When it comes to stoner influenced sounds, Italian band Fvzz Popvli aren’t afraid of mixing things up a little. On their third album (the prosaically titled ‘III’, released in March 2023), their distorted, Orange Goblin-esque blueprint came with a few very welcome twists. ‘Post Shit’ took a layer of stoner fuzz and placed it across a high octane number that celebrated the spirit of garage punk; the percussive ‘Monnoratzo’ shared some fairly typical stoner rock guitar sounds and a busy Geezer Butler inspired bassline, but injected the usual tropes with more of a Latin American groove, sounding like an uneasy blend of Fu Manchu and Santana, and – perhaps best of all – ‘The Last Place of Shame’ worked a massive chorus to its advantage, with a melody that sounded more like a Britpop throwback from Shed Seven than the expected Sabbath and Corrosion of Conformity influences usually found at the heart of the genre’s usual fare.
Author Archives: Real Gone
MAX RAEL – Brighter Future / The People Have Won (Persistence Is All)
A key member of industrial project History of Guns and also the experimental band Decommissioned Forests, Max Rael has been a strange enigma within the underground of the UK’s electronica and industrial scenes for a number of years. This solo debut finds him taking a few familiar past traits and twisting them into new shapes, creating something that preaches positivity but contrasts that with a cold, almost bleak backdrop for the world’s entertainment. It’s a contrast that really works.
Check out ‘Ash And Blood’, the new track from Perpetual Paradox
British tech metallers Perpetual Paradox have returned with a new single – and it’s an absolutely unrelenting number that pushes the band’s heavy crossover sound to its brutal limit.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #102
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore some of the individual tracks that’ve landed in our inbox over the past few weeks. For our rock loving regulars, this selection offers a great track from Fen man Doug Harrison and some alternative leanings from an up and coming Scottish band. Exploring other genres, there’s a perfect slice of folk, some twisted pop, and even a slab of synth pop from a familiar figure. As always, this is just a small selection of the recent submissions and there will be many more singles shared in the near future. In the meantime, we hope you find something new to enjoy…
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SHANNON SMITH – Out Of The Shadows
In the last quarter of 2023, a strong musical voice emerged when Shannon Smith released his debut solo single ‘Dance The Night Away’. The track’s unashamed pop hooks called back to radio fare of the 70s, and the song’s infectiously positive lyric made it a joy for the listener. It was also clear that the performer genuinely felt the infectious vibe he’d shared. This single promised great things on the road ahead, and subsequent tunes drawing from country influences and even a couple of darker lyrical themes, suggested that Shannon was keen to explore different musical avenues and not be tagged as just another adult pop artist.