Pittsburgh-based stoner/doom crew Horehound have an absolute crusher for your listening pleasure today. Holocene is the follow-up to their eponymously-titled 2016 debut and it showcases a quartet who have a strong understanding of the balance between light melody and crushing heaviness. Fuzzed-out, doomy riffs swallow the quiet intro of “The Kind” at about 1:30, and then Horehound are off to the races. Vocalist Shy Kennedy switches off between clean singing and a harsh growl, while her bandmates follow suit with their instruments.

Throughout the album, that diversity remains the key. Because they’re always moving (albeit slowly), Horehound don’t dig themselves into a rut and become just another stoner/doom band.

“Holocene is the real coming of Horehound,” the band say in a statement. “We had to shake some things up to get the sonancy we wanted and feel like we have arrived to that sound in Holocene. We are excited to share this with everyone and we are enthused to work with Doom Stew Records, as we feel akin to them as they are also growing within the great heavy underground. We go from here.”

Holocene by Horehound

Holocene hits the streets on November 30 via Doom Stew.