Led by singer/guitarist Chris Goss, Masters of Reality were something of an anomaly on the late-'80s/early-'90s rock scene, playing a strongly Cream- and Zeppelin-influenced brand of hard rock with modern touches. Their original members included bassist Googe, guitarist Tim Harrington, and drummer Vinnie Ludovico. Goss broke up the band shortly... [+] Read More

Led by singer/guitarist Chris Goss, Masters of Reality were something of an anomaly on the late-'80s/early-'90s rock scene, playing a strongly Cream- and Zeppelin-influenced brand of hard rock with modern touches. Their original members included bassist Googe, guitarist Tim Harrington, and drummer Vinnie Ludovico. Goss broke up the band shortly after their well-received, self-titled debut album in 1989; he reformed the group as a trio a few years later with Googe and legendary ex-Cream drummer Ginger Baker. This lineup recorded 1993's Sunrise on the Sufferbus, which slightly altered the group's sound but again received enthusiastic reviews. However, Masters of Reality never quite fit into prevailing hard rock trends, and they remained a well-kept secret to most of the listening public. In hindsight, their retro obsessions and warm, spacious guitar sound set a clear precedent for the '90s stoner rock movement; while the Masters' less metallic sound wouldn't have been a perfect stylistic fit, the link was reinforced by Goss' acclaimed production work on three of the four Kyuss albums. Those records helped pave the way for a new career in production for Goss, and Masters of Reality went on hiatus for several years. Goss reunited with Googe in 1997, adding guitarist Brendan McNichol and drummer Victor Indrizzo for a series of live dates that resulted in the album How High the Moon: Live at the Viper Room. An all-new studio album titled Welcome to the Western Lodge was released in Europe in 1999, but did not appear on American shores until Spitfire licensed it in early 2001. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Perhaps the ultimate stoner rock band, Northern California trio Sleep's career wafted in and out of focus from within their self-mandated cloud of marijuana smoke. In their short time together, the group issued some of the heaviest, most uncompromising doom metal albums ever recorded, leaving a legend far exceeding the actual volume of their... [+] Read More

Perhaps the ultimate stoner rock band, Northern California trio Sleep's career wafted in and out of focus from within their self-mandated cloud of marijuana smoke. In their short time together, the group issued some of the heaviest, most uncompromising doom metal albums ever recorded, leaving a legend far exceeding the actual volume of their output.

Formed in the late 80's in San Jose, California by bassist/vocalist Al Cisneros, guitarists Matt Pike and Justin Marler and drummer Chris Haikus, Sleep instantly drew comparisons to under-appreciated 80's doomsters like the Obsessed, Pentagram and especially Saint Vitus. Their sludgy 1991 debut was named Volume One in honor of their sonic godfathers Black Sabbath, but it wasn't until Marler's departure (reportedly to become a monk!) and the release of 1993's Sleep's Holy Mountain that their own, unique doom metal vision truly began coming into focus. The album became a favorite of the heavy metal press, and Sleep were heralded alongside other promising retro-rocking groups like Kyuss and Monster Magnet as leaders of the newly emerging stoner rock / doom metal scene. Such was the buzz surrounding the group, that following a short European tour supporting first generation doomsters Trouble and English hopefuls Cathedral, Sleep was reportedly offered an unprecedented six-figure deal by London Records. But instead of grabbing their chance at mainstream stardom for all it was worth, Sleep vowed to delve even deeper into their incredibly heavy and slothful sound instead. After almost two years of writing and re-writing material for their next album (to be named Dopesmoker, not surprisingly) amidst abundant weed consumption, the trio finally delivered their long-awaited epic, now named Jerusalem, to London Records. But to their label's surprise, Jerusalem comprised a single, 60-minute magnum opus to marijuana which the band refused to edit or split up into sections under any circumstances. A complete deadlock ensued, tying up both parties in red tape for another two years. Finally, having smoked their entire cash advance through their bongs, Sleep decided to break up rather than surrender the album. Guitarist Matt Pike went on to form a new, more energetic heavy metal band called High on Fire, while drummer Matt Haikus eventually re-united with founding guitarist (and now ordained monk) Justin Marler in The Sabians. In the meantime, an unauthorized version of Jerusalem was quietly released by Rise Above Records, but it wasn't until 2003 that a supposedly authentic and fully endorsed version of Dopesmoker finally reached record store shelves, bringing the convoluted Sleep saga to a close at last. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Upon leaving Saint Vitus -- whose unabashed worship of Black Sabbath helped lay the groundwork for the sludge, stoner, and doom metal mini-movements of the '90s -- vocalist/guitarist Scott "Wino" Weinrich re-formed the Obsessed, a band he'd founded in Washington, D.C., in the early '80s prior to joining Saint Vitus. Initially including a rhythm... [+] Read More

Upon leaving Saint Vitus -- whose unabashed worship of Black Sabbath helped lay the groundwork for the sludge, stoner, and doom metal mini-movements of the '90s -- vocalist/guitarist Scott "Wino" Weinrich re-formed the Obsessed, a band he'd founded in Washington, D.C., in the early '80s prior to joining Saint Vitus. Initially including a rhythm section of bassist Mark Laue and drummer Ed Gulli, the Obsessed had recorded a live EP back in 1984, but didn't make their full-length debut until 1990's The Obsessed, recorded for the small Hellhound label. Personnel shifts ensued (Melvins drummer Dale Crover passed through the ranks at one time or another): bassist Scott Reeder and drummer Greg Rogers joined for the 1991 follow-up Lunar Womb. Reeder subsequently left the band to join Kyuss, and was replaced by Guy Pinhas, just as the Obsessed was landing a major-label deal with Columbia. Although many described it as the group's most focused album, 1994's The Church Within also proved to be their last. Following the breakup, Pinhas and Rogers formed Goatsnake, while Weinrich started up a new outfit first called Shine, then quickly renamed Spirit Caravan. In 1999, Southern issued a collection of outtakes and rarities titled Incarnate, and the following year repackaged The Obsessed together with the original lineup's 1984 EP. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Hailing from Palm Desert, CA, Kyuss (pronounced "kai-uss") has become something like a heavy metal equivalent to the Velvet Underground. Although they are widely acknowledged as pioneers of the booming stoner rock scene of the 1990s, the band enjoyed little commercial success during their brief existence, but their combination of sludgy,... [+] Read More

Hailing from Palm Desert, CA, Kyuss (pronounced "kai-uss") has become something like a heavy metal equivalent to the Velvet Underground. Although they are widely acknowledged as pioneers of the booming stoner rock scene of the 1990s, the band enjoyed little commercial success during their brief existence, but their combination of sludgy, down-tuned guitars (often played through a bass amp for maximum, earth-shaking intensity), spacey jams, galloping thrash metal rhythms, and organic drums became a blueprint, often copied, but never quite replicated by countless underground metal bands.

Formed in 1990 by vocalist John Garcia, guitarist Josh Homme, bassist Nick Oliveri, and drummer Brant Bjork, Kyuss (named after a character from Dungeons & Dragons) began jamming at so-called "desert parties," in and around the isolated towns of the Southern California desert. The band gradually built a local following, signed with tiny independent label Dali Records, and released their first album, Wretch, in 1991. Under-produced and poorly financed, the album failed to capture the band's live sound and went mostly unnoticed until sporadic touring started earning Kyuss a reputation as a ferocious live unit, as well as the respect of many fellow musicians. One of these, Masters of Reality singer/guitarist Chris Goss, decided to produce the band's next effort, and the collaboration bore fruit in 1992's stunning Blues for the Red Sun. Soon hailed as a landmark by critics and fans alike, the album took the underground metal world by storm and established the signature Kyuss sound once and for all: the doom heaviness of Black Sabbath, the feedback fuzz of Blue Cheer, and the space rock of Hawkwind, infused with psychedelic flashes, massive grooves, and a surprising sensibility for punk rock, metal, and thrash.

Based on this sudden surge of interest, the band was signed by Elektra Records just as Dali was about to go bankrupt, and despite the loss of bassist Oliveri (he was replaced by Scott Reeder, formerly of the Obsessed), the band continued building momentum with 1994's Welcome to Sky Valley. Also recorded under Goss' guidance, the album nearly matched the brilliance of its predecessor and saw Kyuss taking the novel approach of grouping the songs into three extended suites. Still, despite such creative promise and an ever-growing fan base, personal strife had already begun tearing the band apart, and drummer Brant Bjork was the first to depart when they concluded their fall tour. Then, although they quickly recruited the jazz-trained Alfredo Hernandez to replace him on 1995's noticeably less inspired ...And the Circus Leaves Town, a final rift between Homme and Garcia finally brought Kyuss' meteoric run to a disappointing halt.

2000's Muchas Gracias: The Best of Kyuss collected rare outtakes and live recordings and effectively put a capper on the Kyuss legacy, but after a period of relative silence, each bandmember's talent began leaving its mark on a number of relevant projects. Garcia briefly worked with straightforward desert rockers Slo Burn in 1997 before reuniting with Reeder in the much more promising (but ultimately doomed) Unida, later lending his in-demand pipes to Hermano and other bands. Brant Bjork sang and played guitar in his own power trio, Che (featuring his Kyuss replacement Hernandez on drums), and released a number of solo albums while joining top fuzz rockers Fu Manchu on a full-time basis. As for Josh Homme, discounting a short touring stint as rhythm guitarist for Screaming Trees, he initially retreated into production and spent much of the late '90s collaborating with an impressive array of musicians on the eclectic Desert Sessions. Some of this material was later reworked into his next major project, Queens of the Stone Age, which saw him paired with original Kyuss bassist Nick Oliveri (who had kept busy working with Dwarves) and, at first, drummer Hernandez, as well. Ironically, by their third release (and last with Oliveri), 2002's Songs for the Deaf, Queens of the Stone Age had achieved significantly larger sales than Kyuss ever did, though it's arguable whether they've yet matched their predecessor's legendary status. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Retro-rock visionaries Monster Magnet spent much of the 1990s struggling against the prejudices imposed upon image and sound by alternative rock fashion nazis. In fact, it wasn't until that movement's late-'90s decline that the band's dogged persistence finally paid off, when their fourth album, Powertrip, catapulted to gold sales status on the... [+] Read More

Retro-rock visionaries Monster Magnet spent much of the 1990s struggling against the prejudices imposed upon image and sound by alternative rock fashion nazis. In fact, it wasn't until that movement's late-'90s decline that the band's dogged persistence finally paid off, when their fourth album, Powertrip, catapulted to gold sales status on the strength of its massive hard rock hit, "Space Lord." In the meantime, Monster Magnet had managed to become one of the most successful and influential bands associated with the so-called underground "stoner rock" scene. And yet, their influences span much further than that scene's foundations in '70s hard rock and metal, delving into space rock, psychedelia, and beyond.

New Jersey native Dave Wyndorf was already a rock & roll veteran by the time he formed Monster Magnet in 1989, having cut his teeth with little-known punk band Shrapnel (also featuring future punk producer Daniel Rey on guitars) in the late '70s before retiring from music altogether. But, after teaching himself guitar, Wyndorf began assembling Monster Magnet with a handful of fellow New Jersey natives, vocalist Tim Cronin, guitarist John McBain, bassist Joe Callandra, and drummer Jon Kleiman. Fusing their metal, punk, space rock, and psychedelic influences, the band developed a sludgy, feedback-heavy hard rock sound that helped them stand out from the era's burgeoning retro-rock movement -- also counting the Black Crowes, White Zombie, and many others. After releasing a self-titled six-song EP through Germany's Glitterhouse Records, Wyndorf assumed all vocal responsibilities, while Cronin retreated to a behind the scenes "conceptual consultant" position -- much like that of John Sinclair for the MC5.

In the meantime, Monster Magnet had signed with independent label Caroline Records in 1992, and recorded their first full-length album: the very impressive, uniquely dark psychedelic masterpiece Spine of God. The productive sessions also yielded a number of extensive space rock jams that would later be issued as the Tab album in 1993. A video for first single "Medicine" and a support tour with the fast-rising Soundgarden also helped attract powerhouse A&M Records, but even as they prepared to sign with the label, Wyndorf had a serious falling-out with guitarist McBain, who was soon replaced by Ed Mundell. Despite the last-minute change, 1993's Superjudge proved to be a stellar major-label debut -- although it did see the band sacrificing some of their rampant feedback in exchange for more clearly defined, muscular metal riffs. Unfortunately, the group's retro-rock image had become highly unfashionable at the time, arriving at the height of the post-Nirvana alternative boom, and the album sold poorly. Under mounting pressure to deliver a more commercial follow-up, Monster Magnet delivered a decidedly sleeker -- though no less space rock-drenched -- effort in 1995's Dopes to Infinity. This yielded a Top Ten rock single in "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" and was supported by extensive touring with C.O.C., among others, but the album sold only slightly better than its predecessor.

Finding himself mentally and physically exhausted in the aftermath, Wyndorf exiled himself to Las Vegas to begin composing the tracks that would shape 1998's breakthrough release, Powertrip. By far the group's most straightforward hard rock album, Powertrip channeled all of Sin City's vice, greed, and sex into its hedonistic but surprisingly accessible tracks, and first single "Space Lord" went on to dominate rock radio that summer, driving the album over the gold sales plateau. With new rhythm guitarist Phil Caivano in tow, Monster Magnet then embarked on a marathon two-year world tour, both as a headliner and as support to the likes of Aerosmith, Metallica, and Megadeth. By the year 2000, the band had contributed the track "Silver Future" to the Heavy Metal 2000 soundtrack and completed work on their fifth album, God Says No, released in Europe in October. But their new American record label, Interscope (which had swallowed A&M in a hostile takeover the year before) inexplicably fussed and messed with the album before finally releasing it domestically in April 2001. Precious momentum and sales were therefore lost to an influx of import copies of God Says No -- according to most seasoned fans, already a "difficult," overtly commercial album to begin with -- and Monster Magnet soon found themselves rudely dropped.

Following this unforeseen setback, Wyndorf watched as various bandmembers pursued side projects. Ed Mundell recorded a number of well-received albums with his power trio the Atomic **** while Tim Cronin and Jon Kleiman collaborated on the Ribeye Brothers and Gallery of Mites. But, Monster Magnet duly reunited for a short North American tour in early 2002 and, a year later, a new deal with the German SPV label was announced. Recorded in late 2003, the group's sixth full-length album, 2004's Monolithic Baby!, would be recorded with a new rhythm section, these being bassist Jim Baglino and drummer Bob Pantella. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Leave it to Kyuss -- a sorely underappreciated band whose music was so ahead of its time that its huge influence became apparent only after its demise -- to put out a best-of set that really isn't any such thing. In fact, Muchas Gracias: The Best of Kyuss is more of a collector's item, combining nine of the band's would-be hits (four of them in... [+] Read More

Leave it to Kyuss -- a sorely underappreciated band whose music was so ahead of its time that its huge influence became apparent only after its demise -- to put out a best-of set that really isn't any such thing. In fact, Muchas Gracias: The Best of Kyuss is more of a collector's item, combining nine of the band's would-be hits (four of them in previously unreleased live versions) with no less than six album leftovers and B-sides. Predominantly instrumentals, few of these rarities actually approach the caliber of the band's incredible studio albums (the ultra-heavy "Shine," the frenetic "Flip the Phrase," and the epic "Sandpiper" come close) but Kyuss fanatics are bound to consider them a long-lost treasure nonetheless. For the first-time listener, however, Muchas Gracias paints an incomplete portrait that omits some of the cult heroes' best-known material, including the bludgeoning riffage of "Green Machine" and the space rock thrashing of "Odyssey." Neophytes are therefore advised to pick up either of the band's two best albums Blues for the Red Sun or Sky Valley instead. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Following just a year after their impressive debut, Time Traveling Blues is essentially a holding pattern for England's Orange Goblin, both in terms of quality and creativity. Opener "Blue Snow" slowly grinds into gear (revving Harley Davidson and all) and leather-lunged stoned giant Ben Ward soon takes over, leading his troops through the... [+] Read More

Following just a year after their impressive debut, Time Traveling Blues is essentially a holding pattern for England's Orange Goblin, both in terms of quality and creativity. Opener "Blue Snow" slowly grinds into gear (revving Harley Davidson and all) and leather-lunged stoned giant Ben Ward soon takes over, leading his troops through the colossal riffing of "Solarisphere" and the pile-driving intensity of "The Man Who Invented Time." The spirit of Deep Purple is channeled into the organ-led opening to "Shine," which quickly devolves into a virtual remake of Sabbath's "Spirit Caravan" before exploding into action with what is possibly the album's most memorable riff. Unfortunately, the band seems to blow their entire load in the album's first half, and the remaining material succumbs to that dreaded stoner rock no man's land of repetitive riffs, inconclusive jams, and indifferent vocal performances, none of which leaves any lasting impressions. Occasional bright spots pepper the Southern rock-ish "Lunarville 7, Airlock 3," but you just know these guys can do better. And thankfully they would with their next outing, the excellent The Big Black. ~ Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The Obsessed fire up more mid-tempo biker rock on this self-titled release -- fans of their doomy style will not be disappointed. With the exception of the dated-sounding "Freedom," the band is in top form. The sheer aggression of "Ground Out," the sludgepile "Red Disaster," and the phased-out blues of "Tombstone Highway" more than make up for... [+] Read More

The Obsessed fire up more mid-tempo biker rock on this self-titled release -- fans of their doomy style will not be disappointed. With the exception of the dated-sounding "Freedom," the band is in top form. The sheer aggression of "Ground Out," the sludgepile "Red Disaster," and the phased-out blues of "Tombstone Highway" more than make up for any '80s-styled slights. A live set from 1984 is also included, wherein the Obsessed create a rumble only hinted at with their studio output. The group's relatively clean recording sound gives way to a live cacophony of noise and power, offering further testimony to their high placement amongst the stoner metal ranks. ~ Matthew Kantor, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The second Queens of the Stone Age album, R (as in the movie rating; its title was changed from II at the last minute before release) makes its stoner rock affiliations clear right from the opening track. The lyrics of "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" consist entirely of a one-line list of recreational drugs that Josh Homme rattles off over and... [+] Read More

The second Queens of the Stone Age album, R (as in the movie rating; its title was changed from II at the last minute before release) makes its stoner rock affiliations clear right from the opening track. The lyrics of "Feel Good Hit of the Summer" consist entirely of a one-line list of recreational drugs that Josh Homme rattles off over and over, a gag that gets pretty tiresome by the end of the song (and certainly doesn't need the reprise that follows "In the Fade"). Fortunately, the rest of the material is up to snuff. R is mellower, trippier, and more arranged than its predecessor, making its point through warm fuzz-guitar tones, ethereal harmonies, vibraphones, horns, and even the odd steel drum. That might alienate listeners who have come to expect a crunchier guitar attack, but even though it's not really aggro, R is still far heavier than the garage-punk and grunge that inform much of the record. It's still got the vaunted Arizona-desert vibes of Kyuss, but it evokes a more relaxed, spacious, twilight feel, as opposed to a high-noon meltdown. Mark Lanegan and Barrett Martin of the Screaming Trees both appear on multiple tracks, and their band's psychedelic grunge -- in its warmer, less noisy moments -- is actually not a bad point of comparison. Longtime Kyuss fans might be disappointed at the relative lack of heaviness, but R's direction was hinted at on the first QOTSA album, and Homme's experimentation really opens up the band's sound, pointing to exciting new directions for heavy guitar rock in the new millennium. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Because the Los Angeles-based Masters of Reality took their name from the title of a scorching Black Sabbath album, some assumed they were a heavy metal band. But in fact, their forte is a bluesy approach with a late-1960s/early-'70s type of appeal. Though subtle traces of Sabbath can occasionally be heard on a few of their songs, their sound... [+] Read More

Because the Los Angeles-based Masters of Reality took their name from the title of a scorching Black Sabbath album, some assumed they were a heavy metal band. But in fact, their forte is a bluesy approach with a late-1960s/early-'70s type of appeal. Though subtle traces of Sabbath can occasionally be heard on a few of their songs, their sound owes a lot more to Ten Years After and the Doors. First released by Def American in 1989 and reissued by Delicious Vinyl in 1990, this impressive offering was produced by Rick Rubin and has the markings of a Rubin production. The thing that makes Rubin so great a producer is his willingness to follow his gut instincts, an approach has served him well whether producing Slayer, Johnny Cash, or L.L. Cool J, and one that clearly works to the Masters' advantage on such pearls as "Domino," "Gettin' High," and "The Eyes of Texas." Rubin is the type of producer who knows how to step aside when appropriate and let artists be themselves. Under his direction, the material sounds well produced, but never over-produced. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide [-] Hide