Iron Witch

If you’re in the mood for a bit more rough-edged stoner I can highly recommend Iron Witch‘s debut EP Single Malt released on Witch Hunter Records in 2011. Mixing up the heaviness of other outfits like Black Sabbath and Sleep with the hardcore stylings of Black Flag (circa My War-era), this UK outfit offers up a pretty unique brand of sludge with a nice punk edge that I really grooved on. It’s slow, it’s loud and they kept things just a lil’ bit ugly for taste – nice!

Five songs clocking in just around 25 minutes full of fuzzed-out doom-laden heaviness and a screeching vocalist that actually reminds me of GG Allin (!!!), I can definitely see this outfit being enjoyed by punks and metalheads alike. And according to more than one reviewer I read, these are the future kings of UK Doom! Free downloads are available.

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://ironwitch.bandcamp.com/
Website: http://www.facebook.com/ironwitch1977

Thorun

UK stoners Thorun‘s EP Chorus of Giants is the kinda record release/demo that makes you scratch your head wondering why they haven’t been signed to a label already. Maybe it’s because they dabble in instrumental music, a genre most people in the “industry” consider hard to market, but their brand of instrumental stoner rock is just perfect. Heavy riffs, great production, songs are good and varied without ever getting masturbatory (a risk pretty common with the metal genre).

Recorded live to keep the studio gimmickry to a minimum (giving them extra punk points for me!) they’re earning some well-deserved underground press and slots opening up for more established bands. Their first effort EP 2010: Reprise is available for free on Bandcamp as well as Megaupload.

Sample track:

Bandcamp: http://thorun.bandcamp.com/
Website:  http://www.thorunband.com/