It is that time of the year again when we eagerly anticipate for the coming of another edition of SonicBlast Moledo, while talking to you about a few of the bands that will take part of the lineup and we think you should not miss, by any means necessary. Okay, maybe not so dramatically, but we do mean it to some extent – SonicBlast in itself is a festival no one on this beautiful blue rock should miss and the following are all reasons enough to uphold that sentiment. So, without further ado, allow us to introduce you to some of the finest bands that will be performing on the second day of of SonicBlast Moledo 2019.
Orange Goblin
If there exists a band that likes nothing more than to rock out and have fun both on stage and in the studio, it´s Orange Goblin. Born in London and initially known as Our Haunted Kingdom, this magnificent quartet of fine gents play what they describe in every show as heavy fuckin’ metal, though their sounds is much more than that – imagine a perfect blend between heavy metal, stoner, doom, blues and rock n’ roll, and you got the OG sound in a nutshell. Fast, hard-hitting and highly entertaining, the Londoners have been ahead of the stoner genre for years now and they don’t seem to be faltering. Their latest record, The Wolf Bites Back, is one of their best works yet and gives you this sensation of being in a bike ride around the desert while aliens and revenge-seeking ghosts give chase.
Last time the band was in Portugal, they gave an incendiary gig at SonicBlast 2017, that was shockful of moshing and partying, which gave it the award of being one of the best shows of that year. This time, they are bringing their aforementioned latest record and we are expecting the same level of high-octane metal riffage and bloody moshing that got us craving for more two years ago.
Dopethrone
Speaking of incendiary gigs, Dopethrone have made a habit of litting on fire every stage they play on. Figuratively speaking, of course, unless vocalist/guitarist Vincent Houde does decide to light a torch on his guitar again – anyone remember that amazing video from their gig in a Paris street that happened last year? All fire aside, Dopethrone are a band that has been making waves in the stoner scene for a while now, thanks to the band’s uncompromising sound: a vile mix of doom, stoner and sludge that they affectionately call slutch metal. From the slab-crushing riffs and bulldozing drum pummels to the harsh and torn vocals that remind us of Carcass’ Jeff Walker, this is one band that is as heavy as a fucking monolith and their latest record, Transcanadian Anger, is living proof of that.
Much like Orange Goblin before them, though, and despite all the downtuned heaviness they employ, Dopethrone are a band that doesn’t take themselves too seriously and are here to have fun, which is a good thing. They will be playing their first gig in Portugal at SonicBlast and the antecipation is at an all time high, but you can be damn sure they will surpass any and all expectations when they start sounding those killer riffs that will make you headbang for your life.
Belzebong
If you are looking for even more density, but with a dash of bong-hitting intensity, then never fear, the dank is here! From the deepest bowels of Poland’s swampy underground come Belzebong, the purveyors of maximum dankness and the masters of the bong-hitting instrumental stoner metal. Avid followers of the bong-related names tradition in the genre – which also includes bands such as Bongripper and Bongzilla -, this Polish dude quartet play some of the finest sonically weedy grooves we’ve ever heard and their entire bongography is shockfull of great examples of how to write amazing smoke-filled riffs – “Bong Thrower”, “Diabolical Dopenosis” or “The Bong of Eternal Stench” are just some of the dopest songs you will hear in your life.
Those same studio grooves translate quite well on a live setting, with the band playing on an almost hypnotic pace that will surely enthrall everyone watching. If you are wondering around SonicBlast and see a deep green light in the distance, dare to follow it and join the congregation of the chronic mantra – and enjoy some grassy hits.
Petyr
Going to a significantly softer, but equally powerful spectrum, we have the psych rockers Petyr that come as part of a small San Diego takeover at this year’s SonicBlast. Drawing influence from their mentors and friends in Earthless, as well as Black Sabbath and Flower Travellin’ Band, these Californian gents don’t just play psychelic rock, they live it through and through, a consequence of coming from one of the richest places in the world when it comes to this particular subgenre. Fronted by Riley Hawk, the son of the legendary pro skater Tony Hawk, Petyr are the living embodiment of the San Diego spirit, playing with insane amounts of energy and attitude, that is quickly giving them the respect and place amongst the greats.
This year, they will finally debut in Portugal and what better place for such an anticipated event than at SonicBlast? With a new album in the works, we are expecting an energetic gig full of great moments. And who knows? Maybe we will even see the band practice their grinds and manuals on the half pipes in between the stages.
Kaleidobolt
Last, but by no means least, we have Kaleidobolt, one of the hidden gems of this year’s lineup. Hailing from Helsinki, Finland, this power trio play a brand of stoner rock that is becoming more and more popular these days. Mixing the psychedelic nuances of stoner with the chaotic improvisation and musical structure of prog rock, the band created a sound that is both crushing and joyful, something that earned them the reputation of being one of the most exciting bands in their country. Their three records to date, the eponymous Kaleidobolt, the follow-up The Zenith Cracks and this year’s Bitter, are absolutely killer albums and real breaths of fresh air in the genre, full of big moments and impressive licks, riffs and grooves that will leave no one standing still.
Last time they were on Portuguese shores, back in 2017, they opened for Radio Moscow in both Porto and Lisbon. This time, they will be performing a longer show and we cannot wait to see what kind of progressive and kaleidoscopic madness they will unleash once they hit the Main stage.
Article assembled from suggestions by the Lore team
Words by Filipe Silva
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