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First of all, a massive thanx to all who have supported Desert Highways and to all the bands I have worked with especially The Hidden Venture, Drifter, Don Fernando, Seedy Jeezus and TTTDC. 2013 has been a massive year including the release of the debut Desert Highways 7″ with friends all being a part of its release, Chainsaw Hookers, Electric Frankenstein, Ben Brown and Mr Frumpy.
The below 10 –> 1 list is from my HEAVY Magazine Staff Top 10 Albums for 2013 List, under that I had to add some more as it’s just so hard to narrow things down! Check out the HEAVY link for some more kick arse lists. Some amazing releases amongst them!
Top 10 Releases for 2013.
 10. Queens Of The Stone Age – …Like Clockwork (Matador / Rekords Rekords)Sixth studio album from Josh Homme’s band of gypsies. Includes Brody Dalle, Nick Oliveri, Dave Grohl, Mark Lanegan, Trent Reznor and unfortunately part way through the recording, the departure of drummer Joey Castillo. |
 9. Scorpion Child – Self Titled (Nuclear Blast)Some of the best head banging 70’s inspired metal hooks you’ll ever hear! |
 8. Kadavar – Abra Kadavar (Nuclear Blast)They get my vote for best head and facial hair combo of 2013 plus their music kicks arse! |
 7. Tumbleweed – Sounds From The Other Side (Shock)The return of the Aussie fuzz legends! Still at the top of their game in the studio and on stage! |
 6. Adalita – All Day Venus (Liberation)Magic Dirt singer / guitarist’s second full length album of pure raw emotion. Such a talented song writer and musician, again she opens up her heart and bares her soul. Stunning. |
 5. Blues Pills – Devil Man (Nuclear Blast)Classic rock and blues vibe delivered with absolute perfection. All extremely talented musicians. Elin’s voice is incredible and Dorian is one of the greatest guitarists I have ever witnessed & he’s only19!! The new Led Zeppelin for me! |
 4. Captives – Self Titled EP (Self released)Explosive with attitude, solid hooks and absolutely loads of guts. These guys came out of nowhere for me recently and impressed the hell out of me! |
 3. Whores – Clean (Brutal Panda Records)The only reason that this isn’t #1 is because High Tension are unbeaten live (although I haven’t seen Whores) and BRUCE are just so goddamn good looking! This release is exploding with noise, Boeing size riffs and so much chunk you need dynamite to cut through it. You better buy two copies of this 12″ because you are definitely going to wear one out! |
 2. BRUCE – Self Titled’90s fuzz laden head banging pub rock at its best! They are also equal first with The Hives for best matching band uniforms in 2013. |
 1. High Tension – Death Beat (Cooking Vinyl)Brutal, frenzied, emotional, driving and ferocious. This band is beyond powerful. They deserve to be on The Simpsons, you know, so they know they’ve made it. |
High Tension rocked in the number one spot for consistency in the songs they release as well as their live performances. The energy, passion and ferocity is second to none. BRUCE’s album is ok, but seriously, have I mentioned that they’re bloody handsome buggers in their matching band uniforms! I can’t wait to see the look on Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist’s face when The Hives tour early 2014, their outfits have nothing on BRUCE! Whores and Captives are both in their for pretty much the same reasons as High Tension, both releases are explosive and full of emotion, extremely hard to beat and both currently being played every day! Blues Pills and Kadavar backed up their sensational releases with a double header tour that was just as mind blowing! Adalita released her second full length that once again saw her open up and bare her soul, absolutely stunning. 2013 saw the return to earth of the legendary Tumbleweed. They picked up exactly where they left off with perfectly crafted songs, kick arse guitars and just enough acid in the sound to keep you smiling for weeks. As mentioning Scorpion Child have some of the best head banging 70’s inspired metal hooks you’ll ever hear! There are so many releases that I wanted to include and it hurts to leave them out but one that definitely had to make it is QOTSA. Josh Homme’s band of gypsies again deliver blending both darkness and not so subtle showing off with how many legends can fit on one album.
• Best Aussie release: High Tension – Death Beat (Cooking Vinyl)
• Best International release: Whores – Clean (Brutal Panda) and Blues Pills – Devil Man (Nuclear Blast) was kickin down their door too!
• Best newcomer: High Tension
• Best live show of 2013: High Tension album launch, Blues Pills / Kadavar x 4 Melbourne gigs, Down On The Farm (Cosmic Psychos, Tumbleweed, Meanies, Money For Rope, Sun God Replica, The Pretty Littles, Tub ‘O’ Vas), Earthless, Kyuss Lives / Orange Goblin / Red Fang, Reignwolf, Kvelertak, KISS.
• Best Festivals: Brewtality, Down On The Farm, Cherry Rock / Cherry Fest.
• Biggest disappointment: No one buying me a surprise ticket for Desert Fest.
• Some of our favourite labels: Heavy Psych Sounds, Lay Bare Recordings, Tym Records, Bilocation, Kozmik Artifactz, Brutal Panda, Small Stone, Who Can You Trust?, Record Collection, Relapse, Sulatron, Rise Above, Joyful Noise,
• Favourite Tour Promoter: Heathen Skulls (Blues Pills, Kadavar, Earthless, Unida & loads more)
• Favourite Photographers: Adam Russ – Right Eye Media Australia, Jay Hynes, Carbie Warbie, John Raptis.
• Notable releases well worth mentioning:
– Fister – Gemini (Pissfork Anticulture)
– Earthless – From The Ages (Tee Pee Records)
– Kadavar / Aqua Nebula Oscillator Split LP (This Charming Man Records)
– Mother Mars – Steam Machine Museum (Pepper Shaker Records)
– The Devil Rides Out – Ugly Creatures EP
– The Ultra Electric Mega Galactic – Self Titled
– King Of The North – Sound The Underground
– Elvis Deluxe – The Story So Far (Metal Mind Records)
– Inedia – Life Sucks, Then You Die
– River Of Snakes – Aurora
– Huntress – Starbound Beast (Napalm Records)
– Komatsu – Manu Armata (Suburban Records)
– Long Holiday – Greetings From…
– Kvelertak – Meir (Roadrunner Records)
– Red Fang – Whales And Leeches (Relapse Records)
– Orchid – The Mouths Of Madness (Nuclear Blast)
– Vista Chino – Peace (Napalm Records)
– Dumb Numbers – Self Titled (Joyful Noise Recordings)
– Beastwars – Blood Becomes Fire
So many I know I would have forgotten and so many more I should include like Batpiss, DEAD, Bits Of Shit, Violent Soho, I could go on all day!
Truckfighters – Desert Cruiser LIVE @ Cherry Rock013
Filmed by William Adam Russ – Right Eye Media Australia.