Stoner Metal

Hibernaut – Obsidian Eye Review

By Killjoy on July 19, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 20 comments

“It was only a matter of time before I found a group from my hometown to write about. Operating in Salt Lake City, Utah, Hibernaut plays a mixture of doom, stoner, sludge, and psych. Though the band is newer—having formed in 2020—its members have plenty of prior experience in the metal underground. Two of them, Dave Jones and Zach Hatsis, were even part of the now defunct SubRosa at one point. Hibernaut’s sophomore album, Obsidian Eye, relates a sci-fi/horror story about a mysterious interdimensional entity that infects, kills, and reanimates people in order to spread its influence.” Eye infections.

Haitón del Guarataro – Pombero Review

By GardensTale on June 8, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, 42 comments

“Cryptids are cool as fuck. I don’t believe in them, but highly localized monster myths are just a fascinating insight in the fears and priorities of a particular culture, especially the often esoteric rules surrounding the fabled creatures. For his second album, Alexis Uribe of one-man band Haitón del Guarataro from Buenos Aires, Argentina, focuses on the Pombero, a short hairy humanoid being from Paraguayan folklore. It steals eggs and honey, impregnates women, and is appeased by gifts of rum and cigars. So it’s basically Steel Druhm on a bender. Context aside, I was intrigued by the concept behind Pombero; an album that would morph from stoner doom into black doom across the runtime.” Cryptic.

Aganoor – Doomerism Review

By Killjoy on June 7, 2025 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Gothic Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Metal, 34 comments

“Of all the genre labels, doom metal is probably the one that most often prompts me to investigate further. This isn’t because it’s my favorite per se, but rather because doom and its myriad subgenres can sound so wildly different from one another, so I try to ensure I don’t miss something good. This time it paid off when I found Aganoor, a brand new doom group from Rome, Italy. Formed as recently as summer 2023, they wasted no time writing and recording a debut LP, Doomerism, which promises an intriguing blend of classic doom, stoner, heavy psych, and goth rock.” Doom for expansion.

Stuck in the Filter: March 2025’s Angry Misses

By Kenstrosity on June 5, 2025 in Stuck in the Filter, Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Hardcore, Mathcore, Melodic Metal, Metalcore, Post-Metal, Progressive Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Technical Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 73 comments

March Filters bring summer bewilders when missed, so come see what we found in the iron scrapings.

Crystal Spiders – Metanoia Review

By El Cuervo on May 27, 2025 in Reviews, Heavy Metal, Stoner Metal, 29 comments

“Out of the fertile grounds of North Carolina comes Crystal Spiders, spinning their latest auditory web entitled Metanoia. Metanoia follows two prior full-length albums and a musical tradition of gritty sounds from the American South. It’s steeped in this culture, hinting at a chewy blend of classic metal and the weightier grooves of stoner rock. Does it succeed in harmonizing these elements into a meaty whole?” Bugs AND features.

Witchcraft – Idag Review

By Mystikus Hugebeard on May 23, 2025 in Reviews, Black Metal, Occult Rock, Stoner Metal, Stoner Rock, 42 comments

“Once, Witchcraft were a prominent figure in the analog rock/metal scene, mentioned alongside acts like Orchid, Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, and The Sword. They treated us to some right bangers like 2005’s Firewood and 2012’s Legend, and I was eagerly anticipating whatever might come after 2016’s Nucleus. What eventually followed was the acoustic and intensely somber Black Metal, which struck me as less of a Witchcraft album and more as a hyper-personal form of artistic expression by multi-instrumentalist frontman Magnus Pelander, something meant for him and him alone. It’s an honest and compelling artistic work, but it can be difficult to recall amidst the context of Witchcraft’s proggy occult doom/rock discography. Now, with two fresh band members, Witchcraft have reincorporated the lo-fi buzz n’ fuzz.” Which Witch?

An Evening With Knives – End of Time Review

By GardensTale on March 31, 2025 in Reviews, Progressive Metal, Sludge, Stoner Metal, 26 comments

“At the start of the year, I pledged to pick as many promos as I could from those sent to us directly through the contact form, as a way to lift up the smallest of underground acts. But as this week is rather barren, I got to have my choice from the remainder, the label-backed colossi who have all their tedious marketing hubbub taken care of. One band name jumped out at me: An Evening With Knives. A name I’ve seen on plenty a concert bill around here, usually in a supporting capacity. Lo and behold, the lads are local, or rather, they were formed in the next city over. It’s always nice to see geographical peers making waves.” Stab-ility.

Bunsenburner – Reverie Review

By Dear Hollow on January 20, 2025 in Reviews, Ambient Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 32 comments

“My relationship with Germany’s Bunsenburner grows with each release, and you could say it’s getting pretty serious, like a dark romantasy. I completely ripped third full-length Poise a new one which garnered the ire of mastermind Ben Krahl. But like any hate relationship that borders on masochistic, he saw the light and sent in follow-up Rituals – and our love blossomed. The act’s backbone lies in the fuzz and jam-sesh vibes of stoner metal, but with enough free jazz and crystalline ambiance to kill a full-grown elephant, it embraces the psychedelia in tasteful ways with instrumental prowess.” Lab safety is cat safety.

Sergeant Thunderhoof – The Ghost of Badon Hill [Things You Might Have Missed 2024]

By Saunders on January 7, 2025 in Things You Might Have Missed 2024, Progressive Metal, Stoner Metal, 31 comments

“Back in 2022, a sneaky filter piece alerted me to the existence of UK progressive, psych-drenched stoner rock/metal band Sergeant Thunderhoof and their wonderfully written fourth album, This Sceptred Veil. It nabbed a well-deserved spot on my year-end list, remaining in solid rotation since its release. November 2024 saw Sergeant Thunderhoof return with their highly anticipated follow-up to that game-changing album.” The Hoof, the Hoof, the Hoof is on fire!

The Flight of Sleipnir – Nature’s Cadence Review

By Maddog on October 5, 2024 in Reviews, Doom Metal, Folk, Folk Metal, Post-Metal, Stoner Metal, 34 comments

“The Flight of Sleipnir’s 2021 opus Eventide made ripples in the underground, blending stoner doom, acoustic folk, and post-metal—familiar elements but crafted into a cohesive, beautiful whole. We hadn’t covered them since 2014’s V., so I nabbed Nature’s Cadence as soon as I could, hoping it would elevate the band from goodness to greatness. I knew that either way it would be a breath of fresh air, and its gorgeous cover art was irresistible.” Even AMG is getting into cadence discussions this week.