Best New Releases June 2026

 

I don't think I'm alone in complaining that this heat is getting to my head. 

A constant companion in the form of a thick blanket of stifling, humid air makes everything more of a struggle, and that's especially the case when it comes to simply thinking. Laziness and brain fog have been what's on the menu around here lately, so I'm sure I'll miss a few things this month. However, I'm never one to show up empty handed, and I've managed to unearth a few gems for you guys. 

Here are my ten favorite albums from the month in descending order: 

10.) Kalamata - Zensodyne 

German instrumental stoner/psych trio Kalamata releases their most personal work to date with Zensodyne.  Alternating between quiet, tranquil moments and surges of trepidatious intensity, this album beautifully depicts strife, healing, and hope with immersive sound. 

Favorite Track: There 

9.) Atom Lux - Kamikaze Butterfly 

On Kamikaze Butterfly, eclectic Italian project Atom Lux delivers laid-back, hypnotic grooves, waves of heavier tones, and plenty of acidic psych. The best thing about this delightful little EP, however, is the vivid imagery it relays, focusing in on my favorite categories: the surreal and absurd. This is a listening experience that's both refreshing and energizing, perfect for the peak of summer. 

Favorite Track: Zombie Ant Fungus Strike 

8.) The Heavy Eyes - Focus 

Tennessee rockers The Heavy Eyes confidently pay homage to the sounds that have inspired them over the years with their highly anticipated fifth album Focus. The band begins this release with the soulful and evocative That Cold Goliath, a haunting track that draws upon their Memphis rock roots, producing an atmosphere that's as spiritual as it is eerie. From here, The Heavy Eyes dive into a series of energetic, punchy tracks until the album's end, taking only a few brief breaks for some poignant interludes. Within the eleven tracks of Focus, you'll hear nods to a plethora of stylistic influences including the band's trademark bluesy, fuzzed-out stoner, garage rock, and 70s heavy rock, manifesting a sound that's equally vintage and modern: filled with grit and swagger yet crisp and clean. The vocals, while standout in their confident delivery, are appropriately "focused" and not overly showy, belting out introspective, heartfelt lyrics. This is a memorable, standout album that will appeal to fans of a wide variety of genres. 

Favorite Track: Words 

 

7.) Cornucopia - Songs For Unfortunate Times 

Now THIS is exactly what I've been craving: no-frills stoner metal moving at the slow burn pace of doom and peppered with grungy soul. The creators of this particular sound, French quartet Cornucopia, make a memorable first impression with their debut album Songs for Unfortunate Times. The aptly titled release offers up raw, weighty, and often bleak tones - powerfully cathartic in its relatability to the state of the world we live in. 

Favorite Track: Clean My Beliefs 

6.) King Potenaz - Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. II 

Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. II shows King Potenaz taking sonic cinema to new heights, fully immersing themselves in the stories they want to convey and the cast of characters that grapple with the bleak situations that unfurl throughout the sinister trudge of the album. And, in spite of the heightened focus on drone, atmospheric passages, and scene-building, the band ensures that their music is still filled with plenty of their signature bone-rattling heaviness, which comes in highly anticipated waves following tense buildups. Will this be a trend for King Potenaz? Only time will tell, but chances are whatever the band does next will orbit around a damn good story. 

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: Sumerian Nights 

5.) Fish Hook Smile - Ugly Life 

After disbanding in the early 90s, Fish Hook Smile recently reformed and picked up as if absolutely no time had passed. In 2025, the group released a successful self-titled album and is already back with a blistering three-track EP called Ugly Life. This release includes two original songs, Sandbox and the title track, as well as a killer cover of Black Sabbath's Hole in the Sky. Sandbox in particular shows the band moving in a heavier, more metal-forward direction, while Ugly Life pumps the brakes a bit to ease into some grungy soul with hazy, doomy-psych undertones. True to form, Fish Hook Smile brings the essence of 90s era heavy music into present day on Ugly Life, keeping it authentic and infectious while adding a modern, weightier edge. 

Favorite Track: Ugly Life 

4.) Green Desert Water - Eerie Meadows 

On their third album Eerie Meadows, Spanish trio Green Desert Water proves that they're seasoned wizards when it comes to fusing delicate atmospheres with rich, vibrant sound. Throughout this release, you'll often find yourself transfixed by hypnotic, ethereal interludes while contentedly floating down a river of refreshing psychedelia, only to be walloped by a wave of weighty stoner/doom. A strong showing of 70s-era heavy rock boogie often takes center stage, smoothly mingling with stoner groove and grungy soul. The fluid shifting between heavier and lighter stylistic influences creates a listening experience that's both mesmeric and immersive as you're drawn deep into Green Desert Water's colorful, chameleon-like sound. Above all, ultra-expressive melody provides the foundation of Eerie Meadows, delivering eight memorable songs "about the cycles of life, the scars we carry, and the fire that burns even under the northern lights".

Favorite Track: Eerie Meadows 

3.) Bantoriak - Vol. II 

Vol. II, the first album from Italian stoner/psych collective Bantoriak in eleven years, is built upon a base of 70s-era psych. Beginning with the optimistic, dreamy notes of Blu Bus, the album unfolds with open guitar tones that enter like the sunrise, becoming bigger and gradually warming the atmosphere. From here, intricate Eastern influences emerge, working to beautifully accentuate either the delicateness or the weight of any given movement they're involved in while evoking images of harsh desert terrain. An undertow of hulking stoner/doom also begins a solemn march through nearly every track, typically at the midway point, adding dimension, balance, and a sense of sinister forces at play. The intensity of Vol. II tends to increase as the album plays on, the tone becoming infinitely more tense and trepidatious, culminating with the haunting, hair-raising sounds of final track Karpura. Even though a wide variety of moods are constantly at play here, the fluid movement and immersive cinema of the album guide you smoothly through each chapter. You'll be lulled, transfixed, intensely engaged, and rattled as you float through a listening experience that infiltrates your senses, soul, and mind.

Favorite Track: Blu Bus 

2.) Mister Earthbound - Litha

Hot off the heels of their EP Ostara, Virginia swamp rockers Mister Earthbound return with another three-track collection: Litha. Here, Mister Earthbound continues to deliver a hypnotic blend of swamp rock, psychedelia, and heavy blues while adding a discernible amount of heat to their sound this time. One of the first things I noticed is the fluidity with which Litha moves between creeping, hazy, doom-laden trudges and buoyant, energetic, feel-good grooves. No matter what pace or mood a Mister Earthbound song embodies, its thick, warm sound has a way of completely washing over the listener like the sultry air of a summer night. Much like the season it represents, Litha is here to remind us to slow down and let loose.

Favorite Track: Soothsay

1.) Vanderwalls - The Wonderer & the Wanderer 

The Wonderer & the Wanderer, the new EP from post-punky alt rockers Vanderwalls, feels a bit stripped down compared to the band's previous album Life Like Liar. While their new music is still very post punk forward, the guys generally keep the synths turned down to a low roar this time, resulting in a softer sound that revolves a bit more around alternative rock/indie. This shift allows the listener to really focus in on Vanderwalls' thought-provoking lyrics and perceive more emotion and warmth in the band's expression. The smartly placed middle track Big Shoes stands out as the album's fun and quirky, upbeat song, a bit of a nod to Vanderwalls' earlier works, but The Wonderer & the Wanderer remains markedly soothing overall. In fact, this is the kind of album that one can count on for any mood: It's light and refreshing enough to enjoy leisurely while being serious enough to elicit deep introspection and emotion.

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: Big Shoes 

That's it for June! I hope you enjoy these albums as much as I do. 

Be sure to check out this month's Doom Chart where there are forty albums waiting for you to discover, and as always, show your favorite heavy underground artists some much-deserved love! 

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@doomcakes4 Screaming from the Heavy Underground's picks for the best new releases of June 2026! Full list and more info on the blog: https://screamingfromtheheavyunderground.blogspot.com/2026/07/best-new-releases-june-2026.html #doomcharts #doom #stonerdoom #screamingfromtheheavyunderground #heavyunderground ♬ original sound - Doomcakes