King Buffalo – Archeron
Seemingly taking a page from their fellow royals in King Gizzard, Archeron (Stickman Records) is the second album that King Buffalo has released in 2021. This degree of output can make the band’s already prolific discography seem even more muddled, especially since they are so committed to their loose, jammed out take on Heavy Psych. But as pretentious as it sounds, recording Archeron in a cave (WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!) seems to give the band’s usual sonic landscapes a slightly different makeover.
There’s less reflecting on their Blues and Desert Rock influences than usual, resulting in a noticeably more ethereal sound more informed by Floyd-esque textures. Songs like the bookending title track and ‘Cerberus’ have a certain weightlessness that is further supplemented by an ominous overcast as they develop. In contrast, ‘Zephyr’ and the ironically titled ‘Shadows’ consist of more lightweight jams with bright atmospherics shining through. Listening to this album makes one picture an underground river in contrast to their typical desserts, but it’s a pleasant disassociation all the same.
8 / 10
Bog Wizard – Miasmic Purple Smoke
Coming off a split with Dust Lord earlier this year, Bog Wizard’s second album continues their signature brand of D&D-inspired Stoner-Sludge. Miasmic Purple Smoke (The Dregs Records) continues down the path of 2020’s From The Mire, operating on a mix of similarly hypnotic riff patterns, the dankest of fuzz tones, and primarily echoing growls with the occasional clean howling through. The album’s forty-minute runtime isn’t quite as mammoth as the predecessor’s hour, but the individual songs put even more emphasis on glacial Doom Metal.
‘The Void Beckons’ may be the most effective song of the lot, certainly living up to its name as its closes things out by washing over the listener with twelve minutes of borderline Funeral Doom haze. The other tracks find ways to mix things up with ‘The Rogue’ standing out for its Merlin-esque boogie toward the end, the title track’s more prominent clean vocals, and ‘Stuck In The Muck’ feeling like something off the last Dopelord album with its minute-long Punk barrage. Another fine addition to a fitting soundtrack in case you feel like tripping out during your next RPG session.
7 / 10
Spaceslug – Memorial
While Spaceslug’s brand of contemplative Stoner Doom hasn’t changed too much since their 2015 inception, their quality of their studio material has been just as consistent. Their fourth full-length (2019’s Reign Of The Origin was technically an EP) offers the established mix of spaced out guitar effects, distant vocals, and building song structures that reward atmospherics swells with aggressive fuzz.
‘Spring Of The Abyss’ sees the most epic execution of this template, but I can get into the drum heavy hustle of ‘In The Hiatus Fall’ as well as the softer explorations on the title track and ‘At The Edge of Melting Point.’ Memorial may not be too drastically different in terms of direction, but it reinforces Spaceslug’s status as one of the Polish Stoner Doom scene’s finest.
8 / 10
Dead King’s Peace – Dead King’s Peace
When listening to the debut album from Dead King’s Peace, I can’t help but compare it to our fellow Hoosiers in Devil To Pay. The two Indianapolis bands seem to draw from a similar pool of influences, channeling groups like Corrosion Of Conformity and Black Label Society with their thick Southern Metal riffs, tight and melodic songwriting, and subtle Hard Rock swagger. ‘Gasoline’ is the most blatant display of these similarities in action and the cover of Kyuss’s ‘Green Machine’ is enough to suggest a little extra inspiration from the Stoner side of the spectrum.
However, the band sets itself apart by means of heavy Alice In Chains emulation that gives them a grimy edge. The vocals carry a consistent snarl when they aren’t fleshed out by haunting Staley-esque layers, and the guitars aren’t afraid to inject a little moodiness. This reaches its culmination with the demented swing on the closing ‘Dimming, Pt. II.’ Whatever direction the band ends up taking on future efforts, they’ve got a simple but strong foundation to work with.
7 / 10
CHRIS LATTA