October has arrived, which means it’s time to take stock of what’s stirring in the heavy underground.
The season of shadows is here, and nothing pairs better with the countdown to Halloween than bands with names like Black Moon Cult.
Here are the latest heavy releases I’ve had on repeat lately …
Ophidian Future (The Children of Yig) by Black Moon Cult
Something wicked this way comes, crawling out of Toledo, Ohio of all places. Meet Black Moon Cult, a heavy psychedelic power trio whose debut full-length, Ophidian Future (The Children of Yig), condenses six tracks into less than forty minutes of fuzz-drenched, cosmic menace.
Formed in late 2021 by guitarist/vocalist/synth-wrangler Kaleb Riser, bassist/synth player Kevin Lewis, and drummer/percussionist Jeff Vandebussche, the band has quickly earned a reputation for merging vintage psych atmospheres with stoner-doom heft.
Now signed to Atlanta’s Black Doomba Records, Black Moon Cult takes its cues from early Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, and Hawkwind while channeling the desert-baked grooves of Nebula, Earthless, and The Sword.
The band teased their vision with two 2023 singles: the psych-punk juggernaut “Hollow Traveler” and “Supernova.” With Ophidian Future, however, their ideas coalesce into a vivid and rather bold experimental statement.
The record pulls inspiration from Lovecraftian horror, ancient Chinese mythology, and even the biblical Garden of Eden, heady source material that reflects the group’s fascination with both the cosmic and the occult.
Musically, the album is as adventurous as its themes. The opener, “Moonchild Ritual,” erupts with harsh, hellish vocals and synth textures that bend the stoner rock template into something darker and more disorienting.
“At the Mountains of Madness”, a nod to Lovecraft’s novella, pairs crushing riffs with unexpectedly melodic vocal flourishes, adding contrast and depth. Throughout, the band balances trippy atmospheres, progressive structures, and fuzz-laden riffs in ways that feel refreshingly twisted.
Black Moon Cult has already carved a name for themselves on the live circuit, bringing their hypnotic grooves to festivals like Maryland Doomfest, Ohio Doom & Bloom, and Heavy Chicago. They’ve shared stages with legends and kindred spirits alike, including The Obsessed, Today Is the Day, Ecstatic Vision, The Atomic Bitchwax, Brimstone Coven, and many more.
With its blend of otherworldly themes, muscular riffing, and experimentation, Ophidian Future (The Children of Yig) is the kind of record that demands attention in a crowded stoner/psych scene. Add in the bad-ass cover art, and you’ve got a release that may well stand among my favorite of this year’s heavy albums.
Back Home by Naevus
Hailing from Germany, NAEVUS carries a history as winding as their riffs. Formed in 1991 as a death metal trio, the group quickly evolved through lineup shifts and sonic experiments.
Their 1993 demo Quixotic Dreams hinted at potential, but it was 1994’s A Sad Illusion that revealed a doom-laden sound paired with clean vocals.
A year later, Autumn Sun cemented the lineup that endures to this day: Uwe Groebel (vocals/lead guitar), Oliver Grosshans (guitar), Sven Heimerdinger (bass), and Mathias Straub (drums).
Drawing inspiration from Trouble, Pentagram, Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, and, of course, Black Sabbath, the demo won strong international praise and secured the band a deal with Lee Dorrian’s Rise Above Records.
Their debut, Sun Meditation (1998), was recorded at Berlin’s Vielklang Studio—the same room that had birthed albums by The Obsessed and Saint Vitus—linking NAEVUS directly into doom’s lineage.
The years that followed saw the band broaden their reach, contributing to the 14 Inches of Fury split alongside Revelation, Twisted Tower Dire, and Grief of God, as well as appearing on the Trouble tribute album with their cover of “R.I.P.”
But by 1999, life changes pulled them apart. Straub and Grosshans went on to form the power metal outfit Sacred Steel, while Groebel poured his creativity into doom trio Voodooshock.
A full-circle moment arrived in 2012, when NAEVUS reunited for rehearsals with Saint Vitus. What began as a nostalgic revisiting of old songs soon sparked fresh inspiration, leading to their record, Heavy Burden (2016), which was warmly received across the international doom scene.
Now, nearly three decades after their formation, NAEVUS return with their third full-length, Back Home. Recorded in 2023 and aptly titled, the album delivers the same emotive, heavy-lidded doom that defined them, but with a more collaborative approach to songwriting than in the past.
Groebel’s vocals remain hypnotic, carrying themes of grief, loss, love, and resilience with an unmistakable warmth, while Roland Scriver’s cover art underscores the sense of comfort and return.
Within seconds of pressing play, you’re reminded why NAEVUS’ traditional-yet-singular doom feels both familiar and vital: you’re right back home.
True to their 1991 roots, NAEVUS lean into a cleaner, more classic doom sound. It’s not usually my go-to style, but Back Home won me over, especially when set against the genre’s grungier, heavier counterparts.
Check out the new record on Bandcamp
MAANTA RAAY (self-titled)
Oh, look, another heavy hitter rising out of Nashville.
We just covered Howling Giant’s new LP dropping on Halloween, not to mention the terrific Dead Runes, and now MAANTA RAAY joins the ranks. Proof once again that Music City isn’t just a Top 100 country-music hellscape.
MAANTA RAAY—Chet Weise on guitar and vocals, Carlos Ortiz-Martinez on drums and percussion, and Mason Hadley on bass—leans hard into the heavier side of psychedelia. You can trace the influences to Leigh Stephens of Blue Cheer, CAN’s Jaki Liebezeit, Daphne Oram, Randy Rhoads, James Jamerson, and Ron Asheton, but the record is much more than homage.
Interstellar overdrive riffs, droned-out tempos, musique-concrète flourishes, garage-rock rawness, and thick, layered sonics all push the record forward. The full-length 12” vinyl landed in July, followed by UK and Germany tour dates.
Listening to the record, it’s clear MAANTA RAAY isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel or deliver some grand statement, and that’s exactly what makes it so enjoyable.
It’s straight-up, no-frills hard rock. The album itself is short, clocking in at just over 25 minutes with eight tracks. But in truth, it feels more like an extended EP, since half the songs are brief interludes like “Cosmic Microwave Background” that function more as atmospheric bridges.
The whole thing comes across as a band having fun in the studio, following their instincts rather than overthinking it. And if you’re into heavy psych or stoner rock, odds are you’ll have just as much fun listening as they clearly had making it.
The Future is Now by MAD DOGS
Italy-based Mad Dogs first made their mark with Ass Shakin’ Dirty Rollers (2017), a recording that captured their raw energy in a fast-and-furious manner.
Their second record, We Are Ready to Testify (2020), expanded their sound with a more refined punch, drawing on the power of ’60s and ’70s rock while retaining their brash attitude. Critical acclaim followed, as did tours that persevered through pandemic headwinds.
The band kept momentum rolling: contributing a Radio Birdman-spirited cover to the 2022 tribute compilation Rollin’ with the Best, then dropping their 7” Solitary Walker’s Blues / A New Dawn in 2023.
Their new record is The Future Is Now via Go Down Records, a bold third chapter that solidifies their manifesto, which is basically rock as hard as possible. The record channels a lineage stretching from Detroit’s rock power to Sweden’s action-rock surge and Australia’s punk-tinged swagger, while remaining distinctly Mad Dogs.
The Future Is Now isn’t trying to reinvent rock ‘n’ roll, and neither are Mad Dogs. This is a band that belongs in the lineage of classic hard rock acts like KISS, only stripped of their face paint and pyrotechnics.
What they deliver are anthems built for Saturday night excess, dive bar jukeboxes, and long-haul drives down the highway.
There’s an undeniable charm in that kind of grit-soaked aesthetic, especially when it feels this genuine. Rock until the wheels fall off, that’s the code.
A couple of side notes worth mentioning …
People sometimes dismiss Italy as having a weak rock scene, but bands like Mad Dogs prove otherwise again and again.
And then there’s the name: “Mad Dogs.” My first thought was Mad Dog 20/20, the fortified wine with a notorious reputation in the U.S.
Once sold in 20-ounce bottles at nearly 20% ABV, it earned its status as a cheap, sweet, and punishingly strong drink, beloved by broke college kids and feared by anyone who’s lived through the hangover.
So when a band shows up calling themselves Mad Dogs, it feels almost too perfect. If you ever happen to crack open a bottle of MD 20/20 while blasting The Future Is Now, maybe you’ll unlock some weird, cosmic rock ritual.
Or maybe you’ll just wake up the next morning, wondering what the hell happened.
Check out the record on Bandcamp here
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That’s a wrap for now! If your ears are still hungry for riffs, fuzz, and full-throttle volume, dive into the ever-expanding Third Eye Stoner Rock Madness playlist on Spotify.
It’s updated regularly with the latest and greatest from the heavy underground. Crank it loud, and keep on rockin’ in the “free” world.
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