Last Swedish band before we move on

The SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES is a very peculiar stuff Sweden gave us. I can tell these guys are real music lovers as "Behind The Music" is filled with different influences, obvious references and incredibly catchy clichés.
Whatever genre you think the band is, it's not, it's completely impossible to pigeonhole The SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES.

I can only advise anybody to give them a listen, as any of their releases utterly deserves one.

The second part of this album is acoustic mainly, so electric rock lovers should focus on the first record, but sides 3 & 4 are worth a listen I promise!

ENJOY!

The SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES "Behind The Music" - 2001 - Sweden - Stickman PSYCHOBABBLE 031

Another Swedish gem

I wanted to post this great album earlier this week, but my widget Box decided not to work. Sorry for the delay posting new music, but this time I think the bullet-proof player I found will last forever!

MAMMOTH VOLUME is a clever Stoner band, adding some kind of arty Prog roots in the making of this, their second album, "Noara Dance", Matador being the opening song. Thanks to a very demonstrative handful of demos, the band earned its signing on the New York-based label The Music Cartel (now defunct).

I'm sure you'll hear similarities with The QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE (who doesn't?) in riffs and song structures on this song, but MAMMOTH VOLUME has its own personality.

ENJOY!

MAMMOTH VOLUME "Noara Dance" - 2000 - Sweden - The Music Cartel TMC 35LP

One of the strongest Stoner tracks EVER

Who couldn't agree? Who could dare saying this one isn't HOT?

LOWRIDER raised from the ashes of the all-instrumental BEEF, and after a first split album with NEBULA (you gotta own this one too brothers, this smoking slab of plastic is awesome!), LOWRIDER finally released "Ode To Io", a true masterpiece if you're into groovy riffs, smashing riffs, endless riffs and catchy riffs.

This four-piece, in one album, managed to give the Stoner scene a new taste.
When I discovered LOWRIDER I just couldn't stop playing this album over and over again.

Caravan is the opening track, and it beats anything you're into. Caravan is an universal track that speaks to anybody. Kneel and worship!

Why do these guy ever called it quits???? Peder, if you ever come here, please answer my call : may LOWRIDER give us another round of tracks! Please! Aren't new tracks ready for use?

ENJOY!

LOWRIDER "Ode To Io" - 2000 - Sweden - People Like You PRISON 996-1

Swedes rock hard!

DOZER could easily be seen as the hardest working Stoner band in the Swedish business. Not only the band as a whole, but the members themselves...

Splits with DEMON CLEANER and UNIDA set the band as valuable newcomers, and DOZER released their two first albums on Man's Ruin Records, "In The Tail Of A Comet" (2000) and "Madre De Dios" (2001).

Released in 2003, "Call It Conspiracy" is their strongest release (imho), with powerful songs and an awesome groove.

Feelgood Formula is by far my favorite cut, rock solid and grooving as hell! Play it now and tell me what you think.

ENJOY!

DOZER "Call It Conspiracy" - 2003 - Sweden - Molten Universe MOLTEN 019

Stoner Metal from Sweden

BOOGIEMAN is one of those bands that overdosed on 80's Heavy Metal and found its way with KYUSS.

The Swedish Rock'n'Roll and Stoner scenes brought us some very important bands (I just realized I didn't post LOWRIDER so far..., what the fuck?).
BOOGIEMAN has a strong 'Hair Metal' approach
and will please 80's Metal rockers, with catchy refrains, singalongs, and solid song structures.
The band never released any other LP nor 10", and I really don't know if they're still active.

Satisfaction ain't no STONES' cover, and may give you a great idea of what is to expect with this record.

ENJOY!

BOOGIEMAN "Triple Six Blues" - 2003 - Sweden - People Like You PRISON 061-1

Heading for more of the Bristol monster

The HEADS is a Bristol-based monster that fed on late 60's Psychedelic Rock and Acid garage, chew it with some heavily distorted riffage, to spit a mix of efficient modern Acid Rock, that you can call Stoner if you like.

This band deserves much more success than it gets. Mastermind Simon Price is a very talented guy (so is his music), that you can feel in those powerful and somehow visionary tracks.

"Under Sided" is a tasteful slice of Psychedelia that is not to miss if you're into epic, progressive and noisy Stoner songs, drenched in vintage Rock'n'Roll.

ENJOY!

The HEADS "Under Sided" - 2002 - UK - Sweet Nothing SNLP011

Demons at play

Here comes a 3-way split today called "In, Demons In", a tribute to the 70's UK scene.

It starts with The HEADS and their HAWKWIND cover (the track I picked for the player), a 13+minute slice of fuzzed out Acid Psych (this is 107kbs to make sure you have the full song). A gem that will blow your speakers out, and blow your mind away.

Then we have PLASTIC CRIMEWAVE SOUND doing a EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND cover, Why Can't Somebody Love Me. Once again, this is some stoned psychedelia, designed to be played loud.

LILLYDAMWHITE and their PINK FAIRIES cover, Uncle Harry's Last Freakout, is the quietest part of the trip, less effects, same rocking affair.

ENJOY!

The HEADS / LILLYDAMWHITE / PLASTIC CRIMEWAVE SOUND "In, Demons In" - 2005 - UK - Rocket Launch022

Southern Comfort

RAGING SLAB's sixth studio album, "The Dealer", sounds to me like their most Southern Boogie dedicated album, clearly influenced by the likes of BLACK OAK ARKANSAS (they cover When Electricity Came to Arkansas), LYNYRD SKYNYRD or ZZ TOP.

Alike many other RAGING SLAB LPs, expect some strong slide-guitar, solid musicianship, great tunes and a emphasized Southern feel.

Flap Your Boogie Flap is one of my favorite tracks out of this album that is worth checking!

ENJOY!

RAGING SLAB "The Dealer" - 2001 -USA - Cargo CAR 029

On celebrating more than 10,000 visits!

Gee! Who would have thought this blog would have attracted so much visitors!?
Thank you all so much!

To celebrate this little success, I thought you'd love to hear some BARONESS (one of the greatest things that happened to the heavy scene those last 3 years).

I really love this band, their powerful blend of heaviness, their great musicianship, their obvious
sense of melody and the sharp "Prog" feel they manage to throw in the mix.

This, their second ep (and its righteous title : "Second") shapes the sound to come with the "Red Album" (soon to be released on vinyl, come back soon...!).

I like this one better than their first ep ("First") and I give you Vision, the last of the 3 tracks. Did I tell you the B side was etched? Rush on this one!

ENJOY!

BARONESS "Second" - 2005 - USA - Hyperrealist HR010

#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