Kafka Rex – Heir to the Drone [2015; self-released]

On the first release from the one-man band of Kafka Rex, four tracks of stoner doom metal are served up, with fat-bodied bass, pedaled guitar, throaty vocals, and wobbly synth embellishment coming together with a smear of psychedelia to all gel in a very satisfying way. Between the track title, “The Electric Witch”, “Satan’s Skin”, and “High Priestess of Eventual Fuck”, the names of the songs communicate a good humor about the nature of the material, meshing well with the generally laid-back grooves. Just short enough to leave listeners wanting more, and long enough to keep them from feeling shorted.

MotherSloth – Hazy Blur of Life [2012; self-released]

Stoner metal with a splash of heavy psych flavors the four tracks of this EP, with Danzig-like vocals wailing over the knotty guitar riffs and bass rumbles. Some slick drum-work provides both driving beats and garnishes over the slower trips, and while the overall swing of the music is fairly broad, the band packs some nice nuancing into the little details of tone and flair. Not the group’s best work, but a lively and solid batch nonetheless, with some sharp hooks lying in wait.

Here’s the original cover art.

And the cover art used for the reissue.

Astralnaut – Back to the Bog [2012; self-released]

Stoner doom with production evocative of garage rock, the four tracks of this EP find the Irish band of Astralnaut bringing blues flavoring out strong while wailing and grinding along through the songs. Quick solos and strong drum backing add a little further distinction to the material, and though the touches of psychedelic indulgence are brief, they form some of the most stimulating moments on the release. A bit too much of the riffing falls into standard fare for the style, but as this was the group’s first release, that’s not exactly unsurprising, and they do land a fair number of successful hooks amid the more disposable progressions. Nothing spectacular, but there’s a nice sense of character to the tunes, and the sparing use of vocal samples adds to the fun.