This new album is perhaps closest to stoner rock. There are some songs here that I absolutely love. Some of the others are less successful. The main issue is the vocals that are a bit hard to take in some places. The thing is, there are other songs where they work really well. I have to think that it might be different singers. In any event, this is a bit on the raw and unpolished side, but it more than makes up for that. If you dig your stoner metal left of center and raw and aggressive, then this is your thing. I look forward to seeing what this band does in the future. They show a lot of promise.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2017 Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Proud Shame
Some shaker type sounds open this. The guitar that joins makes me think of The Guess Who a bit. As the drone kind of jam ensues, though, this feels more modern and a bit like shoegaze. The vocals have a really classic vibe to them in a lot of ways. There are some bits here that even make me think of early Hawkwind. It shifts out to something a bit like stoner metal. This is a killer tune that has a nice range and is very effective. It's such a cool way to start the set in style.
Bleed Mary
There's a rough around the edges alternative rock sound on this tune. The chorus hook is a bit on the catchy side. The tune makes me think of NWOBHM in a lot of ways. It's a solid metal stomper, but not on the same level as the opener. It does earn a minor advisory on the lyrics. The jam section later almost takes it into a prog rock kind of territory. It seems to get lost just a bit on that segment, though.
Pray For Me In a lot of ways this reminds me of Godsmack. It has both a modern sound to it and some nods to old school hard rock and metal. It's a riff driven stomper that works quite well.
Sweet Kisses A cool, almost proggy riff opens this. Yet, there is very much a metal sound built into it. This is off-kilter a bit and a little left of center. I suppose on another album this might be a prog rock song. There is some psychedelia built into it. It's a bit strange, but pretty strong. The mellower section mid-track definitely does fit under a prog rock banner.
Casting Stones As the mellower part of the intro on this works forward, I keep thinking, "someone, please answer that phone." The cut builds out to sort of a stoner rock meets space rock kind of sound. It's a meaty stomper that has a nice balance between mellower and more rocking stuff.
Goliath A killer stoner metal riff drives this hot rocking tune. It's a bit raw, but also very cool. It does a good job of stomping with the rest of them.
I Can Take It
Not a big change, this is definitely on the unpolished side of the equation. What it loses for that, though, it makes up for in spirit and drive. It's a stoner metal pounding rocker.
Heavy Eyes This mellower, slower moving cut is very much psychedelic rock merged with psychedelia. It reminds me a bit of Sleep. It's still heavily coated in fuzz, adding to the great nature of the piece. This is one of the most different pieces here and one of the highlights.
Achilles Fail
This comes in with an almost punky section. Then we get something a bit like Godsmack. Parts of this feel a little awkward, but that Godsmack movement that returns works really well.
