The Third Eye

The Third Eye hasn’t been covering much stoner rock lately, even though it was our bread and butter in the early days. I cut my teeth writing reviews for Monster Riff, a site devoted entirely to stoner rock and doom metal, and when I launched The Third Eye, that passion came along with me.

Lately, my listening has leaned more toward the low-key and experimental than the muscular riffs, but the love for hard rock never truly went away. So, it felt like the right time to revisit those roots and see what’s been cooking in the stoner-rock world.

Here’s a taste of some recent releases I’ve been digging …

Strung Out In Hell by Margarita Witch Cult

Any heavy rock band hailing from Birmingham, U.K., is worth a listen, and Margarita Witch Cult more than earns the attention. The Sabbath City’s latest heirs to the heavy throne recently returned with Strung Out In Hell, a venomous mix of stoner sludge, proto-metal oddities, and unhinged thrash.

The band first turned heads with their lo-fi 2022 demo Witchfinder, landing Desertfest London slots and a Heavy Psych Sounds deal for their self-titled debut, which was a masterclass in classic metal and doom. Their new record proves it was no fluke.

Standout track “Scream Bloody Murder” channels old-school metal swagger with a melodic heaviness reminiscent of Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats. It’s emblematic of what Margarita Witch Cult does best: delivering crushing riffs and searing energy without sacrificing hooks or replay value.

Rightfully so, Strung Out In Hell took the top spot on the July Doom Charts. For stoner and doom faithful, these guys are already on the radar. For everyone else, consider this your heads up.

Ever Age (self-titled)

While Margarita Witch Cult might be commanding headlines, Ever Age is quietly carving out its own path. Their self-titled debut dropped recently, and though they’re flying under the radar for now, that may not be the case for long.

The British Columbia power trio calls their sound “Heavy Mountain Blues,” and they mean it. This record was cut in a mountain cabin in Hemlock Valley, buried under three feet of snow. Lead single “Black Suede” has already cracked over 192,000 Spotify plays, an acid-rock ripper that could sit comfortably alongside ’70s classics. 

But the whole album is worth your time. Ever Age blends heft and psychedelia with a rare fluidity, sidestepping the plodding clichés that drag down many heavy-psych acts. And when they dial it back on acoustic-driven tracks like “Radiant Figure,” that’s where they really shine.

Rufus Rising by Astroqueen

This pick is more of a throwback. Gothenburg, Sweden-based Astroqueen has been delivering massive riffs since the late ’90s, drawing influence from Fu Manchu, Kyuss, Black Sabbath, and High on Fire. Signed to Pavement Music in 1999, they dropped their Andy La Rocque–produced debut Into Submission in 2001, a cult classic of the stoner/doom underground.

Now, after more than 20 years, the Swedish trio returns with Rufus Rising, a five-track EP built from unreleased songs originally demoed in 2003 for a never-finished second album. Founding guitarist/vocalist Daniel Änghede has re-recorded guitars, and La Rocque has remixed and remastered the sessions, preserving the thick, fuzzy sound fans love.

Lead single “Turbin Turbine” is the band’s first new track in over two decades, and the EP closes with the freshly recorded title track, a nod to their 1999 single “Rufus the Space Agent.” With vinyl selling out on preorder, Rufus Rising marks a long-awaited return to form.

I hadn’t crossed paths with Astroqueen before Rufus Rising, but it’s easy to hear why they’re held in such high regard in the stoner rock world. The guitars roar with a fuzzed-out punch straight out of the Fu Manchu playbook, delivering pure, no-frills desert groove. It’s classic, heavy, and maybe not reinventing the wheel, but when the wheel’s this badass, who cares?

WICCANS (self-titled)

Wiccans, the self-titled third album from Detroit’s occult heavy-psych unit, arrived July 11th as a potent blend of psych-doomy weight and folk-horror atmosphere. The lineup—Aran Ruth (guitar, vocals), Kelly Caldwell (flute, vocals), Jeff Fournier (bass, modular synth, vocals), William Hafer (drums, percussion, hooves, vibraphone), and Scott Jasmund (synth, organ, Rhodes)—conjures a dense, ritualistic sound tagged under doom, female-fronted psych, obscure folk, stoner rock, and occult metal.

Plenty of stoner and doom bands flirt with the occult, but Wiccans plays with those tropes in a way that feels genuine rather than campy. Ruth’s vocals are a key ingredient, adding a spectral, commanding presence that stands out in a scene where female voices are still far too rare. The flute passages from Caldwell further set the record apart, lending moments of eerie, pastoral beauty amid the heaviness.

True, “Wiccans” isn’t the most original band name (you’ll find several others if you go digging on Spotify) but that hardly dulls the impact of their music. And being born from Detroit Rock City gives them a certain pedigree. There’s a weight and grit here that feels tied to generations of Motor City rock history, yet filtered through their own dark, ceremonial lens.

Asura Airavata by MITSURU TABATA + MIKE VEST + NICK RAYBOULD

We wrap up our stoner rock roundup with an Echodelick Records release from two familiar names here at The Third Eye: Mike Vest and Nick Raybould.

The prolific pair return with Asura Airavata, this time joined by guitarist, vocalist, and synth wizard Mitsuru Tabata (Missing Heads, Sadistic Mazo Band, Acid Mothers Temple, Zeni Geva). Together, they conjure a wild, heavy brew that pushes their collaborative legend even further.

The record takes its name from Airavata, the celestial elephant of Hindu mythology who carries Lord Indra, the highest of divine beasts and a symbol of sovereign power. When balanced, that power brings peace and prosperity.

Across six tracks, Asura Airavata channels that mythic duality through garage-born fuzz, psychedelic improvisation, and hypnotic grooves. Tabata rips into punk-charged, Hendrixian free-form leads over loose jams and towering stadium-rock arrangements, while Raybould provides his signature vivid artwork to complete the trippy, fantastical world they’ve built.

At this point, anything involving Vest and Raybould is a must-listen for me, and this one more than delivers.

**

If you’re craving some fuzzy riffs, these five records should more than satisfy your rock ’n’ roll thirst. Turn them up and let it rip.

And if you want even more, check out The Third Eye’s regularly updated Stoner Rock Madness Spotify playlist. Enjoy!