Robot Death Monkey - Druid Odyssey

Scotland’s Robot Death Monkey (or RDM abbreviated) has redefined what a fun stoner rock album should sound like. In fact, the word “FUN” should now have the alternate spelling of “RDM”. Their latest EP, Druid Odyssey, is more fun than playing Barrel of Monkeys drunk in a room full of naked women. Well, almost.

Get yourself a cold six-pack of beers, light up a joint, sit back and relax as Druid Odyssey begins. Things kick off with “Escape from Hentai Mountain (Part 1)”, a superb blues-infused, desert rock instrumental. Then we move on to my favorite track of the album, “Bubba Ho-Tep”, an insanely infectious homage to the cult classic Don Coscarelli-directed Bruce Campbell movie. The catchy chorus will stick with you for the rest of the day—and night. “Blood Wizard” is a fast and furious, riff-heavy little number. Next up is a song that would make Machete proud: “Trejo”, a Mexican-flavored, head-bobbing party song. The penultimate track is an ass-kicker, “The Green Bastard”, which I assume refers to the big green monster on the album’s cover art. Speaking of which, that thing is a beauty with its graphic reference to Alien. Closing time comes to the tune of “Gary Dunham”, a strong shredder of a song.

These Scottish dudes sure know how to put together some kick-ass party tunes! Druid Odyssey is a festival of stoner gems, chock-full of humor, filled to the brim with addictive riffs and cool licks with movie and pop culture references galore. This quartet is sure to enhance your Friday night and get your weekend started on a good note. The final verdict: get into some Robot Death Monkey shenanigans, your ears will thank you. The album is a “Name Your Price” on Bandcamp so there’s no reason you shouldn’t join the fun.

Robot Death Monkey’s Bandcamp page: https://robotdeathmonkey.bandcamp.com/

Planeetta 9 - Pirun Piiska

Life might be real strange and quite hard right now in these times of pandemic, but when it comes to music, these are some of the most exciting times to live in. We have access to music at the click of a button, from anywhere in the world. I for one am grateful to be discovering new music that I otherwise would never find out about if it weren’t for this blog and the album submissions I get from labels and bands for reviews. This week’s completely blew me away. The spotlight shines on a heavy metal sextet from Southern Finland, a band by the name of Planeetta 9 (“Planet 9” in English). And fellas, these guys can play.

Their latest release is an EP titled Pirun piiska. The songs are in Finnish so it just goes to show how music is a universal language as it doesn’t deter at all from the experience of enjoying this gem of an EP, much like listening to opera in Italian or German. For the purposes of this review, I’ll list the Finnish song titles and in parentheses is the rough English translation, courtesy of Google.  The opening cut is the album title track, “Pirun piiska” (The Devil’s Whip). I could hear echoes of Dream Theater, Dio-era Sabbath, and even a splash of Queensryche. Singer Jukka Salo’s vocals take us on a riff-heavy trip, complete with organ-driven rhythms. The second track, “Sama hauta” (Same Grave), is a doomier number, and puts the band’s versatility on display. The third track, “Juoksuhiekka” (Running Sand), caught me off-guard: a subdued, quieter song with cello, violin, and piano that really made me wish I could understand what he was singing about as you can feel Salo’s pain/sadness coming through. I wasn’t able to get a translation for the last song, “Vakuumilapset”, but it’s got a catchy melody with a ballad-like tempo, perhaps a song of hope for the future. And that’s it, folks, the EP comes to a close. It made me wish there were four more songs as I was really digging this different blend of metal than what I’m used to hearing.

Planeetta 9 has released a terrific EP, extremely melodic, and reminiscent of late ‘90s/early 2000s metal. Don’t let the fact that the songs are in Finnish prevent you from getting in on this old school homage to the legendary Metal bands that came before them. An eclectic showcase of Heavy Metal, Doom, and even Folk at times, this offering of four tracks delivers plenty and leaves us wanting more. The burgeoning Finnish Metal scene can add another strong ambassador to its ranks with Planeetta 9. I am eagerly looking forward to a full-length album from this band and they will now be on my radar. Treat yourself and pick up a copy of Pirun piiska.

Planeetta 9’s Bandcamp page: https://planeetta9.bandcamp.com/

Holy Monitor - Southern Lights

I’d never heard of Holy Monitor before Southern Lights landed in my lap. I was surprised to discover that this is their third full-length record. Why am I only finding out about this awesome band now? Holy Monitor is a psychedelic/progressive rock quintet hailing from Athens, Greece.

To be honest, on first listen, while I was blown away by the craftsmanship of the musicians, I wasn’t sure singer/guitarist George Nikas’s vocals worked for me. It took a couple more spins and then I got it. Yes, it absolutely fits this band and their music to perfection. Much like prog rock giants Yes’s Jon Anderson and Rush’s Geddy Lee’s vocals might have taken a little while to get used to upon first listens back in the day for those bands, Nikas’s voice has textures that give Holy Monitor their trademark sound. This band is tight and everyone’s contribution is equally strong and important, resulting in a fantastic album.

The beautiful opening track, “River”, to me says, “Welcome to a retro journey, my friends, have we got some great gems in store for you!” It feels like we’re embarking on a very special trip. “Naked in the Rain” is groovy and feels instantly familiar. Next up is “Blue Whale”, a pure psychedelic delight. I love the retro vibe of this song. The title track, “Southern Lights”, is a dreamy tune with its rhythmic guitars that paint rainbows in the psychedelic skies. “The Sky is Falling Down”, the longest cut of the album, is nothing short of epic and is a song that has something likely to please everyone. From there we segue into “Hourglass”, the sole instrumental track. It’s hypnotic and spacey and would have fit like a glove on an early Pink Floyd album. “Ocean Trail” is the perfect bridge to the finale, the laidback “Under the Sea” which brings this 40-minute voyage to a close. The entire set of songs has a very cohesive quality to it, at times feeling almost like you’re listening to a concept album.

Holy Monitor’s Southern Lights is a magical album. It’s one of those records that you can just put on, shut your eyes, and let your mind wander far away to the sound of the music for the full duration. It’s a very polished record from a band of skilled instrumentalists that has the gift of effortlessly drawing images with music. If psychedelic rock with a slice of prog is your thing, then Southern Lights is a no-brainer of a purchase. Highly recommended!

Holy Monitor’s Bandcamp page: https://holymonitor.bandcamp.com/

Lords of the Opium Church - Lords of the Opium Church

As a Canadian, I always enjoy discovering a new Canadian band. Lords of the Opium Church (LOTOC) is a Canuck trio hailing from Edmonton, Alberta. Their self-titled debut album is a perfect blend of ‘70s Rock ‘n’ Roll, old school metal from the ‘80s sprinkled with a good dose of stoner rock. Let’s dive in, shall we?

The party kicks off with the bluesy, head-bobbing “Opium Church”, showcasing a Deep Purplesque organ, and serves as an accurate snapshot of what to expect from the rest of the album. Then it’s on to “Trial & Terror”, with its melodic vocals, followed by the extremely catchy “Left Behind”, which features a scorching guitar solo and is a strong contender for my fave song on the LP. Track number 4, “Thunderhead”, has a real radio-friendly quality to it and makes great use of piano and strings in its outro. The head-banging “Electric Temple” has the band letting loose for our aural pleasure; definitely one of the highlights of the album. The doomy “Superstitions”, the shortest song on the album, is full of cool riffs. “Caged” is a total blast with its big arena sound and once again displays the band’s tight playing. It brings us to the final cut, “Banshee”, with tolling bells to add to the sonic atmosphere.

LOTOC deliver a well-rounded, diverse eponymous album; a band of talented musicians with vocals that have a timeless quality to them. The expression “all killer no filler” certainly applies here. If I were to nitpick, it’d be about the album’s running time—at just under 30 minutes, it makes for an EP-sized listen. An extra two songs to bring the count to 10 would’ve easily fixed that issue. It’s really the only gripe I have with it: it’s too short! But, to quote Eldon Tyrell in Blade Runner: “The light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long.” In any case, I wholeheartedly recommend picking it up if you’re a fan of old school metal and/or classic rock; you won’t be disappointed!

Lords of the Opium Church’s Bandcamp page: https://lordsoftheopiumchurch.bandcamp.com/