Instrumental stoner and doom music often has a cinematic quality, drawing the listener into apocalyptic landscapes and painting vivid scenarios without relying on any lyrics. Wasteland Haze, a power trio from Düsseldorf, Germany, embraces this style wholeheartedly. Their debut album, Welcome to Wasteland Haze, was initially released in July 2023 in digital-only form. Now, thanks to a collaboration with Clostridium Records in Bochum, they’re offering a limited colored vinyl edition, upgraded with fresh mixing and mastering to give fans a deeper dive into their heavy, immersive sound.
July 2023 / release date
Instrumental Stoner/Doom, Post-Rock Influences / genre
Colored Vinyl (Limited, Hand-Numbered) / format
Clostridium Records / label
Band members:
Guitar (with melodic and psychedelic twists)
Bass (providing an unrelenting low-end foundation)
Drums (powerful, energetic grooves)
The Sound
Influenced by stoner, doom, and post-rock, Wasteland Haze combines thick, sludgy riffs with atmospheric sections that appear almost meditative. There are psychedelic flourishes, sporadic shifts in tempo, and plenty of opportunities for the band to explore their dynamic range. A sampler weaves in noise collages and ambient clips, guiding the progression from one piece to the next. Despite the dystopian thematic setting, the music never relies on vocals—tension and release are communicated through guitar leads, rumbling bass, and pummeling drums.
Recording & Production
Part of the album’s energy stems from the fact that it was captured in a live setting. That method brings a raw quality to each track, ensuring the guitars and drums lock in and respond to one another in real time. The updated mix and mastering for the vinyl release accentuate the slow-burning crescendos, the swirling psychedelic layers, and the crushing drop into doom-laden breakdowns. The result is a rich, earthy tone that appeals equally to stoner, sludge, and post-rock enthusiasts.
A Post-Apocalyptic Journey
Wasteland Haze presents a narrative about the fall of civilization, followed by a reconstruction on the ruins left behind. Though there are no lyrics, each piece forms a chapter in this unfolding storyline. Tracks like “Propaganda” and “Aftermath” set the stage with dark, grimy riffs, while “Conclusion” and “Sandbreather”maintain a cinematic feel that stirs the imagination. The album’s middle sections, including “Interlude” and “Tidal Shapes”, shine a spotlight on the band’s sense of dynamics, where more tranquil, melodic interludes give way to crushing heaviness.
In keeping with the album’s visual themes, Welcome to Wasteland Haze will be pressed on colored vinyl and packaged with newly designed artwork that complements its post-apocalyptic tone. Each copy is hand-numbered, adding a collector’s flair to the release. According to Clostridium Records, orders will start shipping in early 2025, giving fans plenty of time to secure their copy before it sells out.
Recorded live in Düsseldorf, mixed and mastered anew for this special edition, Welcome to Wasteland Haze takes listeners through a bleak post-collapse vision using only riffs, rhythms, and eerie sound collages. For fans of instrumental doom with cinematic storytelling, this album offers a perfect dose of heaviness and imagination. Keep an eye on Wasteland Haze’s channels and Clostridium Records for pre-order details and further announcements.
