There was a time when Orange Goblin were the UK's only real recognized stoner rock/metal combo however slowly but surely things started to change and over the last ten or so years what started as a trickle has gradually turned into a deluge, to the point where the UK, although not quite on a par with Greece and Sweden, has become a significant hub for good underground rock music.
Superlord, a band hailing from the English counties of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, are the latest group to throw their hat into the increasingly growing ring of British underground rock, the trio of Aaron Brennan (guitar/vocals); Tom Humphrey (bass) and Mike Whittle (drums) have caused quite a stir with their debut EP "Vs. Gargantuan" with many of the scenes movers and shakers, with only days to go, already deciding to include it into their end of year "best of" lists for 2020.
You kind of know from just looking at the excellent sci-fi themed artwork that adorns "Vs. Gargantuan" that something special lies beneath, and believe us something special does. Superlord jam a groove that takes all the best bits of desert rock and then puts them through the unholy blender of stoner doom adding a little Sabbathesque proto flavoring along the way. If Desert Psychlist were to play the comparison game then we guess The Sword would have to be mentioned as of course would the mighty Kyuss and also possibly, at a stretch, Sasquatch and Monster Magnet but in truth Superlord are their own entity with their own unique sound. There are only four songs to be sampled on "Vs, Gargantuan" but each of them is its very own animal, "Weight" is a stonking riff monster with classic rock ambitions, "Desert Ruins" is a dune hopping desert rocker with an infectious circular groove, title track "Vs. Gargantuan" is a complex beast with proggish overtones while epic closing number "Alice Olive" is headlong dive into the dark waters of stoner doom. Each song is delivered with an unbelievable level of musicianship, crunching powerchords, swirling solos, growling bass lines and thunderous percussion, and each song is decorated in clean, melodic and powerful vocals that sit perfectly in that Goldilocks zone midway in the mix.
Heavy, yet not to the point of being brutal, and with a groove that gets under your skin and stays there "Vs. Gargantuan" is a superb debut EP from a band who if they continue on the path they are now following will win many new friends both here in the UK and further afield.
Check 'em out .....
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