Chybucca Sounds

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Self-Release.

If the hardest thing for a new rock band to be is original, then the second hardest is to get noticed. Together since 2008, Oh How It Ended has spent the last three years chugging on Kronenbourg, and looking for a label.

Still unsigned, Welcome to Brown Rock, the Canadian trio’s second release, is proof that inspiration can be found at the bottom of a beer glass. Whereas the band’s self-titled debut leaned towards alternative, radio-friendly rock à la Alter Bridge and Staind; Brown Rock, in comparison, is full of conviction: hard-edged riffs, post-grunge angst and snarling vocals. If bar-room brawls ever needed a soundtrack; then this is it.

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Self-Release.

Occult-tinged metal occupies a unique space in heavy-sounding rock. Unlike many of its neighbouring offshoots, occult-metal (aka. doom) has no interest in overblown pyrotechnics or 10-minute guitar solos: fuzz-shrouded lurches will do.

Zombie King, as the name suggests, sits comfortably alongside Candlemass and Electric Wizard – albeit at the other end of shelf – however, as fans of this genre know all too well; doom metal’s hall-of-famers have spawned countless imitators, but few innovators.

Son of a Witch is intent on breaking the mould. The French quartet’s debut shares many similarities with the genre’s elite: hammer-horror imagery; a penchant for evil and desperate vocals; but this is where the similarities end. Firstly, neither of the aforementioned bands, has ever had a shrieking banshee as a vocalist; or an infectious love of fast-paced, wah-wah grooves, either. Without dissecting Zombie King’s sound too much, it is, to coin a phrase: “cosmic-doom”- neither, bleak or barren, but still heavy enough to smoke to.

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Go Down Records.

Using a double entendre to invoke interest in your band was hard to resist for the Pozzo brothers; as was christening their second full-length album, Guess It.

As it happens, guesswork is the last thing that the listener needs to worry about; as the Italian’s influences are painstakingly obvious: punchy, alternative rock (ok, indie) with infectious, radio-friendly, choruses. For a band that doesn’t take itself too seriously, light-hearted jangles are probably the way to go; however, there’re an awful lot of bands – most notably British – who have milked this formula to death (circa 2004 and beyond); and for this reason alone, Guess It should be avoided.

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Independent.

Earth Burnt Black practise what they preach: Harrowing Catharsis, the Colorado quartet’s debut is, as its cover art suggests, rather bleak.

According to the band’s online biography, Earth Burnt Black is: “an amalgam of sound that is never content to repeat itself.” Like most people who read this, the obvious question is: How does a band that straddles the blurry lines of progressive-sludge and black-metal dirges, not repeat itself? The answer is: they don’t.

Despite this, Harrowing Catharsis is certainly an enigma. The appropriately named prelude to ‘The March’ (‘Intro’) is rife with guttural howls, before bursting into dynamic, uplifting prog; the likes of which are sure to draw similarities with Swedish metal darling’s Opeth; before a timely, tuned-down twist, takes the listener back to Satan’s lair.

Like Opeth, Earth Burnt Black is a forward-thinking band: combining the intensity of death-metal with the abandonment of prog-rock; however, despite this being only their first release, the boys from Colorado are at a crossroads: More prog, less metal? More metal, less prog?

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Ripple Music.

‘Drink Beer, Destroy’ the opening track on Trucker Diablo’s full-length debut, is something of a mantra for the Northern Irish four-piece.

Posturing in front of a truck (what else?) and decked out in checked shirts and well-worn denim; Trucker Diablo has a lot to be angry about. After enjoying limited success in the ‘90s: Simon Haddock, Tom Harte and Terry Crawford, experienced the ruthless nature of rock ‘n’ roll; tossed on the scrapheap, before they had to time to shine. Picked up by Ripple Music, and worshipped by a loyal, native following; The Devil Rhythm is testimony to the band’s willingness to succeed.

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Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Sulatron Records.

Press releases do one of two things: Either they provide factual content, that can’t be found after a quick, Google search; or they contain meaningless, nonsensical bravado.

Now, while the lengthy, A4 sheet, that accompanies Vibravoid’s sixth studio album is inevitably the latter; there’s a single statement that rings true: “Gravity Zero proves psychedelic-rock music, to be alive and well.”

In fact, without Vibravoid the genre could be dead altogether. Since 2009, the Germans have given the world: two live albums, an extended E.P. and Minddrugs: a six-track release that includes an ambitious cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun’. Gravity Zero, the group’s first full-length offering of the year, is the apotheosis of what Vibravoid can do as a power trio: Namely, dreamy layered grooves, with mystical vocals, and occasional wild-eyed freak-outs.

While musically sound, the impressionable acid-dodgers try to be a little more ‘out there’ in comparison to the rest of their peers – their website proves this – and while this does little to hinder the band’s overall image; it does affect the albums lyrical content; spewing out gems such as: “flower-power is the only solution” and “take a ride on good vibrations” – which is great if you’re having bad acid flashbacks, and your calendar is telling you that its 1968; but for those of us in 2012? Not so.

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Go Down Records.

Despite showing glimpses of occasional experimentation; Autumn’s Rain’s debut stays firmly rooted in pop-rock territory.

A young, fashionable trio from Venice; the band’s biography pretty much writes itself; but, with this in mind, you can’t help feeling that this collection of tracks is a missed opportunity. ‘Tannannann’, the album’s ballsy opener, merges controlled ‘70s grooves with high-octave grunge – and even Chili Peppers funk – with blistering intent.

Unfortunately, this is where the excitement ends; as apart from occasional blasts of vintage, galloping riffs and cymbal-crashing euphoria (‘Too Loud’ and ‘Piove’) the remaining eight tracks veer aimlessly into FM-radio territory: self-directed hollers, complete with uninspiring melodies; the likes of which have been present on Foo Fighters albums (sorry, Dave), for the best part of a decade.

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Kornalcielo-Area Pirata.

As the Italian rock revolution continues to avalanche; the quantity to quality ratio is inevitably going to increase. How long will it be before an exciting, in-your-face ensemble, rejects the sweet leaf, in favour of chest-beating, rock ‘n’ roll?

Sporting a sound that’s one part Hellacopters, one part Turbonegro, and a tiny part Motorhead, the Homebreakers create music that would sound right at home in a packed, sweaty environment. Brash, cocky and ballsy, Heroes of Tearsvalley contains all the subject matter that you would expect from angry, working-class punks: Isolation and frustration.

In fact, you only have to take one look at the album’s track titles to see a recurring theme, as: ‘Rape Me’, ‘She Rocks’ and ‘So Lil’ So Bitch’ is one-of-the-same – albeit in separate three-minute bursts – while ‘Playstation Generation’ highlights the shortcomings of their nation’s youth: “Can’t understand the youth of today/ They’ll sell their souls just for a dime,” – with vocalist Raffa Martino, bridging the gap between rebellious bravado and level-headed experience.

As you’ve probably already guessed; this record isn’t going to change your life; however, for the 40 minutes that it’s on your stereo; the Homebreakers will make you feel like a giddy, 16-year-old kid, who has just discovered their father’s record collection for the first time.

Release Date: Out now.

Record Label: Fakto Records.

The tagline that accompanies Naughty Mouse is an interesting one: ‘We’re the 1%. We’re stoner-rock.’

Now, where the band got these figures from is a mystery, however, what is clear, is that stoner-rock certainly accounts for a lot more than just 1% of rock’s integral DNA – you only have to look at the likes of: Clutch, Down and Kyuss to dispel this offhand statement.

So, back to the job in hand: Naughty Mouse, a French-speaking five-piece from Belgium, rarely drifts away from the fuzzy, jam-band roots of their aforementioned heroes; as the combination of windswept slide-guitars and competent chugging, evokes a drowsy listening experience, that is almost a direct nod, to the spirit and warmth, of the Coachella Valley.

Despite doing nothing to dispel the critics, who take great pleasure in ripping apart the desert-stoner-rock genre, as nothing more than: “repetitive, half-assed Kyuss-worshipping,” Staring at the Sun is a symbolic release for Belgium – and the Netherlands’ – thriving-club scene; as you only have to look at the line-up for last summer’s ‘Stoner Rockfest’ in Brussels – where Naughty Mouse were third on the bill, behind Horses on Fire and Ramon Zarate – to see that “half-assed Kyuss-worshipping,” is more than just a passing fad.

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