When it comes to Stoner Rock, Germany is best known for the Psychedelic end of the spectrum.
As the home of bands like Colour Haze, Swan Valley Heights, and My Sleeping Karma, Germany has always been a welcoming home for spacey jams and musical experimentation.
That’s why I was so excited to hear Giant Lungs.
A true German Stoner Rock band, Giant Lungs pulls more cues from Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age than Pink Floyd and The Doors.
You can practically feel the desert sand whipping against your face while listening to this rockin’ quartet on their self-titled debut album.
In fact, this is the type of album Monster Riff was originally created for: pure, unadulterated Stoner Rock with plenty of fuzz and groove.
About Giant Lungs
Giant Lungs was started in late 2022 in Augsburg, Germany. The band’s sound is a mix of Desert-infused Stoner Rock with a dash of Alt Rock songwriting and an injection of poetic lyrics.
Giant Lungs Album Review
Tracks: 7
Length: 34:14
Release Date: October 2023
Label: Transporta Records
Track 1 – Flying Lures
“Flying Lures” kicks the album off with a layer of drums and a growling guitar riff. As the song builds, the scorching desert sun pokes through, calling to mind bands like Fu Manchu or 1000mods. “Flying Lures” is also the first time we’ll hear elements of ’90s Alt Rock—especially in those vocals.
Track 2 – Girls With Fins
There’s plenty to love in “Girls With Fins.” That primary riff is a dramatic center piece, and its insertion throughout the song lays the foundation for the entire track.
Although this is a German band, you may hear textures and techniques from the Greek Stoner Rock scene—especially bands like Narcosis.
Of course, all of that goes out the window in the raw and powerful conclusion, which calls to mind bands like Helmet.
Track 3 – Aromatico
Running nearly four minutes, “Aromatico” isn’t exactly what we’d label a “short” song, but that upbeat riff and relentless percussion makes it feel like a quick track.
Track 4 – Shallow
You’ll hear plenty of Desert Rock goodness in “Shallow,” similar to bands like Queens of the Stone Age and Witchrider.
And while we’re talking Queens of the Stone Age, you’ll hear plenty of their influence in the guitar tones and vocal approach on “Shallow.”
For more, check out our list of bands that sound like Queens of the Stone Age!
Track 5 – Worms
“Worms” offers the bold, haunting, and dramatic delivery of early Queens of the Stone Age. In fact, it sounds like it could have appeared in the second half of Songs for the Deaf or somewhere on Rated R.
“Worms” is unsettling—but it’s also one of the more mature tracks from this entire album.
Check it out:
Track 6 – Ego
A frenetic track (especially after “Worms”), the pacing of “Ego” calls to mind catchy Alt/Stoner Rock bands like Godsleep.
Not surprisingly, the hooks in this song earned it single status ahead of the full album release.
Here’s the music video:
Track 7 – I Want You
“I Want You” builds off the same emotional maturity of “Worms.” And while the similarities to Queens of the Stone Age are once again immediately obvious (especially in those vocal melodies), I hear even more similarities to Troll Teeth.
Final Thoughts On Giant Lungs
Final Score: 8/10
Standout Tracks: “Ego” and “Shallow”
Pros: When you pull inspiration from Queens of the Stone Age, you risk comparisons to Queens of the Stone Age. And if you botch the sound, you botch your entire album.
Giants Lungs succeeds on all fronts. The tone is thick and fuzzy, the vocals are warm and inviting, and the percussion is tight and propulsive.
These guys might be from Germany, but they rock out like they’re from the California desert.
Cons: This is a strong debut with an excellent understanding of what makes a strong Stoner/Desert Rock album—but the Alt Rock infusion isn’t enough to make this record truly stand out.
The biggest problem: The lows aren’t low enough and the highs aren’t high enough, which means we’re riding an emotional middle ground for much of the album. The band tries to overcome this by concluding with “I Want You,” but it’s too late at that point.
If anything, “I Want You” would be better placed in the middle of the album as an emotional break.
Or, better yet: An acoustic track would have complimented this album perfectly.
Learn More About Giant Lungs
To learn more about Giant Lungs, check them out on Bandcamp, YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram.