's debut Into the Hollow, I've been dying for news of a follow-up album. Into The Hollow presented a near-endlessly intriguing and eclectic weirdo blend of prog and sludge, but over time, Alex Parkinson has increasingly leaned into more infectiously poppy songwriting and production that feels lush and oh-so clean. The latter comes from Egor Lappo, who has polished away sludgy scuzz to exceptional results. The weirdness remains, however, and in the latest stage of evolution, the band labels their blend of "adventurous prog, thrilling hard rock, and dreamy psychedelia" as "dream metal." I'll be damned if that isn't a damn fine descriptor. Which brings us, conveniently enough, to today's premiere. Mothman and the Thunderbirds will be releasing the intensely enjoyable Portal Hopper on July 12th. We're honored to present here the lead single and album opener "Ruby Skies." Check it out below via the bombastic lyric video, and, as always, we'll await your arrival on the other side! 
Written by: The Administrator
I love Fuzznaut. I love Fuzznaut in the same way I love a warm quilt or the alluring drone of a rainstorm over a tin roof. Fuzznaut tends to ooze comfort, writing the kind of music that effortlessly epitomizes calmness in aural form. This new single--"Spacerock," dropping this Friday, May 3rd--continues an increasingly trademark trend. Although undoubtedly spaced out and cosmic in scope, there's nothing here that recalls the chilling vastness and isolation of space. This track, like unto everything else Fuzznaut has released to date, is warm and lush and oh-so immersive. Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's usher in today's track in question. We're honored and pleased to present the stellar "Spacerock" below. Give it a well-deserved listen. We'll meet ye, as always, on the other side! On the very occasional Friday, a wagon arrives at the Sleeping Village’s crumbling gates, stuffed to the brim with sustenance. Today is the day we must offload all this new music, and so, in the process, we thought it would be worthwhile to share some choice cuts from this veritable mass of fresh meat. This is what we’ll be--and have been--listening to today here at the Village HQ. We hope you join us in doing so! On the docket for today, April 12th, 2024 Necrot, Corvus Corone, Heavy Temple, and Exist
Written by: The Administrator
Prepare yourself, dear reader, for some stoner doom. Some lumbering stoner doom. Some lumbering mammothian stoner doom. Some lumbering mammothian psychedelic stoner doom. Some lumbering mammothian psychedelic groove-laden fuzzy megafaunic stoner doom. Some... Anyways, that's what we're dealing with here. Acid Mammoth are back for a fourth round in the ol' riff arena, Supersonic Megafauna Collision as their champion. If you're familiar with this crew's past work, you know the score. Acid Mammoth are, in my book, one of the premiere stoner doom bands active today. They are consistent, colorful, and make music that doesn't get bogged down in its own aura and atmosphere. The riffs are repetitive yet groovy and classically hooky, and the songwriting is intriguing enough to leave room for a little psych meandering without losing the thread too entirely. While I personally enjoy the vocal tone and find it to contrast nicely with the fuzzed out heft, I can see the vocals being a sticking point for some--they embrace a whining reediness. I've seen complaints that the album doesn't provide enough variation, and while the general scope of the album is pretty well established by the second track, we're not exactly here for innovation. If you're inclined to be bored by long-form psychedelic doom, this won't change your mind on the genre, particularly as the album approaches the tail end. But! Supersonic Megafauna Collision isn't about innovation--it is about the charming and quality reproduction of a formula that has been proven to work exceptionally well. I consider this the band's best work yet. If you're on the hunt for that good ol' lumbering mammothian psychedelic groove-laden fuzzy megafaunic stoner doom, Acid Mammoth will do nicely. Acid Mammoth - Supersonic Megafauna Collision was released April 5th, 2024 via Heavy Psych Sounds. Find it here!
The Sleeping Village has been around for a few years now, and during that time, a lot of reviews have unceremoniously disappeared into the dark confines of our archives, destined to never see the light of the front page again. Music appreciation, however, is a timeless affair, and in that spirit, here is a review retrieved from the deep dark depths.
Written by: The Administrator (originally published July 6th, 2019)
Sometimes a band has a almost-but-not-quite grand debut, the kind of album that bears the weight of rookie flaws, but speaks of something larger to come. And then, sometimes, said band delivers tenfold on their next outing, absolutely shattering notions of sophomore slump. And sometimes the groggy-eyed scribe who said he'd review the album in a timely manner spends two months mulling over how best to put his enamorment into words. And that lands us here, with Wolf Blood’s II spinning for what seems the umpteenth time. Wolf Blood is one of those bands who revel in throwing a bevy of ideas at the wall and hoping they stick. Unlike most who engage in such reckless activity, these folks are really damn good at making sure it all stays up there. It’s purely original stuff, and in this business, that's a significant and rare quality.
In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Here's a mini-review of a fun and rockin' single I've had on repeat as of late!
Written by: The Administrator
Well, here I am, preliminarily getting hyped for the (hopefully?!) forthcoming sophomore album from Vexing Hex, one of my personal favorite Wise Blood Records affiliates. After re-releasing the excellent Haunt (see our review here!) as well as the spooky standalone single "Red Harvest" in 2020, these Illinoisan occult rockers have been pretty damn quiet. Needless to say, I was very excited to see the name pop back up on the ol' timeline, and even more excited to see that there was a shiny new single awaiting on Bandcamp. "Into the Night" is a great track, and has comfortably occupied rotation here at the Sleeping Village since release. A perfect candidate, methinks, for a pre-weekend mini-review. Let's dive in! In one convenient package, "Into the Night" delivers all of the elements that made Vexing Hex initially stand out in a crowded field. Much like Ghost, they sit comfortably in the goth/psych rock arena while embracing a fundamental pop stickiness. As such, "Into The Night" occupies a notably enjoyable space--aesthetically macabre, yet notably upbeat and cheery. The chorus is catchy as all hell, a true earworm and a borderline radio-friendly singalong if only it were released in another era. The spooky gothic vibes are overt and tantalizingly campy. The guitar is bouncy and exciting, and a sly psychedelic current runs through the whole affair. There's little embellishments that add to the general fun--take, as a prime example, the little chimes or the subtly celebratory horns that sneak in at the tail end of the track. All told, this is a highly entertaining and highly replayable tune. Yeah, I'm sold. "Into The Night" achieves all that an advance single should. If this serves as a harbinger for things to come on Vexing Hex's next album, we're inevitably in for something good. Vexing Hex - "Into the Night" was released March 8th, 2024. Find it here! ON THE HORIZON: Madame Frankenstein - The Eyes Of The Mountain Are Mine (Brazilian Stoner Doom)1/3/2024 
Written by: The Administrator
Given our newfound sense of productivity here at our humble slumbering township, it is high time, methinks, to bring back a frequently forgotten Sleeping Village feature. That's right, dear reader. It's time once more for On The Horizon. Not a review per se, nor an album announcement, but rather a third secret thing that lurks awkwardly betwixt the two. Today, we gaze towards what appears to be the second full length from Brazilian stoned doomsters Madame Frankenstein. I heard (and quite enjoyed) their debut album released last year, which served as a collection of loose singles and EPs dropped throughout 2023. The bluntly entitled Doom brought a familiar fuzzy approach alongside some thin and filtered vocals that served well to exemplify the detached psychedelic vibe. The general aesthetic presented in their cover artwork across the album and singles was quite nice as well. Doom demonstrated some notable promise in a subgenre that has no shortage of fresh blood, but regrettably seemed to have missed the press circuit--I was a little surprised to see so few folks in the stoner doom scene talking about Madame Frankenstein. In any case, February of this year will see the release of a new six track project entitled The Eyes Of The Mountain Are Mine. I'm hopeful for a little more deserved fanfare this time around. 
Written by: The Administrator
Long before our eventual love for the brutality and extremity of the far reaches of the metalverse, we slumbering scribes were infatuated with the more primordial stuff. A certain affinity for the fuzz-laden riff-centric rock of olde abounds, and so when the opportunity arose to premiere a track from Brooklyn's Grandpa Jack, we leapt at the chance. This power trio is dropping a new album--entitled Grits--on July 29th via Lost Moon Records. Today's song in question, the stellar "Once Bitten," serves as the debut single. It's a killer track, as ye shall soon witness, and certainly whets my appetite for the remainder of the album's bounty. But! Before my self-indulgent chatter inevitably scares you off: please check out "Once Bitten" below! We'll meet ye on the other side. |
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