Best New Releases October 2026

 

I probably don't have to reiterate that there has been a massive spike in the number of new albums being released in the heavy underground recently, but October 2026 really makes the rest of the fall months pale in comparison. In fact, I chose a whopping twenty albums to share with you guys this month, a number that I haven't come close to in over a year! So, without further ado, here's exactly what I chose for the October Doom Charts in descending order: 

Best New Releases October 2026

20.) Double Space - Not in a Million Years

"Not in a Million Years" sums up how Danish noise rockers Double Space felt about releasing their debut album of the same name. Over the course of 20 + years creating music, the trio fought tenaciously against adversity and ever-changing scene trends, never compromising when it comes to their crushingly heavy, ultra-expressive sound.Through a viscous blend of sludge, doom, and noise rock, Double Space takes the listener on a bone rattling sonic ride as unforgiving volume, delirium-inducing noise, and raw emotion surrounds, mirroring turmoil experienced from the inside out.

In fact, this visceral sensory experience is exactly what Double Space had in mind while recording Not in a Million Years: "The goal wasn't perfection; it was truth. A document that feels like witnessing, not merely listening."

Favorite Track: Fractured 

19.) Travo - Wasteland 

Travo, a heavy psych quartet from Portugal, captured their darkest, heaviest sound yet on their fourth studio album Wasteland. Partially inspired by T.S. Eliot's The Waste Land, the album explores fragmentation, contemporary anxiety, techno-paranoia, and disconnection". Wasteland possesses a palpable sense of urgency and anxious tension from start to finish, perceptible from the very first note and fittingly relayed through a chaotic and noisy rendition of heavy psych. Regardless, the sound is still more than capable of falling into hypnotic atmospheres, but these are inevitably pierced by frenetic peaks of intensity. The album is naturally volatile, often dark but powerfully expressive, filled with thoughtfully crafted soundscapes that accurately depict the moods and struggles of modern living.

Favorite Track: Decipher 

18.) Forest Horse - Botany 

On their sophomore album Botany, Forest Horse grows a perfectly low and slow, hazy brand of swampy, "plant-powered" doom. While it's incredibly easy for this style to get bogged down, the band keeps things open and fluid with a trippy infusion of psychedelia that allows the aura of each song to rise above the mire like tendrils of smoke. Further, Forest Horse keeps things varied and interesting by alternating between hypnotic, chant-like melodies and utterly feral, black metal-esque vocals, ensuring there's something on this sonic trip for everyone. 

Favorite Track: The Fallen Limb

17.) Oakfarm - Too Hard For Some Too Soft For Others

For their sophomore album Too Hard For Some Too Soft For Others, German heavy rockers Oakfarm sought a "darker, more melodic, more daring sound", a goal the trio thoroughly achieved. The tones of this release rise from a soul of fuzzed-out, analog 70s rock, a rich sound that envelops the listener with perpetual warmth. However, it's the heart of Too Hard For Some Too Soft For Others - Oakfarm's raw and unfettered emotional expression - that's the star here. Beautifully conveyed by vocals and instrumentals alike, this passion is always projected in a powerful but organic manner. And, while the noticeably heart wrenching songs are arguably the most standout for their sheer emotional impact, Oakfarm isn't creating a drama here; the album is still super energetic, with pockets of vibrant, live show-ready surges of pure groove dotted throughout. By unabashedly wearing their hearts on their sleeves while expanding upon their knack for feel-good retro rock, the boys of Oakfarm have ultimately created a collection of songs that has the power to be a go-to for any mood.

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: 3000 Miles (And Nothing Gained) 

16.) Godzilla Snacks - Tribes of Lost Children 

Fukuoka-based trio Godzilla Snacks has been around for fourteen years now, churning out a refreshingly bare-bones but multifaceted rendition of stoner rock that makes the listener feel as if they're right there in the rehearsal room. For their fifth release Tribes of Lost Children, the band envisions a dystopian future in which people are overly reliant on technology, blinded by groupthink, and are mesmerized by the idea of recolonizing another planet (sound familiar?). The six tracks of the album play out in a noticeably cinematic manner in spite of their perfectly unpolished tones, or perhaps because of them. In fact, Tribes of Lost Children naturally evokes images of gritty 70s sci-fi films as its captivating blend of coarse stoner and groovy heavy rock merges with expanses of spacey psychedelia. Lightyears away from being campy, however, Tribes of Lost Children tackles subject matter that would have probably been considered fantasy back in the 70s, but is unfortunately all too relevant and relatable now, showing us that we are, in our current state, the stuff of science fiction. 

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: Nebula Eye 

15.) Som Är Död - Comfort of the Cold 

Som Är Död's new EP Comfort of the Cold embraces "a darker and colder time" and images of "concrete, dead flowers, and cold light". It's a natural follow-up to the band's previous work Warmth of the Sun, which depicts "summer, natural sunlight, and organity". This difference in sound is immediately apparent in Comfort of the Cold's harsher, less forgiving tones rooted firmly in stark reality. Far from being all "doom and gloom", however, the EP contains plenty of Som Är Död's trademark delivery, drifting among heartfelt, soulful moods, palpable melancholia, rock and roll swagger, and every so often, a little punk rock attitude. Also combating the veil of darkness are the band's signature alternative hooks, which easily keep the listener invested while remaining raw and unpolished enough to feel credibly authentic.

You can read my review of the EP here.

Favorite Track: Daylight 

14.) Godzilla in the Kitchen - Termination Sequence 

Termination Sequence, the third album from Leipzig alternative metallers Godzilla in the Kitchen, is an relase symbolic of monumental shifts. And to be fair, a lot has changed for the band since getting their start as an instrumental stoner metal/heavy psych group in 2012. Since then, a taste of the limelight, lineup changes, and life events have rocked Godzilla in the Kitchen, but they ultimately re-emerged stronger than ever as a much heavier stoner/alt metal band, this time with vocals. In fact, the band was surprised by the newfound weight and "aggression" in their sound, but I would argue that Termination Sequence is far less aggressive and much more authentically, unapologetically expressive. With songs built around pivotal life experiences and pent-up frustrations, GITK brilliantly uses building, growing atmospheric passages that erupt into purgative explosions of crushingly heavy, metal-forward release. The band's decision to add vocals seems to be exactly what they needed, as it adds emphasis and humanity to their moving instrumentals. With all the pieces finally in place and working together perfectly, Godzilla in the Kitchen delivers a deliciously heavy but undeniably genuine album with Termination Sequence; pure sonic catharsis.

Favorite Track: Birdsong 

13.) Robot God - Curse of the Driven 

Without even pausing to let the engines cool on their recent release Onto the Afterlife (May 2026), Sydney's heavy psych wizards Robot God are back with their second full-length album of the year, Curse of the Driven. This time around, the trio seeks out "darker and more expansive territory" in their already sophisticated sound. Darkness certainly makes an appearance throughout the album in several forms: sinister bass lines, bewitching melodies, bouts with melancholia, and a consistent seismic rumbling from down below that emulates a growling beast. However, Curse of the Driven is still VERY much a Robot God album, delivering plenty of the band's signature reverberating tones, spacey textures, fluid movement, vibrant groove, heavy rock swagger, and highway-ready energy. 

Favorite Track: Lucid Reality 

12.) Valley of the Sun - The Blacklight Sessions

Truly a band that needs no introduction, Valley of the Sun has proved multiple times over their 15+ year career that they have a solid command of stoner rock (and its subgenres). On their new album The Blacklight Sessions, the trio energetically vacillates among barreling stoner riffs, blues-infused heavy rock soul, eclectic alternative, the melodic angst of grunge, and desert-baked psychedelic oases. More than anything, I'm elated to see that Valley of the Sun continues to merge jammy instrumental expanses with the infectious, punchy energy of shorter-form tracks, all graced by soaring, expressive vocals. In short: Valley of the Sun has done it again (but you knew they would)!

Favorite Track: Mountain 

11.) Bycatch - Demo 26 

Bycatch is an up-and-coming band from Aalen, Germany who makes "Musik von Weirdos für Weirdos". Saturated with the moodiness of 90s-era alternative/grunge, their demo EP Demo 26 also highlights the band's garage, punk, stoner, and doomgaze influences within the five refreshingly raw tracks. Overall, Bycatch demonstrates a knack for blending dreamy, ethereal atmospheres with the weight of melancholia, balancing hypnotic textures with emotional expressiveness.

Favorite Track: Gift 

10.) Snake Mountain Revival - The Divide 

Snake Mountain Revival is a trio from Virginia Beach whose moving sound is refreshingly difficult to box into any specific category. On their sophomore album The Divide, the band vacillates between vintage psychedelic tones and a very modern sense of urgency, adorned with elements of dark folk, desert rock, and some of the most expressive vocals I've heard in the heavy underground. And, while this aura of exigency is purposeful, bassist/vocalist Ryan Chandler assures us: "The Divide isn't all thorns and rough edges, though. A major juxtaposition in many of these songs intends to remind us what we might be fighting for. When we protect beauty, peace, love, and contentment, we must also show our fangs."

Favorite Track: The Divide

9.) Phe - Closer to the Sun 

Primarily influenced by stoner, prog, and heavy blues, Phe is masterfully adept at joining tranquil tones with vibrant, soulful grooves. Their new album, the aptly titled Closer to the Sun, sees Phe working with some of their spaciest sounds to date. This release alternates between longer-form, atmospheric tracks that gracefully build into hypnotic, driving pulses and shorter songs that get right to the heart of the matter, homing in on that deliciously fuzzy, classic stoner sound. Besides being their most smoothly mixed work to date, my favorite aspect of Closer to the Sun is that it features an equal number of songs you can chill or rock out to, making it perfect for any mood. 

Favorite Track: Psychonaut 

8.) Humulus - Smuggler's Cove 

Italian stoner psych trio Humulus returns with Smuggler's Cove, their second album with guitarist/vocalist Thomas Mascheroni. Building upon a sturdy foundation of classic stoner rock, Humulus balances thick and fuzzy riffs with the vastness of space rock and psychedelia. Alternative rock hooks make each track ultra-infectious, waves of murky grunge add moodiness, and smooth, melodic vocals soar above it all. Not only does Smuggler's Cove show Humulus standing assuredly with their current lineup, but it's the band's most vibrant, dimensional release to date!

Favorite Track: Rise and Fall 

7.) Velvet Abyss - Secrets of Lost Empires 

Arizonan psychedelic metallers Secrets of Lost Empires have totally floored me with their new album Velvet Abyss. This expansive collection of songs beautifully moves between crushing, doom-laden riffage and intervals of hazy, atmospheric psychedelia within a progressive framework, and spacey interludes create a cinematic feel. Best of all, the band possesses a discernible soul, powerfully relayed by both vocals and instrumentals, that delivers impassioned, unfettered expressiveness from start to finish.

Favorite Track: Deus Ex Machina 

6.) Plastic Woods - Mirrors 

For their third studio album Mirrors, Spanish quartet Plastic Woods delivers a conceptual work that explores two dichotomous dimensions: "information overload, polarization, and dehumanization, and an introspective journey toward transformation," ending with the ability to brazenly look one's fears in the eye. The band's crisp brand of progressive rock, fueled by their masterful musicianship and soaring vocals, is the vehicle in which the listener journeys through soundscapes marked by fear, clarity, and newfound courage. Plastic Woods moves among these moods with impressive fluidity, perfectly replicating the necessary back and forth battle that rages in one's mind and soul before individual metamorphosis is finally complete. 

Favorite Track: All I Know 

5.) Earthcaster - Antediluvian Digital 

Scottish stoner/doom project Earthcaster bewitches with their debut album Antediluvian Digital. A no-skip gem from start to finish, the album moves fluidly among classic stoner, timeless hard rock, golden 70s rock, and sinister doom tones. To this mix, Earthcaster adds what they call "druidic rock," an occult-tinged but vibrant sound that truly makes this release stand out.

Favorite Track: Lose Myself 

4.) Elverhøy - Du e som Plogen

Elverhøy is a trio from northern Norway who plays an infectious and refreshingly unprocessed blend of stoner, garage, and desert rock. The band keeps their melodies smooth and sweet and their lyrics in their native Norwegian language, leading to a decidedly easy-going and organic listening experience.

On their debut album Du e som Plogen, Elverhøy has mastered the perfect formula with their equally riff-, melody-, and hook-driven songs. And, for the most part, the album effortlessly grooves along on sunny tones, upbeat harmonies, and strong Queens of the Stone Age vibes emanating from the band's alt rock-forward brand of stoner. However, it's the pockets of dark, folky soul placed strategically throughout the album that are its most intriguing element, providing haunting contrast and mystery.

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: I dæ bor det beist

3.) Kant - Echoes of Unfortunate Times

The darkness German heavy psych wizards Kant unearthed on their previous album Paranoia Pilgrimage still formidably looms over their latest release Echoes of Unfortunate Times, just in a different form: existential dread. The sharper, more modern sound Kant utilizes around this grimness is the perfect sonic paintbrush with which to paint scenes of maddening tension, apprehension, and edginess - feelings that are often all too familiar in our chaotic, unstable world.

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: Echoes of Unfortunate Times/Faces in the Fog 

2.) The Machine - Another Sun 

In spite of almost twenty years and eight albums, the release of Another Sun marks my first time hearing The Machine, and to say that I was blown away would be the understatement of the century. The Machine has a knack for hooking their listeners with soaring, memorable alternative rock phrases and mesmerizing them with passages of the trance-inducing repetition of heavy psych before launching them directly into a solid wall of rumbling, spaced-out stoner/doom sound. Not content to stop there, the band also delights in twists and turns, dropping us into more delicate atmospheres that range from eerie and vast to dreamlike and serene. Guitar tones effortlessly move from coarse and gritty to cold and steely to warm and golden, diffusing like sunbeams through glass. The steadfast bass is truly the backbone of the sound, providing a reliable, and often somewhat sinister stoner groove no matter where the mood of Another Sun goes. Adaptable percussion goes with the flow, energetically and organically crashing along in the more jammy excursions but tightening up at the drop of a hat during tense moments. The vocals are melodic and relatively even-keeled, reminiscent of the post grunge era, which underlines the soothing, hypnotic qualities of The Machine's sound. As a matter of fact, vocals often take a back seat on Another Sun as free-flowing instrumental expanses frequently and very naturally emerge, especially in the two longest songs found at the end of the album. While one could easily say that The Machine incorporates a lot of moving parts on Another Sun, the natural, instinctive manner in which it all unfurls is most impressive, indicative of a band whose musical prowess and creative chemistry have zeroed in on the perfect balance.

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: Drop/See

1.) Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol - Ca$h Grab

After nearly a decade of making a truly one-of-a-kind style of music and melting the faces off of a sea of fans at their live shows, the release of Ca$h Grab is a very natural next step for Rickshaw Billie's Burger Patrol. The album is still as crushingly heavy as Big Dumb Riffs and as deceptively sweet as Doom Wop, but Ca$h Grab's real intensity comes in its immensely personal, unfettered songwriting. It's an album that anyone can relate to on a deep level as it relays a lifelong journey of survival, challenging things, asking the tough questions, healing, moving on, and most importantly, finally choosing oneself. 

You can read my review of the album here.

Favorite Track: Follow Through 

That's it for October! I hope you enjoy these albums as much as I did. 

Don't forget to check out this month's Doom Charts where there are forty albums waiting for you to discover and show your favorite heavy underground artists some much-deserved love! 

Follow Doomcakes on TikTok!