454. Sleep

(December 2022) Episode 454 is SLEEP.  This project can often be tedious labor of love, but my reward is finding music that speaks to my soul, like coming upon the Holy Grail after a long quest. And here is Sleep. Pure Iommic doom metal goodness, perhaps the ultimate stoner metal experience. A constant low, loud drone of dark matter. Beautiful noise. My joy is only tempered by discovering them decades too late, and for not reviewing them before spinoff OM (episode 437).

Favorite album: The Sciences

Favorite song: Dopesmoker

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: I’m all in. Not for everyone, but if you get it, you’ll be all in too.

437. Om

(September 2022) Episode 437 is OM.  Call it stoner metal meditation music. It’s like an equal blend of Pink Floyd’s “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun,” Buddhist monk chanting, and Metallica’s “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth.”  Try it.

Favorite album: Pilgrimage

Favorite song: Flight of the Eagle

Compared to expectations: ↑

Recommendation: good for both background and foreground listening experiences