I’ve been taken by the Colombian Stoner Rock scene lately.
When I first stumbled across Samán’s II. Montaña Roja, I was struck by its beauty. Sure, it was heavy, but it was also endlessly emotive—packed with gorgeous highs and lows (and this is coming from a guy who doesn’t understand a lick of Spanish).
I had to know more.
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve taken a deep dive into Colombian Rock and Metal, and I’ve managed to return to the surface with some of my new favorite Colombian Stoner Rock bands.
Listen with me!
Colombian Stoner Rock Bands To Know
Here are five Colombian Stoner Rock bands currently on the Monster Riff radar:
Samán
There’s really no getting around it: I’m a huge fan of II. Montaña Roja—I’ve even placed it on my shortlist for album of the year already (even if it only hit No. 20 on the August Doom Charts).
Just check out the album opener to get a sense of their sound:
There, you can hear many of their listed influences: Stoned Jesus, Elder, Kyuss, and Tool.
But II. Montaña Roja is even better appreciated when you compare it side-by-side with the band’s 2017 debut EP, La Caída Del Ancestro. That project was heavy, yes, but it relied more on its Heavy Metal influences instead of Psychedelic Rock melodies for extra dynamics. Just compare “Montaña Roja (parte uno)” (the song we played above) to the title track for La Caída Del Ancestro:
Check out Samán on Facebook.
Check out Samán on Instagram.
Check out Samán on Bandcamp.
Surtidora De Ratas
Surtidora De Ratas was recommended to me in the same week I tucked into II. Montaña Roja for the first time. As with Samán, I was captivated—but for a different reason.
The band’s 2020 instrumental album, Plegarias Para Embriagar Las Ánimas De Las Ratas, is a heavy Stoner Rock trip with dashes of Doom Metal and Psychedelic Rock added for extra flavor.
In one of our Saturday Music Suggestions, I recommended the album as a sort of Psychedelica Karma to Burn:
Listening again, I still stand by that. The band might not have the same Southern Rock influences, but they do have an undeniable heaviness and a knack for wrapping multiple earth-rattling riffs into the same song.
And that works out well. According to the Surtidora De Ratas Bandcamp page, the band is the soundtrack for their city’s (Bogota, Colombia) collective sins.
Check out Surtidora De Ratas on Facebook.
Check out Surtidora De Ratas on Instagram.
Check out Surtidora De Ratas on Bandcamp.
Red Sun Cult
By far the most eclectic band on this list, Red Sun Cult is known for drifting between bright, ethereal Pop Rock and heavy, riff-driven Stoner Rock.
To get a feel for their range, compare their song “No Tengo Idea de Nada” to “Tu Espalda, Mi Dios.”
“No Tengo Idea de Nada”
“Tu Espalda, Mi Dios”
But then you’ll also find entire albums, like 2021’s El Culto al Sol Rojo, that blend Stoner Rock with Synthwave Pop—a dramatic combination that may occasionally have you thinking of the eclectic sounds of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard.
The Cali, Colombia band prides itself on blending heavy riffs with electric instruments—and they’ve successfully pulled that off over the years.
Check out Red Sun Cult on Facebook.
Check out Red Sun Cult on Instagram.
Check out Red Sun Cult on Bandcamp.
Furia De Lobos
Furia De Lobos delivers delicious, down and dirty Stoner Rock. By pulling inspiration from genre heroes like Kyuss, Nebula, Astroqueen, and Dozer, the Manizales band offers up their own fuzzy, inviting take on Stoner Rock and Space Rock.
Albums like 2020’s Desierto Púrpura are simply fun. Even if you don’t understand the lyrics, there’s enough Desert Rock enthusiasm pulsing under those grooving riffs and shimmering guitar solos to pull you deep into the album’s soundscape.
Just check out “Desierto Púrpura” and try not to get sucked in:
Check out Furia De Lobos on Facebook.
Check out Furia De Lobos on Instagram.
Check out Furia De Lobos on Bandcamp.
Stoner Love
Don’t let that adorable name fool you. The band from Medellín is here to play slow and low, channeling Electric Wizard and Sleep through monumental depressing riffs and multi-layered vocal tracks that spill over themselves like cascading sorrows.
On 2019’s The Inaugural Collection, Stoner Love indulges in long, brutal jams with massively fuzzy riffs and pounding rhythm sections punctuated by terrifying vocals. The band could have just as aptly been called “Doom Love,” but the connection back to Black Sabbath and the Stoner community as a whole is still undeniable.
Check out Stoner Love on Facebook.
Check out Stoner Love on Instagram.
Check out Stoner Love on Bandcamp.
Stoner Rock Around the World
Of course, Stoner Rock goes well beyond Colombia. To learn more, check out our roundup of the best Stoner Rock bands around the world, or jump directly into one of these articles: