All That Is Heavy
Encyclopedia
All That is Heavy is an online music store based in Idaho
and founded in 1997. It is the first online record store dedicated exclusively to the genres of stoner rock
, doom
, sludge
, drone
and psych. All That is Heavy owns and operates MeteorCity Records, which was instrumental in the growth of the late 1990s stoner rock scene. Distributed labels, besides their in-house MeteorCity Records, include Tee Pee, Volcom Entertainment
, Small Stone Records
, Rise Above Records
, and others. The store was operated by the now defunct StonerRock.com from 2001 to 2010, and is currently owned by Dan and Melanie Beland.
. Its first incarnation was an online store selling hard-to-find releases by stoner rock
bands Kyuss
, Monster Magnet
, and Fu Manchu
. They soon expanded the catalog to include artists that stylistically fit with the first three bands.
After running the online store for about half a year, they were contacted by the former proprietor for the first Kyuss
fan website. He recommended MeteorCity do a compilation of unsigned bands that Kyuss fans would enjoy. MeteorCity Records was formed, and the result of the suggestion was the compilation Welcome to MeteorCity, which was released in May of that year. The compilation included both established desert and stoner rock acts, including new bands established by John Garcia
of Kyuss
(now in Unida
), Ed Mundell
of Monster Magnet
, and Pete Stahl. The album was the first time that the bands Sixty Watt Shaman
, Lowrider
, The Atomic Bitchwax
, Dozer
, Goatsnake
, Drag Pack, and Los Natas
were heard on a record. The record label and store both increased in popularity after the release. Around this time a MeteorCity intern purportedly coined the term desert rock
to describe the burgeoning genre, which is still used interchangeably with the more known descriptor "stoner rock".
, doom
, sludge
, drone
and psych. MeteorCity in turn began to focus more on the label. All That's Heavy was officially sold to Dan and Melanie Beland of StonerRock.com on May 15, 2004, and renamed All That is Heavy. In 2007, Shickler and Emmel sold MeteorCity Records to the Belands as well. MeteorCity moved to Tendoy, Idaho
, and in 2010 StonerRock.com was taken offline, and MeteorCity Records became the official label for All That is Heavy.
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and founded in 1997. It is the first online record store dedicated exclusively to the genres of stoner rock
Stoner rock
Stoner rock or stoner metal is a subgenre of heavy metal, combining elements of psychedelic rock, blues rock, traditional heavy metal and doom metal. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo and features a bass-heavy sound, melodic vocals, and 'retro' production...
, doom
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
, sludge
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
, drone
Drone metal
Drone metal is a style of heavy metal that melds the slow tempos and heaviness of doom metal with the long-duration tones of drone music...
and psych. All That is Heavy owns and operates MeteorCity Records, which was instrumental in the growth of the late 1990s stoner rock scene. Distributed labels, besides their in-house MeteorCity Records, include Tee Pee, Volcom Entertainment
Volcom Entertainment
Volcom Entertainment, officially founded in 1995, in Newport Beach, California, and currently based in Costa Mesa, CA is the brainchild of Volcom founder Richard Woolcott and theLINE's singer/guitarist Ryan Immegart. Ryan being Volcom's first sponsored snowboarder and having a love for music...
, Small Stone Records
Small Stone Records
Small Stone Records is an American record label based in Detroit, MI. It was founded in 1995 by Scott Hamilton and is a self-dubbed "heavy rock" label...
, Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records
Rise Above Records is a London, England based independent record label owned by Lee Dorrian . It is named after a Napalm Death song from their EP Mentally Murdered. It was formed in the late 1980s and originally made to sell live releases by Napalm Death and S.O.B., but by 1991 had changed to cater...
, and others. The store was operated by the now defunct StonerRock.com from 2001 to 2010, and is currently owned by Dan and Melanie Beland.
History
All That's Heavy was founded in September of 1997 by Jadd Shickler (of band Spiritu) and Aaron Emmel in Albuquerque, New MexicoAlbuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
. Its first incarnation was an online store selling hard-to-find releases by stoner rock
Stoner rock
Stoner rock or stoner metal is a subgenre of heavy metal, combining elements of psychedelic rock, blues rock, traditional heavy metal and doom metal. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo and features a bass-heavy sound, melodic vocals, and 'retro' production...
bands Kyuss
Kyuss
Kyuss is a rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 with...
, Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet is an American stoner rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf , John McBain and Tim Cronin...
, and Fu Manchu
Fu Manchu (band)
Fu Manchu is a Southern Californian stoner rock band, who released their debut single "Kept Between Trees" in 1990. They have been featured on compilations put together by Tony Hawk and ESPN's X Games, and invited to perform on the US television program Monster Garage...
. They soon expanded the catalog to include artists that stylistically fit with the first three bands.
After running the online store for about half a year, they were contacted by the former proprietor for the first Kyuss
Kyuss
Kyuss is a rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 with...
fan website. He recommended MeteorCity do a compilation of unsigned bands that Kyuss fans would enjoy. MeteorCity Records was formed, and the result of the suggestion was the compilation Welcome to MeteorCity, which was released in May of that year. The compilation included both established desert and stoner rock acts, including new bands established by John Garcia
John Garcia (singer)
John Garcia is a vocalist who has been a member of Kyuss, Slo Burn, Unida and Hermano. His vocals have become synonymous with modern stoner rock and the desert rock sound.-Kyuss:...
of Kyuss
Kyuss
Kyuss is a rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 with...
(now in Unida
Unida
Unida was an American stoner rock band that was formed after the dissolution of Kyuss and Slo Burn. The band originally consisted of John Garcia , Arthur Seay , Miguel Cancino and Dave Dinsmore . Dinsmore was later replaced by Scott Reeder, who was in turn replaced by Eddie Plascencia...
), Ed Mundell
Ed Mundell
Ed Mundell is a rock guitarist most notable for his work with stoner rock group Monster Magnet from 1992 to 2010. In 2011, it was announced that Mundell had formed a new project, 9 Chambers, with Greg Hampton , Jorgen Carlsson , and drummer Vinny Appice .-Bio:Mundell grew up in New Jersey and is a...
of Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet is an American stoner rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf , John McBain and Tim Cronin...
, and Pete Stahl. The album was the first time that the bands Sixty Watt Shaman
Sixty Watt Shaman
Sixty Watt Shaman is an American heavy metal band originally based out of Baltimore, Maryland. The genre of music they are often associated with is stoner rock or stoner metal. They formed in 1996 and recorded and released their first studio album in 1998. The band last recorded in 2002 and last...
, Lowrider
Lowrider (band)
Lowrider is a Swedish stoner rock band, formed in the mid-1990s by bassist/singer Peder Bergstrand and lead guitarist/singer Ole Hellquist, along with guitarist Niclas Stalfors and drummer Andreas Eriksson....
, The Atomic Bitchwax
The Atomic Bitchwax
The Atomic Bitchwax is a stoner rock band started in 1992 in New Jersey. It started as essentially a "super band" of key members of the notable stoner rock and doom metal bands Godspeed, Monster Magnet, and Core.-History:...
, Dozer
Dozer
Dozer is a stoner rock band from Sweden.- Early years :Dozer was formed in Borlänge, Sweden in 1995, playing local youth centres and supporting any bands that came to their hometown. In 1998 the band recorded a Split EP with the American band Unida...
, Goatsnake
Goatsnake
-Biography:Goatsnake was formed in 1996 after the disbanding of The Obsessed. After The Obsessed's disbanding, the rhythm section consisting of Guy Pinhas on bass and Greg Rogers on drums began jamming with guitarist Greg Anderson )))...
, Drag Pack, and Los Natas
Los Natas
Los Natas or Natas is an Argentinian stoner rock band. In their latest releases they have been steering away from the genre and leaning towards a more experimental sound coined by them as free rock.-Band:...
were heard on a record. The record label and store both increased in popularity after the release. Around this time a MeteorCity intern purportedly coined the term desert rock
Palm Desert Scene
The Palm Desert Scene is a group of closely related bands and musicians from Palm Desert in Southern California. Their hard rock sound – which is often described as desert rock – contains elements of psychedelia, blues, Heavy metal and other genres, such as hardcore, as well as...
to describe the burgeoning genre, which is still used interchangeably with the more known descriptor "stoner rock".
Change of ownership
As the scene continued to develop, the popular website StonerRock.com was launched by Dan Beland in 1999. The website became a central community hub for heavy music artists and fans, and frequently featured reviews and interviews with stoner rock musicians. In March of 2001, MeteorCity licensed StonerRock.com to take over management and operations of All That's Heavy. All That's Heavy's catalog grew to become the largest online store of stoner rockStoner rock
Stoner rock or stoner metal is a subgenre of heavy metal, combining elements of psychedelic rock, blues rock, traditional heavy metal and doom metal. Stoner rock is typically slow-to-mid tempo and features a bass-heavy sound, melodic vocals, and 'retro' production...
, doom
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
, sludge
Sludge metal
Sludge metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that melds elements of doom metal and hardcore punk, and sometimes incorporates influences from southern rock, stoner rock and grunge. Sludge metal is typically abrasive; often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting...
, drone
Drone metal
Drone metal is a style of heavy metal that melds the slow tempos and heaviness of doom metal with the long-duration tones of drone music...
and psych. MeteorCity in turn began to focus more on the label. All That's Heavy was officially sold to Dan and Melanie Beland of StonerRock.com on May 15, 2004, and renamed All That is Heavy. In 2007, Shickler and Emmel sold MeteorCity Records to the Belands as well. MeteorCity moved to Tendoy, Idaho
Tendoy, Idaho
Tendoy is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho, United States. It is located at on State Highway 28, at an altitude of 4,842 feet...
, and in 2010 StonerRock.com was taken offline, and MeteorCity Records became the official label for All That is Heavy.