STAR BEAST - STARBEAST II
Psych, Stoner, Doom
Toronto, Ontario
Black Throne Productions
Released February 27, 2026
As someone who came of age in the 80s and early 90s, moving from metal into the rise of alternative and indie, but whose foundation has always been rooted in the blues heavy rock of the 60s and 70s, Star Beast II hits a familiar but darker nerve for me. Where the debut carried a bit more immediacy, this record leans further into shadow, dialing back the pop edge and embracing a moodier, slightly more obscure character. The blend of classic rock depth with a 90s indie sensibility gives the album a darker, introspective weight, where the hooks are still present but wrapped in a moodier, more shadowed atmosphere. Star Beast does it again, awesome!!!
Below is a curated list of albums, songs, and bands currently in heavy rotation. Dig in.
🔥🔥JANUARY 2026 BEST NEW HEAVY ALBUM RELEASES🔥🔥
👉My vote submission to the Doom Charts and published on Playgroundz Rocks 👉
1. REDWOOD - TIME TO LOSE (NORTHERN BUFFALO PRODUCTIONS)
2. DEMONS MY FRIENDS - DEMONS SEEM TO GATHER (RIPPLE MUSIC)
3. PLANET HUNTER - SOOTHSAYER (SELF RELEASED)
4. TEMPTRESS - HEAL (BLUES FUNERAL RECORDINGS)
5. SKY VALLEY MISTRESS - LUNA MAUSOLEUM (NEW HEAVY SOUNDS)
6. INDICA BLUES - UNIVERSAL HEAT DEATH
7.RITUAL ARCANA - RITUAL ARCANA (HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS)
8. IRON HEAD - FUNDAMENTAL (SKULLISM RECORDS)
9. CAPACOPTER - CAPACOPTER (SELF RELEASED)
10. LORD ELEPHANT - ULTRA SOUL (HEAVY PSYCH SOUNDS)
11. UNDER - WHAT HAPPENED IN ROUNDWOOD (APF RECORDS)
12. AEON TEMPLE - RESURFACED (SELF RELEASED)
13. NEW MEXICAN DOOM CULT - ZAGGURAT (MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN RECORDS)
🤘Every month, from around the globe some of the finest bloggers, journalists, radio, podcasters and reviewers from the heavy underground submit their picks for the best new doom, sludge, metal, stoner, psychedelic and heavy rock albums and submit them to the Doom Charts.
INDICA BLUES - UNIVERSAL HEAT DEATH (MAJESTIC MOUNTAIN RECORDS)
January 30th, 2026
Universal Heat Death crawls forward on thick, fuzzed out riffs that feel heavy in both weight and intent, balancing doom pressure with a gritty blues undercurrent. The band lets the songs breathe just enough, using atmosphere and restraint to build tension rather than crushing everything. Vocals and guitars stay raw and expressive, giving the album a worn, end of the road feel that fits the theme without ever feeling forced.
REDWOOD - TIME TO LOSE (NORTHERN BUFFALO PRODUCTIONS )
January 30th, 2026
Time To Lose hits that sweet spot where grungy grit and psychedelia bleed into each other, with a raw, live feeling energy that keeps the record immediate and unfiltered. Nothing feels overworked, the riffs breathe, the arrangements stay loose, and the psych elements add space without sanding down the edges. The vocals sit perfectly in that vibe, cool, unforced, and full of character, giving the album its personality as much as its weight.
2025 was a wild year for heavy music. Doom, fuzz, psych, stoner, post-rock, sludge, and crossover bands kept refining their sound while new voices broke through with fresh production ideas and weird creative choices we love to see. This list is not about hype or streams, it’s about albums that stuck with us, records we kept coming back to because the riffs hit, the tones were honest, and the songwriting lived in our heads.
After a year of listening, reviewing, and talking about music online, here are the Top 27 Albums of 2025
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1. Kal - El - Astral Voyager Volume 1 (Blues Funeral Recordings/Majestic Mountain Records)
2. Dunes - Land Of The Blind (Ripple Music)
3. Castle Rat - The Bestiary
4. You Guitarprayer - I Am The Light/The Light I Am (Worst Bassist Records)
5. Black Magic Tree - Terra (Majestic Mountain Records)
6. Brimstone Coven - The Light Shines Not For Thee
7. Clouds Taste Satanic- Birmingham 2024
8. Kryptograf - Kryptonomicon (Apollon Records AS)
9. Supernaughty - Apocalypso (Ripple Music)
10. Warcoe - Upon Tall Thrones (Ripple Music)
11. The Lunar Effect - Fortune's Always Hiding (Svart Records)
12. Bygone - Bygone (Svart Records)
13. Mooch - Kin (Black Throne Productions)
14. Hog - Blackhole (Riding Easy Records)
15. Black Tongue Reverend - Upstate Of Mind
16. Lommi - 667788 (Majestic Mountain Records)
17. Borracho - Ouroboros (Ripple Music)
18. Giant Lungs - Praise The Laze
19. Black Water Rising - The Edge
20. Wolftooth - Wizard's Light (Ripple Music)
21. Ikitan - Shaping The Chaos
22. Gin Lady - Before The Dawn Of Time (Ripple Music)
23. The Great Lie - Songs For a Monday Morning (Lemmis Records)
24. Mountain Dust - Mountain Dust
25. Mount Hush - II
26. Paralyzed - Rumble & Roar (Ripple Music)
27. Sheev (Ripple Music)
Bygone sits in a late 70's to early 80's hard rock space, with a strong focus on groove and melody. The vocals are confident and forward in the mix, with a classic hard rock feel that fits the music well.
The guitars are the real strength of the album. The tones are warm and full, clearly rooted in classic hard rock rather than metal, but they still have some weight to them. The riffs are well written and do what they need to do, and the lead parts feel natural and musical instead of flashy. There’s a good sense of groove throughout, and the band knows when to pull back and let things breathe.
There are subtle space-rock touches throughout the album that add depth to the songs. Light synths and atmospheric layers show up at the right moments, adding to the arrangements without taking over.
The production is clean and punchy, with a slight early 80's shine to it. The guitars sit up front where they should, the vocals are clear, and nothing feels overworked. It has a classic feel, but it still translates well in modern times.
Bygone is a great record. The songs hit hard, the tones are full and rich, and the mix lets everything breathe. It’s the kind of album you want to play all the way through, and it gets the sound it’s going for exactly right.
