Ruff Majik – Moth Eater (The Lorekeeper’s Bible)
Sound of Liberation Records – 2024
Rock, Punk, Stoner, Psych, Garage, Sludge
Rated: *****

A pigeon was fluttering and flailing over my head as I was contemplating the name of the band. It might be one of the best names ever chosen. Or it might be a case of manifestation. Whatever it is, magic surrounds the South African four. Not the faerie dust kind of magic, but the stuff of rock ‘n roll legends. Of coincidences to huge to comprehend and of weirdness that rolls out in front of them like a huge carpet. A red carpet. A magic carpet. So, I shot the pigeon. I shot the pigeon by accident though, I’m not a murderous individual, I stumbled and the .357 fell out of my hands. A happy accident, for it was a carrying pigeon straight out of South Africa. Bringing me the news, the lowdown and all the happiness that will explode in October. It brought me the new Moth Eater album by the South African four manifesting itself throughout the globe as Ruff Majik! In fact... It explodes today!

It's called Moth Eater and reflects once again on times passed. Not just from when founder, vocalist and guitar player Johni Holiday was a young kid, ate a moth and almost suffocated. But more importantly about the past years. Together with Devil’s Cattle from 2020 and Elektrik Ram from 2022 it documents trials and tribulations, adventures and memories of nights that might actually never have happened. Part history for the singer and part of what the band has gone through. It marks the end of the trilogy, well, sort off. A trilogy that opened up the sound for Ruff Majik with that Devil’s Cattle album, showed even more possibilities sound wise and lyrical wise with Elektrik Ram and actually offered a glimpse into what could be. Cause after Elektrik Ram everything would be up for grabs! And Moth Eater is that and more: more of everything. 

It's full. Chuck full. To the brink of explosion. The dialing tone (Oh how I love Chemically Humanized from Elektrik Ram and how I love the end of that album and thus the start of this one.) The voicemail message, the brutish South African promoter threatening to make sure the band never plays another show again. The subdued drums promising ruckus, the extra round of riffs before it… finally comes… Explosion! It’s the perfect opener. What A Time To Be A Knife, already released as a single, featuring additional screams by Reegan du Buisson from Facing The Gallows sits there almost as a twin brother to the opener from Elektrik Ram. Except that this time they do not recount dubious memories, but harsh realities and how they will deal with them if they come across those ‘fucking clowns’. There is one more twin on the album, or so it seems. Ending title track Moth Eater has on some level the same energy as Chemically Humanized. And once again sporting stunning lyrics. Especially that second verse starting with, ‘Oh no, have you heard the news, the sky is falling, many years too soon…” If you weren’t feeling them goosebumps before you will now.

Transitioning into another voicemail, where you can hear some 'dingbat' (grin) calling in and promising to deliver the goods or meeting up at some time somewhere before second track Dirt And Deer Blood begins. The lyrics are once again off the chart, as is his manner of uttering them, it drives the song into a frenzied hallucinations of bar scenes at the very end of the night. Out of your depth and exactly where you are meant to be. It’s dirty, just like the groove and the way the drums push every second of this track as much as the vocals. Talking about frenzy! By The Hammer is most freakishly chaotic and rumbling track you will hear this year, pulling earlobes and punching your tympanic membrane, making you dizzy and stumbling around, trying to leave the impression that you are actually dancing. The perfect time for a slower track, darker and ominous, and as the wind howls outside you are listening to We’re Not Out Of The Swamp Yet. Brilliantly delivered, with a low hum constantly present and a Johni Holiday going as low as possible. Doubling himself as the song rolls on. So much of the vocalization and minute details become audible as you continue to spin the record, there seems to be even more of it than on Elektrik Ram. Battering Lamb, on so many levels a straight forward rocker, but then you start hearing all the different layers, the vocal touches, the ringing extra melody, the whoo! O’ and let’s not forget this wonderful sentence: “oh honey, you should’ve seen me in my prime, I could have made it, I just didn’t have the time.” 

Cult Eyes features Arvid Hällagård from Greenleaf as second vocalist. A bluesy stonerrock  track that’s all filled with this bop and bounce attitude, that keeps you glued to the groove, bopping along like a cartoon character with a way too long neck, trying to sing with them and going extra hard on the melody. The bass work, so aloof, almost jazzy and so possessed of the natural progression the track needs. Which again seems to be front at center when following track Baby’s First Guillotine rolls around. Slowly building this ruined landscape of riffs and lines, guitars gradually taking over to color in the painting, while the drums sneak in these twisted fills and tension moments. The percussion is another aspect of Moth Eater that just seems to so pristine in its execution, just listen to following track Ingozi featuring the enigmatic Lerato. Funk infused, it’s not yet the ‘slunk’ record or ‘fudge’ song they would love to produce one day, although it does thunder towards more noise in the end, it’s too clear and pronounced. And that jazzy copper work, brilliant touch. Wasted Youth is the last single that came out, glorifying their vocal harmonies by giving them every bit of attention. But not before you have an almost tekno repetition at two thirds of the track. The lyrics can be as depressive as they come, but there’s a tone of acceptance in them. And that doubles when world shattering final track Moth Eater comes around, musically and lyrically, (which I already mentioned). And those earlier mentioned goosebumps might double with those final lines… From ‘closing the book’ till ‘I feel fine’… It’s been a while…   

I fell in love with so many of Elektrik Ram. In fact, I fell in love with everything. And now I’ve gone and done that again. For Moth Eater has everything.

(Written by JK)

Way too many words with and about Ruff Majik

Review of Elektrik Ram

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Touring Europe this month!

And they will also play Into The Void Festival tomorrow in Leeuwaarden, Netherlands!

Video Premiere - Ghost Frog – Shadow Club

It was the year of 2020 when the Portland four named Ghost Frog graced us with that damn fine release Astral Arcade. And come tomorrow we are a month away for the release of the stunning new Galactic Mini Golf album. To celebrate that fact, and to honor the spooky season that’s upon us, the spectral boys that quack have produced a wild new video for their latest single Shadow Club. Man, what a track, as you already know, the song transports you back to the height of the grunge days, and so does the video! That's right lazy nineties alternative, some psych and high fidelity head nod that will surely make you buy multiple copies of the single and pre-order a least five copies of the new Galactic Mini Golf album.  A touch of slacker, a bit of shoegaze and a whole lot of conspiracy! I always had my doubts about golf! Click play, drink that kool-aid!

PR Wire:

Fore! Shot straight down the fairway like a ball out of hell, here comes the latest conspiracy and secret society themed music video by Portland, OR’s paranormal space punk veterans Ghost Frog for the conspira-single “Shadow Club” off their soon to be released new album, “Galactic Mini Golf.” 

Quinn Schwartz, The band’s singer, who wrote the video and also stars in it, recruited local filmmaker Joel Gaddis, his coworker at the last remaining video store in Portland, Movie Madness, to handle cinematography and editing for the project. The video also stars the other members of the band as the titular “Shadow Club”: guitarist Karl Beheim, bassist Archie Heald, and drummer Vincent Lirocchi.

In it we find an eccentric conspiracy researcher who is obsessed with a certain group of rich and powerful men who he thinks are part of a nefarious, secretive organization called the “Shadow Club.” This character is an amalgamation of various media personalities including Joe Rogan, Alex Jones, Steven Seagal, and especially Fred Durst, who the band share a special affinity for as many of them are also in a Limp Bizkit tribute band together. 

Convinced that the Club are up to no good, this intensely curious researcher sets out to get to the bottom of what they’re hiding, which leads him down a dangerous, winding path full of strange and unexpected revelations. The video was inspired by the filmmakers' fascination with paranoid thriller films like “Conspiracy Theory,” “The Parallax View,” and “Eyes Wide Shut,” combined with their love of trashy 80’s and 90’s action movies (the basic premise was Chuck Norris vs. the Illuminati). They even filmed part of the video outside of the infamous Oculus Anubis property in Damascus, Oregon, a mysterious local site which has long been a hotbed for conspiracy theories and urban legends.

Are you ready to learn the terrifying truth about the “Shadow Club”?

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Review of Astral Arcade

Underdogs – Knockin On Hell's Door feat. Nick Oliveri

Their first single! A battering ram if ever there was one! It’s not just Knockin On Hell’s Door, it’s knocking it the fuck down! And it does so in grand fashion featuring the mighty vocals of Nick Oliveri! Immediately giving this new Underdogs track a Mondo Generator vibe and an incredibly feral attitude! The door is off its hinges, shit, the entire frame is shattered! This is one hell of a promising single for the new album Nine Ties coming out on October 25th on Go Down Records! Yeaah!!!

PR Wire: 

On October 25th, stoner/heavy rock trio UNDERDOGS will release their brand new full-length record "Nine Ties", which will be coming out via Go Down Records. In support of the new album, the band has released the first single titled “Knockin On Hell's Door”, along with an electrifying music video featuring a special guest appearance by the legendary Nick Oliveri (Mondo Generator, Kyuss).

"Knockin' On Hell's Door originated from a guitar and drums jam, with a punk-core rhythm reminiscent of Mondo Generator's first album", vocalist Simone Vian comments. "In my mind, Oliveri's vocals would have been perfect... When Go Down Records gave us the opportunity to open for a Nick Oliveri gig, we submitted the song to him. He keenly agreed to sing it and provided us with perfect vocals in a quick but effective backstage recording, demonstrating great humility and professionalism. Shortly after, we performed it together on stage, and the footage ended up in the song's official video."


UNDERDOGS’ upcoming new album represents the band’s rebirth after a long hiatus - Their comeback features the heavy sound of the early days, combined with greater technical awareness and a new hardcore punk attitude. Taking a wink at genre clichés without becoming addicted, they mix different elements to create their trademark. The new songs are clearly drawn from the 90s and have been influenced by post-punk and post-metal. The band’s mission is to refresh its roots with a contemporary approach.

"Nine Ties" will be coming out on October 25 via Go Down Records and is now available for pre-order.

2015 interview with Nick Oliveri

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Stoner HiVe’s
Top 10 Most Listened Artists Last Week…

Valley Of The Sun
The Beard Cult
Sergeant Thunderhoof
Motorpsycho
1000 Mods
Luna sol
The Mothercrow
Holy Tears
Massive Hassle
Orange Goblin

It’s Tuesday already. It’s been a hectic week and will continue to be like this for a while, we fear. Little time to HiVe, but we will try to make the best of it. Although, the new edition of the Doom Charts will go live this Friday, which means, most of that free time will be used to get that in proper order. The above list is good though, we listened to nothing but amazing stuff it seems! And we thank Ronny for delivering that one and damn fine write-up for Buzz' Ayaz. Top shelf Anatolian psych rock! Love it! Go check out all them albums and if you use Spotify. There’s a handy list featuring all of those above if they are available there. Cause yes, the new and stunning Sergeant Thunderhoof won't come out till November and the new 1000 Mods will be released that month as well. Seeya all soon we hope! Have a great week!

Stoner HiVe's Weekly Top 10 Most Listened

Week 40

Buzz' Ayaz - Buzz' Ayaz
Glitterbeat Records – 2024
Psych, Traditional Folk, Electronics
Rated: ****1/2

We all know there's an ongoing tension on Cyprus between the Turkish and Greek populations on the island. A long history I won't dig into. It's better to narrate the positive initiatives and endeavours that bring people together instead of maintaining the status quo or separating them even further. Enter Buzz' Ayaz, a band from Nicosia that consists of musicians from both sides of coin and focuses on combining 70's psych with eastern mediterranean traditional music rooted deep in Greek and Turkish culture. To reach that goal they use electric tzouras, synths, bass clarinet and drums as the basic setting, while also using electronics and winds. Not the usual setting for a rock band, but it works really well and is way heavier than you might expect.

The bass clarinet produces a low-end rumble that a traditional bass guitar is unable to generate, at least not in this way, while the electric tzouras (a traditional instrument related to the bouzouki) at the exact same time channels traditional music as well as acid rock, thus being the perfect instrument for what they're trying to achieve. Take for example the song 'Efdji' where both shine in all their rocking glory. Or the more laidback groove of 'Fysa' with its highly subtle, creative drumming and swaying synths that provide a nice blanket - an added layer of genius that enhances the psychedelic vibes. It's characteristic for both drums and synths during the entire album, albeit with an ever-changing dynamic and various amounts of intensity. Talking about intensity, 'Arkos' is the heaviest track and one of sheer rocking beauty, while 'Zali' on the other hand is a clarinet and percussion driven tune that during the first verse makes way for a full-on traditional Greek and Turkish atmosphere while adding more layers and density later on before coming back down again and closing things out with another forceful climax.

No need to mention this isn't your run of the mill psych album (and therefore probably not everyone's taste), but it oozes creativity and quality from the opening wah wah tzouras tones of 'Buzzi Ayazi' to the closing moments of the album when feed-back style clarinet and wind sounds fade away into silence. The strong vocal harmonies and poetic lyrics of observation and introspection are an added bonus that makes this self-titled debut album even more mesmerising than it already is.

(Written by Ronny Dijksterhuis)

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