#1 anniversary

That's it, the first Secret Vinyl Conspiracy anniversary (a coupla days late...).

Your comments helped a lot.

Your support help a lot too.

Thanks to my blogger friends (my pals @ the Sludge Swamp, mr. A from Wine, Women and Song, the Devil Dick and his must-see blog, Jen @ EyeEatMusic, all the newcomers and the other blog comrades) and thanks to you all, readers.

You're 100+ visitors a day from every single part of the world (yeah, I use Google Analytics - I'm not sure they need any promo, but still... - and you should too...), and it's a real pleasure to post new songs as soon as I can, no matter the time it takes.

I can see you're all getting used (and appreciating it!) to the new musical dimension I'm taking with the site. I promise they'll be some more great stuff in the coming days, weeks, months, years... Some other strong releases to come.

Come back soon for more rocking records. Records you'll have to own on vinyl.

Cause you deserve vinyl.

Take good care of yourself and come back for more!

The second and heavier half of the Jersey Devils

The time has come to unleash the monster that is SOLACE's debut : "Further".

When I discovered this record, I've first been attracted by the cover. This 'monster mass' really has something appealing.
Then the music.

SOLACE is a very specific band among the Stoner community, on the verge of being part of the Doom scene but with a deadly sense of groove.

SOLACE is also about its singer. A high-pitched voice that is easily recognizable, chanting and screaming on the same verse, adding soul and dimension to the music.

SOLACE is above all about guitars. Heavy guitars. Constently howling. Hostile. Sometimes they turn out gentle for you to rest for awhile and breathe in, before they get belligerent again and go for the throat.
A classic!

Black Unholy Ground (credited as Black Unholy on the gatefold cover) actually is a classic in my book.

ENJOY!

SOLACE "Further" - USA - 2000 - People Like You PRISON 991-1

The first half of the Jersey Devils

Jim Hogan and wife Regina Satana have their debut, "Neanderthal Speedway", released on Man's Ruin Records in 1999.
After some personal changes and a split ep with SOLACE ("Jersey Devils"), they strike back in 2002 (now on Meteorcity) with "Driven", a relentless riff-based Stoner rush.

Groove and Soul show up all the way, and Punk Rock also appear on Stab Yor Back. And, look at this cover, ain't it proper ass-kickin'?

What the fuck did happen to the band? If you Jim Hogan ever happen to read this, please let me know what's going on with SOLARIZED!?

World Without End is the last track of this brilliant rocking and grooving album.

ENJOY!

SOLARIZED "Driven" - 2002 - USA - People Like You PRISON 987-1

As if New Jersey had the richest compost for Stoner bands

Ed Mundell is one of my favorite "modern" guitar players. This guy has a very personal feel that I'm completely fond of.

Being MONSTER MAGNET's lead guitarist, he also found time, back in the beginning of the 90's, to give birth to ATOMIC BITCHWAX, his 70's infused fuzzed out Hard Rock project.
"Spit Blood" is the last ATOMIC BITCHWAX album Ed plays on, as the band was growing and touring, and this couldn't fit Ed's agenda.

"Spit Blood" opens with a cover song, Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, and then moves to all new asskicking material.

Liquor Queen and Get Your Gear are tracks 2 and 3.

There's a black vinyl version and a supposedly limited clear red (or is it pink?) version. I thought you'd love to see how does the clear red one look like...

ENJOY!

ATOMIC BITCHWAX "Spit Blood" - USA - 2002 - People Like You PRISON 997-1

More guitars than common people can bear

GALLERY OF MITES is a one-shot band. GALLERY OF MITES consists of MONSTER MAGNET band members (and ex-band members) and good friends (including Stu Gollin from HALFWAY TO GONE, Duane Hutter from BLACK NASA and, last but not least, Tommy Southard from the mighty SOLACE) that come together, get high, have fun, jam a lot and come up with a record.

Expect a guitar overload on each single track.

Expect some good rocking tunes and great leads all the way.

It's funny how this album makes me think about Iggy Pop and James Williamson "Kill City", maybe because of the first song Exploded View that you can check on the player, as well as Headless Body, Topless Bar, the first two songs of this incredibly addictive record.

ENJOY!

GALLERY OF MITES "Bugs On A Bluefish" - 2003 - USA - People Like You PRISON 985-1

A DEA schedule III drug in the United States

BABY WOODROSE and ON TRIAL are label mates, have members in common and both love 60's Psychedelia, even though they both have their own sensibility and musical approach.
It's hard to review a band without mentioning the other...

"Money For Soul" is my favorite BABY WOODROSE album (I don't know their october '07 release), a classy and spicy mix of Soul, Garage and Punk.
A lot of bands come to mind listening to this album, still BABY WOODROSE (a seed you can extract LSA from) manage to catch your attention and make you play this record again. And again...

I give you Honeydripper and (the MONSTER MAGNET-like) Volcano, the tracks that open and close, if you wanna know what's in between, you'll have to get your ass down to the nearest record store.

Enjoy!

BABY WOODROSE "Money For Soul" - Denmark - 2003 - Bad Afro AFROLP-018

Danish and paying homage too!

ON TRIAL are Acid/Garage/Psych freaks and their blend of Psyched Stoner has always pleased me.
The guys decided to release a covers-only record to pay homage to the bands they owe their sound to.

Unfortunately the vinyl version is a mere 6 songs EP (THIRD BARDO, PENTAGRAM, LOVE, The ROLLING STONES and The 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS), whereas the CD also contains some BLUE CHEER, PINK FLOYD, STOOGES & MC5 covers.
But, the CD is not a see-through yellow-stained slab of wax...

Also, the cover is derived from the famous 13th FLOOR ELEVATORS/QUICKSILVER MESSENGER SERVICE Family Dog concert poster (designed by Stanley Mouse and Anton Kelley).

Please check Be Forwarned (PENTAGRAM) and Signed D.C. (Arthur Lee's LOVE) on the player and leave comments!

ENJOY!

ON TRIAL "Head EP" - 2001 - Germany - Cargo Records CAR033

This is the side B label (the yellow stains are hardly noticeable unfortunately)

Aussies paying their tribute to the KYUSS King

You know I'd have loved to post anything this week but I was on a sort of training period for my new landed job.
No day-off for me during the coming weeks but 2 afternoons a week, so I'll try and post some new music whenever I can.

Another Stoner selection today with WRENCH's "Oscillator Blues".
Those guys played too much KYUSS (can anybody play too much KYUSS actually? Not sure at all) and other related desert-rock combos.

It doesn't sound fresh and new to say the least, but the overall impression is fairly positive, with all worn-out Stoner riffs and UK psychedelia touches here and there.

Try Aloha Mama and Headlight on the player, and make up your own mind...

ENJOY!

WRENCH "Oscillator Blues" - 2001 - Australia - Beard Of Stars LPBOS019

Th' Snake!

If I had to list the potential heirs to the OBSESSED's legacy, I would think about GOATSNAKE right away (Guy Pinhas and Greg Rogers are ex-OBSESSED members by the way). Greg Anderson (SUNNO))), THORR'S HAMMER and other Drone/Doom projects) is also already trying to define his low frequency guitar tone.

There's some BLACK SABBATH in every riff and some Ozzy Osbourne in Pete Stahl's voice, but the band manages to have its own identity, thanks to obvious production skills and musical talent.
Some KYUSS reminiscence too and a sort of 80's Heavy Metal attitude.
Because of Pete Stahl, some songs here and there could easily be EARTHLINGS? originals...

Mower and Dog Catcher both open side B and are available on the player.

The Man's Ruin vinyl release is an awesome gatefold housing a brown marbled record. Don't forget the mazing Kozik artwork.

ENJOY!

GOATSNAKE "I" - 1999 - USA - Man's Ruin MR174

All Hail Scott "Wino" Weinrich!

This guy needs no introduction, neither do all the bands he contributed to.
Nothing compares to what this man brought to the Doom & Stoner scene. And his guitar sound pattern is absolutely unique.

Should I add anything about the Wino icon? He is one of those guys I'd really like to meet.

SPIRIT CARAVAN is my favorite band of his, because of the goddamn groovy riffs, and that genuine Stoner vibe that you can almost touch.

I give you the whole side A of this beautiful clear yellow marbled 10" released on People Like You Records.
I guess it's long out of print and nearly impossible to find but this one is a basics in any Stoner/Doom record collection.

ENJOY!

SPIRIT CARAVAN "Dreamwheel" - 2000 - USA - People Like You Prison 994-1

Here comes a Sludge hammer

I finally have time to post a new message on this little blog. I'm sorry not to be able to post anything during the week, and you know I'd have loved to...

No SOLACE today (be patient...) but the heavy weight Sludge combo called BONGZILLA, with their debut ep freshly released on vinyl on Modus Operandi (Germany).

What to expect from a band with a bandname like this? Yes it's down-tuned heavy Sludge, dedicated to the weed only. BONGZILLA is designed to be experienced with a fat one. "Methods For Attaining Extreme Altitudes" : everything is in the title.

Modus Operandi did a really great job with this vinyl release. A beautiful 180g clear green record and a limited screen printed ziplock (limited to 250 copies - all sold out in a couple of weeks) : awesome!

BONGZILLA is now on a break but Muleboy (guitar/vocals) has founded a new band called AQUILONIAN (I didn't check them so far) that I heard was worth checking...

High Like A Dog is the cut I picked for the player.

ENJOY!

BONGZILLA "Methods For Attaining Extreme Altitudes" - USA - 2007 - Modus Operandi

Bombastic High-Energy Rock'n'fuck'n'Roll

I wanted to introduce you to this gem that goes by the name of "Free and Easy", the Brooklyn-based BAD WIZARD's debut album.

What a blast I had when I first spinned this one!

Ballsy retro Rock'n'Roll with overflowing over-the-top guitar licks and leads, rawking vocals and a thundering rhythm section. Don't pass this one, this is truly magic.
You know how much I love 70's Rock'n'Roll, do you? These guys cherish Rock'n'Roll and deliver like no one else.

BAD WIZARD's later albums sound sedated compared to this explosive one that clocks in less than 30 minutes.

I give you Endless Lady and Keep high / Stay Low, the two last tracks from side A.

I'm not sure this beautiful purple vinyl is easy to find (I don't remember seeing a copy on any record fair) but what I know is that you have to spend your money on this winner, you won't regret it I promise.

ENJOY!

By the way, I'm afraid there won't be no post for a couple of days or so, but I'll be back with more music as soon as I can!

BAD WIZARD "Free And Easy" - 2001 - USA - Tee Pee/ Cargo Records CAR LP 042

Diggin further the QOTSA family tree

Here we go with a special double feature on the bands the QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE couldn't be without.

MASTERS OF REALITY is Chris Goss' own band, first founded in 1981 (Chris Goss is the legendary producer of KYUSS).

The band included Ginger Baker in the beginning of the 90's.

Chris Goss took part in numerous Desert Sessions volumes and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE albums (as a producer or guest musician).

This "Reality Show" is a live album recorded at the Viper Room with special guest Scott Weiland from STONE TEMPLE PILOTS and VELVET REVOLVER.

Look at the beautiful clear red vinyl while enjoying How High The Moon and The Blue Garden, the 2 first songs of this great live album.

MASTERS OF REALITY "Reality Show" - 2002 - USA - Cargo Records CAR LP 040

The EARTHLINGS? and the QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE are sort of twins. Two bands that've been so closely linked through the years (even they sound radically different) since the first ever QOTSA album, recorded at the Rancho de la Luna, Fred Drake's own studio (Fred died of cancer in 2002).

The EARTHLINGS? is pretty hard to label and impossible to pigeonhole. As if a Krautrock band was playing some acoustic Stoner with weird electronic textures and stuff.

"Human Beans" is a beautiful triple 10" boxset released on Man's Ruin in 2000. Three beautiful white 10". Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan (among others) appear on this release.

ENJOY!

EARTHLINGS? "Human Beans" - 2000 - USA - Man's Ruin MR171 / MR172 / MR173

Bonus!

Long time no post, sorry for that brothers, but I've just landed a new job (!!!!!) and I spent those last days to buy a car, and some new clothes... And some LPs too ;-)

After that UNIDA post, let's stay in the KYUSS family with the latest QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE offering : "Era Vulgaris". This is a beautiful triple 10" but, unfortunately, it's black vinyl.

I know Josh Homme loves colored ones, but we're not even granted a clear wax this time.

"Era Vulgaris" is a strange album. I've played it again and again and it took me a lot of time to really get into it. I have a problem with the first half of this album.

It really gets interesting with Misfit Love. There's too much strange sounds buzzing on the first half, and too much cheap gimmicks. The second half is more rocking, with sharper tracks and a more recognizable QOTSA's imprint.

This vinyl edition includes Running Joke as a bonus track, and I hope you actually never heard this one.

ENJOY!

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE "Era Vulgaris" - 2007 - USA - Ipecac IPC91

The Absolute HAMMER!

Here's the record I couldn't live without.
I guess there's no need to talk about their lead singer and his pedigree...

UNIDA's sole LP really is the absolute hammer. Everything here is strong, groooooovy as hell, sharp as a knife, and tense. The sound production is booming and the band delivers the the goods like no other.

UNIDA recorded another album that never saw the light of day (I mean officially...). What a waste! I've been told it was incredibly expensive to have it released properly.

There's a track missing on the LP version ("Plastic") compared to the CD. The vinyl release is a joint-venture between Man's Ruin and Cargo Germany and is available in 2 different editions : splatter (Germany only) and clear (rest of the world).

Moreover, the picture inside the gatefold cover is colored (not a poor black&white print in a poor CD sleeve)...

I give you "If Only Two", my favorite track from Coping With The Urban Coyote, and one of the strongest monster tracks ever.

ENJOY!

UNIDA "Coping With The Urban Coyote" - 1999 - USA - Man's Ruin/Cargo Records CAR 03

Here are the clear and splatter vinyl versions :

One of my favorite 2007 albums

Yes, that's right. Heavy Deavy Skull Lover, the WARLOCKS' latest offering definitely is one of my favorite 2007 albums.

I discovered the band last year and rushed on their complete discography, but the intimate feel on this new album is simply addictive, and the compositions are just graceful and hypnotic.

"Zombie Like Lovers" is by far the most lively of the 8 cuts, with a typical Moe Tucker drumming style.

This is cathartic, stoned Indie Rock.

There's a pink-colored limited edition that is available through mailorder, directly from Tee Pee records. And the artwork is simply awesome. You know what you have to do...

ENJOY!

The WARLOCKS "Heavy Deavy Skull Lover" - 2007 - USA - Tee Pee TPE-082

The Psychedelic Pachyderm From D.C.

I saw their soon-to-be-released album on the great blog Ongakubaka, and thought I could share a track from my favorite DEAD MEADOW album : Shivering Kings And Others.

When I first listened to the band, I thought they were english. Sure their sound is thick and heavy and the songs moves snail-pace, but they have a distinctive "Pop" (or is that Shoegaze?) tradition when it comes to the song structure.

Effects galore to give this album a smooth and comfortable sound.

Try "Good Moanin'" on the player, this is my favorite track : one cycling riff and a hell of a discreet arabic-sounding outro that gives me quite a thrill as often as I spin this LP...

Also know that DEAD MEADOW is to be featured (as well as OM among many others) on the documentary/movie "Such Hawks, Such Hounds" (click and get more info from their myspace page).

ENJOY!

DEAD MEADOW "Shivering King And Others" - 2003 - USA - Matador OLE 566-1

The mystic beast returns!

What if PINK FLOYD's "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" was re-interpretated by SLEEP (Jerusalem era)? I guess it would sound a bit like this mystic Doom beast OM recently unearthed.

If you know the band, you certainly love it, and already own this slab of plastic. If you don't, give their albums a listen as soon as you can.
OM is SLEEP's other half (Matt Pike founded the mighty HIGH ON FIRE after the break-up of SLEEP). While HIGH ON FIRE kept the true Hard Rock tradition of SLEEP, Al Cisneros (bass) and Chris Hakius (drums) focused on the mystic, oriental, spiritual side of SLEEP.

Pilgrimage is produced by the legendary Steve Albini, so expect a thick, loud and heavy, yet clear sound (Albini styled!).

Bass Heavy riffs looming out of droning symphonies and buzzing around your head, with Al chanting his psalms : welcome to the new dawn of drugged-out acid-drenched Drone/Doom.

ENJOY!

OM "Pilgrimage" - 2007 - USA - Southern Lord SUNN86

Some Latin Heavy Psych

LOS NATAS hails from Argentina and released its first album, Delmar, on the dearly missed Man's Ruin label, in 1998.

With Corsario Negro, the band teamed up with Billy Anderson and the guy really empowered the tracks, giving them a heavier dimension and a real fickleness. I have the feeling the guitars are gasping for air in an oppressive atmosphere, using pedal effects to breathe a little.

If you didn't check Corsario Negro because you got kinda bored with the NATAS' sound, know that it's a winner, with long instrumental "psych" parts, crushing heavy breaks and some ethereal parts that root out of smoky songs.

This 180g vinyl is still available from Beard Of Stars Rec. (Italy) so go grab your copy now!

I give you "2002" and "Planeta Solitario", the first 2 tracks of this brilliant album.

ENJOY!

LOS NATAS "Corsaio Negro" - 2002 - Argentina - Beard Of Stars BOSLP30

Gimme a TORCHE In Return

If you still haven't bought your copy of this beautifully packaged atomic bomb, get your ass down to the nearest record store!

TORCHE's In Return is the band first EP since the self-titled debut. More focused and heavier, this EP will definitely burn your speakers and crush your ears.

I give you the full A-side of this absolutely gorgeously packaged 10" : "Warship", "In Return" and "Bring Me Home".

About the incredible packaging : you get a John Baizley (from BARONESS) designed gatefold jacket, a full color inner sleeve, and the companion CD hold in the die-cut cover. The vinyl comes in various editions, all are very limited (from 200 to 400 copies)! Need more information? Google TORCHE!

ENJOY!

TORCHE "In Return" - 2007 - USA - Robotic Empire ROB0068

Here is the full artwork

2008 : Something's Gotta give

2008 is here and I really wish you all the best life can bring.

It's time to move on to "modern" heavy music...

I hope you enjoyed 2007 selection and hope you'll still be enjoying the upcoming numbers I'm about to post on this blog.

This will still be about vinyl.

Let's have the first message for 2008 with ABDULLAH's self-titled sophomore album.

This Ohio based two-headed hydra had its debut released on Rage Of Achilles (UK - later to become Code:breaker) that quickly sold-out (unfortunately only available on CD).

The band returned with a far better production, some new material and their very peculiar moody Doom/Stoner compositions.

"The Black Ones" (check the player!) as well as "The Path To Enlightment" are from their debut Snake Lore.

ABDULLAH is a very interesting mix of different styles : Goth Metal, MTV alternative kind of style, Doom and Stoner. They never go harsh and aggressive, always stay eerie and poetical.

I read today that their singer died in 2004, the guy commited suicide. I really like his voice.

The vinyl version (only available from People Like You Rec. - Germany) is beautiful (A/B is clear smokey and C/D is creamy grey), housed in a heavy cardboard gatefold cover. Oh, and look at the label on side A (also used on the CD but shitty quality).

ENJOY!

ABDULLAH "s/t" - 2000 - USA - People like You 999-1