New Jersey’s obscure Stoner Rock titans SHOVELHEAD return after 19 years, hauling in a heavyweight truckload of polished tracks on new album “A Place of Dead Roads.” Kicking up the dust on new jams starts right with the first track and video single of “Witching Hour.”
Watch the official video for the single “Witching Hour” via the YouTube player below:
Video Production & Editing by George Pierro.
T.R.O.G. – The Race of Gentleman footage was shot and provided by @bigblockautomobilia3895
Since forming in the early 90s, SHOVELHEAD (originally The Lemmings) has been at the vanguard of the groundbreaking New Jersey scene that produced underground Heavy Rock goliaths such as Monster Magnet, The Atomic Bitchwax, Solace, Halfway To Gone, Core, and Solarized.
Alongside other pioneering bands that helped lay the foundation for the coveted genre we know as Stoner Rock, SHOVELHEAD began crafting their sound before the genre had fully formed, resulting in a distinctive style of Stoner Rock N’ Roll that has served the scene for over three decades. During their initial run, three regionally notorious SHOVELHEAD albums (and one Lemmings album) were released, and at this point the titanic number of shows played is uncountable.
SHOVELHEAD decelerated in the late 2010s, along with the majority of planet Earth, but is back to full open throttle in 2026. Founding members Mike Scott and Jim LaPointe (also a contributor to Black NASA’s ‘Deuce’ album and live performer with the band) fused with George Pierro (Solarized, Maegashira, Tarpit Boogie) to resume playing shows, writing fresh tunes, and recording a new album.
“A Place of Dead Roads” is due out through independent release on Saturday, September 12, 2026. The Heavy power trio self-produced the new full-length, with recording, mixing, and mastering all handled by George Pierro. Our introduction to the album is by way of its opening track, “Witching Hour,” available for streaming on Bandcamp, and don’t miss out on the official video above.
Pre-Order “A Place of Dead Roads” on Bandcamp: https://shovelheadnj.bandcamp.com/album/a-place-of-dead-roads
Tracklist:
01. Witching Hour
02. Tempest
03. Dominion/Big Tex
04. Ghost in the Garden
05. Middle Man
06. White Stag Ghost
07. Bombers
To celebrate the release of “A Place of Dead Roads,” the band has a Record Release show with Shut Up and Black Horse Pike in Jackson, New Jersey.
The band was featured in our July 2026 compilation “Progressive Rock Journal Presents ‘PRJ Compilation Vol. XXVI’: A High-Octane Journey Through the Heavy Underground” with the track “Shovelhead.” You can listen to the compilation and read exclusive artist commentary HERE.