| The Obelisk | ||
|---|---|---|
 The Obelisk banner. Logo by Christophe Szpajdel and artwork by Adam Burke | ||
| Background information | ||
| Web Address | http://www.theobelisk.net/ | |
| Creator | JJ Koczan | |
| Launch Date | January 31 2009 | |
| Current Status | Online | |
The Obelisk is an underground music news and reviews website launched by JJ Koczan on January 31st 2009. It has continued to be a mainly independent venture of Koczan's since its inception.[1] The Obelisk has become a widely used and respected website within the stoner rock scene.
History[]
The Obelisk launched on (or around[1]) January 31st 2009 by JJ Koczan, who continues to run the website by himself to this day. The Obelisk began life as one of many news and reviews style blogs about underground music, but has since evolved into a larger entity.
The Obelisk's home page as it appeared on February 7th 2015.
On December 21st 2009, less than a year into the website's existence, a podcast named audiObelisk was launched;[2] a feature which continues to this day. As of January 19th 2015,44 editions have been released[3]. On December 4th 2010[4], very soon after the demise of StonerRock.com[5], The Obelisk Forums were launched. Over the last few months of 2011, Andy Beresky very publicly and acrimoniously left the band Black Pyramid with a series of posts on The Obelisk Forums.[6][7] In 2012, The Obelisk launched a 24 hour, online streaming radio service. Starting with a base collection of over 7,500 songs, a number which continues to grow regularly. [8]
The website has, over time, become a well respected source of news for the wider stoner rock scene. The Obelisk's year end lists, of both Kozcan[9] and The Obelisk audience's[10] favourite releases of the year, have become an annual tradition.
As of 20th January 2016, The Obelisk has posted over 7000 times.[11]
On 20 January 2016, Koczan would announce his first curated event known as The Obelisk All-Dayer which occurred on 20 August 2016 and featured eight bands.
On 26 March 2018, The Obelisk would achieve their 10,000th post.[12]
Throughout December 2019 up until 8 January 2020 The Obelisk would host a fan poll for the best album of the 2010s, in similar fashion to when the site hosts their "album of the year" poll. Notably Clutch, Yob and All Them Witches all secured two spots in the top twenty, while Elder was voted in fourth, third and second place. Overall The Sciences by Sleep would be voted as album of the decade with 295 points, beating second place by nearly fifty points.[13]
Year-End Poll[]
The Obelisk hosts a year-end poll every year for fans of the website to select their album of the year, often by a points bracket based on top picks. Along with the year-end poll, Koczan also shares his own top list for the year along with reviews and further reflective insights.
- 2009 (JJ's Pick): The Great Cessation by Yob[14]
- 2009 (JJ's Pick, first half of 2009): Nuevo orden de la libertad by Los Natas[15]
- 2010 (Readers Poll): Eve by Ufomammut[16]
- 2010 (JJ's Pick): A.D. by Solace[17][18]
- 2010 (JJ's Pick, first half of 2010): II by Asteroid[19][20]
- 2011 (Readers Poll): Hisingen Blues by Graveyard[21]
- 2011 (JJ's Pick): Atma by Yob[22]
- 2011 (JJ's Pick, first half of 2011): Salvador by Lo-Pan[23]
- 2012 (Readers Poll): Advaitic Songs by Om[24]
- 2012 (JJ's Pick): She Said by Colour Haze[25][26]
- 2012 (JJ's Pick, first half of 2012): Lillie: F-65 by Saint Vitus[27]
- 2013 (Readers Poll): Earth Rocker by Clutch[28]
- 2013 (JJ's Pick): Earth Rocker by Clutch[29]
- 2013 (JJ's Pick, first half of 2013): Earth Rocker by Clutch[30]
- 2013 (Short Release): The Machine & Sungrazer by The Machine & Sungrazer[31]
- 2014 (Readers Poll): Clearing The Path To Ascend by Yob[32]
- 2014 (JJ's Pick): Clearing The Path To Ascend by Yob[33]
- 2014 (JJ's Pick, first half of 2014): The Conjuring by Wo Fat[34]
- 2014 (Short Release): The Clarity by Sleep[35]
- 2014 (Debut Album): Samsara by The Well[36]
- 2015 (Readers Poll): Lore by Elder[37]
- 2015 (JJ's Pick): Lore by Elder[38]
- 2015 (JJ's Pick, first half of 2015): Middle of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere by Acid King[39]
- 2015 (Short Release): Foehammer EP by Foehammer[40]
- 2015 (Debut Album): Brothers of The Sonic Cloth by Brothers of The Sonic Cloth[41]
- 2015 (Song of The Year): Lore by Elder[42]
- 2016 (Readers Poll): Midnight Cometh by Wo Fat[43]
- 2016 (JJ's Pick): For This We Fought The Battle of Ages by SubRosa[44]
- 2016: (Short Release): Chaos County by Scissorfight[45]
- 2016: (Debut Album): Orion by King Buffalo[46]
- 2017 (Readers Poll): Reflections of a Floating World by Elder[47]
- 2017 (JJ's Pick): Sleeping Through The War by All Them Witches[48]
- 2017 (Short Album): In Tensions by Lo-Pan[49]
- 2017 (Debut Album): Abominable by Telekinetic Yeti[50]
- 2017 (Song of The Year): Mirror Reaper by Bell Witch[51]
- 2018 (Readers Poll): The Sciences by Sleep[52]
- 2018 (JJ's Pick): The Sciences by Sleep[53]
- 2018 (Short Album): Totems by Slomatics & M W W B[54]
- 2019 (Readers Poll): No Comfort by Monolord[55]
- 2019 (JJ's Pick): No Comfort by Monolord[56]
- 2019 (Short Album): Astral Fires by Geezer
- 2019 (Debut Album): Woodland Rites by Green Lung
- 2010s (Readers Poll): The Sciences by Sleep[57]
- 2010s (JJ's Pick): Lore by Elder[58]
- 2010s (Song of the Decade): Marrow by Yob[59]
- 2020 (Readers Poll): Refractions by Lowrider[60]
- 2020 (JJ's Pick): Refractions by Lowrider[61]
- 2020 (Debut Album): Through The Hollow by Molassess[62]
- 2020 (Short Album): Dead Star by King Buffalo[63]
- 2020 (Live Album): Live at Giant Rock by Yawning Man[64]
- 2021 (Readers Poll): The Burden of Restlessness by King Buffalo[65]
- 2021 (JJ's Pick): The Burden of Restlessness by King Buffalo[66]
- 2021 (Debut Album): Lupi Amoris by Heavy Temple[67]
- 2021 (Short Album): Reaper Season by Jointhugger[68]
External Links[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Obelisk "The Obelisk is Six Years Old Today"
- ↑ The Obelisk "audiObelisk Transmission 001: The Best of 2009"
- ↑ The Obelisk "audiObelisk Transmission 044"
- ↑ The Obelisk Forums "Happy Birthday/Anniversary"
- ↑ The Obelisk "StonerRock.com Down for Good"
- ↑ The Obelisk Forums "Black Pyramid is dead, long live Black Pyramid"
- ↑ The Obelisk "http://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2012/01/23/blackpyramidinterview-2/"
- ↑ The Obelisk Radio "Welcome To The Obelisk Radio"
- ↑ The Obelisk "The Obelisk Presents: The Top 30 of 2014"
- ↑ The Obelisk "The Top 20 of 2014 Readers Poll — RESULTS!"
- ↑ The Obelisk This is the 7,000th Post on The Obelisk, Accessed 20th January
- ↑ The ObeliskAccessed 8 July 2018
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