Rise Above US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Canadian occult-prog psych-doomers Blood Ceremony make their long awaited on The Old Ways Remain, their fifth full-length and follow up to 2016's exceptional Lord Of Misrule. Described by their label as "flute-tinged witch rock", the group combine the flute-centric retro prog of Jethro Tull with the psychedelic menace of early Black Sabbath, concocting an alluring and macabre melting pot of Wiccan folk, stoner rock, and doom metal, while lyrically drawing on classic horror and folk tales from the Witchfinder General to the more ritualistic and Lovecraftian.

Review: Fandabidozi, the debut album from Bobbie Dazzle, led by singer Sian Greenway, is a joyful tribute to the glam rock of the 1970s. Drawing influence from icons like David Bowie, T. Rex, and The Sweet, the album manages to celebrate the past while still feeling fresh and vibrant. Opener 'Lightning Fantasy' kicks things off with a punch, featuring lyrics written by Greenway's father, offering a deeply personal touch. Tracks like 'Merry-Go-Round' and 'Revolution' channel the groovy, flamboyant spirit of glam rock, while 'Lady on Fire' delivers a heavier, guitar-driven edge reminiscent of 70s rock. The album is packed with energy, charisma, and a sense of fun, with 'Back to the City' and 'It's Electric' standing out as lively anthems. Greenway's powerful vocals and the band's tight instrumentation keep the momentum strong from start to finish. Fandabidozi is a bold and glittering ode to rock 'n' roll's most theatrical era, blending nostalgic charm with contemporary flair. It's an exciting introduction to Bobbie Dazzle's vibrant world.

Review: Japanese stoner-doom psych heroes Church Of Misery reunite with original vocalist Kazuhiro Asaeda for their absurdly fuzzed out eighth full-length Born Under A Mad Sign. Embarking on two European runs to celebrate the record, the band played their first show since 1995 with Kazuhiro at the Electric Ballroom as part of DesertFest London at the start of May, and appear to be showing zero signs of slowing down now that they're fully rejuvenated and emboldened by their retrofitted line-up. Avant-garde serial killer obsessed Black Sabbath worship of the heftiest variety.

Review: Reuniting with original vocalist Kazuhiro Asaeda, serial killer obsessed Black Sabbath worshiping Japanese psychedelic doom-metallers Church Of Misery return to ultimate form on their absurd, fuzzy and purposefully ugly eighth full-length Born Under A Mad Sign. Celebrating the release with two jaunts across Europe, along with their appearance at DesertFest London at the start of May in the Camden Electric Ballroom marking their first live performance with Kazuhiro since his departure in 1995, the rejuvenated, retrofitted line-up are as loud, heavy and bizarre as ever, with age seemingly garnering an increased understanding in hefty hypnotic compositions.

Review: Electric Wizard are one of those bands that a lot of people might not be particularly aware of. But those that know, really do know. Often cited as the most influential UK sludge-stoner-doom outfit - a group that took on a staunchly southern USA sound and made it in their own, unusual, Devonshire image - two albums preceded 2000's Dopethrone, and both were fantastic. First we had Electric Wizard, then the exceptional Come My Fanatics... According to founding father Jus Oborn, that pair and Dopethrone complete "a trilogy of terror", and it's hard to argue that Act III isn't the crowning glory. Rhythms so thick you feel like your sinking into the quagmire, refined lead guitar work like instrumental poetry, and this overwhelming atmosphere of sticky, swampy heat. A landmark you need.

Review: The true dawning of one of metal's most unlikely success stories, Opus Eponymous was the debut full-length from ever theatrical nameless ghouls Ghost. Led by the incomparable Tobias Forge, who has grown to become a charismatic icon in his own right, the 2010 project would captivate and infuriate in equal measure with its campy thrills, satanic lyricism and arena-ready hooks. While a later lineup change and expansion in popularity has led to the group's sound becoming even more accessible, this first display featured enough psychedelic riffage and doomgazing to cater to even the most hardened of metalhead, and this reissue is beyond overdue.

Review: Slaughter On First Avenue takes two live performances from Cambridge modern psychedelic stoner-doom heroes Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats and combines them into one sprawling live double album, featuring a selection of cuts from all of their exceptional LPs, with primary focus paid to 2018's ballsy and battered opus The Wasteland. While mastermind Kevin Starrs has assured a new full-length is slowly materialising, in the meantime, this collection offers a fly on the wall earful of trudging retro-fuzz psych-rock with Black Sabbath indebted riffage and 70s atmosphere, all the while delivered with modern bombast and virtuosic chops. Where live projects can often come across as filler releases or stop-gaps, Uncle Acid have managed to craft a version that serves not only as a crash-course greatest hits, but also celebration of the band thus far, as well as a flawless example of their retrofuturist heft.