HIGH LEAF

Among the crucial bits of information here as regards nascent Philadelphia heavy rockers HIGH LEAF is that they prefer their moniker written in all-caps. Also that they have a new rhythm section, having brought in Brian Schmidt and Dean Welsh on bass and drums, respectively, at some recent temporal juncture. You might recall in Sept. 2022 they entered Retro City Studios in to record their debut offering with producer Joe Boldizar — whose Philly cred wants for nothing with the likes of The Age of Truth, Ruby the Hatchet and Ecstatic Vision on the CV, among others — and given the hint below toward an actual release for said full-length, I’m assuming it’s done. Introducing the lineup, I guess they kind of had to say something about it, if only to avoid the first and most obvious question they’d otherwise be asked. By me if no one else.

After reading the initial announcement guitarist Patrick Fiore sent over, I was curious to see if Schmidt and Welsh actually feature on the recording, or what the timing was on their arrival in the group, which wasn’t originally mentioned. I hit up Fiore and asked about putting the band together again. Turns out it’s the older lineup on the record, as the change didn’t happen until December. Fair enough. Seems like it was pretty smooth, as far as reformations go.

I didn’t ask, but I wonder too if there’s a label behind it as yet, or if one will be. HIGH LEAF have put a lot into a professional presentation for a band just getting started — even the shirts they sell on Bandcamp are full-color screens — and the feeling I get is they’re looking to catch as many ears and eyes as they can, make an impact. I’ve got my hopes up at this point that the music stands up to that when it arrives.

They’ll be at Maryland Doom Fest in June, which frankly would be enough for me to want to write about them even without any of the other stuff they have going on. JB doesn’t book BS.

Here’s their update:
After a short winter hibernation, Philadelphia Stoner Rock quartet HIGH LEAF (All Caps) has shaken off the frost to announce their NEW 2023 lineup and first shows of the year. You can also be on the lookout for information regarding the band’s debut album and single coming in the next few weeks!

Patrick Fiore on reforming the band/new members: “Losing half the band in December was kinda a shock to us. We weren’t really anticipating having to replace half of a band. We had just finished recording our debut album, and were in the process of shopping the record and getting positive responses back. Unfortunately, their departure kinda slowed everything down due to the uncertainty around the band. We were lucky that our long time friend Brian Schdmit’s (who we have known for about 10 years) band was breaking up so we asked him to join on bass. Brian then suggested his friend Dean Welsh to try out on drums for us, and Dean was an amazing fit. It really didn’t take long for us to gel. We even played a show with only four weeks of practice! We are really excited to have these guys on board and look forward to the music we will create together.”

As for the debut Album: ” Last September we recorded our debut album at Retro City Studios (Ruby the Hatchet, Age of Truth, Ecstatic Vision) with Joe Boldizar in Philadelphia, PA. We are really proud of the way the album came out, and look forward to sharing it with the world. We are planning a late spring/early summer release for the album, with a detailed announcement coming within the next two weeks.”

You can catch the band live at:
4/30/2023 @ The Union Firehouse- Mt. Holly, NJ with Sleep Signals, Silvertung, Sick Century
06/22/2023 @ The Maryland Doom Fest- Fredrick, Maryland

HIGH LEAF is
Patrick Fiore- Lead Guitar
Corey Presner- Vocals/Guitar
Brian Schmidt- Bass
Dean Welsh- Drums

https://www.facebook.com/HIGHLEAFBAND/
https://www.instagram.com/highleafband/
https://highleaf.bandcamp.com/
http://www.highleafband.com/ - The Obelisk

After a short winter hibernation, Philadelphia Stoner Rock quartet HIGH LEAF (All Caps) has shaken off the frost to announce their new 2023 lineup and first shows of the year. You can also be on the lookout for information regarding the band’s debut album and single coming in the next few weeks!

Patrick Fiore on reforming the band/new members: “Losing half the band in December was kinda a shock to us. We weren’t really anticipating having to replace half of a band. We had just finished recording our debut album, and were in the process of shopping the record and getting positive responses back. Unfortunately, their departure kinda slowed everything down due to the uncertainty around the band. We were lucky that our long time friend Brian Schdmit’s (who we have known for about 10 years) band was breaking up so we asked him to join on bass. Brian then suggested his friend Dean Welsh to try out on drums for us, and Dean was an amazing fit. It really didn’t take long for us to gel. We even played a show with only four weeks of practice! We are really excited to have these guys on board and look forward to the music we will create together.”

As for the debut Album: ”Last September we recorded our debut album at Retro City Studios (Ruby the Hatchet, Age of Truth, Ecstatic Vision) with Joe Boldizar in Philadelphia, PA. We are really proud of the way the album came out, and look forward to sharing it with the world. We are planning a late spring/early summer release for the album, with a detailed announcement coming within the next two weeks.”

You can catch the band live at:
4/30/2023 @ The Union Firehouse- Mt. Holly, NJ with Sleep Signals, Silvertung, Sick Century
06/22/2023 @ The Maryland Doom Fest- Fredrick, Maryland

Lineup:
Patrick Fiore / Lead Guitar
Corey Presner / Vocals and Guitar
Brian Schmidt / Bass
Dean Welsh / Drums - Progressive Rock Journal

After a short winter hibernation, Philadelphia Stoner Rock quartet HIGH LEAF (All Caps) has shaken off the frost to announce their NEW 2023 lineup and first shows of the year. You can also be on the lookout for information regarding the band's debut album and single coming in the next few weeks!


HIGH LEAF is

Patrick Fiore - Lead Guitar
Corey Presner - Vocals/Guitar
Brian Schmidt - Bass
Dean Welsh - Drums

You can catch the band live at:

04/30/2023 @ The Union Firehouse- Mt. Holly, NJ with Sleep Signals, Silvertung, Sick Century
06/22/2023 @ The Maryland Doom Fest- Fredrick, Maryland

Follow the band at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/highleafband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/highleafband
Bandcamp: www.highleaf.bandcamp.com - Steve Howe- Outlaws of The Sun

After a short winter hibernation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based stoner rock quartet High Leaf has shaken off the frost to announce their new 2023 lineup and first shows of the year. You can also be on the lookout for information regarding the band’s debut album and single coming in the next few weeks!

High Leaf headed into the studio last year to record their debut album at Retro City Studios with Joe Boldizar (The Age Of Truth, Ruby The Hatchet, Ecstatic Vision). The album was mastered in Los Angeles by Will Borza (Corrosion Of Conformity, Deftones, The Smashing Pumpkins) at Howie Weinberg Mastering.

High Leaf is:
Patrick Fiore – Lead Guitar
Corey Presner – Vocals/Guitar
Brian Schmidt – Bass
Dean Welsh – Drums

You can catch the band live at:
4/30/2023 @ The Union Firehouse – Mt. Holly, NJ w/ Sleep Signals, Silvertung, Sick Century
06/22/2023 @ The Maryland Doom Fest – Fredrick, Maryland

FFO: Kyuss, Down, Clutch, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, King Buffalo and Black Sabbath. - Doomed Nation

Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, stoner rock quartet HIGH LEAF (All capital letters) is truly an exhilarating and ambitious force to be reckoned with. Comprised of lead guitarist/songwriter Patrick "Riffslayer" Fiore, vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Corey James, bassist Matt Rib, and drummer Marc Lampasona, the group fuses a diverse array of influences and musical backgrounds into a refreshing and enticing sound all their own. With years of experience and plenty of creative chemistry at their feet, High Leaf is undoubtedly one of the best bands in the Philadelphia area and one of the top up-and-coming acts in their genre.
Although HIGH LEAF officially began in February 2022, Fiore and James have thrived as collaborators for several years. In fact, they first met in 2013 and spearheaded two prior bands (that, collectively, grew respectable fanbases in the area and earned accolades from local outlets such as 93.3 WMMR, 105.5 WDHA, 93.7 WSTW, and The Aquarian Magazine). The key to their partnership, Fiore surmises, is that they “both respect each other’s songwriting abilities. We each know that the other person will bring something awesome to the table.”

Indeed, they do, and with the additions of Rib and Lampasona, High Leaf is downright unstoppable. So, how did the rhythmic duo come to join the team? A mixture of proximity and proficiency. “We met Marc through a Craigslist ad, which—funnily enough—is also how I first met Corey,” Fiore reflects. “As for Matt, he’s from the same hometown as me: Vineland, NJ. Oddly enough, though, we hadn’t met until Matt reached out to me after seeing a Facebook post I made about looking for a new bassist.” Fortunately, it didn’t take long for James and Fiore to see that Rib and Lampasona were ideal for the jobs. “There was definitely an immediate connection at the audition. We knew right away that these were our guys,” Fiore gloats.
That synchronization is possible not only because of their artistic prowess but also because of their shared musical interests. For instance, James and Fiore are heavily into grunge, just as Fiore and Lampasona bond over stoner rock and heavy blues. Then, you have Rib’s penchant for progressive rock. Thus, they incorporate a wide range of 1970s – 1990s inspirations into their style, ranging from Tool, The Sword, and Clutch to Corrosion of Conformity and Queens of the Stone Age. Fiore specifies: “Records like Black Sabbath’s Masters of Reality, Down’s Nola, Kyuss’ Welcome to Sky Valley, and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger and Superunknown really motivated us.”

Obviously, the group is also stimulated by marijuana since virtually every aspect of their aesthetic relates to the herb. “High Leaf wasn’t the first name Corey and I threw out, but we ultimately felt that it best represented our sound and vision because we’re a stoner rock band. It’s pretty much just weed without saying weed,” Fiore explains. To his point, even the druid design that appears on their merchandise ties into that theme. Created by famed artist David Paul Seymour—who’s worked with many established metal acts and magazines, including Opeth, Slayer, Mastodon, Revolver, and Kerrang!—the image is set to accompany an upcoming song, “Vision Quest,” too. 

Although the quartet is new, that doesn’t mean that they’re taking things slowly. On the contrary, they’re working tirelessly to establish themselves as a stellar studio and live ensemble. Naturally, they’re deep into the making of their debut LP (which, among other things, will surely evoke shades of Stone Temple Pilots, Alice in Chains, and Motörhead), with plans to record it over the summer at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia. In addition, they practice together for a few hours each Sunday to get ready for any and all concert opportunities that come their way.
Case in point: HIGH LEAF’s introductory show with heavy rockers The Age of Truth and heavy psych troupe Book of Wyrms on May 13th at the legendary Khyber Pass Pub. Regarding how they came onto the bill, Fiore explains: “I reached out to Will Miller [bass/vocals] earlier this year and told him how much I dug The Age of Truth and thought that our bands would be a good fit to play together. Originally, they didn’t have any shows that we could jump on, but then I think that one band dropped off, so they contacted us to fill the slot. They’re a killer band, and this is a great chance for us to really push ourselves to be on our A-game.” Presented by DVT Entertainment, it’s certainly the perfect opportunity for HIGH LEAF to get their feet wet and grow their follower base on stage. 

Beyond that, High Leaf already offers two awesome t-shirt designs at their online store. “It’s important to try and set up your brand as quickly as possible, and we wanted to be ready for any opportunities that arose. We also had a good feeling that after people saw us play live, they would want to support us,” Fiore clarifies. 

In several ways, then, the quartet is all set to make 2022 their breakthrough year. They’ve got a killer look and sound firmly in place, with the tenacity and talent to do whatever it takes to become a permanent fixture in the stoner rock scene. “We want our work to generate the ideal mood for your smoke session or the motivation for your gym workout. After all, music can really set a vibe for a positive mindset that inevitably leads to positive outcomes,” Fiore specifies. Undoubtedly, HIGH LEAF will take you where you need to go.
 - Jordan Blum

High Leaf will hit Retro City Studios this week to record their debut album. If you’ve been seeing their name on Philadelphia show flyers for the last few months, well, me too. They don’t have any official audio yet, but have been kicking around the City of Brotherly Love and playing alongside familiar outfits like The Age of Truth and Cobra Whip, among others.

The four-piece — who apparently prefer their name in all-caps, which feels like a bigger ask somehow as two words: HIGH LEAF — head into the recording process very much as a ‘new band,’ but the underlying reality is, as usual, more complex. Guitarist Patrick Fiore and vocalist/guitarist Corey Presner have been in bands together for at least over a decade, working in Plantation — a moniker rightly discarded — and Distorted Sun, who released their debut full-length, Under a Burning Sky, in 2017. Joined by bassist Matt Rib and drummer Marc Lampasona, the pair will oversee the release of High Leaf‘s first offering in 2023 through an as-yet-undetermined/unannounced label.

They sent the following word down the PR wire and you can get a feel for some of their sway in the full-set clip below filmed at the Khyber Pass in Philly this May. Have to think at least some of what’s there will be on the album being recorded, if not all of it.

PRESS RELEASE

Philadelphia Stoner Rock band HIGH LEAF (All Caps) are heading into the studio this week to record their debut album at Retro City Studios with Joe Boldizar (The Age of Truth, Ruby The Hatchet, Ecstatic Vision). The album will be mastered in Los Angeles by Will Borza (Corrosion of Conformity, Deftones, The Smashing Pumpkins) at Howie Weinberg Mastering.

The album will be a full length LP and available on vinyl and digitally 2nd Quarter 2023. More details will be released in the future months.

Follow the band on instagram and facebook at the tag @highleafband.

HIGH LEAF IS:
Patrick Fiore – Lead Guitar
Corey Presner – Vocals/Guitar
Marc Lampasona – Drums
Matt Rib – Bass - The Obelisk

It’s a big ‘un. And if you’re like me, there are a couple names that stick out from the poster below, particularly Earthride and The Skull. Both are tribute sets, of course. The Skull frontman Eric Wagner passed away in 2021 after complications from a covid-19 infection and the loss of Earthride‘s Dave Sherman just a couple months ago continues to be keenly felt in and beyond the confines of the scene he called home. Karl Agell (ex-C.O.C.) will step in for The Skull, while Scott Angelacos of Hollow Leg is set to front a rotating cast of players for Earthride. You would be hard-pressed to find a more fitting occasion for honoring one’s own, except perhaps this gig in a couple weeks.

Plenty of familiar, returning acts as well as newcomers. Hippie Death Cult and will travel from the Pacific Northwest, Switchblade Jesus and Doomstress make an appearance (not the first for either) from Texas, and Red Mesa come straight out of the capital-‘desert’ Desert. Meanwhile, Faith in Jane, Black Lung, Bloodshot, Mangog, Mythosphere, Thonian Horde, Spiral Grave and plenty of others represent the Maryland home team, High Leaf and Thunderbird Divine trip down from Philly, Curse the Son (CT) and Guhts (NY) come from farther north, Hollow Leg make the trip out from Florida, and Lo-Pan, Doctor Smoke and Brimstone Coven head over from the Midwest. That’s just off the top of my head. I’m not sure there’s ever been a MDDF pulling so many bands from different parts of the country, though of course international bands have featured in the past as well.

There are always some shakeup between the first announcement and the final lineup, but so far so good here. Any way it works out, Maryland Doom Fest has nothing to prove at this point. Guaranteed banger.

Here’s the poster (oy) and the lineup, the latter in alphabetical order:
Above the Treachery, Akris, Black Lung, Bloodshot, Bonded by Darkness, Borracho, Brimstone Coven, Cobra Whip, Conclave, Crowhunter, Curse the Son, DeathCAVE, Doctor Smoke, Doomstress, Double Planet, Dust Prophet, Earthride, Faith in Jane, False Gods, Flummox, Fox 45, Future Projektor, Gallowglas, Grim Reefer, Guhts, Helgamite, High Leaf, Hippie Death Cult, Hog, Hollow Leg, Hot Ram, Las Cruces, Leather Lung, Lo-Pan, Mangog, Mythosphere, Orodruin, Red Mesa, Severed Satellites, Shadow Witch, Smoke the Light, Spiral Grave, Switchblade Jesus, The Skull, Thonian Horde, Thousand Vision Mist, Thunderbird Divine, Unity Reggae, VRSA, Weed Coughin, Wizzerd - JJ Koczan- theobelisk.net

t was only like a week and a half ago that Philadelphia heavy rockers HIGH LEAF announced their new lineup, but they warned then that word of their debut album was impending, and here we are. The record in question is called Vision Quest, and, well, I hope it’s good because at this point I’ve posted about the band three times with nothing more to go on as regards their sound than the video you can see below at the bottom of this post (as well as the other two). I haven’t heard any of it yet, and have basically been going based on that clip and the clear professionalism with which they present themselves, at least as far the genre goes.

That is to say, they’re not wearing suits and talking about the quarter’s profits, but for a band following where the riffs go, their beginning hasn’t been subject to the same stumbling sensibilities of so many others getting their collective shit together. To wit, three press releases and no audio yet. I hear tell that’s about to change, at least as they start sending out review downloads of the album, once again called Vision Quest.

Fair enough. I guess if I hear it and it’s terrible or not a fit at all or whatever, you’ll know because I won’t post about them again, but I’ve got a decent feeling going into it and my hopes are up, come what may. May 5, to be precise.

The wait is FINALLY over! HIGH LEAF (ALL CAPS) will be self-releasing their debut album “Vision Quest” on Riffslayer Records Friday, May 5th. It will be available on all digital platforms, and also on CD. You can pre save the album on Spotify here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/highleaf/vision-quest

Recorded last September (with their original lineup) at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia with Joe Boldizar (Ruby the Hatchet, Age Of Truth, Ecstatic Vision) over 5 days, the band worked tirelessly to capture the unique essence of each song.

The Mixes were engineered by Patrick Fiore (HIGH LEAF) and Joe Boldizar at Retro City Studios over the course of a month. The album was mastered by 4x Grammy Award Winner Will Borza (Deftones, 30 Seconds to Mars, ZZ Top) at Borza Mastering in California.

The band will also be having an Album Release show on June 3rd at Silk City in Philadelphia, PA. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/4521556/high-leaf-philadelphia-silk-city in advance for $12.

Vision Quest Track List:
1. Green Rider
2. Vision Quest
3. Subversive
4. Dead Eye
5. Hard to Find
6. Painted Desert
7. March to The Grave
8. The Rot

You can catch the band live at:
04/21/2023 @ The Depot- Baltimore with Indus Valley Kings
04/29/2023 @ The Long Island Sludge, Doom and Metal Fest
04/30/2023 @ The Union Firehouse- Mt. Holly, NJ with Sleep Signals, Silvertung, Sick Century
05/05/2023 @ The Gem- Spring City, PA
06/03/2023 @ Silk City, Philadelphia, PA. (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW) w/ Ritual Earth & Thunderbird Divine
06/22/2023 @ The Maryland Doom Fest- Fredrick, Maryland

HIGH LEAF on this recording:
Patrick Fiore – Lead Guitar
Corey Presner – Vocals/Guitar
Marc Lampasona – Drums
Matt Rib – Bass

HIGH LEAF is:
Patrick Fiore- Lead Guitar
Corey Presner- Vocals/Guitar
Brian Schmidt- Bass
Dean Welsh- Drums

https://www.facebook.com/HIGHLEAFBAND/
https://www.instagram.com/highleafband/
https://highleaf.bandcamp.com/
http://www.highleafband.com/ - The Obelisk

The wait is FINALLY over! HIGH LEAF will be self-releasing their debut album “Vision Quest” on Riffslayer Records Friday, May 5th. It will be available on all digital platforms, and also on CD.

You can pre save the album on Spotify here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/highleaf/vision-quest

Recorded last September (with their original lineup) at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia with Joe Boldizar (Ruby the Hatchet, Age Of Truth, Ecstatic Vision) over 5 days, the band worked tirelessly to capture the unique essence of each song.


The Mixes were engineered by Patrick Fiore (HIGH LEAF) and Joe Boldizar at Retro City Studios over the course of a month.

The album was mastered by 4x Grammy Award Winner Will Borza (Deftones, 30 Seconds to Mars, ZZ Top) at Borza Mastering in California.

The band will also be having an Album Release show on June 3rd at Silk City in Philadelphia, PA. Tickets can be purchased at https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/4521556/high-leaf-philadelphia-silk-city in advance for $12.

Vision Quest Track List:

Green Rider
Vision Quest
Subversive
Dead Eye
Hard to Find
Painted Desert
March to The Grave
The Rot

HIGH LEAF is

Patrick Fiore- Lead Guitar
Corey Presner- Vocals/Guitar
Brian Schmidt- Bass
Dean Welsh- Drums

You can catch the band live at:

04/21/2023 @ The Depot- Baltimore with Indus Valley Kings
04/29/2023 @ The Long Island Sludge, Doom and Metal Fest
04/30/2023 @ The Union Firehouse- Mt. Holly, NJ with Sleep Signals, Silvertung, Sick Century
05/05/2023 @ The Gem- Spring City, PA
06/03/2023 @ Silk City, Philadelphia, PA. (ALBUM RELEASE SHOW) w/ Ritual Earth & Thunderbird Divine
06/22/2023 @ The Maryland Doom Fest- Fredrick, Maryland

Follow the band at:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/highleafband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/highleafband
Bandcamp: www.highleaf.bandcamp.com
Spotify Pre-Save: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/highleaf/vision-quest
Offical Website: www.highleafband.com
Record Label: www.riffslayerrecords.com - Outlwas of The Sun

The Philadelphia stoner merchants in HIGH LEAF are preparing to drop their debut album on May 5th! The band, whose lineup consists of lead guitarist Patrick Fiore, Corey Presner on vocals and guitar, bassist Brian Schmidt, and drummer Dean Welsh, have created eight tracks that are influenced by grunge, stoner metal/rock, heavy psych, etc. These songs have all of the traits that are commonplace in the genre while still offering up something that feels fresh and exciting, yet familiar as well. That album is called ‘Vision Quest’ (2023), and it is the reason we’ve gathered here today.

Their first single ever is “Green Rider”, opening the proceedings with a big bong hit followed by a long exhale. The fuzz factor of that first riff may make you think of a hazy, smoke filled room containing four stoners creating music for other stoners. There’s an obvious Sleep influence going on, though with a vocal approach that is varied and incredible. Corey has bits and pieces of his influences that come through in his vocals, but he turns them into his own style without mimicking any of them.

“Vision Quest” sees High Leaf delving into their more psychedelic side for a great majority of the song, fortifying it with bluesy stoner sections, a Pink Floyd-esque feel, and ending the track with a grungy stoner metal vibe that features vocals influenced by the legendary singers that came to prominence in the '90s.

“Subversive” has a vocal style that will appeal to fans of Alice in Chains and Soundgarden, while the music pulls from both stoner and grunge genres. This is a powerful track that is packed with beefy riffs, and a solid rhythmic backbone. It is one of, if not the best song on Vision Quest, so anyone with an ear for this genre will absolutely love what High Leaf laid down here!

“Dead Eye” marks the halfway point of Vision Quest, steamrolling its way in with a fat sounding riff that is superb! As with the other tracks, this features more of Corey’s excellent vocals, and the ultra thick riffs that are a staple of the High Leaf sound. It’s not the best song on this record, but isn’t weak in any way either.

“Hard to Find” continues on with the high quality music that the first half of the record displayed, with the difference being that there is a hard rock vibe that harkens back to the '80s and '90s. Corey also brings in an even more diverse display of his talents, and while this isn’t my favorite track, it is my favorite performance of his. Pat pulls off a perfect lead on this track too, it’s completely suited to the song and shows that he’s got the chops needed to create memorable solos.

“Painted Desert” begins by briefly showcasing the drum and bass skills of Brian and Dean before the guitars enter. There’s a serious Layne Staley meets Scott Weiland sound within the vocals, while the music is the stonerized version of Pearl Jam-esque grunge that you didn’t know you needed, but will want more of after you get it. It’s a quick track that’s absolutely killer from beginning to end.

“March to the Grave” and “The Rot” are the final tracks on Vision Quest, and they both have all of the elements that High Leaf has given listeners since the “Green Rider” single started playing. Of the two I found that I prefer “The Rot,” it’s a bit more diverse sounding musically and vocally, but both songs are excellent examples of what this band can do.

Vision Quest is a stunning debut record in every way. These Philly stoner diehards are as talented as their music exhibits, and are sure to win over even the most stubborn music fan with their take on the genre. This simply means that you will find something to love even if you aren’t totally sold on stoner music, as the fuzzed out riffs will work their way into your subconscious and refuse to leave. So head to Spotify to check out their lead off single as you wait for it to become available on Bandcamp. Enjoy!
-Tom Hanno - Doomed and Stoned

Release Date: May 05th 2023. Record Label: Riff Slayer Records. Formats: CD/DD

Vision Quest: Tracklisting

Green Rider

Vision Quest

Subversive

Dead Eye

Hard To Find

Painted Desert

March To The Grave

The Rot

Members

Patrick Fiore - Lead Guitar

Corey Presner - Vocals/Guitar

Brian Schmidt - Bass

Dean Welsh - Drums

Review

Doom/Stoner Metallers HIGH LEAF is powered by the mighty WEED with the band even named after the damn thing. Let's take cue of their musical influences. Black Sabbath, SLEEP, Electric Wizard and Monster Magnet. Yeah, the gang's all here where influences are concerned. What makes HIGH LEAF standout is their use of Classic Rock, Prog Rock, Space Rock and even a killer Grunge vibe appears multiple times on the album.

There's a subtle "Post-Stoner" or "Post-Doom" drive that can be heard on the early stages of the album, especially the stunning opening tracks of Green Rider and Vision Quest. HIGH LEAF explores the familiar WEEDIAN sounds but injected with a more world-weary Psychedelic flavour. Both tracks have a Blues based Psychedelic Druggy attitude with an OM-esque down-tuned quality to the music. The vocals on Green Rider is a winning style with a sense of emotion and realism to them despite the drugged out subject matter.

HIGH LEAF still plays the high standard of WEEDIAN grooves we expect from the underground scene. Though, HIGH LEAF plays a more nuanced style of music on VIsion Quest which allows the band to play some of the finest and mellowest sounds on the album. Quite progressive in places which allows the band the perfect opportunity to show off their impressive musical skills. Vision Quest does become a heavier sludgy beast with the grunge-esque lyrics adding a more bleak hallucinogenic effect.

Third track Subversive has a WEEDEATER/BONGZILLA flow to the track with a more direct style. The vocals remain clean and the Blues Rock aspect allows HIGH LEAF to play a subtle mix of classic and modern day Doomed Out Stoner Grooves and heavy distorted Sludgy atmospherics changing into some mighty fine extended instrumental jams.

Fourth track Dead Eye is another Blues based Doom Metal offering with an electric FUZZ and AMPLIFIER WORSHIP style of music. The lyrics are inspired by the Seventies Classic Hard Rock era especially with the more funky parts which lead vocalist Corey sings with complete gusto. The second half of the song is full of heavy pounding guitar solos yet again which has a soulful Sludge/Stoner based movement.

HIGH LEAF continue to play their winning style of WEEDIAN Metal that does continue with an aggressive slant with both the vocals and lyrics the band have written for tracks such as Hard To Find, Painted Desert and March To The Grave. The lyrics are perhaps more DOOM based and leaves the Stoner aspect behind for a harsher style of music. However, everything works surprisingly well with HIGH LEAF laying down first rate grooves to the finishing line.

Vision Quest has a multitude of different styles of Doom/Stoner Metal to entertain listeners with. Backed up by first rate production values, HIGH LEAF have delivered the goods with Vision Quest. Full of passionate vocals, intelligent lyrics and epic grooves, this allows HIGH LEAF to go out ALL BONG's BLAZING.


Vision Quest is the complete WEEDIAN package for HIGH LEAF to impress the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene with.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to HIGH LEAF for the promo.

Vision Quest will be available to buy on CD/DD from May 05th 2023 via Riff Slayer Records.

Links

Facebook: www.facebook.com/highleafband
Instagram: www.instagram.com/highleafband
Bandcamp: www.highleaf.bandcamp.com
Spotify Pre-Save: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/highleaf/vision-quest
Offical Website: www.highleafband.com
Record Label: www.riffslayerrecords.com - Outlaws of The Sun