Photo by Katrina Vella
It kind of feels like Hemplifier have done all the heavy lifting for me as far as introducing the band and their debut full-length album, The Stoner Side of the Doom. Having read this far, is there any question as to what this Maltese (as in, from the tiny island country of Malta) trio—Emanuel Portelli (vocals/guitars), Bażaż (bass), Dino Mifsud Lepre (drums)—sounds like? “Hemp” in the name? Check. “Stoner” and “Doom” in the album title? Check and check. All signs point to stoner doom. But don’t take our (or their) word for it. Get an earful of the entire six-song bruiser at the link below.
The Stoner Side of the Doom was recorded live at Cornerhouse Studios in Malta in September 2021. It was produced, mixed and mastered by Daniel Bezzina. It’s set for release June 2 on vinyl and digitally via Electric Valley Records. Place your preorder here.
Here’s what the band had to say about its debut full-length:
“The Stoner Side of the Doom is a trip to the moon and back, traveling on one’s imaginary space-craft, created by the inhalation of fumes, traveling through time, the dark (matter), the supernatural and occult but especially traveling through one’s own mind trip where robots from the ‘50s come over to your own world to ‘settle it’ and hopefully make everyone live in peace… perhaps on each one’s own cloud respectively!”
