Melvinx Stoner Witch is a musical project that combines elements of stoner rock and doom metal with experimental and psychedelic influences. The project is the brainchild of Melvin Stoner, a musician and producer known for his unique sound and intense live performances. The origins of Melvinx Stoner Witch can be traced back to the late 2000s when Stoner began experimenting with different genres and styles of music. Drawing inspiration from bands like Black Sabbath, Kyuss, and Sleep, he sought to create a sound that would capture the heaviness and raw energy of stoner rock while exploring new sonic territories. The result was the birth of Melvinx Stoner Witch, a project that encompasses heavy riffs, crushing drums, and hypnotic melodies. The music is often characterized by its slow, sludgy pace, with songs stretching out to epic lengths.
“We went into it thinking we were going to do one record and it would all be over,” Osborne explained about their stint on Atlantic. That attitude pervades the band’s approach on these albums; nothing about them feels compromised. The Melvins have always sounded like The Melvins. With Houdini, Stoner Witch, and Stag they just did it on the largest scale possible.
There are absolute monster rock songs Queen, Sweet Willy Rollbar, Revolve, Roadbull mixed with experimental sludge Magic Pig Detective, Shevil, Lividity. Stoner Witch is The Melvins strongest album from their Atlantic days; it ups the production value listen to those drums on Roadbull while somehow maintaining cohesiveness through their straight-out rockers and weird explorations.
The music is often characterized by its slow, sludgy pace, with songs stretching out to epic lengths. Stoner's distinctive vocals, which range from haunting whispers to powerful wails, add an extra layer of intensity to the music. One of the defining features of Melvinx Stoner Witch's music is its experimental and psychedelic elements.
Melvins - "Houdini," "Stoner Witch," & "Stag" (Third Man Records Reissues) | Album Review
I discovered The Melvins back in college, about 10 or 11 years ago. After a few initial tries, I finally started responding to Houdini, and in particular, the song “Honey Bucket.” That song literally made my jaw drop. I remember hearing it for the first time and immediately playing it five more. One day, I was blasting it in my room and my roommate poked his head in the door, face amazed. “What is this?” he asked in awe. He had the same, dropped-jaw look that I had the first time I heard it. It was at that point that I began to know the power of King Buzzo, Dale Crover and their rotating cast of bass players.
Fans revere The Melvins for their longevity, consistency, and most importantly, their weirdness. Generally, there are no in-between opinions. You either don’t like them, or you absolutely love them. Meeting a fellow Melvins fan is like meeting someone from your hometown in a city across the country. You instantly bond and you instantly get it. Now, thanks to Third Man Records, the band’s long out-of-print major label albums are getting reissued.
I’m sure I’m not alone when I say Houdini was my gateway drug. Their major label debut for Atlantic Records, Houdini was released in 1993 during the much-talked about and subsequently maligned grunge-signing frenzy. It put them on the mainstream radar not only due to their high-profile gig on Atlantic, but also their big ups from Kurt Cobain (who “produced” some tracks on it and played guitar and drums on a couple others). It’s amazing to think of this record, with its innocent, 50s-style cover art, nonsensical lyrics, straight-faced KISS cover, and impossibly heavy tracks, sitting on the new music display next to albums by Candlebox and Tag Team.
The first sound you hear on Houdini is Crover’s bass drum/crash cymbal wallop. “Hooch” might be the perfect Melvins song: big, lumbering, off-kilter, and catchy. It’s even Beavis and Butthead-approved. (“These words rule.”) Besides “Hooch,” Houdini contains two of their other most enduring live staples, the aforementioned “Honey Bucket” and “Night Goat.” If you don’t listen to anything else by them, check out these three songs to see what The Melvins can do when they’re firing on all cylinders. The album ends with “Spread Eagle Beagle,” a 10-plus minute noise track of room-sound drums and strange, metallic plucking.
Stoner Witch doesn’t deviate, relatively, from the groundwork they laid on Houdini. There are absolute monster rock songs (“Queen,” “Sweet Willy Rollbar,” “Revolve,” “Roadbull”) mixed with experimental sludge (“Magic Pig Detective,” “Shevil,” “Lividity”). It’s one of the great rock ‘n’ crimes that “Revolve” isn’t played on classic rock radio alongside the grunge standards from that era. “At the Stake” might be their heaviest anthem since Bullhead’s “Boris.” Stoner Witch is The Melvins’ strongest album from their Atlantic days; it ups the production value (listen to those drums on “Roadbull”) while somehow maintaining cohesiveness through their straight-out rockers and weird explorations.
Speaking of weird explorations, Stag must have been the point where The Melvins knew they weren’t getting that extended-stay offer from Atlantic. It leads off with another enduring live staple, “The Bit,” which is as heavy and straightforward as they get on the album. “Bar-X-the Rocking M,” the other single from Stag, features a prominent trombone line and solo (courtesy of Dirty Walt from Fishbone), keyboard zaps, and even a goddamn turntable. It works somehow. Stag sounds like the band utilizing all of the instruments and studio trickery at its disposal for one last hurrah on Atlantic’s dollar. It’s got an honest-to-god indie/psych/pop song (“Black Bock”) and experimental organ track (“Soup”) bookending what has to be their approximation of hell in a song (the demonic and terrifying “Goggles”). Stag is a powerful and awesome album, but it’s not a great starting point for the uninitiated.
The reissues don’t have much in the way of bonus material; Houdini comes with the band’s cover of “Rocket Reducer No. 62 (Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa)” by the MC5 that has been floating around for a while. According to Third Man Records, each album was remastered from the original analog tapes.
“We went into it thinking we were going to do one record and it would all be over,” Osborne explained about their stint on Atlantic. That attitude pervades the band’s approach on these albums; nothing about them feels compromised. The Melvins have always sounded like The Melvins. With Houdini, Stoner Witch, and Stag they just did it on the largest scale possible.
Stoner incorporates a wide range of effects, synthesizers, and unconventional instrumentation to create atmospheric and otherworldly soundscapes. These elements, combined with the heavy and hypnotic grooves, give the music a sense of depth and unpredictability. Melvinx Stoner Witch has released several albums over the years, each one showcasing the evolution of Stoner's sound and vision. The albums often explore themes of darkness, spirituality, and the occult, reflecting his fascination with the mystical and esoteric. In addition to his recorded output, Stoner is also known for his captivating live performances. Melvinx Stoner Witch shows are known for their high energy and raw emotion, with Stoner and his band delivering powerful and immersive performances that leave audiences mesmerized. Overall, Melvinx Stoner Witch is a unique and innovative musical project that pushes the boundaries of stoner rock and doom metal. With its combination of heavy riffs, experimental elements, and intense live performances, it has carved out a distinctive place in the underground music scene..
Reviews for "The Benefits of Cannabis and Witchcraft: Insights from the Melvinx Stoner Witch Community"
1. Joe - 2/5 stars - I really wanted to like "Melvinx stoner witch" because I love stoner rock, but I was left disappointed. The album lacked the heaviness and catchy riffs I was expecting. The songs all blended together and there was a lack of memorable hooks. Overall, it fell flat for me and I wouldn't recommend it to other stoner rock fans.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - "Melvinx stoner witch" was a complete letdown. The vocals were unimpressive and the lyrics were nonsensical. The album lacked direction and didn't seem to have a cohesive sound. I couldn't connect with any of the songs, and ended up skipping through most of it. It's definitely not an album I will be revisiting.
3. Alex - 2/5 stars - As a fan of stoner rock, I was excited to give "Melvinx stoner witch" a listen, but unfortunately, it didn't measure up. The songs felt repetitive and lacked originality. There was no standout track that grabbed my attention. The production quality also left much to be desired. Overall, it was a forgettable album in a genre that usually delivers much stronger releases.
4. Emily - 3/5 stars - While "Melvinx stoner witch" had its moments, I found it to be underwhelming. The songwriting felt uninspired, and the album lacked any real energy. The track sequencing was also confusing, making it hard to fully immerse yourself in the music. While there were a few redeeming qualities, I wouldn't consider it a must-listen for fans of stoner rock.