Category: New Releases

Artist: Sounds Of New Soma 
Title: The Story Of Sam Buckett
Format: LP, Digital
Label: Tonzonen Records
Distribution: Cargo
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Berlin School, Krautrock
Release Date: 14/02/2024

Beyond The Acid Dream, the first album by the sound tinkering duo, was released in 2014. The album, with its seemingly floating long tracks, was often associated in the press with music from the Berlin School, Tangerine Dream and Krautrock in general. In the scene, it quickly achieved a certain cult status among fans of psychedelic music.

The album Moebius Tunnel followed in 2016. From then on, the sound became more experimental and a mixture of electronic songs and psychedelic rock characterised the upcoming releases. In addition, the duo increasingly worked with guest musicians (for example Andreas Lessenich – saxophone and Armin Schopper – drums), which further enhanced the Sounds Of New Soma concept.

By 2023, the duo had released 12 albums, a 10″ and a 7″. The Story Of Sam Buckett is now their thirteenth album. Guest musicians are Armin Schopper (drums) and Steffen Gründel (saxophone).

Their music is a psychedelic frenzy that draws on elements of classic Krautrock, electronic soundscapes and experimental structures. Hypnotic rhythms meet spherical synthesiser sounds, driving guitars meet unexpected soundscapes. Their compositions are organic and develop with the ease of free improvisation, without losing their stringency or depth.

With Sounds Of New Soma we experience Krautrock in a form that is both familiar and completely new. On the new album, the duo takes us on the indefinite journey of scientist Sam Buckett into the infinite expanses of the cosmos – both outer and inner. 

The album tells the story of Sam Buckett, a US scientist who was already researching the possibility of manned space travel in the 1920s. He presented his research findings several times to high-ranking government officials, who dismissed them as irrational. In the end, Sam Buckett was ignored by the government and ridiculed by his colleagues. Nevertheless, he continued his research in a secret laboratory in Rhode Island. A few confidants helped him with his research. Over the years, the small team developed various methods for possible manned space travel and eventually set about building a spaceship called Quasar.

With ectoplasm on board as food and an iron will to discover new galaxies, his trail was lost after the successful launch in March 1929. His few loyal colleagues kept silent about the research and took the secret of Sam Buckett to their graves.

Sam Buckett was forgotten and nobody living on earth knows his story. It remained secret and closed and no one learnt of his research and what became of him. Sounds Of New Soma transcend genre boundaries with The Story Of Sam Buckett: their music is a homage to the pioneers of Krautrock, such as Neu!, Can and Tangerine Dream, and at the same time a glimpse into the future of the genre. In their sonic alchemy, influences from psychedelic, ambient and space rock merge into a unique sound that penetrates deep into the senses and creates an almost trance-like atmosphere. 

The duo are masters at taking the listener on a journey – sometimes meditative and introspective, sometimes ecstatic and escalating. The music of Sounds Of New Soma is an experience, a constantly changing flow that makes every moment appear in a different light.

For all those who are ready to embark on a sonic adventure, the duo offers the perfect soundtrack universe: here, the limits of listening are explored, thoughts are abducted and transported into a new, dazzling cosmos.

Tracklist
01. Rhode Island 1929   
02. Higgs-Bosonometer   
03. Quasar   
04. Bakku-Shan Dinner   
05. Nahpunk   
06. Antineuralring   
07. Surreal Journey.  
08. Toenivornia   
09. Twin Suns   
10. Himmlischer Wanderer   
11. Liquide Gravitation   
12. Merkurkanon

Links
Official: https://soundsofnewsoma.de
Facebook: https://facebook.com/SoundsOfNewSoma
Bandcamp: https://soundsofnewsoma.bandcamp.com
Label: https://www.tonzonen.de

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Artist: Ghostsmoker
Title: Inertia Cult
Format: LP, Digital
Label: Art As Carthasis
Genre: Doom/ Sludge
Release Date: 21/03/2025

Ghostsmoker‘s debut album Inertia Cult is a record of earth-shaking sludge and blackened doom.

Following the release of their 2022 EP Grief, Inertia Cult represents an evolution for Melbourne’s Ghostsmoker. Their newly refined, collaborative approach to recording has allowed the band to hammer out powerful riffs, tighter song structures and further experiment with mood and atmospherics. Comparisons to Conan, Thou, Bongripper and ISUA are warranted. Each of Ghostsmoker‘s riffs ring with monolithic, thunderous power, generating the kind of sonic intensity that only comes from years of amplifier worship.

“We’ve grown a lot as a band since our first EP (Grief) in 2022, and that’s reflected in this album,” says vocalist Nathan Brunning. “Our confidence and understanding of who/what we are comes through on this release, and it sets a great foundation for what we do next.“

“Apart from musical influences within the genre, there are plenty of nods to things outside that space that have found their way in,” continues Brunning. “Some of the atmospheric parts are definitely influenced by horror and sci-fi soundtracks, and our video for Incarnate is a direct homage to the film Skinamarink. As kids of the 80’s and 90’s, that lo-fi aesthetic is deeply ingrained in us, so that found its way in here and there as well.“

Opening with haunting howls chased with bone-crushing riffs, Incarnate is the first single from Inertia Cult. The song wages a careful balancing act between loud, hulking instrumentals and haunting ambient inspired sections, each one underscored by slamming drums and wild lashes of fuzz from every string struck. The final product is both hypnotic yet rhythmically punishing, a balancing act that, on face, is hard to achieve.

“Incarnate is about being stuck in a loop of despair and not being able to move forward through your grief and trauma,” says Brunning. “During the very early stages of writing for the album, my brother passed away suddenly which had a significant impact on the lyrical themes on the record. Our drummer Brayden’s father also passed away while we were in the studio recording the album, and the rest of us rallied together to finish the job in dedication to our friend who was going through such a painful time in life, and his father, who was his biggest supporter. The above, the hurdles of everyday life, relationships failing, new ones forming etc all ultimately fed into making this album what it is.”

With live performances that have been hailed as brutal, earth shattering and monolithic, Ghostsmoker are developing a much warranted reputation across Australian gig halls. 

Preparing for the release of Inertia Cult sees the band committing to a promotional tour for Incarnate‘s release across Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide throughout November and December this year. Following that, a full album release tour will take place in March 2025 across Australia, with the potential for overseas tours to Japan or Europe. 

Don’t miss one of Australia’s finest up and coming doom bands. The tectonic heaviness of Ghostsmoker’s Inertia Cult is sure to ring in your ears for days, and is essential listening for loves of sludge, post-metal, doom and drone alike.

Ghostsmoker’s new album Inertia Cult is out 21 March 2025 on Art As Catharsis.

Tracklist
1. Elogium   
2. Bodies to Shore   
3. Incarnate   
4. Inertia Cult   
5. Haven   
6. The Death of Solitude

Links  
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/Ghostsmoker
Bandcamp: https://ghostsmokerau.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ghostsmokerband
Facebook: https://acebook.com/ghostsmokerband
Art As Catharsis: http://www.artascatharsis.com

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Artist: Mauvais Sang
Title: La Flore
Format: CD, Digital 
Labels: Daaganda Records
Distribution: The Orchard
Genre: Noisy Rock
Release Date: 22/11/2024

Mauvais Sang, originally from Haute-Savoie and now spread across Geneva, Lyon, Paris, and London, gained recognition in 2022 with their debut album Des Corps Dans Le Décor. Their style blends rock, electronic elements, harp, and violin, with influences from Léo Ferré and Jonny Greenwood. Formed around guitarist Mathis Saunier and vocalist Léo Simond, the group is joined by drummer Antoine Vercellotti and multi-instrumentalist singers Anouck Bizon and Ana Egorova. Their new EP La Flore, the first part of a two-part series, tackles themes like ecology, individualism, and modern relationships, offering a fusion of noise, rock, electro, and meaningful lyrics. Recorded mainly in Chamonix, the EP contrasts visual purity with darker content, notably in the singles Seine and Modèle, which explore ecology and human relationships shaped by social media, respectively. Each track reflects an aspect of contemporary society: Sybille is a simple, poetic love declaration, while Nuit venin delves into nighttime violence and women’s vulnerability. Mauvais Sang aims to capture the issues of our time with a unique sound, anticipating the release of La Faune in 2025, which will complete their poetic and critical reflection on human nature.

Guitarist Mathis Saunier and vocalist Léo Simond have spent half their lives together, knowing each other and writing songs since they were 13—Mathis primarily creating the music and Léo handling most of the lyrics. Drummer Antoine Vercellotti contributes to the visual and graphic aspects; after creating the artwork for Décor on their first album, he took on the monumental task of directing the video for Seine. Singer and harpist Anouck Bizon joined the group in the summer of 2023, while singer and violinist Ana Egorova, who had already collaborated on remixes for the first album, is now a full member of the band. Depending on opportunities and occasionally with the addition of a bassist, Mauvais Sang can now perform as anything from a trio to a quintet on stage.

Tracklist
1. Modèle
2. Seine
3. Sybille
4. Nuit venin

Links 
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/mauvaissang__
Instagram: https://instagram.com/mauvaissang__
Facebook: https://facebook.com/MauvaisSangOfficiel
Bandcamp: https://mauvaissangprojet.bandcamp.com
Label: https://daaganda.com

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Artist: super FLORENCE jam
Title: 60 Big Ones
Format: CD, Digital
Label: Bird’s Robe Records
Distribution: MGM
Genre: Garage/ Alternative Rock
Release Date: 15/11/2024

Influential but long-dead Sydney rock four-piece super FLORENCE jam no longer exist – but, undeterred, they will nevertheless release a new record: 60 Big Ones.

Recorded in 2012, lost for a decade and then unearthed by sleepmakeswaves’ Alex Wilson for final overdubs in 2023, 60 Big Ones captures the band in a mood that is exuberant, melancholy and anthemic. 

Revisiting and advancing their themes of ennui, lust and the passage of time, it further hones the band’s unique sound—with noise pop, revamped garage rock, 60s harmonies, paranoid bluesy rave-ups and at least one explosion thrown into the mix—and adds a raft of new songs to complement their EPs super FLORENCE jam and We Always Knew It Would Come To This as well as their live album You’ve Had It Too Easy For Too Long.

The band comments: “It’s not quite right to say that this EP will take you back to 2012. It is completely timeless. It serves as a greatest hits compilation because our best work was usually our most recent, and it’s called 60 Big Ones because each one of these songs is worth ten normal songs. 

We are indebted to sleepmakeswaves’ Alex Wilson, without whom this 21 minutes and 27 seconds of us contending with our younger selves would never have seen the light of day. We would also like to thank everyone this EP is for – whoever you are. Here lies super FLORENCE jam … still alive.”

60 Big Ones is out November 15, 2024 via Bird’s Robe Records on streaming services and CD.

Tracklist
1. Ocean’s Way
2. Haunted
3. Hold’s Tight
4. European Vacation
5. The Elusive Obvious
6. Want It Now                  

Links
Bandcamp: https://superflorencejam.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/superflorencejam
Label: https://birdsrobe.com   

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Artist: Astral Kompakt
Title: Goldader
Format: LP, Digital
Label: Tonzonen Records
Distribution: Cargo 
Genre: Stoner Rock
Release Date: 22/11/2024

Astral Kompakt carefully dissect the psych metal blueprint laid out by Sleep and Electric Wizard, slowing it down, spacing it out and abstracting its essence. Creating a new conversation in which heaviness is not a goal but a means to an end, Goldader perfects the art of making complexity comprehensible and sonic violence sophisticated.

Stoner rock leans heavily on its psychedelic imagery and lyrics for its allure, leaving a small number of artists capable of writing captivating instrumental music that still fits the bill. Where other acts turn to humorous tropes or excessive layers of fuzz, Germany-based instrumental outfit Astral Kompakt resort to reducing things to a minimum, keeping a tight formation as a trio. With their debut album Goldader they have perfected the art of making complexity comprehensible and sonic violence sophisticated.

Across its 40-minute long runtime Goldader reveals itself as a lexicon of anything prog and stoner, touching upon and playing with stylistic devices that also characterise the metal genre as a whole. From from the jagged start-stop riffing of Pirsch through the subtle polyrhythms of Welwitschie to the repeating motifs of Batavische Träne II, Astral Kompakt prove they understand the elements of the genre and know how to use them in refreshing ways.

The inconspicuous way in which they open the album in 10/8 but make it seem like the most normal stoner riff ever, attests to the ability of Astral Kompakt to make music that is both fun and engaging. The title track innovatively juxtaposes the summer vibes of indie rock with exuberant blast beats, while album closer Levitas skilfully anatomizes the art of melting face, creating an experience in which the real heaviness is found in the space between the distorted chords.

With Goldader Astral Kompakt have indeed struck gold, creating a record you can spend endless moments with, digging around and unearthing all its intricacies. The songwriting is serious but also has a sense of humour, the riffs are both brain-heavy and face-melting, while the album sounds phenomenal thanks to Jan Oberg at who recorded, produced and mixed the album at his Hidden Planet Studio in Berlin. 

Tracklist
1. Pirsch
2. Goldader
3. Welwitschie
4. Batavische Träne I
5. Batavische Träne II
6. Ruin
7. Levitas

Links
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/astralkompakt
Bandcamp: https://astralkompakt.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/astralkompakt
Facebook: https://facebook.com/astralkompakt
Label: https://www.tonzonen.de

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Artist: Silverships
Title: Kingdom Of Decay
Format: 10″, Digital
Label: Tonzonen Records
Distribution: Cargo 
Genre: Desert/ Stoner Rock, Grunge
Release Date: 22/11/2024

The four songs of Silverships’ debut EP Kingdom Of Decay encompass all musical styles from which the Hamburg-based band draws their inspiration. The desert rock of the 90s and 2000s forms the foundation of the trio. Many traces of Queens Of The Stone Age can be found in the songs. The heavy passages also conjure up associations to Kyuss. Soundscapes from 70s Pink Floyd also appear again and again. Light psych-pop moments of early Tame Impala are followed by dense and dark atmosphere capturing the vibe of The Doors – and would also work well as the soundtrack for a movie yet to be made.

In addition to opulent arrangements and varied songwriting, what characterizes the band is their love of B parts, always ending their songs on an exclamation point. Hauke Albrecht is the man behind the powerful production. With Mountain Witch, he produced the last bigger stoner export from Hamburg. The band was able to get BEWITCHED Graphics’ Benjamin Nickel for the artwork, whose psychedelic works have also been featured by the Reeperbahn Festival, for example.

The opener Kingdom Of Decay starts off softly. Bassist Jan Gehrmann’s hypnotic bassline floats over drummer Tim Schröter’s fluffy groove carpet, then Nils Kock’s hooky lead guitar joins in. His velvety singing tells a story of transitoriness. “And I never ever ever, never ever ever saw her again”, goes the chorus. Boy meets girl? A one unique rush experience? After the second chorus, the song’s heaviness increases: Huge fuzz guitars pick up the bassline and encourage subtle headbanging. After the lead fanfares and the bluesy solo have faded away, a mellotron lights up the song and the base riff returns, revolving, accelerating, taking off. The hook from the intro glides through the room one last time before a stoner rock bulldozer rips through the outro.

The second song is called Beast – and that’s what it sounds like. Heavy staccato beat meets dystopian-oriental guitar lines, Josh Homme meets Ennio Morricone. The lyrics deal with the “beast mode” as a protective shield against everlasting fear. “Take the wheel and drive / Get me out of here alive“, the chorus implores. Halfway through the song the B part explodes into the song. A doomy, dark riff in a back and forth with almost metal guitars. Screams, hisses and murmurs. Suddenly everything turns very quiet, before an angry solo cuts through the silence and the band launches into the final demolition.

Track number 3 Nevermore starts as a classic, almost conventional stoner rock song. Rhythm guitars and bass in unison push a simple, effective riff over a rolling beat. The chorus excites with strong contrasts: On the one hand the hymnic melody, on the other an apocalyptically aggressive drum beat. The lyrics deal with the demon that is fear, who experiences an initially marching, then explosive exorcism. The outro brings the song to an epic conclusion that resonates and reverberates for a long time.

The fourth and final song is programmatically called War Os Over. It begins with a dreamy, psychedelic intro until the band happily settles into a groove reminiscent of 70s Pink Floyd. The vocals show another color in the Silverships universe. Very softly, almost whispered, the verses paint introspective, hopeful imagery. The chorus features big choirs and elegiac melodies. As the last chorus fades away, the basic musical theme of the song is built up bit by bit, repeat by repeat, into an ever- growing wall. Everything culminates in rushing space rock, with two solo guitars intertwining and finally ending the EP with a grand gesture of prog-like cascades.

Overall, Silverships‘ Kingdom Of Decay is a surprisingly fleshed out debut record. No wheels are reinvented, but many different influences and references are interweaved into a very harmonious and surprising combination. The result is a varied, yet homogeneous debut EP that leaves the listener curious about what’s to come next.

Tracklist
1. Kingdom of Decay   
2. Beast   
3. Nevermore   
4. War Is Over

Links
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/silvershipsband
Bandcamp: https://silvershipsband.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/silvershipsband
Facebook: https://facebook.com/SilvershipsBand
Label: https://www.tonzonen.de  

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Artist: Julius Lind
Title: Lights
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Kapitän Platte
Distribution: D/AT: Cargo Records, Benelux: Sonic Rendezvous FR: Differ-Ant, CH: Irascible, IT: Goodfellas, USA: A Thousand Arms
Genre: Psychedelic/ Kraut
Release Date: 25/10/2024

Psych, space, kraut and drones from songwriter Julius Lind and his trio with members from Action & Tension & Space, The Megaphonic Thrift and Gold Celeste.

Arising from the Norwegian alternative scene they experiment with a vibrant mix of genres and refer to many golden eras on the history of pop and rock music!

The album was recorded in Studio Paradiso with Christian Engfelt (Cato Salsa Experience) as technician and co-producer in 2023. It’s being released worldwide by the German label Kapitän Platte on October 25th 2024 and distributed internationally by Cargo Records.

Julius Lind – guitar & vocals 
Richard Myklebust – bass & vocals 
Eirik Kirkemyr – drums 

Tracklist
1. Empty Bottles
2. Ancient Word
3. Sunrise
4. Free                                                                                                                              
5. Every Time
6. Late For Work                                                                                                              
7. Stupid Lies                                                                                                                   
8. Lights

Links
Instagram: https://instagram.com/julius_lind
Facebook: https://facebook.com/people/Julius-Lind/61564661354050/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-de/artist/3mh4GJqGJUUc9jkuokK4S8?si=DM6Gf0MbQGuY0Dhi_o0CgQ
Label: https://kapitaen-platte.de

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Artist: Yoo Doo Right
Title: From The Heights Of Our Pastureland
Format: LP, Digital
Label: Mothland
Distribution: The Orchard
Genre: Experimental Rock
Release Date: 08/11/2024

From The Heights Of Our Pastureland is an expanding succession of highly dynamic musical epics intertwined with emotionally-charged sonic explorations. Whether carefully harvesting melodic soundscapes, repeating mantra-like arrangements with mechanical precision, digging unfathomably deep amidst abyssal electrical signals, or simply saturating reels with raucous abandon, Yoo Doo Right set out to further develop ideas they previously started exploring, in turn offering a third full-length that is darker, heavier, even more ominous than their previous works.

The band comments: “We aimed for something cinematic, but not in the way of a score, rather something more experiential. We wanted to create music that could ignite drive in oneself, hopefully something of significance in and of itself. While we’re really not here to force understanding on people, for us the predominant themes are anxiety and patience, the storm of colonialism, the collapse of capitalism and the massive undertaking it is to rebuild with past mistakes taken into deep consideration. It draws a parallel between natural disaster and social disaster, the experience of watching an impending destructive storm roll in and watching an impending societal disaster unfold under our current colonial, capitalistic frameworks. Hopefully, folks can give themselves time to make some sensible thoughts of the album on their own.“

Yoo Doo Right began writing From The Heights Of Our Pastureland while visiting a remote cabin near Saguenay, QC in the Winter of 2023. Snowed in, Cober, Masson and Talbot simply played for three days straight, archiving anything and everything, musing about “the storm of colonialism, the collapse of capitalism and the massive undertaking it is to rebuild with past mistakes taken into deep consideration”, and ultimately laying the groundwork for their third opus. Thus, the album draws deep inspiration from parallels drawn between natural phenomena ranging from bad weather to environmental disasters and the equally overwhelming force of our socio-political frameworks. Also compelled by the commodification of art, AI and algorithmic art, the trio later revisited the pieces, altering their initial compositions by way of element juxtaposition and extensive sound design. In embracing their penchant for sonic manipulation in all of its forms, the experimentalists achieved an uncanny equilibrium between unresolved tensions and soothing resolutions.

To commit the album to tape, Yoo Doo Right chose producer Seth Manchester (Battles, Lightning Bolt, Lingua Ignota) at Machines with Magnets (Pawtucket, RI), before turning to Amar Lal (YlangYlang, Patio, Washer) at Macro Sound (Oakland, CA) for mastering duties, poised to unearth their best work to date. The resulting 42 minutes of experimental rock found on From The Heights Of Our Pastureland feel like a beautiful yet sinister sonic tempest, aptly showcasing the Montrealers’ artistic resolve and eerie creativity. Highly recommended for fans of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Big|Brave or METZ.

From The Heights Of Our Pastureland  will be out November 8th, 2024 via Mothland on vinyl/ digital.

Tracklist
1. Spirit’s Heavy, But Not Overthrown, Part 1
2. Spirit’s Heavy, But Not Overthrown, Part 2
3. Eager Glacier
4. Ponders End
5. Lost in the Overcast
6. From the Heights of Our Pastureland

Links  
Pre-save/ order: https://orcd.co/from-the-heights-of-our-pastureland
Official: https://yoodoowrong.com
Bandcamp: https://yoodooright.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/yoodoowrong   
Instagram: https://instagram.com/yoodoowrong
Label: https://mothland.com

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