On June 13th, Portland doomsters Witch Mountain are coming to town, playing the Hard Luck Bar on Dundas.  I’ve been dying to see ‘em ever since I first heard South of Salem, their comeback album, which ended up topping my year-end list last year.  The sultry, soulful, otherworldly vocals of Uta Plotkin really give the songs a big boost.  And on this occasion, her band will be joined by another pair of female-fronted doom units in Blood Ceremony and Castle–a Toronto exclusive for both acts.  Thus, in anticipation of this estrogen-laced triple bill, I figured it was time to count down my Top 10 Female-Fronted Stoner/Doom Bands Going Today.

10. Castle

9. Cauchemar

8. Alunah

7. Rituals of the Oak

6. Reino Ermitaño

5. Kylesa

4. Witch Mountain

3. Mares of Thrace

2. Acid King

Acid King has been going strong for almost 20 years–over which time they’ve released just three albums and a fistful of EPs on the likes of Small Stone, Man’s Ruin, and Sympathy for the Record Industry.  But this is certainly a case of quality over quantity, and when putting together this list, the long-running Bay Area trio was the first band that came to mind.  Fronted by the legendary Lori S, queen of the stoner scene, who lends both her airy vocals and heavy guitar riffs to the band’s back catalogue, they’ve certainly left their mark.  Hey, so you like that sludge band from Georgia, Zoroaster?  That was the name of Acid King’s debut album–all the way back in ’95.  And while they haven’t put out anything since Leaf Hound (and later Small Stone) unearthed their first few recordings on The Early Years back in ’06, they can still show the newer acts a thing or two.  Check out this clip of their classic “Silent Circle” offa Busse Woods from last year’s Roadburn fest.