Grab your bong, turn on the black light. Gather the boys. We got some riffmania for you.
Monobrow - Bennington Triangle Blues
My bias: I'm not a real fan of instrumental rock. I tend to cling to melodies and hooks, and those are usually conveyed in lyrics, not musical passages. I'm even less a fan of instrumental doom/stoner because the plodding nature of doom riffs gets real repetitive without the singing. Monobrow are making me re-think that strategy.
Bennington Triangle Blues is the second album from this instrumental stoner/doom three-piece and it is one monolithic achievement of swirling, fuzz-laden heaviosity. Forget lyrics, these guys mix in enough dynamic time changes, blistering guitar, and chest-crushing riffs to make the album obliterate all my reservations. Side one alone, through it's three songs "Starship Holodecks & Chicken Soup," "This is Herman Nelson" and Stone High in Transit" create an aural journey of stellar seeking exploration. Paul Slater may just be stoner rock's first true guitar hero, whipping through riffs and effect laden melodic passages with ease before tearing into some true doomed out shredding. With any three-piece, especially an instrumental band, the bass and drums have to be amazingly tight to carry the extra weight of awareness, and Brian Ahopelto and Sam Beydoun are as tight and locked in as a sealed rocket door.
A killer album of mood and atmosphere and sonic exploration of acrid haze and distant galaxies. Definitely worth checking out.
Snail - Terminus
I dig what Snail are doing. Take the foundation of stoner groove, but play with it. Toss in some 80's metal drive, some 90's grunge, some retro-2000 psychedelia, smother the whole concocton with a layer of doom, let ferment, then unleash upon an unsuspecting public. Nice formula.
Apparently Snail have quite a history that spans back almost 2 decades. I know not of this, nor their last release, Blood. All I know is that Terminus is bludgeoning my skull right now, particularly the retro-riffy pure rock of "Galaxy's Lament" with it's staggering riffing and just too-sweet melody. "Recurision" is an onslaught of post-Ozzy bliss, while songs like "Matchbook" come on heavy and slow as tar before mixing it up (1:36 in) with a perfect breakdown to 6 impeccable piano notes. "Hippy Crack" tears it up with a grunge ferocity while never losing it's heavy fuzz or groove, while "Burn the Flesh" is a certified, 5 star heavy psych freak out.
A vast multi-textured journey through the stratus of metal from eons past til now.
Firelord - The Burning E.P.
This isn't a new one, but definitely worth talking about. Firelord are another power trio, this time hailing from Italy. And let me tell you the emphasis here is on the word power. These guys use bulldozers and all sorts of heavy equipment to move earth and mountain under the mass of their riffs. 5 songs here, the last being a slaying cover of Earthride's "Fighting-Devil's Inside You."
Like the best of stoner rock, this one is laced with the PCP of doom bludgeoning, and amped up with the crystal meth of fierce riffing and a heady groove. Way fuzzed out riffs come from all angles and merge into one TCA haze of burning intensity.
I'd easily put these guys up on the same shelf of the other leaders of stoner riffery from the undergound, like Borracho. Not as much dynamic shifting as SuperGiant, not nearly as much modern metal influence as Snail, and not not as bluesy as Hong Faux, Firelord like their stoner rock straight up, Sabbath-inspired and growled out with honesty and ferocity. I could listen to a track like "Riding with the Death" forever. Definitely check it out.
Now, before you get all snarky on me and start screaming nepotism or hanging chads or illegal voting machines in urban Pennsylvania, let me explain. Yes, this is a column devoted to two of the bands of our wondrous Ripple scribes. But this isn't about pumping them up or hyping them cause they happen to work at my beck and call. In fact, their music is being reviewed completely independently of any Ripple association. Let me explain.
I first discovered Deadweight earlier this year, before the boys had put an album together. Ripple ran a joint promotion with ReverbNation to give exposure to some artists with Reverb profiles, and Deadweight was one of the bands that submitted. Their killer cut, "Cosmic Lunch" was so much in my wheelhouse that I wrote the boys, skipped right over reviewing the music, and put their song on our The Ripple Effect Presents:Volume One - Head Music Sampler. That sampler (which is still free, go get your copy right now!) was a huge hit with thousands upon thousands of plays, and Deadweight was one of the surprise hits off the album, turning the ears of such luminaries as Bill from Soda Shop. It was only through interacting with the band that Headshot, the drummer, asked if he could come on board to write for us. So music came first. That's about as unbiased an intro as I can get.
Cover of Afternoon is the lofty lovechild of our learned educator on all things musically groovy, The Professor. In this case, he did come to Ripple first as a writer, but included a link to his ReverbNation page. One day in the middle of a Ripple meeting with Pope (who was rambling on and on about something Pope-ish) I hit the Reverb link. As the music started, Pope shut his mouth immediately, his eyes widening. "Who's this? That's damn good." I unveiled who COA were and Pope smiled, vowing to review the EP someday. But I beat him to it.
So, unbiased reviews. Just music that we dig.
Deadweight - The Red Sun God EP
I still can't hear "Cosmic Lunch" without getting excited. After a brief cymbal intro, that guitar simply sears across the mix like a hot poker driving through a block of ice, steam belching in it's wake. Hot and fiery, it introduced me to the fact that this band is the real deal. But more than that, they back it up with a rocking and decidedly funky party of classic rock. Coming from Oklahoma, these cats infuse their retro-seventies-fried sound with the earthiness of some of the best of the Midwestern classic bands, and come on like a souped up Allman Brothers, Head East, Black Oak Arkansas backyard stew. You wanna throw some Blackfoot into the mix, go ahead. Spice it with some Black Crowes, a touch of Clutch or Orange Goblin and let you palette run wild .
"Lady" is an epic rocking ballad for the ages, one that a band like Black Oak would've taken to the bank. Gentle guitar picking over a nice organ sound lead us in gently, until that big guitar chord kicks in and launches us off into a soaring world of psychedelic blues rock. The melody here is big, I mean arena-sized big, and this song would've brought the lighters out in full force during a big 70's rock festival -- alternating with huge dudes rocking out to air guitar. Lead singer Seth Copeland reveals a classic, soulful voice, aged and perfectly weathered in the time tunnel of the Midwestern classic bands that preceded. Dustin Ray (Headshot) on drums and Brandon Gibson keep the song tight through the rocking passages and the slower, blusier moments. Meanwhile, Ryan McGowan and Bentley Smith tear it up on guitar, laying the foundation for what will be recognized as the classic Deadweight sound; combating layers of that searing guitar. Perhaps the Black Crowes could've come up with a song like this in their prime, but I think not. This is something better.
I've already gushed about "Cosmic Lunch" so won't go on again. But damn can that song light a fire! Keep a copy handy for the the coming apocalypse and you can use it to rekindle the power plants. Those guitars simple explode in swords of electric infernos. "Stone Frog" is a heavy, stomping number, while "Silver" brings in an unexpected Doors-y vibe. "Astro Cannibalism" attacks full front and in your face, tossing a more modern stoner a la Clutch guitar/vocal assault ito the mix while "Grannymead" wraps things up with another grooveriffic stoner fest with a beat that just won't stop.
Rocking from start to finish. A touch modern stoner/groove rock with a solid background in the the heart of the country classic rock. Psychedelic. Stoner. Whatever. It simply rocks, baby. Deadweight are still a new band, and it'll be fun to see which way their sound develops. Personally, I hope they gravitate towards the more retro-psych end of their spectrum like "Lady" and "Cosmic Lunch" because that guitar sound is destined to become their signature calling card.
As hard as it is to place a definitive label on Deadweight's brand of retro-fried seventies stoner rock, Cover of Afternoon is nigh impossible. Combining elements of prog, post-hardcore, rock, metal, acoustic, and even some emo, there's just damn not enough adjectives to describe their unique brand of rock. Other than to say . . . it rocks.
Searching, I think a band like Sound&Shape, who I've reviewed many times on Ripple would be about the best fit I can think of. Punk enough at moments to be at home on a label like Engineer, this simply isn't punk music. It's prog, in all the best senses of the word, and wouldn't sound uncomfortable jamming on stage with Ripple's own Fen. But they ain't prog, not in the traditional sense anyways. The band lists Thrice and Anberlin as influences. Sure.
Acoustic-y, metal-y rock-y. Yeah, that's what it is. And it's all good.
Cover of Afternoon is a three piece that sounds a helluva lot bigger than that. Ripple's own, Alex Roberts (the Professor) leads the crew on bass, guitar, piano and vocals. Allen Bishop also sings, plays bass and guitar and Reid Mewborne plays anything that you smash with fist or stick.
And let me tell you, when the boys get their groove on, it's something special. I'm gonna preface this by saying I don't have a copy of the finished EP yet. What I have are some early mixes of songs that I got off that original ReverbNation page, so things may sound different in final mixes. But if these are just roughs . . . then Oh My God!
"Not Afraid" is about as near perfect a prog/emo/post-hardcore song can be. Starting off with a few tentative yet melodic piano notes, at about the 30 second mark, the real beauty of the melody kicks in with a gorgeous piano passage growing to a full-on guitar-led prog rocker. As the guitar chimes and rings, that stunning piano can still be heard in the background, layering on a veil of atmosphere that is undeniable. After a moments break, the guitar kicks into a stuttering riff with the vocals lending a touch of neurosis. It all builds to a cresendo of flying guitar and melodic chorus that stands right up there with something Steven Wilson may have come up with for Porcupine Tree. At only 3:47, it's hard to call this song an epic, but it is. It simply is.
"Drop Your Weapons" is a more recognizable post-hardcore/emo/prog stunt in the Sound&Shape vein, with killer melodies and ringing guitars, time changes, musical drop outs, and cool vocal hooks. "Harlot" may be my favorite cut, a tragic, spiteful tale of brothers stabbing brothers and infidelity. The pain of the betrayal hangs like a funeral pall over the delicate melody that explodes into moments of pure rage and release. Stunningly gorgeous, evocative and melodic, until it's a disintegration of violence and hardcore cries for vengence. Truly, a stunningly realized composition, that sums up every man's feelings after his bitch cheated on him "You both belong together/ the liar and the whore/I can't wait to see the thing that karma's got in store/for Judas and the Harlot /there's a special place in hell/for people just like you." What a catharsis!
There's six songs here in total and not even the slightest let up in quality. Big guitar riffs come out of left field, emotive vocals rip through moments of silence, sing-along harmonies lift melodic chorus to cherished heights.
Yeah, I don't know what to call it.
It's Cover of Afternoon and it's unlike any thing else I know.
The first rumblings of creation starts off with a bass, so thick and heavy it has the power to condense gas and energy into matter.
A cosmic fire of guitar feedback screeches through the primordial blackness, searing the newly formed planet. Light erupting across the freshly surging mass.
The beat of this new entity is jazz, complex, life-giving.
Titans isn't so much a new album. It's a new world.
Doom, sludge, stoner, psychedelic, progressive. These are but continents on this new planet, ever-changing, interlocking components of the shifting Terran plate. With Teutonic force, these plates move and collide across the Continental Divide, cross-pollinating the emerging lifeforms with their varied essences. Heavy riffs bring about new heart beats. Psychedelic explorations expand the developing minds. Stoner grooves add movement and balance. Doom lends gravity. Life emerges with passion, power, and intent.
And in this new world, the world of Black Bombaim, Ricardo Miranda, Paulo Gonçalves and Tojo Rodrigues, truly are the titans, wielding the power of ancient Gods to create and destroy. They can effect with terrific beauty or decimate with the ugliness of the dark.
Over the 4 sides of this double LP, Black Bombain have created a truly epic masterpiece of experimental heaviness. Each side is composed of one 10-20 minute song named in a way that is incomprehensible to me. I have no idea what that album is supposed to mean, just how it makes me feel. Mostly instrumental, I was destined to ignore this album. Instrumental stoner bores me. Instrumental doom bores me even more.
Not here.
Every freaked out guitar solo captivates me. Every change of riff is crushing. Every bass line is heavier than the one that preceded. Every beat transmutes between styles. Vocals (when they appear) are ugly accompaniments. An organ is a light of beauty. Synthesizers radiate depth.
The acoustic breakdown 2/3 way through side one steals my breath. The free form jazz bass that follows is stunning. When the Heavy crushes back down on me I'm devastated. The dynamic packed into this one album side tops entire catalogs of lesser artists.
The jazz beat and thickness of bass that starts Side 2 are the pulse of space as the celestial organ brings the grandeur of the cosmos. As the organ fades, like a dawning sun, the resumption of the bass is frightening. The crash of the heavy terrifying. The psychedelic mix intoxicating.
The groove of Side 3 is stoned-out infectious but it's the screech of the saxophone that is inspired, playing out like the heaviest Pink Floyd song never created.
Side 4 cruises through the already created soundscapes like an effective period. Or an exclamation point.
Each moment of each song needs to be listened to. Not heard. Listened to. Each instrument is intent. Each second focused. And each moment liable to shift and change as dramatically as the surface of our newly created world.
Black Bombaim have created a remarkable album. The first true epic, progressive masterpiece of psychedelic doom that I've heard. One against which all following epics will be judged.
Vegetarians and vegans won't like what's on today's musical menu: Steak.
Now, with a name like that I expect some thick, meaty riffs and Steak sure fill me up. The four rock chefs from the U.K. have cooked up some tasty slabs of stoner beef on their new ep, Disastronaught. It has flavors from some of my favorite groups like Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet and Clutch.
"The Butcher" is probably my Porterhouse when it comes to Steak. It's one of my favorite cuts here and there's a lot of damn meat.
"Machine" is the Ribeye. Just about the most flavorful of all the Steak to me. Marbled with psychedelic lines and SO tender.
"Gore Whore" is the lean and mean New York Strip. Not as much to it as a T-bone or Porterhouse, but still tastes as good.
"Fall of Lazarus" is the Filet Mignon on Disastronaught. It takes some time to eat this one because the riffs are so thick, and it's wrapped in fat-ass bass lines.
"Peyote" is the saucepan of psychedelic mushrooms, sauteed in acoustic butter, that adds even more flavor to Steak.
One thing I can't believe is that Steak are offering their music for a 'name your price' kinda deal on Bandcamp, which is extremely generous, kinda like serving all-you-can-eat prime rib to the homeless.
Steak. Best served with your favorite beverage and a side of greenery. Mmm.
Eat this stuff up but chew slowly. Savor it. And don't forget the gratuity if you can afford it.
