There are record labels that don't just release music – they create worlds. Ozium Records was one of those rare labels: a small Swedish imprint that, for over a decade, unearthed and shared the finest in fuzz-drenched stoner, psychedelic and doom rock – often from deep within the underground. Mamont, Lugnoro, Heroinne, Void Commander, Ponamero Sundown, Ridge – just to name a few of the acts that found their way to listeners through the vision and commitment of Mats Florstam.

Now, it seems the story may be coming to a halt – perhaps temporarily, perhaps for good. Mats, the founder of Ozium, speaks with honesty and pride about the path he's walked, the challenges and rewards along the way, and what the label has meant to him. Yet between his words, there’s a flicker of hope: maybe this isn’t the final chapter. Maybe a new label will rise, a new direction will emerge – or maybe Ozium itself will find a way back.

In the following interview, Mats reflects on the beginnings, his relationship with the bands, the struggles of the underground, and the secret behind Scandinavia’s deep-rooted connection to heavy rock.

Could you tell us how and when your musical journey began? What led you specifically towards this direction in rock music – the stoner, psychedelic, and fuzz sounds?

 As a kid my dad took me to see Ac/Dc live and I got hooked and my older brothers listened to heavier music and I was sold. My dad had a jazz club that influenced me to start something with music and later on I got a job at Record Heaven and the boss gave me plenty of good advice. I started with a webshop then later decided to do releases with bands I want to help to reach out to and I did release only music that I REALLY liked.

 Ozium Records releases not only classic material but also puts strong emphasis on emerging bands. What motivates you in this, and how do you select which bands to work with?

 The first release my boss at recordheaven played for me and I liked it, he told me I could start with “lugnoro”, otherwise he would release it. Iwas selling really great and some bands sent me a demo and holly molly the mighty band “mamont” came in and I just had too. Mamonts split up and i worked with guys all other bands because we got an strong personality times, saw each others and talked in phone, other bands i became friends with is almost everyone

How intense and personal is your connection with the bands represented by the label? Do you work with them regularly, or do you support them more from a distance?

 Later on i had too many bands to keep up the personal  connection unfortunately but still with some talk on my phone but more and more thru messenger :( , so they supported them more and more from a distance.

 How do you currently see the genre? Where do you think stoner and psychedelic rock is heading in the next few years?

 I hope and think the genre still be existing  but att least my regular customers getting older and might supporting labels or bands they really liked, they got so much so it need to be something really special and the younger people can almost not afford vinyls and what i dont understand is “at” my job , the young boys & girls dont know what vinyl/lp or cd dont know what it is.

What’s your opinion on the underground scene? What role does Ozium Records play in that environment?

 Well, I have paid for plenty of releases supposed to come but the manufactory shut down and has not replied to me to get the money back thru mail and not answering my phone calls so had to close down with more releases, sadly. It's a bit over 2000 euro gone.

 What challenges does an independent label face when focusing on such a niche segment of rock music?

 Weel, thru the 13 years as a  label,  immediately got a strong fanbase and they bought everything i released so the challenging wasn't that hard, but lately the bands had to do some promoting especially getting gigs and some didnt at all or only thru facebook that not reach out to people, nor did tha bands “add” friends to follow them, then the bands cant got expected to sell or getting gigs.

 Are there any new bands or projects you find particularly exciting, and that listeners should keep an eye on in the near future?

 Many many but the previous question is that I will shut down or start an new label with focus more on other genres, such as prog, rock n roll , or on bands that can be BIG bands like Nirvana :)

 How do you see the impact of the digital era and streaming platforms on the music industry – especially on niche genres like the ones Ozium represents?

 I am surprised how well the digital/streaming music  sells, which I dislike. Are not comfortable to do digital release cause it feels not “the real deal”.

 What is the core value and mission of Ozium Records for you?

 At the moment as I am fooled of alot of money do i not know how come back again, sadly. And i have started to face the facked that ozium not are gonna do more releases and anyway proud all the 13 years i have done this

 How do you see the fact that Scandinavian countries – especially Sweden – seem to convey stoner rock (and many other genres) in such a genuine and original way? In your opinion, what’s the “secret” behind this musical richness and strong cultural presence?

 First I think it is already in school that we have to learn instruments, then there is nothing to do in smaller cities and Sweden is a little country …

AMEN!

Few bands have left such a lasting mark on the underground scene as Sweden’s Astroqueen did around the turn of the millennium. Their album Into Submission reached near-cult status for many – and then came silence. Twenty years passed before we heard from them again, and now, with the release of the Rufus Rising EP, the long silence has finally been broken.

What motivated their return? How did those old demos resurface, and what’s it like to work with Andy LaRocque again? Johan Borgede answered these questions and more – sharing thoughts on the evolution of the Swedish scene, their relationship with stoner rock, and even what kind of beer Astroqueen would be if it came back as a drink.

Reading through the interview sparked not only answers, but new questions too – so hopefully, this is just the beginning of our renewed conversation.

 1. After twenty years, you’re back. What motivated your return? At one point, the break seemed final – yet you reunited. What happened behind the scenes?
First of all, I don’t think we ever really split up—it just turned into a very long break. We did consider a fresh start and even met once in the rehearsal space back in 2013, but at that point, we all had too much going on in our lives, so there simply wasn’t enough time. Daniel Änghede was busy with other projects (Crippled Black Phoenix, ISON, and Hearts of Black Science), Mattias quit music due to tinnitus, Daniel Tolergård also had several other projects and started a family, which took up a lot of time. Personally, I distanced myself from music completely for a couple of years and focused on work and family. I think we were just quite worn out after so many years of playing together and needed a break.

2. Two songs on the Rufus Rising EP – “Tidal Wave” and “Turbin Turbine” – originally appeared on your 2003 demos. Looking back: why were these songs left out of official releases back then, and why did you feel now was the right time to bring them back and re-release them?
The songs were recorded quite quickly after Into Submission was released, and the idea was to use them to land a new record deal after Pavement Music went bankrupt. One of the songs was released on a compilation, and to be honest, I don’t really know why they never came out as an EP.

3. To what extent did you rework these songs? Did you completely re-record them, or mostly update the original tracks?
The guitars are completely new, recorded in our own studio where we rehearse. Then everything was remixed at Sonic Train Studios together with Andy La Rocque. Sonic Train is Andy’s new studio after Los Angered.

4. Andy LaRocque’s name appears again in connection with the EP – he did mixing and mastering at Sonic Train Studios. You’ve worked with him before, but what exactly was his role this time? How actively was he involved, and what did he add to the modern sound?
As I mentioned earlier, he mixed and mastered the EP, which is his main contribution. But we also feel very comfortable with Andy and really enjoy working with him. When we met him again after almost 20 years, it felt like only a week had passed. He has incredible knowledge and experience, and I think he contributes a lot to our recorded sound.

5. Sweden became a kind of stoner rock hub in Europe during the early 2000s – many iconic bands (Dozer, Truckfighters, Lowrider, etc.) emerged from this scene. Why do you think such a strong scene developed here? You were part of it too – how do you remember those times?
Honestly, I don’t really know, but I think Sweden’s metal scene needed something new at the time. The death metal scene was pretty played out, and nu-metal was on the rise, but not everyone identified with that. I guess there was a need for a slightly dirtier alternative 😊. We kept at it, but it felt like not many people really understood what we were doing, so we didn’t play live very often. In Sweden, the real “stoner wave” probably came after we took a break. We were, of course, aware of bands like Dozer and Lowrider, but we didn’t have much contact with them.

6. Listening to the new EP, it’s clear you stayed true to your original sound, but the songs feel fresher and cleaner. Was this a conscious choice? Was there a sense of nostalgia, or did you see this as the start of a new era?
The songs were recorded 20 years ago, so the sound is probably very much how we sounded back then, but I believe all Astroqueen fans will recognize us when the next album comes out. We wrote tons of material back then and saved everything, so putting together songs for the upcoming full-length album was actually pretty easy.

 7. Is there a chance we’ll hear new songs from you in the near future? Or is this EP more of a closing chapter for your earlier era?

As of now, we have 12 new songs ready, so we’re definitely going to release a new album. Once again, we’ll be working with Andy and Sonic Train.

8. Are you planning any concerts or tours with the new material?
We’re definitely active again and want to play live as much as we can—though probably no world tours. But we’re very eager to make a trip to the U.S. at some point.
At the moment, we’re mostly doing one-off shows, including for the new EP, but with a new album, there will definitely be more.

9. How do you see the international stoner/doom/desert rock scene today? Do you follow current bands, and are you inspired by anything from the new generations?
We listen to a lot of great bands in the scene, both old and new, and I think the scene is evolving well. It’s great that there are so many new bands. Of course, it can get a bit tiresome when many bands start to sound the same, but that’s not unique to the stoner scene. Unfortunately, I don’t think we draw much inspiration from newer bands or even from the stoner scene itself—it’s probably still our old heroes from the '90s that inspire us the most.

10. What does stoner rock mean to you now, after all these years? Do you associate it with the same feelings as when you started?
Stoner rock has probably never meant that much to us, and there’s a lot within the genre we’ve never really identified with. That said, it’s convenient to have a label for the type of music we play when people ask. But overall, it’s a great and vibrant scene with genuinely good people—both fellow musicians and listeners.

11. What message do you have for those fans who still remember Into Submission after more than twenty years and welcomed your return with joy?
Please be patient with us 😊

12. If you could send just one riff into space to represent humanity’s stoner rock legacy to an alien civilization – which one would it be and why? 👽🚀
Opening riff on “Dragonaut”!

 13. Imagine you could start the band all over again, but in a completely different style – what would it be, and what would the band name be?
Probably a thrash metal band if you ask me, but Daniel Ä, Daniel T, and Elinore would probably give completely different answers. Band name: Scum (just like our old thrash band from the early '90s).

14. If Astroqueen were a beer, what flavor would it have? Hoppy? Smoky? Out-of-this-world aromas?
Once again, I can only answer for myself, but I would be a strong hazy IPA from a local brewery. It would probably be called Rufus Revenge 😊

15. What’s a classic album (stoner or otherwise) that you think every stoner rock band should listen to again and again?
Master of Puppets, if you need a classic.

https://www.facebook.com/astroqueenrocks

AMEN!

The name Pilot The Dune might ring a bell for those deep into the desert rock world – and for good reason: it's a nod to a classic Slo Burn track. The band formed in 2020 and since then they've been steadily delivering heavy grooves and carving out a place in the UK stoner/doom underground.

They recently dropped a new single, Judas, which leans more into doom territory – and in the background, they're busy working on a new full-length album. In this interview, they talk about their beginnings, musical influences, live shows, surreal gig moments, and of course, what's next.

What follows is them – honest, laid-back, and completely unfiltered. Dive in!

- Tell us a bit about the name Pilot The Dune — why did you choose it? We know it’s the title of a Slo Burn song; is there a special meaning or story behind it? Also, how and when was the band formed, and what was the starting point?

- Honestly it took ages to find a band name we liked, it seemed like whatever random name you put together someone had it already and we didnt wanna go down the name generation route haha.
We initially called ourselves 'Agents of vega' but it didnt sit right so finally decided to go with Pilot The Dune' , it felt more like us and gave a nod to one of our fav bands.
We formed the in 2020 Steve (Guitar), stafford (Bass) first then Dave (Drums) and finally Mickey (Vocals).

- Your sound is quite distinctive. What musical influences and experiences have shaped your style?

- We all have a love of heavy music, particularly the 90s desert scene right through to the modern sludge/doom scene.
I (stafford) love a breakdown and quick tempo change like youd find in dance music/ drum and bass. So our influences come from everywhere really. 

- Is there a central message or theme that guides your songwriting, or do your songs come together more spontaneously?

- ( Mickey) There isn't anything like one particular message in the lyrics. Each song is different, unique and tells some story. None of them are meaningless though.

- You released the song “Judas” this year, which has a doomier vibe than your previous work. Does this indicate a shift toward a darker direction in your music, or was it more of a one-off experiment?

- There is definitely a doomier feel to some of the new songs but we still love a fast stoner rock riff so you'll be seeing plenty of that too.
Our latest single Judas came out of a jam, Steve(guitar) started playing this riff, we loved that 70s vibe it had and it became this groovey/doomy thing that it is now.
We play heavy shows and not so heavy shows so its good to have a variety of songs to suit the crowd depending where we are playing

- How do you see the current state of the British stoner/desert scene? Do you have favorite bands from there?

- The britsh heavy underground scene is in great shape at the moment and growing by the day, so its a great time to be involved.
We have so many great bands at the moment within the stoner scence including Dunes, sergent thunderhoof, Ritual king, Psyclona, Allunah, elephant tree, green lung to name a few.

- What are your upcoming live show plans? Are you planning tours in Europe or even overseas? Or participation in festivals? Also, have you had any really surprising or memorable stories on stage that you’d like to share?

- We have shows throughout aug-nov this year in the UK. Wed love to play abroad, just waiting on an invite 😉.
We were lucky enough to support SLOMOSA recently in our hometown which was a special moment for us as we were huge fans anyway. Lots of funny shit has happened along the way like our vocalist (Mickey) turning up for a show a week early after driving 5 hours to get there. A smoke machine that malfunctioned fillng the stage to the point no one could see us and we couldn't see our instruments. Sound engineers are always a constant source of entertainment and frustration too.

- What does this music mean to you? Is it more of a hobby, or a serious long-term project?

- I think our lives are filled with music. Despite our eclectic tastes, we were united by heavy sound. It was a hobby that evolved into a band playing underground music some people really enjoy and we'll keep doing it for them as long as possible.

- When can we expect the new album to be released?

- We're aiming for the new album to be written and recorded by the end of the year but could be early next year.
We will be releasing one more song/music video before the album is released.

- Where are you recording it and what’s the vibe like during the sessions?

- Once again we'll be recording at ' sickroom studio' in Norfolk, UK where we recorded our first album with producer/mixer Owen at the helm. He's a great guy to work with and gets what we're about and how we want to sound. We record our music live as a band then add the vocals after. Owen felt you'd feel that energy/vibe doing it this way as opposed to tracking one instrument at a time.

- Musically, how is the new material evolving compared to your earlier stuff?

- Generally Steve (guitar) and Stafford (bass) takes turns writing the initial riffs for the songs with Dave (drums) coming up with the percussion and Mickey (vocals) writes the vocal melody and lyrics.
With that said a couple of tracks ( zub, space junk) from the first album were written probably 8 years ago before the band was formed.
This time round we are writing all the songs as a band and this is reflected in the new material.
The biggest difference prehaps is the way we are mixing the new album. We've added more low end and doubled tracked some of the guitar parts to give it a fuller sound which you'll notice in 'judas'.

- Will there be a concept or story behind the album, or will it be more song-by-song?

- As with the first album there is no theme or Story but the songs are either personal or fun/lighthearted depending on the vibe of the song. Mickey has a great way with words so we leave that side of things to him.
The next single to be released will be called ' burn the book' which is based on Staffords early life being brought up in a religious cult, escaping it and going it alone and the scars and after effects that it caused.
So a real mixture really.

- Do you have any message for the Hungarian stoner community?

Support local and unknown groups. Discover new bands cause there's a lot of talented people near you wherever you are. Also when it comes to making music It doesn't matter where you live in the world with the internet/social media you can get your music out there.

- If your music were a drink, what would it be? Please share your mixing recipe too!

- Double jager with a fat joint

Robot God is an Australian stoner/doom metal band from Sydney that blends heavy, fuzz-driven psychedelic sounds with a unique cosmic sci-fi atmosphere. Their music carries strong influences from legendary bands like Sleep, Black Sabbath, Kyuss, and Electric Wizard, while also venturing into epic space rock journeys that transport the listener to another dimension.

On July 18, 2025, they will release their latest work, Time Capsule Chronicles — a double-CD compilation album that collects the best and most defining tracks from their five previous releases. Featuring over two hours of fuzzy, cosmic stoner rock, it perfectly showcases the band’s diverse yet cohesive sonic universe.

This best-of collection is not only for those who already appreciate Robot God’s deep, atmospheric soundscape but also for newcomers looking to discover a truly unique Australian stoner/doom band. If you love deep, epic musical journeys, psychedelic fuzz monsters, and the cosmic realms of space rock, this album is an absolute must-listen! AMEN!

https://www.facebook.com/RobotGodBand

When Ridge returned in 2025 with two new albums after a long silence, it was far from a typical comeback. It served as a reminder of how raw and original the Scandinavian underground stoner scene once was — and how it still has the potential to be. We talked with Andreas and Jonas about their roots, the new material, and the timeless power of fuzz, riffs, and groove. But after listening to both albums in full, one thing became clear: this comeback deserves special attention. That’s why this second part was born — to dig deeper into Ridge’s rebirth. A few more questions about the material also came up, which the guys gladly answered!
However, before that, a few thoughts about the album.

One of the defining elements of Ridge’s sound is the fuzz effect, which is notably thick yet remains clear. This unique blend creates the psychedelic, “gritty” character typical of the stoner genre, while preserving the dynamics of the playing without flattening everything out. The riffs are bold and striking, and the grooves are lively, sometimes even taking on a funky, danceable quality, infusing the music with rhythmic vitality—making Ridge’s sound not just heavy but vibrant and dynamic. The rhythm section is solid but not overbearing: the drums are precise and organic, far from mechanical-sounding, adding an extra dimension to the whole, while the bass cuts through the fuzz to provide a driving force to the groove. The vocals are almost an integral part of the sound, with multi-layered harmonies and atmospheric effects fitting beautifully into the musical foundation; the mix doesn’t try to highlight every detail separately but rather creates a cohesive, unified musical experience.

 

- Why did you decide to release the songs as two separate albums instead of one double album?

- During the last couple of years this have been like a Catch 22-moment for us. We had ten songs [our original second album] mastered and ready at the vinyl-pressing plant. And we kept on writing and recording songs. That got better and more intense we thought. 

When we realized that there were problems with the release, we had so many more songs we wanna release that we actually went: hey, we don’t wanna release that “old” stuff! And then we got the message that the album couldn’t be delivered. So. 

After hours, days and weeks of back-and-forth we said: Fuck it - we release TWO albums at the same time!

But it’s tricky because no one has the time, lust or attention span to listen to so-and-so many songs in these days. But we thought; if you dig and really like an artist or band you will try - and then you got TWO new albums to listen to! Oh yes! 

Or like this.

It’s better if the whole show at [Netflix/Sky Showtime or whatever] is released at the same time so you can waddle it through instead of waiting a whole week for the next episode…Oh good lord, the PATIENCE these days

- From the new material, it seems that groove is what truly sets you apart from many current stoner bands — there’sa powerful pulse in every song. What sparked the restart of Ridge’s “engine,” and what themes are you most engaged with right now?

- Hmm…We think it’s in the DNA of Ridge. We strive for that “pulse” or flow. And every song we wrote after the re-start was trying to make the next song even GROOVIER than the last one. So that was the spark. 

And.

Add more percussion.

A secret and (if we might say) interesting thing about these album is that if you listen to each song you will hear percussion on every last one: cowbell, maracas, vibraslaps, timbales, tambourines, guiros, shakers, cheapy saucepans (oh yes) and a whole lot more. We worked really hard with percussion to get the right “swing” on every song. It was not intended from the start but got essential in the process. Groove does matter- and so does percussion! 

- Did the Countydelic album get a new mix before the re-release?

- Njae, it’s a vinyl-like master so it’s quite different but no new mix. Just better overall. 

- Nowadays, many prefer shorter releases for easierlistening, yet you put out two full albums. I was a bit worried it might be too much, but once I start playing them, I don’t want to stop — whether in the car, mowingthe lawn, or working on projects, the music pulls me in. How do you see the longer playtime fitting into today’snoisy music world?

- I think that’s the new catchphrase for RIDGE- Lawnmower Rock! Right up the alley of “grass”.  Haha!

- But we really like that you dig them through and through. For real. Thanks! Your response to the albums is actually what we sought for. Maybe we won’t find many new listeners with all these songs, but some might dig it. And then they hopefully dig the whole shebang.

 

- If you had to sum up Ridge’s “2025 message” in threewords, what would they be? 

- Go-Dig-In!

- Your comeback doesn’t feel nostalgic but very alive. How did your environment react when you first said, “Hey, Ridge is back”?

- No one cared. Unfortunately (Haha)! But there was (is) this guy. He’s actually the one person that has driven this band to action: Fredrik Neuman. And he is the force behind all these new songs. If he didn’t like what we wrote, we didn’t go further with them. He’s an old friend to the band that is honest about the songs and he’s the main reason that RIDGE is alive. So all love to him!

- If Ridge was a scent, what would it be? (Dusty forestpath, smoky garage, coffee-stained carpet, handssmelling of gasoline…?)

- Well, the smell of new lawned grass. With a sting of gasoline and old-aged rum. Fresh, summerish, stingy and full of hope for the future!

- What current bands are you listening to these days? Arethere any fresh acts or artists that have really caught yourattention?

As we mentioned in the last interview we like Hästspark. And they just released a new single called ”Sounds of her Nature” that is really good. And we think Johan from Dozer has had his hands on that recording as well.

- If you could send a message to younger music fans oremerging bands, what would it be?

- Don’t try to be Kyuss, they’re just too good... Just write new songs, rehearse like maniacs, have fun and find your own pulse in your music. That’ll do just the trick.

Roaring with intensity and blabber comes non-distinctive answers from Malmö, Sweden through Andreas Bergström (songwriter, guitar, vocals) and Jonas Jönsson (songwriter, bass, percussion) from Ridge. Wednesday 2/7-25.