Formed in 2009 by Mark Kitchens and William “Dub” Irvin, and joined by bassist Erick Paxecko in 2023, the band has spent over a decade crafting sonic landscapes rooted in stoner rock, doom, space and experimental vibes, building a loyal cult following in the US underground. Their previous releases, including the sprawling The Inexplicable Vibrations […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of HOWLING GIANT
HOWLING GIANT hail from Nashville, Tennessee, sidestepping their city’s pop-country roots with a fuzz-psych sound that has grown from power trio to powerhouse quartet. After winning praise for The Space Between Worlds (2019) and Glass Future (2023), the band now return with their third full-length, Crucible & Ruin, their first recorded in a proper studio […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of Plasmajet
PLASMAJET formed in 2014 in Giessen, united by their passion for metal, stoner, rock, and blues. After their 2015 demo and over 40 live shows, including festivals like M.I.S.E. Open Air and support for Bushfire and Earthship, they released their debut album United Dementia in 2018 to critical acclaim. Despite lineup changes and the pandemic, […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of Deep Valley Blues
Deep Valley Blues, formed in 2016 in Catanzaro by Umberto Arena, Giando Sestito, Giorgio Faini and Alessandro Morrone, debuted with their self-titled EP in 2017, blending hard rock blues, psych rock and stoner vibes. Their first full-length Demonic Sunset (2019) explored psychosis through mass culture references, followed by III – Third (2021) on Swamp Records/Sloomweep […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of THUNDER HORSE
Thunder Horse formed in San Antonio, Texas, in 2018 when Stephen Bishop (vocals, rhythm guitar) and Todd “The Bird” Connally (lead guitar) joined forces, later rounding out the lineup with Dave Crow (bass) and Johnny Lightning (drums). Their debut album on Ripple Music introduced a heavy, doom-laden sound that they pushed further on 2021’s Chosen […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of HARVEST
HARVEST is a Gothic/Doom metal band born from the collaboration of Omar (drums) and Fabio (guitar), later joined by Elisa (bass), Matteo (guitar/keys), and vocalist Emanuele. Their music blends classic metal influences with a fresh, emotional voice, exploring themes of solitude, grief, and existential struggle. With a complete lineup, HARVEST is ready to bring their […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of MANDY MANALA
Mandy Manala is a five-piece, female-fronted rock band from Vaasa, Finland, formed in 2021 by musicians with over two decades of experience in the scene. Their sound blends the heaviness of stoner rock with melodic and theatrical influences, drawing inspiration from artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac, and Ghost. Fronted by the powerful […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of IM NEBEL
Formed in 2004 by Michael Lenz and Sergiy Ermolaev, and later joined by key members including drummer Nikoloz Rukhadze and vocalist/bassist Alexandre Gurchumelia, Im Nebel evolved through numerous line-up changes while refining their atmospheric sound inspired by Herman Hesse’s “Im Nebel.” After early live success and their debut album, the band faced setbacks with their […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of Bell Of Mimir
Picture by Teemu Nordlund – Tajuttomat kuvat, in the summer of 2024. Bell Of Mimir was formed by Karhu in early 2021, after he began experimenting with old school doom metal and composing rich, heavy music with wide chords and melodic motifs, influenced by his classical music studies. Soon after, Karhu invited Tuohino, a previous […]
Witching Riffs: Behind the Sound of Isaak
Born in 2011 from the ashes of Italian heavy rock four-piece Gandhi’s Gunn, it didn’t take long for ISAAK to sign a worldwide deal on US label Small Stone Records for the reissue of their ass-kicking debut album “The Longer The Beard The Harder The Sound” in June 2013. Oozing thundering riffs and raw energy, […]