For nearly three decades, the name Crowbar has been synonymous with HEAVY. Since rising ominously from the swamplands of New Orleans in 1990, they’ve been hailed internationally as one of the world’s foremost purveyors of crushing, melodic sludge. Crowbar’s eleventh and latest album, The Serpent Only Lies, is both an affirmation of the band’s staying power and a nod to their legacy. “To me, it’s a fresh­sounding version of old­school Crowbar,” says vocalist, guitarist and mastermind Kirk Windstein. “I intentionally went back and listened to a lot of old Crowbar stuff, like the self­titled and Broken Glass albums, to get a feel for what my mindset was 20­plus years ago. I also went back and listened to the bands that influenced Crowbar in the beginning, like Trouble, Saint Vitus, Melvins, and the first Type O Negative record. So it was kinda me doing my homework.”

Those infamous sludge outlaws WEEDEATER finally return with their long-awaited fifth full-length ‘Goliathan’. Their new album marks the crossroads where true Southern rock and metal meet raw humour, old religion, as well as weed and whiskey. ‘Goliathan’ embodies the band’s trademark shuffle and swagger at their fullest. Syrupy slow riffs are buoyed by canyon-deep bass and some of the hardest-hitting drumming since Keith Moon. Full-on bruisers such as “Cain Enabler”, “Claw of the Sloth”, and the aptly-named “Bully” demonstrate that ‘Goliathan’ is delivering a vintage WEEDEATER and the soon-to-be gold standard of Southern sludge metal.

At its founding, the band rose like a doobie phoenix out of the ashes of BUZZOV•EN. When the cult sludge act called it a day, bass player Dave “Dixie” Collins teamed up with guitarist Dave “Shep” Shepherd and founded WEEDEATER in the harbor town of Wilmington about the year 1998. Their crushing and massive first full-length ‘…and Justice for Y’all’ (2001) created an immediate buzz, while critics were struggling to put a tag on their sound. Nearly everybody agreed that stoner rock, doom, sludge and some crusty elements were part of the mix, which the band simply calls “weed metal”.

The debut was produced by renowned engineer Billy Anderson (EYEHATEGOD, NEUROSIS) as well as sophomore album ‘Sixteen Tons’ (2002). WEEDEATER went out to perform live with CORROSION OF CONFORMITY and ALABAMA THUNDERPUSSY among others. After some detours of Dixie Dave, who played shortly with BONGZILLA and SOURVEIN, third album ‘God Luck and Good Speed’ hit the world in 2007 and shifted the band’s focus slightly towards the stoner side.

The latest full-length ‘Jason… the Dragon’ got delayed when guitarist Shep lost a toe due to an incident with his favourite shotgun. When the sludge driven album finally came out in 2011, shows in the US and Europe cemented the band’s reputation as a fierce live entity. After signing to Season of Mist, WEEDEATER reissued their full back-catalogue on their new label. Yet the Bible Belt state of North Carolina, USA remains a fertile ground for hemp and stoner rock. ‘Goliathan’ makes the South smoke again. Lean back and let this monster record blow your mind!

Supersonic intergalactic heavy rock trio Mothership based out of Dallas, Texas give a real sense of hope that all is well in the universe, and that pure honest rock and roll has once again returned to this planet on a mission to unite true believers. Consisting of brothers Kyle Juett on bass/lead vocals, Kelley Juett on guitar/vocals, and Judge Smith on drums, these guys have created a unique sound that satisfies like a steaming hot stew of UFO and Iron Maiden, blended with the southern swagger of Molly Hatchet and ZZ Top, paired with a deadly chalice of Black Sabbath. Mothership’s goal from the beginning has been to carry on the tradition of the classic rock style of the ’70′s, updated and amped up for the modern day. The band has been non-stop road warriors since the release of their debut album in February 2013 on Ripple Music successfully invading the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Europe playing either on festival stages, night clubs, or outdoors under the sun at motorcycle parties. This heavy rock juggernaut has only just begun their tear across the universal cosmos and have no plans of ever slowing down. Do not miss your chance to hop on board and join Mothership.