Queens of the Stone Age

Riff-laden, rib-rattling hard rock from Josh Homme and crew

Following the demise of Californian stoner rock heroes Kyuss, frontman Josh Homme reunited with drummer Alfredo Hernandez to reignite his previous Seattle-based project Gamma Ray. That band’s origins lay in Homme’s time in the Pacific Northwest, following a tour with Screaming Trees that had seen him form a firm friendship with frontman Mark Lanegan. Homme rechristened Gamma Ray as Queens Of The Stone Age, releasing their self-titled debut in 1998.