Various - Heavy Psych Sounds Records

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 30 / 5 / 2016

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Review

Heavy Psych Sounds Records are a Rome-based record label and booking agent that focus on the sort of music one would expect them to with a name like that. They cover all things in the stoner rock, vintage rock, sludge, doom, garage and psych vein and on show here is a who’s who of the bands they are currently working with. It is a heady collection and a mighty impressive one at that. All bases are well and truly covered, but, however, one thing that is impressive is that all the bands stand alone. This would point to an admirable quality control from Heavy Psych Sounds. Quite often there will be some acts on a compilation that stand out amongst the rest, but there are simply no bad songs/bands on here and there is definitely no sign of coattail riding here. Deadsmoke and Issak pedal out a more doomy sound with punishing riffs and choruses, and Deadsmoke deserve a special mention for the band that sound most like their name would suggest. Killer Boogie, Farflung and Black Rainbows all showcase the more psychedelic side on offer. Each band seems to throw in some absolutely crushing riffs . Glitter Wizard are somewhere between classic stoner rock and vintage rock with a sound that would definitely appeal to Deep Purple and Hawkwind fans. For fans of the heavier/classic sound then Banquet would be a good band to check out. Holy Grove have sky-scraping guitars and vocals while Duel crack out the Southern rock-tinged groove metal that encourage you to instantly want to grab a beer. Monsternaut has a crushing low-end sound to it, the sort of thing that if you blast out it in your own home it will make you just the worst kind of neighbour, but it is irresistible. Nick Oliveri’s Mondo Generator offer up ‘13th Floor’, which will be somewhat familiar to Queens of the Stone Age fans. Oliveri’s unmistakable off-kilter and rawness just screams dangerous. It certainly makes you forget about annoying the neighbours by playing Monsternaut so loud. By this point you’re almost begging for them to come and fight you. Old Man Lizard and Stoned Jesus follow up the intensity by delving into a sludgy sound just when you thought you were having too much fun. This is a complete and thorough compilation that you could throw a dart at the list of the bands on it and find your new favourite group if the stoner, doom, psych rock is your bag.

Track Listing:-

1 Give What You Get
2 Set Me Free
3 Electrify
4 Liar Behind Me
5 This Old Crow
6 We Are E
7 THE HUNTER
8 Death of Magic
9 Fountainhead
10 Make Another ride
11 CARAVAN
12 13TH FLOOR
13 Winte
14 Fawaza Falih
15 STORMY MONDAY
16 MASTERS OF NOTHING
17 STIFF NIGHTS

Label Links:-

http://www.heavypsychsounds.com/
https://www.facebook.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOU
https://twitter.com/HEAVYPSYCHSOUND
https://www.youtube.com/user/MonoStere
https://instagram.com/heavypsychsounds