Curated by DJ Astrocreep

The Uber Rock Approved stampWelcome to another special themed edition of our Singles Club feature, for which I’ve trawled back through the multitude of submissions we’ve had over the last few weeks and chosen the pick of the stoner, desert rock, doom and sludge offerings currently doing the rounds. Without further ado, it’s time to turn on, tune in, crash out and to let the riffs run through you!

Let’s start off a touch more chilled, shall we, as the desert rock of Big Scenic Nowhere, a supergroup consisting of Yawning Man, Fu Manchu and Mos Generator members, have a ‘Murder Klipp’ to share with us. Fantastic harmonies, top notch musicianship and a somwhat dark feel to the music combine for a huge statement song.

Some occult doom next, as Dead Witches want you to ‘D.I.E’ – well, be dragged into emptiness, to explain. With basslines that summon Satan on their own, shrieking vocals that show you utter contempt and an overall evil feel, this is not for the faint of heart!

Sinoptik are a Ukranian power occult rock trio and they’re aiming to ‘Sell God’s Number’ in this hypnotising anthem – the perfect track for an Easter Sunday! Melody interweaved with technical ability, they’re a welcome addition to the Singles Club and my own musical knowledge!

Some more psychedelic stoner now, as King Buffalo release ‘Hebetation’. A bass line that sits along the same lines of the more accessible Tool tracks, a sense of melody and somehow a chilled yet driven feel to the track combine to create a formidable effort.

Slowing it down a touch, Satyrus are from the doom school that clearly love the ‘Stigma’ of the likes Black Sabbath, Coven and the likes, as they have produced a highly enjoyable new take on that oldest school of doom we have. While there is still a pervading sense of occult, there is a good sense of dark atmosphere that leaves you a little more on edge than some of their counterparts in this feature!

High Reeper‘s new track is in praise of the ‘Winter King/Death’s Grip’, with their doom rock wall of noise. A galloping bassline and more than a touch of Witchfinder General about their approach give us another great new track paying homage to the old school in its sound.

Seattle stoners Sun Crow have the kind of riffs that will make you ‘Collapse’ at the knees, in the best possible way. Heavy groove with more than a nod at the heavier end of blues that some stoner acts occupy, it’s another shining example of how you can have that old school feel to your work without sounding dated.

Freedom Hawk definitely sit on the more psychedelic end of the stoner/desrt rock circuit but it’s a spot they earn, as shown with ‘Liftoff’. An almost shamanistic ritual of a track, you will feel as though you’re sat in the middle of the desert and letting your mind drift out over the rocks and sand surrounding you.

Astral Bazaar are beckoning us to join them ‘Behind The Narrow Door’ in their latest track, with a psychedelic effort that seems to fit in influences from prog as much as the psychedelic end of the desert rock collective. An almost middle eastern sound pervades throughout, lending an almost mystical ear at times to create an authentic and enjoyable track.

Cranking the heaviness back up now, Mourning Dawn are dragging us into their ‘Dawn Of Doom’ in a much more metal approach to the doom genre. Blackened vocals give it more than a hint of sludge and encapsulate the evil sound of the music, producing a track of real worth.

Staying on the heavier end of the scale, we have 1782 telling us they are ‘The Chosen One’ with this more metal approach to the occult doom spectrum. A wall of noise, an oppressive and an almost claustrophobic feel to the music, there is plenty to wobble your head to!

Somnuri are dragging us ‘Beyond Your Last Breath’ with their brand of progressive sludge ripping along at a frenetic pace. The progressive edge to the music lends something a bit different than you tend to find with other similar acts whlie hints of melody and harmony creep in a few times in unexpected fashion too!

Son Of Boar are going to show us around the ‘Cities Of The Deadeyed Priestess’, as the stoner newcomers demonstrate enough riffs and fuzz in their wall of noise to make a wizard sit a while longer with some hobbits and have some more peace pipe.

Moving back towards the rock end of the scale, Lucid Sins are doing the ‘Joker’s Dance’ in their recent single, with an old school rock sound permeated by a touch of psychedelia, a touch of doom rock and plenty of melody, adding up to a pretty potent witches brew!

Our penultimate track brings us into a more punk infused state of fuzzy psych rock, as Dez Dare tells us he’s ‘Dumb Dumb Dumb’ in this up-tempo track that sounds like Black Sabbath accidentally inhaled an ounce of speed instead of their usual back in the day. A bit different but a lot of things about it to like!

And where else could we finish than with the primitive caveman doom legends Conan and their ‘Battle In the Swamp’. Their usual level of oppressive riffage, shrieking vocals and overall feeling of hopelessness, this is another example of why they are regarded as one of the cream of British sludge. Riffs filthy enough to still do that little thing you lvoe but would never usually dare to ask for.

Well, that’s it for another special edition of the Singles Club, We trust you’ve discovered plenty of new sounds to darken this otherwise bright and sunny Sunday afternoon. Monk will be back behind the death decks next week with his pick of the best new sounds to tickle his aural cortexes, and hopefully yours, so until then, in the finest Uber Rock tradition:keep ‘er lit, keep ‘er between the hedges and #StayTheFuckSafe!

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