Best New Releases March 2024
What are the odds?
March 2024 was the month that I found myself completely immersed in some of the most delightful musical rabbit holes, ones that I'd merely peeked into before but now plunge into with glee. It started with space rock, which ultimately led to heavy psychedelic rock. With krautrock and progressive rock building a bridge between them, the two genres go hand-in-hand, frequently intersecting in the heavy underground. As luck would have it, March 2024 was also the month that graced us with an avalanche of new releases from those genres. Needless to say, I've been in music nerd paradise, headphones almost always on, soaking up these amazing new tunes like a sponge. I really can't get enough.
I'm really enjoying my newfound love of progressive psychedelic rock for two main reasons: One, I adore the complexity of it. There are almost always many different things going on, leading to a more immersive experience. No matter how many times you listen to a song, you'll almost always pick up on something new each time. This leads me to my second reason: this type of music has a mesmeric yet riveting effect that, frankly, can be quite addictive. Not only that, but I find myself in awe of the amount of talent, creativity, and hard work this multi-dimensional style of music must require to produce.
March certainly didn't disappoint when it comes to these ambient styles, but there were some very good mashups of grunge/doom and stoner/desert/doom thrown in for good measure, as you'll see here.
This is exactly what I submitted to the Doom Charts, in ascending order:
1. Empty Full Space - From the Limbo
Empty Full Space is a band from Paris, France that expertly merges garage, space, psychedelic, and krautrock, throwing in some heavy stoner riffage here and there for good measure.
When it comes to space/krautrock in particular, some of my favorite bands are those that go all out with the sci-fi feel. While a large amount of repetition and dreamy atmospheric sound is a requirement in these genres (communicating vastness, awe, and wonder in my mind), I applaud the bands that emphasize dimension and liberally utilize special effects in their music. As musician/writer Sasha Frere-Jones puts it, "...making humans sound like machines and machines sound human."
Empty Full Space does this particularly well, never shying away from the use of fuzz, vocal effects, feedback, and synthesizers. They also vary the pacing of their songs, alternating between ethereal and trance-like and rollicking and treacherous. The result is a beautifully well-rounded album that will keep you on your toes.
2. Mouth - Vortex Redux
Colgone's retro prog masters Mouth released the beloved album Vortex in 2017. Its songs, while absolutely brilliant, varied quite a bit in how they were put together, some being created in a day, and others, such as Vortex itself, across multiple sessions. This led to Mouth's dissatisfaction with the original mix, and ultimately to their decision to release a collection of alternate versions in 2020, called Out of the Vortex (there were also some previously unreleased songs on that lovely little album as well).
However, that nagging feeling just wouldn't leave, and ever in search of the perfect final arrangement for Vortex, Mouth ventured back into the studio to give it a third try. The result, Vortex Redux, was remixed by band member, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Koller himself. Still the same Vortex we all know and love, but with some stylistic tweaks that, somehow, make the listening experience smoother and more scintillating, something this devoted Mouth fan didn't think was possible. Above all, you certainly have to give the band a massive amount of credit for chasing the sound that they knew in their hearts was perfect, not stopping until they achieved that vision.
Vortex Redux also boasts an all-new single that Mouth debuted in February 2024, entitled Turn the Lie. Like all of the band's music, you wouldn't bat an eye if I told you that this song was recorded in 1971. Of all the bands that dabble in retro rock that I've heard thus far, Mouth certainly takes the prize for being the most authentic sounding. By that, I'm not only speaking of the music itself, but of the atmosphere that it creates. Turn the Lie is on the short side, but it's an insanely catchy, jaunty, upbeat number. I've sang along to this one at the top of my lungs more times than I can count.
Mouth has that hypnotic effect on me; if you put on Parade, Coffee, or Mountain in particular, an inner hippie that I didn't know was there is awakened inside me, my eyes roll back into my head, and, fully possessed, I prance about my house like a buffoon. Sometimes you just have to let loose, ya know?
3. Karkara - All is Dust
Middle Eastern music definitely has a big influence on the heavy rock scene; the traditional instruments and vocal styles pair beautifully well with everything from desert rock to grunge to psychedelic rock. Some bands have an exceptional knack for melding the sounds of the East and West together, and France's Karkara is one of them.
Karkara's third album, All is Dust, is a heavy psychedelic masterpiece that completely surrounds the listener with full-bodied, multi-faceted, and ever-changing sound from start to finish. The album ebbs and flows, skillfully utilizing elements of psychedelic rock, krautrock, garage, fuzz, acid rock, and the sounds of the Middle East, taking the listener on an ever-evolving ride.
Though this six-track album has a nearly fifty-minute runtime, it's one of those that seem all too short; a blink and it's over deal. All is Dust is probably best suited to listening to in its entirety and in an environment and mindset that allows you to fully appreciate the artistry and complexity behind the journey.
4. Scorched Oak - Perception
Scorched Oak's sophomore album masterfully vacillates between stoner/desert and doom, each track completely unique from the last. Of course, the most notable thing about the band are its co-lead vocalists, Linda and Ben (who also play bass and guitar, respectively), who each have an incredibly powerful and distinct singing voice that further expands upon the band's already diverse sound.
No matter which genre of heavy underground music has your heart, Perception is sure to have something (or multiple things, most likely) for you.
Read my full review here.
5. Carpet - Collision
Collision certainly doesn't disappoint. I personally find it to have even more dimension than Carpet's previous releases, surrounding the listener in gossamer-like but sweeping sound. There are many bands out there, particularly those of the psychedelic and progressive rock variety, that I only like to listen to when I have time to completely devote my attention to them. Carpet is one of those bands. There are so many lovely things swirled together here, you'll notice something new and clever each time you listen, be it something big or incredibly subtle. This is a hypnotically poetic work to be savored like a fine wine.
6. Daevar - Amber Eyes
Of course, this list of hypnotic and atmospheric tunes wouldn't be complete without Daevar's Amber Eyes. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that the standout component here are the utterly captivating and haunting vocals, simultaneously giving nod to Windhand and reminding me of Dolores O'Riordan of The Cranberries. That fits in beautifully, considering Daevar's instrumentals are a very unique and weighty style of grunge-laced doom. With the vocals gliding delicately over the trudging and heavy riffs, you're sure to be transfixed.
There you have it! Another month in the books and probably my favorite Doom Chart so far this year.
As always don't forget to check out this month's Doom Chart to find many more amazing new albums nominated by my fellow contributors. Most importantly, show your favorite heavy underground bands some love by doing all that following, liking, sharing, and taking advantage of Bandcamp Fridays!
Side note: it's Spring, so do something refreshing, new, and fun: go outside, try something new, create something cool...do something nice just for you that makes you happy; you deserve it.
🖤, Stephanie
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