ninehertz

After celebrating their 30th year in 2025 with a triumphant touring return and release of a double LP of rarities from their back catalogue, Dozer seemingly unearthed enough for another, which is presented here. Looking through the original sources (now lovingly remastered), they were prolific in their first decade or so, with these gems picked from splits, compilations and demos.

What’s more impressive is that some of these songs were seemingly never released. How a band can cull a song such as Down (from their Call it a Conspiracy album sessions), where lesser bands would kill for such quality, speaks volumes of Dozer’s enduring songwriting skill. There isn’t any sense that these songs are lesser, indicative of a hard-working band who know how to write a tune, and had a genuine love for their music – several of these songs coming from splits or tour singles shared with Demon Cleaner, Lowrider, Los Natas and more.

It takes you back – to those early Man’s Ruin Records days, hearing them maybe for the first time on the Meteor City Unida split; listen to the early demo Dumper Dumper which is sheer and simple stoner rock excellence or the excellent instrumental Exoskeleton (Part I) from a split with Brain Police to find proof and a satisfying opportunity to reminisce. There are covers too that offer a change in style – Devo (from the second Sucking the 70s comp) and punk spirit infused Dead Boys hell-raising party tune.

Rarities collections are usually either cheap cash ins of second-rate material, or, at best, one for the pure fans only. But this feels different, a sparkling stoner record in its own right. And rightly so - this is Dozer we’re talking about, one of the rightly beloved godfathers of our genre.