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Released: 2024 Genre: Psychedelic rock, Progressive, Jazz Sounds Like: The Budos Band, Pink Floyd, All Them Witches Homeland: Moncton, New Brunswick What makes Elephant Wizard elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Elephant Wizard is by far one of the more creative albums to hit our rotation in quite some time. It's impossible to connect them to one particular genre as they flawlessly blend progressive rock, heavy psych and even jazz/lounge into this masterpiece Les Moontunes display tremendous vision on this album. One moment your in a chill state of mind with songs like 'Fallen For You' and 'Midnight Magic' than they hit you with the psych weirdness of 'Gallop in the Jungle' and 'Beyond the Mountain' This album is very refreshing and puts us in a totally different frame of mind when exploring new heavy music Do not sleep on their 2021 debut release, it may not have the heavier tilt this album has, but it's well worth your time Track Listing: 1. Elephant Wizard 3:13 2. Syntherlude 1 0:36 3. Enchanted Tusks 04:11 4. Fallen for You 4:48 5. Syntherlude 2 0:43 6. Midnight Magic 4:07 7. Gallop in the Jungle 3:18 8. Syntherlude 3 0:27 9. Wizard Universe 5:05 10. Beyond the Mountain 4:46 11. Syntherlude 4 1:02 12. Planet Metal 4:36 13. Syntherlude 5 0:52 14. Dorian Sunrise 3:57 Dive deeper into Elephant Wizard with our Q&A with Les Moontunes OHMs Peak: Elephant Wizard is one of this year's most exploratory albums to hit our collection. It's a psychedelic trip of proggy jazz, heavy psych and lounge. Can you give us a glimpse into the creative writing process that went into this album given seven band members? Les Moontunes: The Elephant Wizard album came about during the thick of the pandemic – our singer/pianist Miguel thought the idea of a character that was an elephant wizard could be cool, and it took off from there as far as the album’s concept goes. As far as the music goes, we had a few songs that were already written, we knew we wanted to move towards a heavier direction, so we kept that in mind while writing the songs. We had a few riffs or ideas that we really built on and developed into songs together during a residency in rural NB in the summer of 2021. OHMs Peak: This album displays a heavier feel from your debut. Is this a direction the band is heading towards? Would love to get into the band’s psyche here? Les Moontunes: For this album, for sure, it was a conscious decision, where all members have been influenced by heavier bands in the past, and we thought it would be cool to dive into tones and sounds that reflected that. Especially having 2 drummers, we really wanted to take advantage of that, and then add on the more soul/jazzy elements of our sound, it was really fun to explore that territory together. As far as what’s next for us, we will have to wait and see, but we definitely have been enjoying headbanging during our shows lately! OHMs Peak: There is such a wide variety of genres you touch upon and flawlessly make it work. Where does Les Moontunes draw inspiration from and how did you all come together? Les Moontunes: We all met growing up, we attended the same school in Dieppe, New Brunswick. Everyone eventually connected through their love of music, and we started jamming from there which led to us being a band. We draw inspiration from a bunch of different genres, we’re all quite open to listening to a wide variety of sounds so that plays into how we create our own. For this album, we drew inspiration from old school bands that were heavy such as Black Sabbath, as well as King Crimson for their experimental flair. We also really like bands who play with horn sounds such as the Budos Band, so you can expect some of that in our latest album. OHMs Peak: The album cover so unique, like nothing we have seen. It appears Miguel created the concept? Would love to get more insight behind the creation? Les Moontunes: At first, Miguel drew a draft for what we would like the concept album to look like – we wanted something that would reflect the stoner metal/doom band aesthetics, and we really liked what he ended up doing for the draft so he built on that. We wanted the Elephant Wizard to be undeniably epic-looking, so Miguel drew the character on its native land, Planet Metal, a place that we invented and developed with the album, surrounded by thunder and mountains which we thought looked badass. We were all very happy with the result. OHMs Peak: Take us through how you came about the name Les Moontunes and what does it represent? Les Moontunes: That’s a bit of a funny story – we had booked a gig before having a name, and so during the very last rehearsal before our gig, we were really in a rush to settle on a name. We literally wrote down just a bunch of ideas on a board and chose Les Moontunes from there, since we liked the fact that it’s in chiac (the Acadian dialect we speak), and that it reflected the space-y sound we were making at that time. It ended up being really fun to play around with space-related concepts from there on, so that worked out! OHMs Peak: Les Moontunes is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay… what album is it? Les Moontunes: Everyone in the band agreed that if we were limited to one album, it would have to be The Dark Side of the Moon! Les Moontunes: Miguel Dumaine: Vocals, Pianos, Organ, Synthesizers, Vocoder Patrick Gaudet: Electric Guitar Samuel Frenette: Electric Guitar Jeremie Poitras: Alto Saxophone and Synthesizers Monica Ouellette: Bass, Trumpet, String Synthesizer Martin Daigle: Drums and Percussion Marc-Andre Richard: Drums Producer: Mike Trask Recording Engineers: Thomas Stajcer at Fang Recording (drums, bass, piano & organ) Mike Trask at Vallée Recording (guitars, vocals, synths, horns, percussion) Assistant Engineer: Sam Mallais at Vallée Recording Mixing: Thomas Stajcer assisted by Mike Trask Mastering: Jay Lapointe at Archive Mastering Artwork: Miguel Dumaine Follow Les Moontunes: Bandcamp / Facebook / LesMoontunes.com Grab some Les Moontunes Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2024 Genre: Stoner rock, Heavy psych, Sludge Sounds Like: Dopelord, Acid Mammoth, Sun Crow Homeland: Switzerland What makes Kala Azar elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? The trio from Switzerland enlighten us with 28 minutes of rhythmic sludge in their self-titled sophomore release. The album is rich with dismal intensity The vocals have a toned down Matt Pike feel; gutteral and trippy The bass work flows steady and low, forming a cryptic foundation that shapes the backbone of the album This album is not an all out doomy sludge affair. There are short moments of relaxed stoner fuzz and psychedelic riffs. Overall the album is infectious and very pointed. It has become a mainstay in our 2024 rotation prompting us also to dive deeper into their debut EP Dethroned Forever Track Listing: 1. Nothingness 6:59 2.Kala Azar 8:26 3. Flies 6:01 4. Stone Fragments 6:59 Dive deeper into IIII with our Q&A with Kala Azar. OHMs Peak: We were fired up for the January 2024 release of your self-titled, first full length in follow-up to 2022’s EP Dethroned Forever. This album is incredibly intense and flawless albeit just shy of 30 minutes. Would love to know a bit more about how your trio got started and the thinking behind these two releases? Kala Azar: Hello and Thanks! Our band was formed in 2020 during the covid lockdown on a counter of the last not closed bar. We talked about music and our mutual interest in the doom/stoner/sludge genre and then decided spontaneously to form a band that would focus on this style. First practice was a week later. Each member has a slightly different musical background. Aron has plays Hardcore-punk for half of his life, Dörig was mainly a Crust punk and Powerviolence guitarist, and Phil shreds in Deathmetal Bands. Which turned out to be great as we all brought our unique influences and experiences to this project. We recorded the tracks for both releases during the same session at our friend's studio in France during a pleasant summer week. Our goal with the EP, our first and non-physical release, which came out right after the mastering process, was to give a glimpse of what people can expect from us. Then the LP, released after the pressing was done, which demonstrates our growth as a band because all these songs were written after those on the EP. Another reason for doing so was to maintain the full audio quality during the cutting process. Four songs on 45 rpm with hi-gain, just sounds much better than if we had squeezed all six songs onto one 12-inch record. OHMs Peak: Tell us a how the name also known as ‘black fever’ came about? Kala Azar: Well, the beginning of this story is pretty boring. In our search for a name, we had various ideas. Phil went through medical diagnosis sheets online and got stuck on “Kala Azar”. It sounded round and good, its Hindi and and translates to “Black Fever”. Perfect. We thought more deeply about the name and the disease and concluded that it matched many of the dimensions (politically, artistically, etc.) that we are interested in and want to express. Black Fever is caused by a parasite that infects its host, much like how humans are infecting and destroying our planet every day. Furthermore, 'Kala Azar' is not found in the Western Hemisphere; it is mostly prevalent in poor, third-world countries. This provides an opportunity to discuss colonial topics and how we exploit other countries (which is specifically what the song 'Kala Azar' is about). 
From an artistic standpoint, we aim to create music and a live experience that infects the listeners with haunting riffs that they cannot shake off. OHMs Peak: Love the opening chilling line from psycho, ”you mean an institution… a madhouse,“ along with the quotes throughout. What is the other UFO son of god quote from on ‘Stone Fragments’? Would love to hear more about the band’s affinity towards horror in general and integration of the clips as it is a powerful addition to the flow of the album. Kala Azar: Thank you for shedding light on our well-considered samples! The second quote is from the movie 'Play It To The Bone' by Ron Shelton. We are not particularly drawn to horror films per se. We chose the samples based on the subject of the songs and the meaning of the passage itself. For example, we selected the clip in 'Nothingness' where they talk about the mentally ill mother of Anthony Perkins' character, because the song's subject is about mental health. First, he expresses a positive attitude towards mental illnesses by saying, “I don’t hate her, I hate the illness.” However, he later reveals a stigma towards mental health institutions, which creates a contrasting viewpoint. OHMs Peak: We see that you you do your own album artwork? We love it, who in the band created and how did the skeletal vision come about? Kala Azar: Dörig, the drummer, did all the artwork and illustrations for the record, as he mostly does band-related graphic art in addition to festival and concert posters. The initial inspiration actually came from a limited 'Fall of Efrafa' silkscreen poster drawn by their vocalist Alex. The dot-work style and the skull story are self-explanatory when you look at our musical career and its influences. This could also be where the D.I.Y. spirit of doing things yourself - with effort - comes from, which we feel is especially important as an independent band. OHMs Peak: Kala Azar is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay… what album is it? Kala Azar: Nas - Illmatic (1994)
. But if its a sunny beachy island with palms and surfing spots we’d go for:
 Youth Avoiders from Paris their s/t album from 2013. Follow Kala Azar: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Kala Azar Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Post-Metal, Doom Sounds Like: The Ocean, Cult of Luna, Cavity Homeland: Oslo, Norway What makes From Embers and Rust elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? The trio from Oslo, Norway have delivered one of this years most textured Post-metal albums to grace our speakers in some time From Embers to Rust is a dark journey through heavy psychedelics, sludge and spiraling sci-fi doom The album art is unique and triguing, leaving us guessing what lies behind the cover SÂVER shows tremendous patietince on this album, allowing each song to breathe and create majestic soundscapes. The bass work stunning and provides a dark undercurrent. Track Listing: 1. Formless 6:21 2. I, Evaporate 5:11 3. Eliminate Distance 5:02 4. Ember & Rust 5:08 5. Primal One 7:01 6. The Object 8:12 7. All in Disarray 6:29 Dive deeper into From Embers and Rust with our Q&A with Ole Ulvik Rokseth of SÂVER OHMs Peak: From Ember and Rust is an absolutely amazing follow-up to your 2019 release They Came With Sunlight. The landscape is now much more elaborate and textured filled with dynamic angles and contrast. What has fueled the progression in sound? SÂVER: Thank you!! It has been a pretty natural evolvement. Ole Ulvik Rokseth uses a lot of synths and cinematic textures in his own music and we have always wanted to use that in our sound. Following the split with Frøkedal it was more a question of “what is too much”, because we want to do these dynamic textures as much as possible live, so we tried to confine ourself with that in mind. OHMs Peak: This album’s artwork is very unique and alluring. Can you provide any insights to the creation of the cover art as this image is very unique particularly for the doom/hardcore genre? SÂVER: The idea was to do something around the “Object” which is a big part of the “sci fi story” that goes through all the songs and lyrical concept. We knew we wanted to do something unique and “ eye catching”. In the story, the object is at first beautiful and given to help us heal, but evolves into a deceiving, destructive force. I remember when Markus Støle was gonna show us what the designers Kjell Ekhorn and Jon Forss had been working on and he kept saying “its a classic”. And we really feel it is. They knocked it out of the park with the design and they brought in Christoph Gromer to make the object you see on the cover. OHMs Peak: “The Object” is 8 minutes of grinding majestic bliss. Take us through the meaning behind this tremendous track? SÂVER: This song was actually written around the riff we called “the sexy riff” haha. The song is about the contrasts between the light and the dark and how we perceived the Object at first. It then evolves into something that tries to break us! OHMs Peak: The SÂVER trio is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay… what album is it? SÂVER: First of all, thank you very much for the questions! Okey; let’s say we are rescued after a weekend. And I’m guessing this island is filled with cold beverages, magic stuff growing and jawdropping sunsets. "Crosby, Stills and Nash" by Crosby Stills and Nash. SÂVER: Markus Støle - Drums / Percussion. Ole Helstad - Bass / Vocals. Ole Ulvik Rokseth - Guitars / Vocals / Synthesizers Produced by Ole Ulvik Rokseth. Co-produced by Kim Lillestøl. Recorded at Caliban Storsjøen and Amper Tone by Kim Lillestøl. Mixed by Kim Lillestøl. Mastered by George Tanderø. Cover design by Kjell Ekhorn and Jon Forss. Artwork by Christoph Gromer Follow SÂVER: Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram Grab some SÂVER Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Stoner metal, Space rock Sounds Like: Sgt. Sunshine, Fu Manchu, Transition Homeland: San Diego, California What makes Western Death elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Western Death by the San Diego California trio Nebula Drag is the band's fourth release after taking a four-year hiatus. The time off was apparently very well spent as the new release hits a stratosphere we rarely encounter. This is what makes all those hours of combing through new releases well worth the time. Western Death hits all marks on the heavy radar delivering an infectious chemistry rarely captured these days. The album is just 32 minutes in length but loaded with thick fuzz and melodic texture. Western Death reminds us of some of the great old school punk psychedelic stoner bands like Transition and Sgt. Sunshine, where you can listen over and over and still hear brilliant nuances and subtleties. ‘Side By Side’ may be one of the most anthemic and intelligently written tracks we have heard this decade. The angst coupled with all-consuming rhythms is second to none. 'Failure' absolutely floors us with its spaced-out orbital jams. So brilliantly calming and infectious an 8 minute journey floating oxygen-filled energy. The vocal prowess of Corey Quintana is distinct and warm. It's the type of voice that will have you following every release hereafter. His easy nonchalant voice Nebula Drag have come back with a clear vision and vibrant formula that sets itself apart from the masses. The trio have captured something very special here makingWestern Death our favorite release of 2023. Track Listing: 1. Crosses 4:49 2. Sleazy Tapestry 3:45 3. Failure 8:46 4. Kneecap 3:48 5. Side By Side 3:37 6. Tell No One 4:59 7. Western Death 4:18 Nebula Drag are: Corey Quintana -Guitar/Vocals Stephen Varns -Drums Garrett Gallagher-Bass Follow Nebula Drag: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Nebula Drag Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Post-metal, Drone-metal Sounds Like: The Ocean, Tool, Occult Hand Order Homeland: Belgium What makes IIII elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? If you have not dived into the world of BRIQUEVILLE yet, you are about to be immersed into some cathartic Post-drone metal Briqueville has this brilliant minimalist Post-doom aura that is totally original. After hearing this beauty you will want to dive further into their library, and you'll be glad you did IIII progresses a bit further from their previous release, Quelle, there are so many subtle nuances and textures to be discovered within each rotation The track 'AKTEXVIII' is a Post-metal wonderment. This is right up there with anything Tool or The Ocean have released BRIQUEVILLE's latest is the perfect companion for a cold hike, or just crank it as it will fill the room with beautiful Post-metal Track Listing: 1. AKTE XVI - 6:57 2. AKTE XVII - 6:43 3. AKTE XVIII - 8:15 4. AKTE XIX - 4:16 5. AKTE XX - 12:15 Dive deeper into IIII with our Q&A with BRIQUEVILLE. OHMs Peak: IIII picks up beautifully from your previous album Quelle. The minimalist doom landscape feels more elaborate and texture filled with brooding angles and dark nuances. What has fueled the progression to keep your signature sound evolving? BRIQUEVILLE: We looked back to our previous records and tried to incorporate all of the different elements presented on them but with more finesse. That resulted automatically in a wider sound thanks to the more prominent role of synths and vocals. The progression on this album came naturally to us. We are never really looking to sound different it’s just the way we write our music as we are all listening to totally different styles/genres. OHMs Peak: This album’s artwork is very unique and alluring. Can you provide any insights to the creation of the cover art as this image is very unique particularly for the doom genre? BRIQUEVILLE: Thanks for the compliment! We have the tendency to do a lot of the artwork, clips, visuals ourselves. So this album cover came to one of us that is involved in photography. He had this idea of a four fingered hand covered in clay. (Our 4th album) It looks burned and out of shape…. as so many global things currently are…. He made this image with his own hand as a model. OHMs Peak: Can you provide a glimpse into the writing process of IIII? What influences guide your passion to create such ominous minimal doom? BRIQUEVILLE: Conversations with people, nature, philosophy, relationships, music, art etc. can all be a source of inspiration. I don't think there are themes that can't inspire us. Talking about inspiration music-wise, we post playlists with artists that inspire us on our Spotify account. The next one ‘VOL. III’ will be out real soon. OHMs Peak: Briqueville is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay… what album is it? BRIQUEVILLE: We talked about this question and came to realise that it is quite impossible for us to choose 1 record that we all agree about. What became clear is that it would be a soundtrack. They behold so many different emotions that it would be suitable for the hardships and the good times on that island, hehe. For example Interstellar by Hans Zimmer would be one, Paris Texas by Ry Cooder another one.. Follow BRIQUEVILLE: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Briqueville Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Stoner rock Sounds Like: Nebula, Truckfighters, Black Rainbows Homeland: Italy What makes Captured Live elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Italy's stoner-psych trio THAT'S ALL FOLKS! were active during the 90s eruption of the stoner rock scene. From 1990-2001, THAT'S ALL FOLKS! blessed us with a few stoner rock classics, then went on hiatus. Until recently we've been seeing an influx of their albums re-released and remastered Whatever is going on in the world of That's All Folks!, it lead to a reunion show in September 2023. The result is this beast of a live album entitled 'Captured Live' Normally we do not review live albums, but this one just grabbed a hold of our crew. Loaded with classics from their early works and a couple hidden fuzzed gems, this album hits all the right notes and more. With tremendous production, each instrument is clear, distinct and packs quite a punch Classics like 'Seed' slams with crunchy stoner riffs and thumping Jesus Lizard-like bass. 'Aquasphere' is a steady and trippy psychedelic stoned affair while 'Echos and Dust' graces us with an enthusiastic stoner bounce We are hoping this album gains momentum within the stoner rock community and we hear new material and a possible tour from the band in 2024 Track Listing: 1.Real Last Night 5:27 2. Jumboo 5:22 3. Ghosts & Echoes 3:13 4. March of Chameleons 4:26 5. The Seed 4:07 6. Aquasphere 11:14 7. Buio Omega 4:01 8. Motormouse & Autocat 3:56 9. Marigold (Bonus Track) 6:04 10. Sweet Leaf (Bonus Track) 5:53 Dive deeper into Captured Live with our Q&A with THAT'S ALL FOLKS! OHMs Peak: We are big fans of your entire library and love that you have re-released your catalog. The release of this live reunion album is a brilliant idea. The clarity and production is absolutely stunning. Would love to hear more about the making of Captured Live. THAT'S ALL FOLKS!: The 30 yrs celebration was the purpose of Captured Live, to recreate our career and challenge ourselves in hearing how TAF would sound today. Maybe it's not so bad ahahah. OHMs Peak: Does this mean we may get a new album out of you and the band is back together for the foreseeable future?… or is THAT'S ALL FOLKS? THAT'S ALL FOLKS!: For a new album, we are at the moment very busy with our bands (Anuseye and Moon's Mallow and with their new albums recently released), but never say never... now we are Happy to have some shows and get fun, and were very surprised for the echo that our band gained for this kind of reunion. OHMs Peak: Tell us about the venue? Is it your favorite? THAT'S ALL FOLKS!: We were invited to play in Matera by the Indian Bikers in their stunning clubhouse where there is a very good acoustic. So we decided to record the gig with Angelo Pantaleo who made the live recordings and the mixing. It's quite a brilliant result, isn't It?" OHMs Peak: Who does your album artwork? It’s genius and particularly love the Captured Live piece. THAT'S ALL FOLKS!: The artwork is from an Italian artist, Paolo Polli. It's a huge oil on canvas painting. OHMs Peak: That's All Folks! is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay… what album is it? THAT'S ALL FOLKS!: For Michele... Arthur Lee & Love, Forever Changes, for Claudio is a cruel challenge!!! Let's say Sam Gopal's Escalator. THAT'S ALL FOLKS! are: Bass, Michele Rossiello Guitar and voice, Claudio Colaianni Drums, Cosimo Armenio Solo guitar, Stefano Pomponio Follow THAT'S ALL FOLKS!: Bandcamp Grab some THAT'S ALL FOLKS! Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Hard rock Sounds Like: Far, Rival Schools Homeland: Minnesota What makes The Biggest Shove in Space elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? After a 20 year hiatus, Houston return with a comforting 90's inspired hard rock album for fans of Far or Rival Schools Infectious rhythms coupled with often muffled vocals lead the way on this album. The production is clear as each instrument stands out and played to perfection The whimsical album art is unique and triguing, leaving us guessing what lies behind the cover The Biggest Shove in Space shows Houston's strong formula for writing catchy tunes as their chemistry is tremendous. This is a sleeper album and once you get into their style of rock, it will be hard to keep out of your rotation Track Listing: 1.San Diego 4:52 2. DntUWry 2:27 3. ThsNvrHpnd 3:39 4. 50 Years Of Revenge 3:22 5. WkUpStrpdDwn 2:45 6. Static And Cicadas 3:51 7. AKThndrFk 2:50 8. Wag The Dog 2:07 9. Dscpln 3:18 10. North 3:16 11. Five0judgeNjury 3:56 12. Elton Bezus 4:04 Dive deeper into The Greatest Shove in Space with our Q&A with Houston OHMs Peak: What’s behind the album title The Biggest Shove in Space? How did that come about? Houston: That’s a lyric taken from the 3rd track on the album 'ThsNvrHpnd'. OHMs Peak: Your sound captures a unique 90s independent feel. Can you provide a glimpse into your writing process & influences? Houston: Sure, well we all have pretty varied tastes and we all contribute ideas. On this record each of us threw in songs we had written on our own and then had each other put their stamp on it. Jeff really made everything come together with his vocals and production. OHMs Peak: What was the impetus that brought you back together after 20 years? Houston: We had some unrecorded songs that we wanted to put down for posterity sake. That turned into the EP we put out earlier this year with Init Records called Every Branch On It’s Way Down. OHMs Peak: We love the album art. Quirky majestic feel. Who was the creator and what’s the story behind it? Houston: 100% Jeff Halland OHMs Peak: ‘San Diego’ and ‘Dscpln’ are two of the most catchy and anthemic tracks of the year for us. Guaranteed radio hits back in the day. How has the evolution within the music industry and ‘streaming’ era changed your view or approach? Wow thanks. Actually San Diego is the one song we came up with entirely as a band in the practice space. And you know, I wouldn’t say the music industry has had any effect on how we write but technology definitely has. OHMs Peak: Houston is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay… what album is it? Impossible! There’s zero chance we’d agree without a brawl but if I had to guess it’d probably be a Cure record or Van Halen. Houston are: Jeff Halland - Vocals/Guitar Lane Soderberg - Bass/Vocals Ian Prince - Drums Follow Houston: Bandcamp Grab some Houston Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Black Metal, Western Metal Sounds Like: Red Scalp, Cactus Black, Firelink Homeland: Denver, Colorado What makes American Gothic elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? American Gothic engulfs the listener into this dark yet picturesque mid-western world that appears to cover the turn of the century. All 8 tracks are contained within a dark western atmosphere unfolding like a classic novel much akin to Ed Kurtz’s ‘A Wind of Knives’ or Cormac McCarthy’s ‘Blood Meridian’ 'Cattle Thief’ is an all consuming standout track. Featuring brilliant heaviness with spiraling fretwork. It has sparked our revisiting of the whole 'Cattle Kate' tragedy from midwestern history. Can’t remember the last time a black metal anlbum inspired us to revisit researching an historical event American Gothic delivers in a big way. Since their 2011 commencement this is Wayfarer’s most impressive piece of work. A brilliantly told journey that keeps to its dark western imagery and does not sway. The consistency and beauty make for one hell of a unique lens that sets Wayfarer on a new plain The foursome from Colorado are a permanent mainstay in our heavy rotation. ‘ American Gothic’ is elite in stature featuring some of the best acoustic and slide guitar work and vocal contrasts to hit the metal scene The closer ‘False Constellation’ could be one of the best closing tracks in the last decade accompanied by hair raising saloon piano and wild contrast. You feel the distant sun setting and raw smell of desolate despair Track Listing: 1. The Thousand Tombs Of Western Promise 7:11 2. The Cattle Thief 9:06 3. Reaper On The Oilfields 4:14 4. To Enter My House Justified 5:12 5. A High Plains Eulogy 3:54 6. 1934 1:25 7. Black Plumes Over God's Country 5:46 8. False Constellation 6:59 Follow Wayfarer: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Wayfarer Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Thrash, Metal Sounds Like: Tool, Wellwater Conspiracy, Osees Homeland: Melbourne, Australia What makes PetroDragonic Apocalypse elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? How does perhaps the most prolific band of the century keep things so fresh and layered within each release? The only answer to this we can think of is that they are just fucking genius musicians with insane chemistry The Australian juggernaut, as we write this perspective today, have released 25 studio albums, 16 live albums, 7 compilation/remix/extended albums, 59 singles and 60+ music videos PetroDragonic Apocalypse is perhaps the bands most consistently heavy album with a core progressive metal tilt. What distinguishes this album from the many others is the fact that the percussion arrangements hit euphoric heights. Our minds wander into homage for Danny Carey territory as each track contains jaw-dropping angles. Michael Cavanagh has a percussive technique that feels flawless all while maintaining the intensity and complexity of the elite drummers of our time While the album has tremendous consistency, it is ‘Flamethrower’ that becomes the most engrossing track of this elite album. The song features some of the most comfortingly aggressive moments and should be earmarked as a test track when looking to upgrade your speakers. Do they pass sonic capture of what is 'Flamethrower'? 'Jambi' used to be our test track until now Track Listing: 1. Motor Spirit 8:32 2. Supercell 5:05 3. Converge 6:16 4. Witchcraft 5:03 5. Gila Monster 4:35 6. Dragon 9:44 7. Flamethrower 9:21 King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard are: Stu Mackenzie: Guitar / Bass / Vocals / Recording / Mixing / Lyrics / Synthesiser Ambrose Kenny-Smith: Vocals / Lyrics / Synthesiser Joey Walker: Guitar / Bass / Vocals / Recording / Mixing / Lyrics / Synthesiser Michael Cavanagh: Drums / Percussion / Vocals / Electronic Drum Kit Cook Craig: Bass / Vocals / Lyrics / Synthesiser Lucas Harwood: Lyrics / Synthesiser Follow King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Stoner rock Sounds Like: The Steams, King Buffalo, Swan Valley Heights Homeland: Manchester, UK What makes The Infinite Mirror elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Hailing from Manchester, UK, Ritual King are thrust to the forefront of notable stoner bands to watch in 2023 and beyond. Their latest release is full of bluesy haze and fuzzy jams. Ritual King have developed their sound into more intricate song structure that will consume you One of our favorite tracks is 'Worlds Divide’. An anthemic calling to the masses containing a unique communal sonic rallying cry Ryan Hancock’s album art seems to fit so well with the mood invoked by this album The vocals from Jordan Leppitt have a distinct clean sound with a bit of muffle effect, adding a psychedelic layer. Check out 'Tethered,' it's so fucking original The dual vocals between Jordan and Gareth are a nice addition, adding more depth to this wonderful stoner gem The Infinite Mirror is so rich with layers you'll discover new melodies and atmospheres with each listen. The album will easily become a mainstay in your rotation Track Listing: 1. Flow State 9:29 2. Worlds Divide 7:28 3. Landmass 7:14 4. Tethered 11:50 5. The Infinite Mirror 9:32 Ritual King are: Jordan Leppitt – Lead Vocals & Guitar Dan Godwin – Bass Gareth Hodges – Drums & Backing Vocals Follow Ritual King: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Ritual King Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Stoner rock, Heavy psych Sounds Like: Dead Meadow, .Arenna, King Buffalo Homeland: France What makes Dawn of the Dusk elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? The trio hailing from France have been at the forefront of heavy psych space-infused doom since 2007. Dawn of the Dusk takes some well calculated turns not yet explored within their library, further expanding their sound yet keeping to their all-absorbing thick cosmic landscape Bassist Jimmy Kinast does a phenomenal job on 'The Final Round'. The upbeat tempo sounds like a completely different band at the onset, but thick layers of the signature sound creep back in so elegantly. We absolutely love the consistent unique album artwork Mars Red Sky continues to produce over the years, makes you want to purchase the vinyl Among the trio's vast library of heavy psych, 'Maps of Inferno' is one of their top songs to grace our speakers . The vocals from Julien Pras are so unique coupled with the meandering space fuzz is absolutely stellar Track Listing: 1. Break Even 6:10 2. Maps Of Inferno 7:17 3. The Final Round 6:22 4. A Choir Of Ghosts 3:22 5. Carnival Man 7:42 6. Trap Door :46 7. Slow Attack 4:50 8. Heavenly Bodies 3:22 Mars Red Sky are: Julien Pras: vocals, guitars, harmonica, broken piano. Jimmy Kinast: bass, drones, sound effects, lead vocals on The Final Round. Mathieu Gazeau: drums, percussions, rhodes. Helen Ferguson : vocals, backing vocals and autoharpe on Heavenly Bodies Follow Mars Red Sky: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Mars Red Sky Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Heavy Psych, Post-Metal Sounds Like: Elder, ASG, Torche Homeland: Ohio What makes Falling Fathoms elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? The foursome from Ohio have delivered one of the most cathartic and melodic Post-stoner rock albums to bless our ears this year Deeply rooted hooks and virtuosic fretwork will accompany you throughout your hike and love of the beautiful outdoors The album cover compliments the music to a tee with waves of heavy psych and touches of ominous post-doom The harmonizing vocals between Dan and Jeff is superb. They bring a calming feel to the album. It's a hard task to pull off in metal, only a few bands come to mind who accomplish this (Alice In Chains, King's X to name a couple) Track Listing: 1. In Waves 11:19 2. Falling Fathoms 8:10 3. Controlled Burn 10:33 4. Relief 7:12 5. Black Stars 12:32 Dive deeper into Falling Fathoms with our Q&A with Slow Wake OHMs Peak: Can you provide us some insight behind the Falling Fathoms album name? Slow Wake: Dan (Vocals, Guitar, Synth): That came from the song “Falling Fathoms”. I’m pretty sure that was the first song I finished, lyrically. When we were writing the songs that became the album, we were very much still trying to figure out our identity as a band. For myself, beyond just the riffs it was also ‘what am I going to sing about?’. I was in a pretty dark place, but I didn’t want to just vomit my anger and fear, etc at our potential listeners. I wanted something artful, evocative, poetic even. As they emerged, all of the lyrics are pretty dark. Lots of anger and death in there. But lots of beauty and even triumph is present in the music. We discussed naming the album “Controlled Burn”, we knew we wanted it as a single and had started concepting a video, but I really felt that really only spoke of heat and anger and destruction. Falling through fathoms of water, perhaps even to your own death, there’s a feeling of peace, even beauty. Drifting slowly through crystal blue waters, edging more and more towards quiet, black oblivion. OHMs Peak: Your music delivers such an uplifting heavy psych and outdoor feel. Are there certain locations or settings that inspire your creation? Slow Wake: Joe (Bass, Synth): There is a definite feeling around growing up and living near Lake Erie here in Ohio. I wouldn’t say all the music we make is directly influenced by this location - it’s really just kind of ingrained in someone who lives near it and visits its shores often. There are a lot of great stories about shipwrecks and events that happened there. The most famous song about the power of the Great Lakes (of which Erie is a part of) is Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”. Dan: For “In Waves” I stand on a vast windy, alien plane before a Silver Door with a lush jungle piling beyond it. “Falling Fathoms” I’m sinking into a deep blue ocean that is raging above me. “Controlled Burn” I am in a burning house, as it starts to collapse around me and the smoke closes in it shrinks and gets claustrophobic. “Relief” I stand on a strip of silver sandy beach in front of a massive craggy cliff studded with twisted evergreens while yellow clouds streak a blue-white sky. “Black Stars” I stand on a vast and ruddy plain. In the far, far distance a huge and unevenly serrated stone wall stretches across the entire horizon, The sky above is shimmering white pierced by jet black stars that shine with an oily radiance. That’s exactly the imagery I had in mind when writing the lyrics and it’s really stuck with me. OHMs Peak: The dual vocals emanate with clean and inviting tones with natural harmonies. Can you provide how this came about? Slow Wake: Joe: I don’t remember if this came about during the recording of the album, or if it happened at a rehearsal, but Jeff(Drums) tried out some harmonies and backing vox to a few parts of the songs - and it just fit and worked just as you hear it. I personally feel proud that those two also do this live without using pre-recorded audio tracks. Dan: We started it during rehearsals. As I was developing the rhythms and melodies of the lyrics I knew there were going to be parts where I wanted more voices involved. “Controlled Burn” and “Falling Fathoms” were the first songs I had finished and to me there were obvious points where a second voice was going to give the perfect amount of additional heft. Matt and Joe both claim to not be able to sing (we’ll see about that in the long run..) but Jeff volunteered that he could so we gave it a whirl. Spoiler alert: he can in fact sing, on key, while drumming. Also, during the recording of the album he took the reins on a few parts and added his own harmonies - beyond what we were already doing. Jeff (Drums, Vocals, Samples): When thinking of the harmonies for the vocal lines, I tried to live somewhere between the guitar riffs and Dan’s vocals. I tried some diatonic thirds and the typical stuff but it didn’t seem to sit with the music the way that either a static note or a melody that followed the riff did. It also came down to what I was able to sing while I was playing! OHMs Peak: The album art portrays the music perfectly. Can you give us a glimpse into how it was created? Slow Wake: Joe: I created the album art from photographs of stormy seas. We felt that the ominous power of nature captured the feel of the music. The twin sun imagery comes from the song “Black Stars”, featuring elements of “The King in Yellow” by Robert Chambers. The cursed city of Carcosa sits on Lake Hali, either on another planet or in another dimension. In the sky overhead are twin suns. We take that imagery as prophetic and ominous, and the thought that something is not quite right or unnatural. OHMs Peak: Falling Fathoms is a terrific debut album. You guys have raised the bar early in your career. Any insights to future plans of the band? Slow Wake: Joe: First of all, we really appreciate that sentiment - we always want to know how people are reacting to the album. As of right now, we are working on several new songs, written since the release of “Falling Fathoms” in June. The idea is to have another group of songs ready to record this spring (2024) as a follow up album. Beyond that, we are playing live alongside other up-and-coming bands, and stage-testing new songs when we have them. Our main goal right now is the continued development of our “sound” and a continued progression from “Falling Fathoms”. Dan: As we’re writing these new songs, I spend a lot of time thinking about how we create a consistency that we can call ‘our sound’ without repeating ourselves. The first batch of songs, which became “Falling Fathoms” was created almost instinctively, very much a ‘well, let’s do that and see what happens’ kind of mentality. Now that we’re getting such positive responses we’re all being much more intentional in what we’re writing. It definitely makes it harder, but it is fun discussing how we’re gonna Slow Wake-ify certain riffs. Jeff: I think that we write music that we would want to hear. For the first album, we had countless moments where we would play a song or section of a song for the first time and know that we had just raised the bar from where it previously was. As we write the next batch, we’re chasing that feeling of creating something that pushes us as musicians, but also appeals to what we call the “cave man” mentality of just writing something that rocks and figuring out the pretty stuff later. OHMs Peak: Slow Wake is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay... what album is it? Slow Wake: Joe: My vote is YOB, Clearing the Path to Ascend. Perfection from start to finish, ending on “Marrow”, one of the greatest songs ever recorded. Dan: Joe, I’d stay on that island with you as long as you don't mind me ugly crying during “Marrow”. Slow Wake are: Jeff Larch - Drums, Backing Vocals Matthew Merchant - Guitar, Guitar Synth Dan Simone - Vocals, Guitar, Guitar Synth Joe Fortunato - Bass, Bass Synth Follow Slow Wake: Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram Grab some Slow Wake Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Heavy Psych, Stoner doom Sounds Like: Red Scalp, Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree, ISIS Homeland: France What makes Silence By The Raging Sea elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Occult Hand Order have taken their heavy psychedlic sound to new heights on this one. It's a trippy affair with beautiful and patient soundscapes This album will take you on a journey through various peaks and valleys of soft psychedila to heavy doom-like fuzz The vocals from bassist Hugo Zepah are nestled perfectly into the music with brilliant echo. His tone is mostly clean, but reachs deep when needed. 'Sailers' is the perfect example of his vocal range Silence By The Raging Sea is a vey cathartic album. The well-timed change-ups between the soft reflective moments and the spatial doom are brilliant as you will find yourself deeply enganged Track Listing: 1. Sink 7:45 2. Sailors 7:12 3. Pyre 10:39 4. Fever 5:18 5. Tidal Waves 7:47 6. Golden Bones 11:02 Dive deeper into Silence By The Raging Sea with our Q&A with Occult Hand Order OHMs Peak: Your band name is unusual. Can you take us through the name derivation of Occult Hand Order? Occult Hand Order: Our bassist has a tattoo that represents a hand with some occult signs, so that gave him the idea for the name, so there's no deep explainations on this one. OHMs Peak: We love the vibrant earth tones and concept within your album art. Who is the mastermind and can you encapsulate the vision for us? Occult Hand Order: Morgane Dezaubris (Mobsidan) made all the band's artworks since day one. It has always been easy to work with her as she's a really close friend. She always manages to understand what we mean with a record, she was there every step of the creation of Silence By The Raging Sea and we feel she managed once more to reflect our vision onto the cover of the album. She pictured tears, fire, despair, desolation, in a way that it's not depressing, and rather beautiful, and this is what our album is all about. OHMs Peak: The build-up and patience within ‘Golden Bones’ is absolutely mesmerizing. Can you take us through the meaning and creation of this great track? Occult Hand Order: We always wanted to create this kind of song. We all listen to progressive music and finally being able to compose this was a great joy for us. 'Golden Bones' is about what we leave behind, what will be found after mankind vanishes. It's the idea that everything will eventually fall into oblivion. It's a mean for us to cast away the fear we feel about this idea. Creating this song was really challenging for us as we really wanted to execute the progression the right way. This process helped us mature our sound in the end! OHMs Peak: While we are big fans of your prior release The Chained The Burned The Wounded,  it is Silence By the Raging Sea that captivated us diving much deeper into expansive spacial landscapes. Take us through your mindset into the expansion of your sound and the almost concept album feel with its consistent aura and melodies? Occult Hand Order: After releasing The Chained The Burned The Wounded back in 2020, we had to keep on creating, as it was almost impossible to go on tour at the time, so composing new songs helped us keeping the band existing. We all really wanted to create something that would go further than the last record we just made. We also had one time to work on our sound, our gear, to perfect how we deliver the songs live. Times were a little bit depressing at that time with the pandemic, which maybe is why the album is more melancholic. We worked on new material for almost 2 years, trying some during our shows, as we give live performance a lot of importance in our creative process. We finally decided to record this album during the summer of 2022, in a house far from everything in the countryside. We stayed there for 2 weeks, trying to focus only on the record, and it was really intense. Emotionally, physically, it was really hard but also rewarding because we're really happy with the result. OHMs Peak: What bands most influenced your creative sound?? Occult Hand Order: For this record our influences changed a lot. We all listened more and more Post Rock, Post Metal bands, things that are more experimental also, like Russian Circles, Big Brave or Emma Ruth Rundle. We obviously still enjoy Stoner/Doom/Psych records, but we are maybe more sensible to the heaviness that lies in the meaning and the mood of songs we listen rather than in the riffs. OHMs Peak: Occult Hand Order is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay, what album is it? Occult Hand Order: That one is actually pretty challenging ! The three of us absolutely love Dying Surfer Meets His Maker by All Them Witches, so it might be this one. Occult Hand Order are: Tony Duvillard - Drums Nicolas Fabre - Guitar Hugo Zepah - Bass & vocals Follow Occult Hand Order: Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram Grab some Occult Hand Order Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Sludge, Hardcore Sounds Like: Goatsnake, Windhand, Down Homeland: Oklahoma What makes Medicine Horse elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Sludge/hardcore newcomers, Medicine Horse have delivered one hell of a debut here. It's a raw and unfiltered blues-fettered sludge album with richly rooted tribal bounce The Oklahoma quintent have developed an outside the box thinking. Diving deeper into the sludge meets hardcore realm This trip encompasses 7 songs hovering around 34 minutes. The soundscape is far from your typical sludge album as they wallop you with crisp hardcore than pull back with a mesmerizing, bluesy doom Nico Williams possesses a unique vocal talent. Her range from guttural scowls to etherial bluesy tones is like no other This album is perched above the plains of beauty with a sludgy-blues underpinning that is enriched by Nico’s wild vocal exploration. Brilliantly tight acoustics coupled with vibrantly diverse fretwork Track Listing: 1. Dead Medicine 3:56 2. Turning Tide 3:51 3. Swamp Interlude 1:42 4. Letiche 6:56 5. Badlands 4:32 6. She 6:08 7. Kuwa Detlukv (The Orchard) 7:11 Dive deeper into this album with our Q&A with Medicine Horse OHMs Peak: How did your Native American roots help shape your sound and what was the driving force behind the name Medicine Horse? Medicine Horse: The drum is a big part of pow wow and traditional ceremonies in Kyle's Ponka and Otoe-Missouria culture, and the rhythm of turtle shell shackles is central to stomp dance ceremonies in Nico's Cherokee culture. These sounds are the most ancient form of human musical expression, and this driving rhythm is also the heart of heavy music, so what seems like two cultures with a whole lot of distance between them are actually very comfortable with each other. Medicine Horse is the name of guitarist Kyle Williams' great-great-great-grandfather, Shoⁿge Moⁿkoⁿ (Ponca) or Ma’kaⁿ Suⁿje (Otoe). He was a warrior who fought for the survival of his people, and Kyle would not be here today if not for the strength of this ancestor. Medicine Horse is an inspiration to us to continue to fight for our people, our family, friends and community. OHMs Peak: The vocals of Nico Williams are the driving force of this album. How do you train your vocals to control such a wide range? Medicine Horse: I never had any formal training but my initial background as a vocalist was as an aspiring jazz singer. So that is where my clean singing style is rooted. The heavy vocals really come through coaching from our rhythm guitarist, my husband Kyle. He has a long career as a vocalist and front man over decades in the Tulsa metal scene, and he was the one who coached me from the start in our previous band to find that space in my voice and be able to volley between the two safely and with the most powerful effect. OHMs Peak: Any plans for a significant tour in the coming months? Feel free to share some dates, we would love to catch you on the east coast one day. Medicine Horse: We have a handful of dates around our home region of Oklahoma, and are planning a short run of southern states along the Gulf coast. We are always adding dates all the time, so we would absolutely love to do some shows on the east coast. 10/28 - Whittier Bar - Tulsa, OK 11/10 - The Shrine - Tulsa, OK 11/17 - Iron Horse Records - Van Buren, AR 12/30 - The Pitt - Pittsburg, KS 1/17 - TBD - Houston, TX 1/18 - TBD - Lafayette, LA 1/19 - TBD - New Orleans, LA 1/20 - TBD - Hattiesburg, MS 1/24 - Diamond Ballroom - Oklahoma City, OK OHMs Peak: The album contains intriguing lyrics which adds to the allure of Medicine Horse. Can you provide some insights to your creative writing process? Medicine Horse: Most of the time, the band comes up with an instrumental arrangement for a song and pretty much locks that in, before I take a scratch recording of that and go off by my lonesome to sit with it. The music will always paint a picture for me, and an idea takes shape. Sometimes the sound immediately brings me to a place, like the bayou in Letiche, or the desert in She, and a story unfolds from there. OHMs Peak: Would love to hear a bit about the creation of the album art, it seems to capture the mood of the album? Medicine Horse: Kyle wanted the art to tell the story of the creation of our band. We began during the pandemic, a dark time full of so much death, which is represented by the grim reaper hidden in the mountain on the horizon. The figures are of course us, having survived that battle we continue our journey together to face whatever comes next. Our good friend, artist Jacob Rachal captured all of that so perfectly. He took our initial inspiration from the old westerns we all grew up with (and Young Guns of course) and ran with it, adding all these little details, and his color choices give the piece this haunted kind of mood with a supernatural spin to it. We also feel it sums up the album musically, and the personality of the band pretty well as a whole, bringing in elements of where we all come from and where we currently are, and the overall sound. Medicene Horse are: Nico Williams - Vocals Kyle Williams - Guitar Garrett Heck - Drums Travis Rowe - Guitar Chris West - Bass Follow Medicine Horse: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Medicine Horse Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Death metal, Progressive metal Sounds Like: Death, Gojira, Amorphis Homeland: Pennsylvania What makes Ontological Mysterium elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Prog-death metal wizards, Horrendous have delivered their finest release to date. Ontological Mysterium is THE album to test the range of your speakers. A sonic masterpiece that with brilliant clarity and deep wild layers of bass and texture The Philadelphia quartet continue their outside the box death metal thinking. Diving deeper into the progressive realm of pinpoint mechanics and wild contrast This trip encompasses 9 songs hovering just over 37 minutes. The soundscape is far from your typical death metal album as they wallop you with crisp precision and wild trajectories from "The Blaze" onward. Horrendous’ ability to weave progressive towering fretwork with such percussive clarity and depth is truly one of a kind Horrendous have also dramatically improved on the vocals since what originally attracted us back in 2014 with their hardcore laced release Ecdysis. We love the fact that Ontological Mysterium packs in so much in under 40 minutes… no meandering progressive metal jams, just the perfect melding of multiple metal genres positioned uniquely amongst its peers Track Listing: 1. The Blaze 1:59 2. Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn) 7:15 3. Neon Leviathan 3:29 4. Aurora Neoterica 1:55 5. Preterition Hymn 3:57 6. Cult of Shaad'oah 5:23 7. Exeg(en)esis 3:37 8. Ontological Mysterium 4:43 9. The Death Knell Ringeth 5:17 Dive deeper into Ontological Mysterium with our Q&A with Horrendous OHMs Peak: Over the last few albums, and in particular with this latest release, we have seen your sound evolve into more of a progressive edge and cleaner production. We are loving the dramatic contrast and new vision. Can you take us through the development of your sound? Horrendous: I think the band is always on a journey forward. We’re constantly trying to push our art into new directions and uncover what we think the most ‘perfect’ vision of the band is. I always like to think of it as the sculpture hiding within a block of marble; each record for us is a further whittling away of the stone. For us, this record was the next logical step in our evolution. We wanted to maintain our progressive elements while also streamlining them–without sacrificing any depth, of course–into more digestible and enjoyable pieces. We felt that some of the more complex material on Idol intruded on the listener’s ability to fully connect with and feel the music, and we wanted to remedy that this time around. OHMs Peak: Is there a story behind Ontological Mysterium. The songs and album title are very unique and highly intriguing? Horrendous: The album didn’t begin with any concept. We typically let inspiration call to us when writing lyrics, following that voice wherever it leads. While one might think this could result in a lack of focus to the lyrical concepts, we always find that it has the opposite effect; there seems to be some invisible thread that binds our ideas together. For this album in particular, most themes centered around the need to overcome or transform. Whereas Idol tended to focus on oppressive forces, and was in many ways a cry for liberation from them, OM is more about self evolution and reclaiming our agency to change our circumstances. OHMs Peak: 'Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn)' is probably one of the most innovative songs we have ever heard. Take us through the idea and intent behind this masterpiece. Horrendous: I would say the opening riff came to me first, and everything else flowed from that point. It was one of those riffs that sounded ‘big,’ with an energy that was urgent and desperate with a hint of melancholy. As with all of our songs, we followed the comet’s tail that this riff left for us and let it unfold. I think it took the longest to write, and had probably about 3-5 different iterations before it was finally complete. If memory serves me correctly, I think this song actually existed in its infancy since before Idol was released; it just wasn’t ready at the time to consider using it on that record. OHMs Peak: Would love to hear a bit about this latest album art, as usual you guys do not disappoint, both visually and sonically? Horrendous: As always, we don’t give our artist Brian Smith too much input on the front end of things. We give him themes and color palette ideas but subsequently set him loose to ‘feel’ and interpret the music as he pleases. We find that letting him have full autonomy over his creative process produces the best results! For this record, we interpret the cover as a representation of the evolution of our sound (perhaps of death metal as a whole!), with the left-most skull representing the simpler, more ‘old school’ sound of the band. As the image continues, the skull transforms into a much more developed and singular face–that of a demon, perhaps. We see this as the most current state of the band; unafraid to flaunt our individual quirks and sound. Beneath the faces is the hint of a trail wandering into a hellscape, initiating the listener on their own journey of transformation. OHMs Peak: Horrendous is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay… what album is it? Horrendous: Ha! I would have to say Type O Negative’s Bloody Kisses. All of us got deep into that record at the same time on our very first tour together. I bought the CD at amoeba music in San Francisco and played it that night after the gig. We all had so much fun listening to the album that it became a nightly ritual of sorts to hear the record after each gig. Horrendous are: Damian Herring - Guitar, vocals Jamie Knox - Drums Matt Knox - Guitar, vocals Alex Kulick - Bass Follow Horrendous: Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram Grab some Horrendous Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Doom, Post-metal Sounds Like: Tool, Rezn, Kylesa Homeland: Germany What makes Aion elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Since their 2017 release Medicine, we have been following the maturation of this dynamic German band. Aion paints their most elaborate and euphoric landscape to date The self-titled opener hits all marks right off the bat in case you are curious to get to know the band. 12 minutes that shows immediately the band’s tremendous range…. but wait if you are patient the album soars even higher 79 minutes of richly layered heavy post-psychedelic wonder. The quiet reflective moments make for some of the most dramatic contrasts to hit our ears this decade Perhaps the most unique aspect of the album is that Aion is able to hit breathtaking levels in the last three of eight tracks. "Excavation" kicks off the expansive three closing tracks that comprise 40 minutes of dark realms and ingenuity Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree are a must for fans of post-rock progressive/doom that enjoy an album that breathes intricate precision and delivers a one of a kind psychedelic experience Track Listing: 1. Aion 12:00 2. Divergence 7:00 3. Threatening 12:05 4. Consonance 2:34 5. Courtyard 4:11 6. Excavation 8:05 7. Scouring the Land 11:59 8. Grey Wels 21:26 Q&A with Bees Made Honey in the Vein Trees' Drummer & Vocalist, Marc Dreher OHMs Peak: We have been following your career since 2017 and are fans of all four releases. We must say Aion is masterful and hits new heights. Would love to hear any different approaches you may have taken in the making of this album. BMHITVT: After the release of Grandmother, we started the songwriting process for Aion. Our goal was to bring more catchy melodies and structure back into the songs. Grandmother was mainly characterized by sound aesthetics and noise. The songs were mostly completely linear, so there were no repeating verses or anything. Of course you can find that in Aion too, but I think we managed to bring a bit more song structure into the songs without losing the experimental and aesthetic factor. Also we used more field recordings and have explicit ambient parts on the album. "Consoncance“ and "Courtyard“ are two such examples. They form a calm pole in the middle of the album, comparable to the eye of a hurricane. OHMs Peak: The album art reflects the music very well. Can you tell us a bit about the unique album cover creation and the story behind the art? BMHITVT: Chris - our bass player - is a photographer and graphic designer. Therefore it was clear from the beginning that he is responsible for the design. The process of creation is very unusual. Chris filled an aquarium at home with water and added soil. In the process, a leaf was also added by chance. He let the whole thing stand for 4-5 months and decompose a bit. After this time, he took his first photos with a view camera on sheetfilm and one of them was also the current album cover. Chris also developed the photo in his own photo lab. OHMs Peak: Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree is such a unique name. How did your band name originate? BMHITVT: The name goes back to a painting Simon made for our rehearsal space. When we were looking at the painting, we thought of the words “bee”, “honey(comb)”, “vein” and “tree”. As a joke, Simon put them into the phrase from Earth’s record The Bees Made Honey in the Lion Skull, and it stuck. Actually, Simon was the only one who knew about this record, so it was at first a decision for the cool sounding oft he band name as a tribute to Earth or something. We considered changing our name, even when we were in the studio recording Medicine, but finally decided to keep our name. I think the name has worked out great for us, and since most people in our genre know Earth, it’s easy for them to remember such a long name. And of course, we all like Lion’s Skull. OHMs Peak: Looking back at last year’s Harvestmen release. It was so great to hear a live album from the band. Will you be exploring more impromptu live releases? BMHITVT: Since we always play live with a digital mixer for our in-ear monitoring, it is very easy for us to produce live recordings. The recordings on Harvestmen (live) are all from live concerts we played in 2019. Interestingly, "Threatening" - which has now also made it onto Aion - can also be heard on Harvestmen in its former stage. Fun fact: We chose the name Harvestmen because that's the name of a location in Vienna where two songs from the album were recorded. To answer your question, let's see if we will make another live album in the future. To be honest, we haven't really thought about it yet. OHMs Peak: Any chance you may be touring in the US this year or next? BMHITVT: Well, of course it's not that easy for European bands to tour in the U.S. But now that we are on Magnetic Eye Records (located in Los Angeles), the chances have definitely increased. For us it's a dream that we definitely want to fulfill in the near future. So if there are any tour managers reading this, hit us up! :-) OHMs Peak: BMHITVT is stranded on an island with only a solar powered record player. The entire band must agree to only 1 album to have during your stay... what album is it? BMHITVT: Difficult, because we all have quite broad musical tastes. But it would be Loveless by My Bloody Valentine. Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree are: Christopher Popowitsch - Bass Marc Dreher - Drums, Vocals Lucas Dreher - Guitars Simon Weinrich - Guitars, Vocals Follow Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree: Bandcamp / Facebook / Instagram Grab some Bees Made Honey in the Vein Tree Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Hardcore, Punk Sounds Like: Lashdown, Made Out Of Babies, Ithaca Homeland: France What makes Morning in the Burning House elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Hailing from France, Iron Deficiency bring fourth a straight up 17 minute gut punching hardcore/punk album Morning in the Burning House delivers eight bruising cuts fueled by emotion and angst "A Call to Rage" grabs you right out of the gate and never lets go. Thick, heavy punk, hard-core with tremendous movement and wild change ups. We love the hip-hop breakdown at the end of the track. The vocals of Mathilde are unbelievable. Her agressive tone is downright inspiring and rank up their with the likes of 90's era Karen Crisis or Julie Christmas... you can feel the raw anger The music is in classic hardcore style with underlying punk vibes It's an album that grows stronger with every rotation. Its short time span makes this even more alluring. No gimmicks or wasted moments are to be found as the album never wears out its welcome Track Listing: 1. A Call To Rage 01:52 2. Locked In 02:18 3. On the Edge 02:12 4. Perfect 01:32 5. All Bite No Bark (feat. Felox) 01:47 6. Human Mistake 02:37 7. Final Words 02:08 8. Morning in the Burning House (feat. Romain Bedel [Cavalerie]) 02:17 Standout Tracks A daunting task for an album of this eliteness, but 'On the Edge' and 'Locked In' will win you over with their unfilterd heaviness. Album Art We are not sure what the meaning is behind the album art is, but it was enough to lure us in. Brew pairing for Morning in the Burning House Grab some It Comes In Waves IPA by Maine brewing company Mast Landing. This 8% IPA is hazy and tropical, a great pairing with Iron Deficiency. Iron Deficiency are: Mathilde (vocals) Erwan (drums) Guillaume (bass) Axxxel (guitar) Follow Iron Deficiency: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Iron Deficiency Merch

Released: 2023 Genre: Sludge, Hardcore Sounds Like: Unsane, Daughters, Rebreather Homeland: Chicago What makes Cares, Wills, Wants elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? These Beasts have melded 90s inspired hardcore with a side of raw sludge The Chicago-based trio deliver eight bruising cuts fueled by emotion and angst Following two impressive EPs; Salvor and Self-Titled, These Beasts continue to build a strong sludgy foundation. Cares, Wills, Wants sees the band further developing their brooding sound The dual vocals of Chris Roo and Todd Fabian are downright filthy with the perfect amount of muffled tone Cares, Wills, Wants never lets up. In fact, the album flows beautifully through streams of Unsane-like hardcore and infectious sludge It's an album that grows stronger with every rotation as it's extremely difficult to select standout moments. We must point out the track Southpaw and its wild percussion starting at the 2:42 mark. Drummer Keith Anderson takes things to another level, it's fucking wild Hats off to Magnetic Eye Records who continue to release quality new heavy albums Track Listing: 1. Code Name 4:34 2. Cocaine Footprints 5:42 3. Nervous Fingers 4:29 4. Pecking Order 4:25 5. Blind Eyes 5:22 6. Southpaw 4:37 7. Ten Dollars and Zero Effort 4:43 8. Trap Door 7:35 Standout Tracks A daunting task for an album of this eliteness, but 'Pecking Orders' and 'Trap Door' will win you over with their unfilterd heaviness. 'Pecking Order' is infectious to the core with the intense vocal range and the slight rattlesnake sound at 2:27, a brilliant use of the rattle. 'Trap Door' which runs at 7:15 is all consuming sludge with a pinch of psychedelia. Album Art The odd charcoal drawing was enough to lure us in... well done. Brew pairing for Cares, Wills, Wants More Galaxy Than All Galaxy IPA from Other Hall Brewing based in Brooklyn, NY. This full bodied and crisp 10.5% Imperial IPA pairs well with this album. These Beasts are: Chris Roo - Guitars, Vocals Todd Fabian - Bass, Vocals Keith Anderson - Drums Follow These Beasts: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some These Beasts Merch

Released: 2023 Genre: Stoner rock, Sludge, Punk Sounds Like: 1000mods, Red Fang, Telekinetic Yeti Homeland: Tel Aviv Yafo, Israel What makes Bound By Gravity elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? Israeli trio delivers one hell of an intelligent piece featuring thickly layered fuzz and wild meandering guitar leads ‘The Hunger’ is chock full of well-timed change-ups and brooding contrast that will take you from Crowbar to King Buffalo in one fell swoop Bound By Gravity is full of raucous energy that is so brilliantly entwined with majestic cosmic melodies. They throw a fuck-ton at you in a controlled way that delivers a cathartic and powerful vision The band’s second release after their 2019 self-titled gem takes a huge step forward diving deeper into thickly layered fuzz that provides a richer sonic experience. While the debut was excellent with a nice punk edge, Bound By Gravity hits new heights becoming a staple in our 2023 rotation. Track Listing: 1. The Present 05:28 2. The Hunger 08:15 3. Your Fascist Pigs Are Back 07:38 4. Head of the Eye 03:32 5. Dirigibles 03:48 6. Bound by Gravity 06:10 7. Impeachment Abdication 02:15 8. I Don't Want to Be Remembered 06:53 Q&A with Warp OHMs Peak: Would love to hear the backstory behind how the band formed and continues to expand its sound? Warp: Warp emerged from the sewers of south Tel Aviv by members of the local Punk scene who had the passion for a heavier sound, riff-driven jams, and just straight-forward rock and roll. After years of slowly brewing our sound on local stages and endless rehearsals, we recorded their debut self-titled LP and released it through German label Nasoni Records in 2019. The record displayed the band as an upcoming Proto-Metal outfit with a punk edge which was received favorably worldwide. Following that, we went on a European tour in which we were exposed to a new audience and shared the stage with some of the bigger names of the Stoner realm – Dopelord, Valley of the Sun, Ecstatic Vision, Nightstalker, etc. Since then, we took the COVID period to dig a bit deeper into our sound and writing, embodied a lot of our personal influences, and contributed equally to the process, which resulted in a brand new album titled Bound by Gravity, filled with heavy, gloomy-but-groovy tunes that we’re more than happy to share with the world. OHMs Peak: As a band, your musicianship sounds more fine-tuned and a bit darker on this album. Bound By Gravity has a great flow, yet hits with moments of punk and sludge. Can you provide any insights to your writing and recording process on this album? Warp: The album was conceived in some darker times while we were getting out of the lockdowns with no way to play any shows. In addition, a very tense political climate must have influenced our mental state. The album, in its entirety, was written as an instrumental first - riffs and lines were crafted together in the studio. We even attempted to write some lyrics intuitively, so some of the songs' lyrics were actually written while we were recording the album. The recording itself was much more disciplined than the first record - unlike the first record, which was recorded in our rehearsal space, this one was recorded in an actual studio by engineers who know and love our stuff - so they had the ability to navigate and determine along with us how this is going to sound like. We had a lot of ideas lying around - sound effects, sound loops, overdubs, etc. Also, the after-production took a while. We had the privilege of stretching the timeline because Mor, our drummer, was living in the Netherlands for almost a year, and we had to wait for him in order to release this properly and get back to playing shows. OHMs Peak: "Your Fascist Pigs Are Back" is a wild marching sludge ride. Take us through the impetus behind this track and the short yet nightmarish lyrics? Warp: As I mentioned, all the tracks on this album have started off as instrumentals, but for this track, I always had an idea about the melody I wanted to make. I wanted to make this weird but still catchy. Much like its preceding track "The Hunger," this track depicts a dystopian reality, which in our minds is "just a shot away." So with 'Fascists, ' I addressed an apathetic society that's indifferent to some evil messianic lunatics who are dragging us all to hell with them. So we have the first mildly relaxed-but-creepy segment in which we're talking about the settings, and then we have the climatic part in which shit hits the fan. Generally, we tend to write more about what's really going on around us rather than being another leaf/doom/hell/demon/occult glorification band. That's all nice and great, but some other bands can tell these stories much better than we can. But we definitely can highlight some really harmful evil bullshit that we're facing on a daily basis. Like you said about 'Fascists,' most of our lyrics segments are short compared to the whole track, so we might as well put some substance into them. OHMs Peak: What’s the band's go to and most influential music/albums that you all agree upon? Warp: If we ignore the usual Sabbath/Sleep/Wizard, which of course, are first and foremost. We can also mention bands like Witch (first album), Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats (Blood Lust), Pigs X 7 (Viscerals), Witchcraft (first two records), apart from that we all have different influences from different genres. OHMs Peak: Can you tell us a bit about the unique album cover creation and the story behind the art? Warp: Like the first album's cover art, the cover art was made by our good friend (and former drummer) Idan Ezra. Ezra excels in collage work, taking all kinds of shapes and images and turning all of these into this incredible piece. I'm not sure if there's a story. We weren't looking to tell one. We were interested in creating an entire climate while listening to the record, trying to figure out what the hell is happening in the cover/back cover. Who are these ladies? What's in their baskets? Is this a head? Whose head is this? What's with the surroundings? What's with the king-frog in the back? The more questions - the merrier. Warp are: Itai Alzaradel : Guitar + Vocals Sefi Akrish - Bass + Vocals Mor Harpazi : Drums + Vocals Recorded and Mixed at Polar studios by Gad Torrefranca Drums Engineering by Roy Chen Mastered at Audiosiege studios by Brad Boatright Follow Warp: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Warp Merch Music (vinyl, CDs, digital, shirts, etc.)

Released: 2023 Genre: Industrial, Post-metal Sounds Like: Godflesh, Ministry, Killing Joke Homeland: London, UK What makes Supercluster elite and sit atop OHMs Peak? JAAW is an industrial supergroup that combines the talents of Andy Cairns (Therapy?), Jason Stoll (Mugstar, KLÄMP, Sex Swing), Wayne Adams (Death Pedals, Big Lad, Petbrick) and Adam Betts (Three Trapped Tigers, Goldie, Squarepusher) Superclusters' roots are drowned in 90s industrial influences as it hits you in the gut with a heavy distorted and crunching heavy tone The opening track 'Thoughts and Prayer (Mean Nothing)' kicks things off with a high tense, crusty industrial vibe that will surely lure you in The percussion has a classic mix of what sounds like live drumming and programmed electronica, which suits the album well. Plus, we are treated to early Therapy? trash can drumming from time to time The dual vocals of Andy Cairns and Wayne Adams contain an often distant and muffled tone that compliments the music and takes the album to another level The cover of Bjork's Army Of Me is well done. The song is not a rip-off, these guys put their own dark and intense spin on this tune Supercluster has consumed our rotation lately with its psychedlic industrial aura. This is definitely one of the top industrial releases this year Track Listing: 1. Thoughts and Prayers (Mean Nothing) 03:42 2. Reality Crash 05:09 3. Rot 04:04 4. Total Protonic Reversal 05:05 5. Bring Home the Motherlode, Barry 08:42 6. Hellbent on Happiness 02:08 7. The Dead Drop 05:20 8. Army Of Me 04:03 Standout Tracks 'Bring Home the Motherlode,' Barry is a fucking industrial masterpiece. It's trippy and has this industrial doom flow. First thing that comes to mind is Ministry's 'Scarecrow'. This song is steady with a dark and brooding atmospheric tone. Album Art The cover by the one and only Drew Millward is astonishing with its psychedelic vibrant colors. If you're not familiar with his work, check it out here. Brew Pairing for Supercluster Green Fountains from Vermont pairs well with Supercluster. The 7.2% IPA from Ten Bends Brewing provides a hazy, juicy and full bodied flavor. JAAW are: Andy Cairns Jason Stoll Wayne Adams Adam Betts Follow JAAW: Bandcamp / Facebook Grab some Jaaw Merch