Rolling Stoner/Psych/Freak/Doom/Sludge/Retro/Drone/Space Thread 2014: These Start at 11

I just was really stoked to have two variations on Achilles Last Stand with Amon Duul II guitar tones

yeah i mean the music is probably very enjoyable
it's just difficult for me personally to enjoy it

la lechera otm

15. Blue Snaggletooth - Beyond Thule
15. Jeremy Irons & The Ratgang Malibus - Spirit Knife
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-16.html

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bS7NbvW8DZ0/VJE5qLSOT4I/AAAAAAAAIEI/sGTIVZ5Q9Tw/s1600/lagavulin.jpg

“A much sought-after single malt with the massive peat-smoke that's typical of southern Islay - but also offering richness and a dryness that turns it into a truly interesting dram. The 16 year old has become a benchmark Islay dram from the Lagavulin distillery. Very thick and rich. A massive mouthful of malt and sherry with good fruity sweetness, but also a wonderful sweetness. Big, powerful peat and oak.”

We move up with seven points over Witch Mountain to a band that has made the Top 20 countdown list many times. They reached the Number 9 position of the very first edition of the yearly countdown in 2009 and the Number 3 position in 2011. This year they occupy Number 16 and rightfully so. Perhaps heavier and harder as their earlier ones; it definitely goes big the way of a monstrous statue. Tight, tense and with a definite punch this is by no means a light hearted album. Or an easy straightforward heavy trucker. No, there is so much in there that begs to be discovered. And with a place in the countdown we’re sure that many have and many more will!

Arrrggh.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi1GASkMcDc/VJFQoriOQEI/AAAAAAAAIEc/EuKkER5VG7U/s1600/Usquaebach+15YO+bottle+glass.jpg

“Colour: Gold. Nose: Not much lower strength. Raw, spirits, inexpressive, a little cardboard, grass, leaf… And a few floral tones. But an unlovely bouquet. Mouth: Very nice, a lot of caramel, corn syrup, then coffee and, just like in the blend, a little sawdust. Finish: Medium length, with a bitter side. Some varnish in the aftertaste. A mix of two distinct highland malts, the blended malt of Usquaebach is an acquired taste.”

We climb eight points after visiting the majestic Colossus album by Lo-Pan and head off towards a late comer this year. Not one, but two actually. A definite collector’s item and a gang of underappreciated actor lovers. One of them got together about five years ago and the other has been rocking the world for ten years. One of them is responsible for an incredible proto-metal, classic hardrock and trucking stoner record that leers back towards that golden seventies era. And the other one provided us with a psychedelic rock offering that rivals any of the greats. It is low soaring and high riding and cuts you like a knife. Ann Arbor, Michigan and Stockholm, Sweden together on position Number 15.

14. Monolord - Empress Rising
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-14.html

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQPj9bCKDF8/VJPWQLbScZI/AAAAAAAAIE8/Wk6B6z7-zL0/s1600/caribbean-cask-WEB.jpg

“This whisky has been matured for 14 years in traditional oak casks before being transferred to Caribbean rum casks to impart some extra flavor. This process has created a well-rounded and drinkable whisky with notes of fruit and vanilla. Nose: The aroma is rich with notes of tropical fruits, namely passion fruit, and creamy toffee. Palate: Sweet vanilla forms a creamy palate with notes of apples and mangos with a hint of orange in the background. Finish: The finish lingers with a vanilla focused character. Overall: Mouth-coating and fruity with superb balance, this is an excellent new release from the chaps at Balvenie. ”

We found two albums with the exact amount of points on Number 15: Jeremy Irons & The Ratgang Malibus’s album Spirit Knife. And the Blue Snaggletooth record, Beyond Thule. And now we rise up for another six points to reach Number 14. And ofcourse as every year we find yet another Swedish band in the Top 20 countdown. But where most of those Scandinavian bands aim for the classic sound and that seventies approach with overtones of stoner and proto metal, these guys go big the way of doom. It still retains a highly vintage sound and feeling, but the gigantic riffs and massive bass implore you to nod your head slowly and gravely. And then there’s that voice. Haunting, spacy and mesmerizing! So bow down for the solitary lord and his queen!

13. John Garcia – John Garcia
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-13.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m7UtP-C0rJs/VJRGrYR-FnI/AAAAAAAAIFQ/NcmeKHFM0RM/s1600/13-whisky-aichinger.jpg

“Aichinger is a wine producer in Upper Austria and is slowly branching out. This wheat malt was matured for 13 years in Barrique casks. Giving it a lovely purple tint. This exotic combination results in an extraordinary Whisky from Hilkering in Austria.”

Eight points above Monolord the well deserved Number 14 we find one of the godfathers. One of the true legends of this music we all love so dearly. It is an album that tries to bring out this voice of the desert in all its glory but does not forget to also make room for true heaviness, grand riffs and sandy grooves. Simply put, the album is brilliant and hits you like a desert thunderstorm. One of those moments where the horizon suddenly turns black and the ground shakes violently due to the sonic boom far away. And it ends with a beautiful song started, back then in 1998, or perhaps even earlier, and sounds like the clear sky after the storm passes and the rain on the ground starts to vaporize…

12. Mos Generator – Electric Mountain Majesty
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-12.html

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_qx9bYE5I5U/VJWK2Le4JhI/AAAAAAAAIFs/b-Te-BSD_hI/s1600/george-dickel-whisky-1089588-TwoByOne.jpg

“Recently awarded a massive 93 points from the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago, fending off stiff competition to win a Gold Medal at their American Whiskey Tasting. Medium deep amber color; forward vanilla spice on nose, with toasted nut, sweet fruit, earth and cedar shavings; dryish, rounded and smooth but elegant, flavors of sweet vanilla, nut, maple butter, mint and wood smoke; finish is long, warming and spicy.”

After being treated to that amazing solo album by John Garcia on Number 13, we climb just one point to reach the next damn fine record. A band that had us waiting for more than five years before the album before this one was released. Which was back in 2012. This time around it took them only two years. And this by no means hints at a rush job. No. We are treated to grade a heavy doom and gritty stoner profoundly inspired by everything from the seventies. There is something epic, mountainous and majestic about this record; and when you whip out some violin power you can do no wrong in my book! Simply electrifying!

11. Electric Wizard - Time To Die
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-11.html

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R9M_PQ5r0No/VJZ6uZXHqdI/AAAAAAAAIGE/pkrZzRHSBGc/s1600/Apr11-Braeval11YO-Prov-2.jpg

“On the nose we detect autumn fruits with dry spices and a barley gristiness all perfumed together. On the palate anticipated crushed sugar, barley, spiced fruit and oak. All leading to a toffee- fruity - barley and lightly oaked finish.”

It was Mos Generator on position Number 12. And once again we climb just one point to Number 11. And here we find a band that already made it to the Number 1 position in Stoner HiVe countdown history. It was the year of 2010 and outside the masses where gathering to witness something dark. This year they prophesize something just as evil and wicked. Mesmerizing repetition and enough remorseless reverb to make their preaching feel like a jump of a harrowing cliff edge. It is a bleak and lumbering trek accompanied by psyched out jams that wield immense hypnotic power. Making you believe there’s no time like the present…

PSYCH INSIGHT: 20 ESSENTIAL PSYCH ALBUMS OF 2014
http://backseatmafia.com/2014/12/04/psych-insight-20-essential-psych-albums-of-2014/

Second Bardo by Cult of Dom Kellar (Cardinal Fuzz)
Forest Of Lost Children by Kikagaku Moyo (Beyond Beyond is Beyond)
Sky Is Hell Black by Has A Shadow (Captcha Records)
Outside The Circle by Anthroprophh (Rocket Recordings)
Asteroid #4 by Asteroid #4 (Bad Vibrations)
Away From The Water by Lola Colt (Fuzz Club)
Season Sun by Gulp (Sonic Cathedral)
Mammatus Clouds by Kikagaku Moyo (Cardinal Fuzz/ Captcha Records)
The Hum by Hookworms (Weird World)
Transmissions From Planet Telos Vol. 3 by Lumerians (Cardinal Fuzz)
Commune by Goat (Rocket Recordings)
Guru Overload by Eternal Tapestry (Oaken Palace Records)
No Curtains by Dahga Bloom (Captcha Records)
High Evolutionary by Dead Sea Apes (Cardinal Fuzz)
Strange Wave Galore by Radar Men From The Moon (Fuzz Club)
Ostro by Lay Llamas (Rocket Recordings)
They Worshipped Cats by Les Big Byrd (A Records)
Thru Me Again by LA Hell Gang (Mexican Summer)
Come Down Safari by White Manna (Captcha Records)
Far Out by Black Bombaim (Cardinal Fuzz)

The Obelisk Presents: The Top 30 of 2014
http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2014/12/22/the-obelisk-presents-the-top-30-of-2014/

30. Orange Goblin, Back from the Abyss
29. Mos Generator, Electric Mountain Majesty
28. Pilgrim, II: Void Worship
27. John Garcia, John Garcia
26. Swans, To be Kind
25. Sólstafir, Ótta
24. Greenleaf, Trails and Passes
23. Earth, Primitive and Deadly
22. Ogre, The Last Neanderthal
21. The Wounded Kings, Consolamentum
20. Floor, Oblation
19. Druglord, Enter Venus
18. Ararat, Cabalgata Hacia la Luz
17. Radio Moscow, Magical Dirt
16. Apostle of Solitude, Of Woe and Wounds
15. Stubb, Cry of the Ocean
14. Brant Bjork and the Low Desert Punk Band, Black Power Flower
13. Dwellers, Pagan Fruit
12. The Golden Grass, The Golden Grass
11. The Well, Samsara
10. Montibus Communitas, The Pilgrim to the Absolute
9. Fu Manchu, Gigantoid
8. The Skull, For Those Which are Asleep
7. Blood Farmers, Headless Eyes
6. Lo-Pan, Colossus
5a. All Them Witches, Lightning at the Door
5. Witch Mountain, Mobile of Angels
4. Conan, Blood Eagle
3. Wo Fat, The Conjuring
2. Mars Red Sky, Stranded in Arcadia
1. YOB, Clearing the Path to Ascend

Honorable Mention
First, special note to Colour Haze‘s To the Highest Gods We Know. I’ve decided to count it as a 2015 release since the vinyl will be out in Spring, but otherwise surely it would earn a place on this list. Blackwolfgoat‘s Drone Maintenance also deserves note.

A few other honorable mentions:

Mothership, Mothership II — It’s hard to argue with a classic heavy rock power trio kicking ass. I won’t try.

Ice Dragon, Seeds from a Dying Garden — Boston experimental psych/garage doomers continue to defy expectation. May their weirdness last forever and continue to produce material so satisfying.

Truckfighters, Universe – I thought at some point I’d go back to Universe again, but never really did. A problem with me more than the album.

Steak, Slab City — An impressive debut following two strong EPs.

Godflesh, A World Lit Only by Fire — I never got a review copy, so I never reviewed it. Its name is here because I’m a fan of the band and glad they’re back.

Thou, Heathen — Just recently purchased this and am only getting to know it, but a ridiculously strong album.

Corrosion of Conformity, IX — Everybody who gets a boner whenever Pepper Keenan is mentioned in connection with this band has missed out. This record and the self-titled kick ass.

Spidergawd, Spidergawd — Holy shit they’re over here! No they’re over there! No wait over here again! Oh my god I’ve just gone blind!

Monster Magnet, Milking the Stars — I wasn’t sure what to do with this since technically it’s not a new album, mostly reworked songs from the last one. I still listened to it a ton though, whatever it is.

Slomatics, Estron — Another one I’m just getting to know, but am very much digging.

Electric Wizard, Time to Die — People seem to do this thing where Electric Wizard puts out a record, everyone slathers over it for a few months and then spends the next two years talking about how it sucked. I guess I’ll be on the ground floor with not having been that into Time to Die.

Pallbearer, Foundations of Burden — Had to put their name somewhere on this list or someone would burn my house down. Album of the year for many.

Guru Overload by Eternal Tapestry (Oaken Palace Records)

damn, I need to hear this

My Psych Spotify playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/1212496385/playlist/1HjNMbEZGb0GTuARqRwVK0

Lola Colt – Away From The Water (Fuzz Club) | Bandcamp
The Oath – The Oath (Rise Above)
Kikagaku Moyo – Forest Of Lost Children (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond) | Bandcamp
Earth – Primitive And Deadly (Southern Lord) | Bandcamp
Goat – Commune (Sub Pop)
Les Big Byrd – They Worshipped Cats (Höga Nord/A Recordings)
Mansion – Uncreation EP (Nine) | Bandcamp
Purson – In The Meantime EP (Machine Elf)
Electric Citizen – Sateen (RidingEasy) | Bandcamp
Comet Control – Comet Control (Tee Pee)
Jeremy Irons & the Ratgang Malibus – Spirit Knife (Small Stone) | Bandcamp
Temples – Sun Structures (Heavenly/Fat Possum)
The Lay Llamas – Ostro (Rocket) | Bandcamp
Dahga Bloom – No Curtains (Captcha) | Bandcamp
Kikagaku Moyo – Mammatus Clouds (Captcha) | Bandcamp
Sungod – Vision Space (Sungod) | Bandcamp
Seven That Spells – The Death And Resurrection Of Krautrock: IO (Sulatron) | Bandcamp
Hookworms – The Hum (Weird World)
The Golden Grass – The Golden Grass (Svart) | Bandcamp
Morgan Delt – Morgan Delt (Trouble In Mind)
La Hell Gang – Thru Me Again (Mexican Summer) | Bandcamp
Jess & the Ancient Ones – Castaneda EP (Svart)
Has A Shadow – Sky Is Hell Black (Captcha) | Bandcamp
Ice Dragon – Seeds From A Dying Garden (Navalorama) | Bandcamp
Cult Of Dom Keller – The Second Bardo (Cardinal Fuzz)
Slow Motion Rider – Slow Motion Rider (Committee To Keep Music Evil) | Buy
Black Bombain – Far Out (Black Bombain) | Bandcamp
Montibus Communitas – The Pilgrim To The Absolute (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond) | Bandcamp
Eternal Tapestry – Guru Overload (Oaken Palace) | Bandcamp
White Manna – Come Down Safari (Captcha) | Bandcamp
Haikai No Ku – Ultra High Dimensionality (Box) | Bandcamp
The Wytches – Annabel Dream Reader (Heavenly)
Horseback – Piedmont Apocrypha (Three Lobed) | Bandcamp
Liquido Di Morte – Liquido Di Morte (Sstars) | Bandcamp
Wildest Dreams – Wildest Dreams (Smalltown Supersound)
Monomyth – Further (Suburban World) | Bandcamp
Villagers of Ioannina City – Riza (Mantra) | Bandcamp
1000mods – Vulture (The Lab) | Bandcamp
The Cosmic Dead – Easterfaust (Sound of Cobra) | Bandcamp
Joy – Under The Spell Of Joy (Tee Pee)
Three Seasons – Grow (Transubstans)
Three Dimensional Tanx – Three Dimensional Tanx (Sunstone) | Bandcamp
Pontiak – Innocence (Thrill Jockey)

10. Orange Goblin - Back From The Abyss
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-10.html

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4uDoQZYpPYs/VJhHhzG5Q7I/AAAAAAAAIGg/Znfcm_icn4E/s1600/WhiskyYamazaki-07122010-31.jpg

“A 10 year old single malt from the Yamazaki distillery, aged in bourbon barrels. A lovely fruity dram, quite floral. The nose is fruity and rich. Plenty of barley malt and caramel, cereal sweetness and winter spice. Vanilla cream and mixed peels with a hint of nuts. The palate is of medium-body with notes of rich peels and winter spice, aniseed and a herbal note. A bitter oak develops. The finish is dry and of good length with acacia honey.”

Number 11 was occupied by those damned Wizards. And when we enter the top ten we find a band that has made it all the way to the Fifth position back in 2012; which can also be seen as the record that brought then the bigger audience they damn well deserve. This year they have eight points more than Electric Wizard and have returned from an unholy chasm. Filled with a masterful groovy rhythm section and ten ton heavy riffs they show us what true motoring stoner and no nonsense rock is all about. And then there’s that growling voice, that voice that carries that sharp edge and which will never hesitate to cut your throat when it comes down to that…

Really enjoyed your Fester's Lucky 13 this year, great stuff. I did notice, however, that you have Syd Arthur's Sound Mirror at both #22 and #29 on your list.

I always wait w bated breath for your psych list, fnb

Hah, that's appropriate, as the Syd Arthur was a bit of a sleeper until I got into it much more recently. Fixed it.

9. Greenleaf - Trails And Passes
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-9.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uPTHFCdcxkM/VJmQIk7QTeI/AAAAAAAAIG8/DXvhQpTm3GM/s1600/Dec12-KnobCreek9-1.jpg

“Knob Creek is a small batch bourbon produced by Jim Beam, distilled in a more traditional style and aged 9 nine years. It is named for the area in Kentucky where Abraham Lincoln grew up, it is said that the creek nearly claimed his life when he was swimming. The nose is quite spicy and sweet. There are notes of melted salty butter on granary toast, there are notes of toasty oak and a touch of rye with caramel sweetness. The palate is quite peppy and full. There are notes of candy floss and nut oil, a touch of spice and dark chocolate, a little spice and charred oak. The finish is long with a touch of dryness, there are notes of nut oils and vanilla spice.”

One point above Orange Goblin we find yet another band that has been featured in the Stoner HiVe top 20 countdown before. It was that doomed year of 2012 when we were approaching the end of the world and the album was called: Nest Of Vipers. And made it to the 14th position. This is their fifth record and yes, the guys hail from Sweden. Their version of stoner cracks and crackles and sounds age old and vintage; and with enough blues, psych and seventies to level the playing field it is once again a true rite of passage. With new members they have produced a new stamp with which to put their mark on this sweet ass heavy music as they trail blaze across the globe….

8. Truckfighters – Universe
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-8.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h51od9WVhR4/VJqD-41_BUI/AAAAAAAAIHM/x5xH23ismwg/s1600/the-hive-8-year-old-wemyss-malts-whisky.jpg

“Yes. We got our own whisky! An 8 year old blended malt whisky from independent bottler Wemyss, built around Speyside whisky matured in both fresh and refill sherry casks for a rich, sweet and spicy dram with the emphasis on honey, as you might have guessed from the name... And yes, it tastes just as sweet as we from the HiVe do!”

Still a few more albums to go before we reach the point where the jumps become bigger. For yes, this record also has just one point more than the Greenleaf record we found on Number 9. And whaddayaknow. Sweden again. And this time we are talking about the definite frontrunners of fuzz, the future of everything fuzzalicious and those who know their way and how to hang around sizzling hooks and riffs. On their new album they explore and deepen their sound once again without changing much of the recipe and they added up the ante on the production values. It has resulted in a mean album, catchy and exactly what the fans want. And that’s not just because they’ve ended up on Number 8 this year!

7. Fu Manchu - Gigantoid
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-7.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-inRb1y5t81Y/VJvWs-mtV1I/AAAAAAAAIHk/FMLIJq42k1w/s1600/Seagrams_7_Crown.jpg

“The return of a very old brand of blended whisky from one of Canada's former biggest multi-nationals. Nose: Juicy, spicy rye grains, dried apricot, lemon curd, oak and gristy sweetness. Palate: Spicy and creamy, medium-bodied with honey, caramel and coffee. A touch of orange marmalade and panna cotta. Finish: Medium length, spicy and sweet.”

On Number 7 we find the final album that stays in close proximity to the ones that came before. Beating Truckfighters with one simple point these cats have been surfing the desert and stoner waves for a damn long time now and the release this year is their eleventh album. No Swedes this time, but Californian stoners that go big the way of the fuzz and crackling and crunchy when it comes to the punchy riffs. And then there are those punky elements and dreamy moments that make it all come together like a perfect ride. Southern coolness amongst hot and heavy breezes…

Colour Haze - To The Highest Gods We Know became available on Spotify yesterday: https://play.spotify.com/album/4nwC7Jpc9FscTkjBXjjuHE

6. Electric Citizen - Sateen
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-6.html

<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZE3niWXPL_0/VJ6K9TCs9MI/AAAAAAAAIH8/FbPlSjwdoMY/s1600/SW-EnglishWhiskyC6-20cl-a.jpg";>

“Chapter6, 3 year old Single Malt Whisky. Unpeated whisky, made by Iain Henderson. Matured solely in Bourbon casks. A great reflection on the wonderful work done at the distillery and a real hint of things to come. Unchillfiltered - Natural Colour.”

Perhaps the biggest surprise for me in this year’s Stoner HiVe countdown. As we jump 26 points from Fu Manchu to reach the next band; with a female vocalist. A band and album that for some weird reason completely passed me by before all the votes came pouring in. I had no idea. So we immediately needed to get that fixed. And what a fix it was! Ancient and bronze, vintage and doom. We’re back in the sixties and there is a bright and kaleidoscopic psychedelic edge to everything you hear. Instrumentation that holds its own against so many of those originals and organ sounds that make you lick your fingers. And there’s the vocalist. She has range and dynamic and knows how to pull you close or set you free. Simply wonderful. This kind of copper color music is always welcome, because it is like velvet for your ears…

This is kinda funny because I saw Electric Citizen open for Fu Manchu this year. I agree the EC record is better, but live they have a way to go to equal the Fu.

Yeah they're defnitely just getting started, hard to compare live with a band that had been gigging two decades nonstop! I missed their show opening for The Budos Band this summer.

No doubt. And as they freely admitted, they're learning tons by touring with acts like Fu Manchu. They're already a good live band - probably better than on album - and can only get better. I have high hopes for them in the years to come.

I'm glad to see Blues Pills doing well in these polls, but am bummed that Spiders is getting ignored. While Blues Pills have better musicians and singer, I really love the songs on Shake Electric. Both Swedish bands should rock the lists into the sunset, arms locked and perhaps conquering North America on a joint tour.

5. Blues Pills - Blues Pills
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-5.html

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RnxGbURSMG4/VJ7VzjiKUII/AAAAAAAAIIY/dEfpMENoTCA/s1600/foto-73.JPG

“A pure pot still rye whisky from the innovative Dutch distillers Zuidam, that's made in small batches and aged five years before bottling. A dark golden whisky, with a nose of a sweetness and fruit with hints of grain, honey, wood and vanilla.A taste of notes of wood, spices, honey and citrus. With a dry aftertaste of sweet fruit, honey, vanilla, wood and coconut in the background with something smoky.”

Nine points we jump. A small jump. Before we make the big or even gigantic leaps. So, Electric Citizen was my biggest surprise. And a highly welcomed one. What an album. So what do we find on position Number 5? More female vocals and more psychedelic rock; but this time around we aim more for the seventies and more for the blues. We knew when the album came out that it would be featured on many end year lists. And we are thankful that everyone out there dug it in the same way we did; for the soulful vocals, the classic hard rock, the acid infused coloring and the blissful guitar work are simply stunning. So take the pill and take the ride!

BTW I think our group represented pretty well on the 2014 POLL RESULTS COUNTDOWN - ILM Metal Albums of the Year

102 The Cosmic Dead - Easterfaust 143 Points, 4 votes
98 Seven that Spells - The Death and Resurrection of Krautrock: IO 146 Votes, 3 voters , One #1
97 Death Penalty - Death Penalty 146 Points, 5 votes
94 Monarch - Sabbracadaver 148 Points, 6 votes
93 Truckfighters - Universe 152 Points, 5 votes, One #1
89 Conan - Blood Eagle 157 Points, 5 votes
87 Wo Fat - The Conjuring 158 Points, 5 votes
86 Karma To Burn - Arch Stanton 160 Points, 4 votes
85 Monster Magnet - Milking the Stars: A Re-Imagining of Last Patrol 160 Points, 5 votes
82 Hands Of Orlac - Figli Del Crepuscolo 162 Points, 5 votes
79 Bongripper - Miserable 163 Points, 6 votes
78 The Flight of Sleipnir - V. 168 Points, 4 votes
77 Skull Fist - Chasing the Dream 171 Points, 5 votes
75 Opeth - Pale Communion 177 Points, 7 votes
69 Comet Control - s/t 194 Points, 5 votes , One #1
67 Shooting Guns - Street Rock 205.0 6 votes
65 Wizard Rifle - Here In The Deadlights 210 Points, 6 votes
62 Atlas Moth - The Old Believer 234 Points, 8 votes
60 The Wounded Kings - Consolamentum 251 Points, 7 votes
58 Wovenhand - Refractory Obdurate 262 Points, 7 votes
53 The Oath - The Oath 274 Points, 9 votes
51 Midnight - No Mercy for Mayhem 290 Points, 8 votes
49 Goat - Commune 301 Points, 9 votes
47 Horseback - Piedmont Apocrypha 329 Points, 9 votes
40 Boris - Noise 353 Points, 11 votes
39 Dawnbringer - Night of the Hammer 356 Points, 11 votes
33 Witch Mountain - Mobile of Angels 378 Points, 15 votes
29 Apostle Of Solitude - Of Woe And Wounds 422 Points, 11 votes
27 Floor - Oblation 434 Points, 14 votes
23 The Skull - For Those Which Are Asleep 489 Points, 13 votes
20 Blues Pills - Blues Pills 557 Points, 13 votes
13 Slough Feg - Digital Resistance 662 Points, 19 votes, One #1
9 Earth - Primitive and Deadly 738 Points, 21 votes , ONE #1
4 Electric Wizard - Time to Die 1130 Points, 27 votes THREE #1's
3 Agalloch - The Serpent & the Sphere 1165 Points, 31 votes, Three #1s
2 Pallbearer - Foundations of Burden 1233 Points, 33 votes, One #1
1 YOB - Clearing the Path to Ascend 1240 Points, 32 votes , THREE #1s

A couple late psych prog finds:

Atavismo – Desintegración (Odio Sonoro) - Spanish Floydian acolytes, early UFO, Groundhogs influences.
https://odiosonoro.bandcamp.com/album/atavismo-desintegraci-n

Amplifier – Mystoria (Superball) - UK band has been around for years, but their fifth album caught my attention with a bit more interesting guitar work.
http://www.amplifierband.com/#!mystoria/cxj2

Psych Prog playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/1212496385/playlist/1nV7e8YeM6pZqLz84X3kFj

Ulaan Markhor album at #99 really belonged itt as well tbh

4. Pallbearer - Foundations Of Burden
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-4.html

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WAgk6rd_o8U/VJ_gCJis1VI/AAAAAAAAIIw/tAdEmgGmNk4/s1600/braunstein_e-4.jpg

“This is a very peaty whisky at 60 ppm phenols. It is a single cask, matured exclusively in an ex-bourbon barrel from Maker’s Mark. The E:4 was bottled on 2012-11-02, and the outturn was 300 bottles. Nose: Mild smoke, surprising really – I was expecting a more distinct smokiness from the 60 ppm, but there you go. Well-rounded and mature sweetness. Vanilla, milk chocolate, and butterscotch and caramel. It is also very fruity, bundles of apples and pears. Braunstein has a very fruity and rich new make, and the distillery character shows through here. Taste: OK, here comes the smoke. And it is massive! This whisky certainly packs a punch! I also find milk chocolate, and licorice caramel to slightly temper the punchy peat. Finish: Long finish; rich, fruity, smoky and sweet. ’nuff said!”

The first bigger jump begins now and with an album I had not, to be honest, expected to end up this high on the list. We add 43 points to Blues Pills on Number 5 to reach the next level. Which, even though the sound is incredibly heavy and the themes definitely dark; lead to a record that in its whole does feel warm and begs to be heard over and over again. This is without a doubt masterful doom and metal and shows that the guys want to aim both higher and lower without changing their sound all at the same time. The biggest change in comparison to their amazing debut album from 2012 is perhaps the fact that the vocal melodies have become more important and that the band are changing rhythms and riffs quicker without losing that hypnotizing edge we all love so dearly…

20. Salem's Pot - …Lurar ut dig på prärien
19. Serpent Venom - Of Things Seen & Unseen
18. Kamchatka – The Search Goes On
17. Witch Mountain - Mobile of Angels
16. Lo-Pan – Colossus
15. Blue Snaggletooth - Beyond Thule
15. Jeremy Irons & The Ratgang Malibus - Spirit Knife
14. Monolord - Empress Rising
13. John Garcia – John Garcia
12. Mos Generator – Electric Mountain Majesty
11. Electric Wizard - Time To Die
10. Orange Goblin - Back From The Abyss
9. Greenleaf - Trails And Passes
8. Truckfighters – Universe
7. Fu Manchu - Gigantoid
6. Electric Citizen - Sateen
5. Blues Pills - Blues Pills
4. Pallbearer - Foundations Of Burden

So we got YOB, Wo Fat and The Skull left? Or will there be an upset from Apostle Of Solitude, The Well, Conan or Mars Red Sky? Prob not. Would Colour Haze have made it if they released their album earlier? Feel free to bug them to get on Bandcamp! http://colourhaze.de/guests

One last poll anyone can participate in: http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2014/12/01/top-20-of-2014-readers-poll/

Whoa, I didn't know people were feelin this one so much more than the John Garcia! So The Skull must not have made it, weird!

3. Brant Bjork and The Low Desert Punk Band – Black Flower Power
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-3.html

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9CChFNFfHvQ/VKGBAdcdfAI/AAAAAAAAIJE/570CEXmWktE/s1600/Black_Crow_Whiskey_by_seznur.jpg

“Black Crow Original Old American Whiskey, American blended whiskey in Canadian-style low-blend. Faintly vanilla. Strong in alcohol.”

We leave Pallbearer on the 4th position with a jump of 42 points. This year’s Bronze medal goes to another one of the stoner and desert rock legends. A guru in his own right. The man reached the Number 7 position with his former album and this one is a step bigger in every way conceivable. So we are happy to see it rise further up the ladder then the former one did. The guitars and drums are more raw and edgy, and the songs are righteous sheriffs! But is his sandy voice that takes charge and commands. His warm and completely logical utterings proclaim the truth and makes one and all an admirer. He is without a doubt the mythical guru of the laidback stoner and total fuzz!

Here is some Syd era Floyd influenced stuff from Finland:

Octopus Syng – Reverberating Garden No. 7 (Mega Dodo)
https://megadodo.bandcamp.com/album/reverberating-garden-no-7

2. YOB - Clearing The Path to Ascend
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-2.html

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ynhdwjl58SQ/VKJ2d4a-nyI/AAAAAAAAIJc/dn-AyUMjO8Q/s1600/adnams-triple-grain-no-2-whisky.jpg

“Part of the first pair of whisky releases from Adnams Distillery in Southwold, Suffolk. Just 10 barrels were used for the original release, which uses three types of grain - wheat, barley and oats - aged for over 3 years in new American oak casks. Nose: This one lures you in with approachable toasty oak, white peach blossom, some spicy grain, the bubblegum in the background this time and cocoa dark chocolate. A little lychee and sugar that’s just catching. A touch of lime. Palate: White pepper and spices, orange and a hint of powdered chocolate. Finish: Quite comforting and almost beer like with a little rich honey and chocolate now.”

The next band leaves maestro Brant Bjork trailing in its dust as we climb fifty points to reach the Number 2 spot of the 2014 Stoner HiVe top 20 countdown. The Silver Medal goes to a band that made it to the Number Eight position with the album that came before. Back in 2011. This year’s release saw it topping many lists all across the globe and we already reckoned it would have a prominent place on the HiVe as well. There is no escaping the fact that the new record is nothing but an instant doom rock classic. They take their time and carefully craft the compelling and stirring arc’s that holds you captive for fifteen minutes per track. Ten ton heavy guitar sounds whirl and twist around you lifting you up with nothing more than a couple of chords but with so much dynamic and variation that you mistake the tornado for a desert storm and the other way around. Throbbing bass work and thundering drums together with the feedback ridden dark and haunting growls or high pitched and eerie screams make this a record that is meant for the ages…

1. Wo Fat - The Conjuring
http://stonerhive.blogspot.com/2014/12/number-1.html

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qi03ASdu6Mg/VKP3vfNz8YI/AAAAAAAAIKQ/oupF1YzkdEA/s1600/The-ONE-1.jpg

“The first whisky from Lakes Distillery, a British distillery in Cumbria that are as proud of their picturesque part of England as they are their excellently blended whisky. Both The One whisky and Cumbria are equally beautiful, but only one of them has sweet, spicy notes and a whiff of smoke, so we know which one we'll put in our glasses (it's the whisky, in case you were wondering). Sublime, mellow whisky, a gorgeous blend with the slightest hint of peat, pepper and wood. Don’t mess with The One…”

We jump 90 points from YOB’s majestic album Clearing The Path to Ascend to reach the gold medal of this year’s Stoner HiVe top 20 countdown. Produced by a band that has made the countdown with almost every release the past years. Reaching Number 8 in 2009 and Number 13 in 2012. A band that inspired honorable madman Tony to write a love letter this year and inspired so many more to vote for this band as the number one release or among the top of their favorites in 2014. And the groove is indeed strong in this band. They know how to stoner and they know how to metal. With a distinct swagger and luscious riffs that call for a spittoon looking container in the manner of stomping drums; they manage to control and evoke that late night blues feeling that flows underneath all that heavy rock. It will be that trusty companion that you will turn to whenever you need something summoned or awoken. Something swinging, with distorted fuzz, molasses sludge and hypnotic bass work. It is the voodoo they do so well! And we all know these three cats will deliver and keep delivering… Don’t mess with Texas…

I'm not sure if my concept of "psych" and "drone" (I like stuff like Loop) is the same as everyone else's but I LOVED this:

http://youtu.be/W2kB5dSc_BM

Oh man that album is awesome! Dead Skeletons were mentioned early in the '12 space metal thread. Or the psych drone thread, perhaps, if there were one of those that year

Obelisk Reader Poll. Not too different from the StonerHive.
http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2015/01/02/the-top-20-of-2014-readers-poll-results/

1. YOB, Clearing the Path to Ascend (560 points)
2. Wo Fat, The Conjuring (404)
3. Electric Wizard, Time to Die (367)
4. Pallbearer, Foundations of Burden (334)
5. Conan, Blood Eagle (275)
6. Orange Goblin, Back from the Abyss (254)
7. Greenleaf, Trails and Passes (240)
8. Truckfighters, Universe (237)
9. Brant Bjork and the Low Desert Punk Band, Black Power Flower (235)
10. Earth, Primitive and Deadly (230)
11. Fu Manchu, Gigantoid (225)
12. Blues Pills, Blues Pills (211)
13. Lo-Pan, Colossus (202)
14. Eyehategod, Eyehategod (198)
15. Monolord, Empress Rising (190)
16. Mastodon, Once More ‘Round the Sun (188)
17. Mars Red Sky, Stranded in Arcadia (161)
18. John Garcia, John Garcia (156)
19. Bongripper, Miserable (141)
20. Radio Moscow, Magical Dirt (127)

Honorable mention to:
Goat, Commune (126)
Swans, To be Kind (117)
Monster Magnet, Milking the Stars (116)
Blood Farmers, Headless Eyes (105)
Floor, Oblation (104)
Mothership, II (104)

The 2014 psych journey simply never ends!

Thelightshines – Now The Sandman Sings (thelightshines)
Quilt – Held In Splendour (Mexican Summer)
Doug Tuttle – Doug Tuttle (Trouble In Mind)
Blank Realm – Grassed In (Fire)
Cool Ghouls – A Swirling Fire Burning Through the Rye (Empty Cellar) | Bandcamp
The Paperhead – Africa Avenue (Trouble In Mind)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – I’m In Your Mind Fuzz (Flightless)
CreaturoS - Popsicle | Bandcamp
Bozmo - Leather Umbrella | Bandcamp

Also keep discovering more 2013 albums, several at the end of this playlist: http://open.spotify.com/user/1212496385/playlist/2jwma4l2gY4ZlcU6MUIv2L

I think that King Gizzard record is a lot of fun, surprised not to see more love for that among the stoner rock fans out there.

2015 thread time?

that Doug Tuttle album is absolutely stellar. top 20 (maybe 15) of 2014 for me; my favorite pure psych record of the year, I think.

the whole thing is streaming here: http://www.spin.com/articles/doug-tuttle-self-titled-debut-album-stream/

and yes to a 2015 thread.

Yeah it grew on me quickly. I was catching up the two albums from his previous band Mmoss, and they're alright, but not nearly as good as his solo disc. I'm holding off on starting a new thread in case someone else has a new clever title for it.

One album I haven't heard beyond one very enticing krautrocky tune on Soundcloud is Herbcraft - Push Thru the Veil. Tuttle listed it here:
http://bostonhassle.com/2014/12/top-7-2014-doug-tuttle/

I'm thinking maybe it's just a single though. They have five other albums from 2010-13.

Thinking of ordering the new Sapat; anyone heard it yet?

https://soundcloud.com/sophomorelounge/sapat-rock-face

Rolling Ridiculous Naked-Lady Cover Art As Far As The Eye Can See Thread 2015

:/

Rolling Yoni Power?

More!

Heaven’s Gateway Drugs – Apropos (HGD)
https://heavensgatewaydrugs.bandcamp.com/album/apropos

Violet Woods – Violet Woods (Violet Wodos)
https://violetwoods.bandcamp.com/album/violet-woods

The Love Dimension – Create And Consume (Warrior Monk)
https://thelovedimension.bandcamp.com/album/create-and-consume

These are ones further down my list that I didn't mention above but have been enjoying on my playlists over these holidaze:

Woods – With Light And With Love (Woodsist)
White Fence – For the Recently Found Innocent
The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Revelation (A Records)
Thee Oh Sees – Drop (Castle Face)
Allah-Las – Worship The Sun (Innovative Leisure)
The Soundcarriers – Entropicalia (Ghost Box)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Oddments (Flightless) | Bandcamp
The Movements – Elephants 2 (Crusher)
Black Lips – Underneath The Rainbow (Vice)
Guardian Alien – Spiritual Emergency (Thrill Jockey)
The Black Angels – Clear Lake Forest (Blue Horizen)
Donovan Blanc – Donovan Blanc (Captured Tracks)
Secret Colours – Positive Distractions
Elephant Stone – The Three Poisons (Hidden Pony)
The Soft Walls – No Time (Trouble In Mind)
Pink Mountaintops – Get Back (Jagjaguwar)
Bardo Pond – Looking For Another Place (Fire)

2011 Rolling Doom/Stoner/Sludge/Drone/Psych/Space Metal Thread
Rolling Stoner/Psych/Doom/Sludge/Retro/Drone/Space Thread 2012
Rolling Stoner/Psych/Doom/Sludge/Retro/Drone/Space Thread 2013: The Next Day
Rolling Stoner/Psych/Freak/Doom/Sludge/Retro/Drone/Space Thread 2014: These Start at 11

Rolling Stoner/Psych/Freak/Doom/Sludge/Retro/Drone/Space Thread 2015: Red With Purple Flashes

Probably reflecting my current obsession with lots of 60s psych inspired albums. Any other suggestions?

no suggestions, but to me doom/sludge is more the purview of rolling metal

stoner/psych/freak/retro/space makes sense together, in my mind

drone seems like its own thing, but then the whole discussion is kinda silly anyway, right?

All valid points. I think maybe some preferred to track stoner/doom/sludge metal subgenre stuff in this smaller discussion. However, it's all still discussed in Rolling Metal anyway. I don't track much drone myself, and someone said they'd like it separate. So...

Rolling Stoner/Psych/Freak/Retro/Space Thread then?

Rolling Fringe Metal