Much as you’d expect, our playlists feature heavy rock, drone, psych, doom and space rock from the 60’s to immediate present. We also will feature guest playlists from knowledgeable contributors like long-time Roadburn cohort Aligator Descartes amongst others. Please share your personal Top 5 in the comments box below.

“Been a long time,” said Robert Plant. Never a truer word with a massive hiatus from writing for Roadburn which hopefully this set of micro-reviews will begin to rectify. This is a completely non-inclusive list of “recent-ish” stuff that’s I recommend!”

Isis -- Wavering Radiant (LP / CD -  Conspiracy / Ipecac)

Isis - Wavering Radiant

The latest release from Isis has them ploughing a similar furrow to, well, everything since Oceanic redrew the map. There are no surprises in Wavering Radiant with the expected ambient / loud sequences and a mix of
Aaron Turner’s roaring / quiet vocals.
The record seems slightly more instrumental than the previous In the Absence of Truth but less focussed, in my opinion. Not as critical an album as Oceanic or In the Absence of Truth but still an excellent record hitting all the right spots.

Low Sonic Drift -- Shadow of the Titan (LP -- Theoretical Records )

Low Sonic Drift - Shadow of the Titan

Shadow of the Titan is the debut release for Glasgow-based power trio Low Sonic Drift.  Shadow of the Titan is a 5-track mini-LP clocking in at a respectable 32 minutes. Awesomely, the opening track is a sprawling 9
minute stoner / thrash / prog epic which lays out the LSD manifesto of complex shifting riffs, grooving heaviness and excellent musicianship. A highly recommended release.

Misericorde -- S/T (Demo)

An interesting release this one from UK’s Misericorde, a three-piece doom trio from various locations around the UK. Recorded in a fairly basic manner, this three song demo (with an intro and outro) still manages to impress with sheer power and some interesting riffage.
The overall vibe I can only describe as “remember that sort of sound you got off Noise Records releases in the 80s?”. If you’re nodding, a bit like that. If you’re not nodding, it’s heavy doom with half spoken vocals occasionally floating across the thunder. With some better production, Misericorde’s trip would sound shakingly huge.

Note: Misericorde are now on hiatus, which is a shame given the promising nature of the tracks on offer here.

Ozric Tentacles -  The Yumyum Tree (CD -- Snapper)

Ozric Tentacles - The YumYum Tree

The Yumyum Tree is the latest album for UK psychedelic stalwarts, the Ozric Tentacles. For anyone familiar with the output of the Ozrics, the new album has no surprises covering a variety of instrumental space rock,
pulsing techno-tinged guitar workouts and whooshing psychedelia.
The record, as with several of their more recent albums, is light on the “band” moments favouring a more Ed Wynne solo album feel, but is still a solid release in the Ozrics canon.

Ozric Tentacles -- Sunrise Festival (CD / DVD -- Snapper)

Ozric-Tentacles - Sunrise Festival

In between their two most recent studio outings, the Ozrics did a UK tour featuring two members from their early days, Merv Pepler and Joie Hinton (who later formed psytrance duo Eat Static). This DVD is the highlights
from their set at the Sunrise Festival and features tracks mostly from the Erpland and Jurassic Shift era (early 1990s).
The sound quality here is excellent and the visuals also good. The DVD still manages to capture the obvious energy and general glee about having three members of the “classic” line-up on stage and Brandi Wynne also plays a blinder on the bass. In short, if you like your spacerock, this is an essential purchase. The DVD also comes with an audio CD which makes it very good value for money!

Sons of Otis -- Exiled (CD -- Small Stone Records)

Sons of Otis - Exiled

The Sons of Otis return with their latest release since 2005′s  X.  Exiled sounds like classic Otis with soulful blues playing coupled with crushingly heavy riffs and drones and echo-soaked vocals. Several tracks here stand out including the opening  ‘Haters’ which drones with vicious vocals and the more upbeat, but still crushing, ‘Lost Souls’. ‘Oxazejam’ is a re-recorded (and improved) jam originally on the split with Queen Elephantine.
The remaining tracks are a fairly conventional cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Bad Man’, a spacey cover of Motorhead’s ‘Iron Horse’ and the droning ‘Tales of Otis’, again originally off the Queen Elephantine split but re-recorded. As a bonus, a heavy, ambient drone track from Ken’s OX project hides at the end of  ‘Iron Horse’…

Another solid release from Sons of Otis, athough not as essential as Templeball or X.

Masters of Reality -- Pine/Cross Dover (CD -- Brownhouse / Mascot)

Masters of reality - Pine-Cross Dover

Chris Goss finally returns with the latest Masters of Reality album after the slightly patchy Give Us Barabbas (which was bits and pieces + a bunch of disjointed tracks from the unreleased, but amazing, ‘Ballad of Jody
Frosty’). Pine/Cross Dover is yet another progression for the Masters sound (if you can categorise it at all now!) with a blending of psychedelic jams, insanely catchy tracks and full on rock-outs.
Goss’ vocals are as smooth as ever and there’s not a low, or even medium, point on the entirerecord. A class listen from beginning to end. Buy it now!

Gong -- Unconvention 2006 (DVD -- unGONG)
Steve Hillage Band -- Live at the Gong Family Unconvention (DVD -- G-wave)

A pair of related DVDs both drawn from the very succesfull Gong Unconvention mini-festival at Melkweg, Amsterdam in 2006 which reunited many past members of  Radio Gnome-era Gong plus many of the offshoot bands spawned from Gong over the years.

The DVD focusses on Gong’s lengthy and amazing set with fabulous sound and overall trippiness. The only negative to this very watchable DVD is the silly sparkly effects dropped in here and there.
The visuals are good enough, leave them alone! If you’re an afficianado of the strange Gong universe, this is a very very good release.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqyo9YU2FzI

The Steve Hillage Band DVD is slightly less visually interesting, but has an excellent set-list covering a good chunk of his classic  Fish Rising album plus other tracks throughout his career. Hillage (and band) are on
form and it’s an excellent purchase. The DVD also comes with the set on audio CD which is a handy and worth extra for the very reasonable price.

This is Walter’s (Roadburn’s promoter / artistic director’s) playlist for September 2009. Please share your personal Top 5 in the comments box below.

Masters of reality - Pine-Cross Dover

Masters of Reality – Pine / Cross Dover ( Cd – Brownhouse / Mascot)
Pairing rhythm-heavy tracks to long and winding free-form instrumentals, Masters of Reality return to form with Pine / Cross Dover. Departing from their previous acoustic leanings, the band gives a nod to Public Image Ltd and Mahavishnu Orchestra, while still sporting the distinctive Masters of Reality sound, courtesy of Chris Goss’ legendary production talents.

Shrinebuilder - Self Titled

Shrinebuilder – S/T (CD – Neurot Recordings)
Perhaps the most anticipated “Roadburn album” of the year: Shrinebuilder’s self-titled debut album melds the different styles of Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Scott “Wino” Weinrich (The Obsessed, Wino), Al Cisneros (OM, Sleep) and Dale Crover (Melvins). Memorable, canyon-size riffs lead to psychedelic guitar solos; subdued vocals lend mellow parts; and the wandering, groove-laden ambience ultimately creates crushing doom riffage, which is only strengthened by the natural vibe between these musical heavyweights.

OM - God Is Good

OM – God Is Good (LP / CD – Drag City)
OM’s first full-length featuring the Al Cisneros / Emil Amos (of Grails fame) line-up. God Is Good drifts into uncharted Middle Eastern territory amid OM’s signature hypnotic repetitions. Strings, sitars, tablas and
flutes lead the way as we travel the acid drenched, ancient routes of the Holy Land.

Bong – S/T (LP – Contact Infinite Exchange Records for availablity)
Sunn 0))) meets Sleep? Hawkwind jamming with Ravi Shankar? All that and more: meet Bong. Their self-titled debut album is a mind-bending headfuck!

Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound – When Sweet Sleep Returned ( LP / CD – TeePee Records)
Universe-spanning, 100% undiluted psychedelic rock that sounds like the very best of the psychedelic era (the late 60s / early 70s), ranging from Crazy Horse to Spirit and from Blue Cheer to 13th Floor Elevators.

Yob - The Great Cessation

YOB – The Great Cessation (CD Profound Lore)
YOB’s latest album, The Great Cessation is definitely the band’s finest hour. Led by Mike Scheidt’s crushing doom riffage and relentless stomp, YOB have easily reclaimed their rightful cosmic doom throne while generating new fans and momentum.

Masters of Reality - Chris Goss

Now, the legend that is Masters of Reality is back with a new album, entitled Pine/Cross Dover and a European tour, scheduled for October. (The band will play the 013 venue, Tilburg, Holland on Friday, Oct 2nd).
Eddie Thomas of Subba-Cultcha recently quizzed Masters of Reality’s mainman Chris Goss, the legendary artist and producer for Kyuss, Queens of The Stone and Mark Lanegan among others. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Talk about Pine/Cross Dover, the new record – how was it to make?

Chris Goss: “It was made with a similar technique to the way we usually do. John and I communicate briefly for a month or two before about possible directions. He’ll go “What are you thinking this time Goss?” And this time it was “somewhere between Presence-era Zeppelin and Mahavishnu John McLaughlin’s Shakti” – one’s a bunch of whacked-out junkies and the other’s a bunch of Indian jazz geniuses using 13:9 tempos, but strangely enough, we have the kind of relationship where I think he knows what that meant.
It probably menat swing and rhythm, in general a lot of rhythm, because that’s what those two examples mean to me, crazy rhythms. So I told him to be prepared to play his drums and to have no rules, except I don’t want any typical rock drums – think outside that. It’s a different record, and I’m proud of that.”

You’ve been going for 20 years with Masters of Reality, is there a line-up you’ve put together in that time that stands out as being a particular favourite?

Chris Goss: “Yeah, there’s been a couple, most recently was the last long tour which was with Josh and Nick from Queens. They are amazing players – obviously they are – but we rehearsed about four hours for that tour – they knew the material because we know each others music. They were in the middle of making “Songs For The Deaf” at the time. That was great because we wung it – wung? winged? – and I really like doing that, keeping it loose, learning under fire. I shouldn’t say it because I’ll probably fuck up the next show I play!”

Check Subba-Cultcha’s Pine/Cross Dover review here.

Please click here for the audio streams of Masters of Reality (featuring Josh Homme & Nick Oliveri) – Roadburn 2001: Pt.I & Pt II.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BEM30F3fyg

Masters of Reality will be playing the 013 venue, Tilburg -- Holland, Oct 2nd.

Masters of Reality - Pine

Chris Goss: beloved Master of Reality mainman for twenty-plus years—a storied New York City band whose debut album was produced by Rick Rubin and released on American Records, which was followed by a move to California and some time on the record label that brought us Tone-Loc.

For two years, three tours and a studio album, Masters of Reality’s drummer was legendary fierce redhead Ginger Baker of Cream. Pine/Cross Dover is the band’s first studio effort in five years, and finds longtime drummer John Leamy once again on skins, joined by Brian O’Connor on bass, and Dave Catching (Eagles of Death Metal, Earthlings, QOTSA, etc) and Mark Christian on guitars.

Continue reading: Tuesday afternoon majestic rock n roll: MASTERS OF REALITY | ARTHUR MAGAZINE – WE FOUND THE OTHERS.

MP3: Masters of Reality – ‘King Richard TLH’

Listen to the audio stream of Masters of Reality (featuring Josh Homme & Nick Oliveri) – Roadburn 2001: Pt.I & Pt II.

Masters of Reality will be playing the 013 venue, Tilburg, The Netherlands on October 2nd.

Masters of reality - Pine

Masters of Reality will release its long-awaited sixth studio album, Pine/Cross Dover, on August 24 via Brownhouse/Mascot Records.

Pine/Cross Dover was recorded at the Hacienda in North Hollywood, California and features guest appearances by EAGLES OF DEATH METAL bassist Brian “Big Hands” O’Connor and guitarist Dave Catching, as well as former QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE guitarist Brendon McNichol, among others.

Masters of Reality leader Chris Goss stated about Pine/Cross Dover, “I did a rock ‘n’ roll record this time — I was able to exorcise a lot of different styles of music that are really important in my life. And not just LED ZEPPELIN, CREAM, THE BEATLES, or BLACK SABBATH. It’s a lot of everything on this record. But proud to say, not one acoustic guitar — it’s all electric and very rhythm-oriented.”

Read all about it – including the track list – at: BLABBERMOUTH.NET – MASTERS OF REALITY To Release ‘Pine/Cross Dover’ In August .