EYE OF AQUILA ~ ATAVISMS ...review

Eye of Aquila, Matt Snyder (vocals); Nicole Ridge (guitars); Joe Neves (drums) and Bruce Fowler (bass), are the third Californian band in the last two months to have earned themselves a Desert Psychlist review and are the third in that period to blend into their core sound of doom, heavy psych and stonerized metal elements of grunge and alt-metal. Desert Psychlist does not know if, due to some undiscovered underground tributaries, water from Seattle has been finding its way into California's drinking fountains but something must be causing these bands to take their music into these grungier territories. Of those three releases treading grungier waters, the other two being from Sea of Snakes and Desert Suns, it is probably Eye of Aquila's "Atavisms" that is the one that sails closest to that early 90's Seattle sound of down tuned riff'n'roll allied to world weary and slightly cynical lyrical content. Having said that Eye of Aquila are not a band trying to re-create an era, these guys infuse into their grooves aspects and elements from not just 90's alternative metal but also from the present days stoner, doom and psych scene in order to create a sound that although somewhat familiar is nonetheless fresh and different.  

Opening number "Nova Sun" kicks things off with circular guitar motifs spiralling down to become chugging refrains over a dynamically undulating backdrop of low grizzled bass and busy tight percussion around which a well written and seriously well sung lyric imparts prophetic, often cryptic, wisdom that tells of "cyclical diversions" and "heretical inversions" in tones clean, clear and powerful.  "White Gladis" follows and flits back and forth between thrumming doomic riffage and chaotic edged alt-metal bluster bolstered by a vocal that is part an angsty rant and part a Rage Against The Machine type rap. Title track "Atavisms" mixes grunge tinted stoner metal with elements of thrash, psych and even Tool-like complexity around a vocal that in itself is very similar in tone and delivery to that of  Tool's Maynard James Keenan, the song also possesses what could well be Desert Psychlist's contender for 2024's lyric of the year with "hemotoxic parasexual, aspirating ineffectual, logic pedant fallen god, fallow feral hypnagog", a sublime piece of wordplay. Final number "Blackened Goat God" is, apart from possessing a title at least one band are going to steal for their own, a slow burning atmospheric tome that builds from laid back and languid origins to become an almost traditional metal style torch song in its later stages with all involved in its construction bringing their "A" game to the table, the song serving as a fittingly anthemic finale to a damn fine EP.

Lyrically intelligent and musically as tight as a misers purse Eye Of Aquila's "Atavisms" is high quality from it first note to it last, a superb blending of  alternative metal, stonerized heavy rock and psychedelic doom that despite its late December release has to be considered for being one of the best EP releases of 2024.

Check it out .....  

© 2024 Frazer Jones

HEXENBANE ~ DIABLO'S PRISON ... review

Doom and goth rock (especially the British variant) have a lot in common musically, both genres rely heavily on their atmospherics and both possess a mournful, almost melancholic, quality which is why it seems strange to Desert Psychlist that there are not more bands out there in the world exploring some sort of middle ground between the two. Well one band who are exploring that ground, as well as some others, are Canada's Hexenbane, Starla Nostraius (vocals); Cody Bobier (guitar), Alex Beaudoin (bass) and Tanner Hartmann (drums), a combo hailing from Nanaimo, British Columbia with a sound influenced not just by the aforementioned genres of goth and doom  but also proto-metal, post punk and sludge, a sound they have dubbed "music for the damned" If you are one of those feeling particularly damned and if you are looking for a music that reflects that state of mind then you cannot go far wrong by lending an ear to the bands debut release "Diablo's Prison", 

Hexenbane kick off their account with title track "Diablo's Prison", the song starts atmospheric and moody with mellow guitar textures ringing out over low rumbling bass and restrained drumming joined by a breathy low key and utterly seductive vocal. You would not find many complaining if the song continued to its conclusion in this manner but a piercing guitar note sees the band moving the songs groove into more turbulent waters, Nostraius' vocal becoming more insistent and powerful over a backdrop of groove that gradually evolves from bluesy and torch-like to proto-metallic and strident before finally signing out the way it came in, laid back and hazy. Second number "Everything is Bad" sees Hexenbane getting their psych/doom groove on, albeit psych/doom decorated in vocals possessing distinctive dark and husky goth-like tones, while next track "Stick and Stones" is, for us at Desert Psychlist, the standout track of this release, we have no doubt that had this been released as a single in the heyday of the goth movement it would be gracing the playlists, mixtapes and turntables of every pasty faced eyeliner wearing black clad goth on the planet, it has everything, a killer vocal melody, a big chorus, unexpected changes in signature and tempo and a even a drum solo. Why Hexenbane decided to include "The Dirge" on this release is something you will have to ask the band about, the track is more a sound piece than an actual song and for us serves no purpose other than allowing a moment of respite before the gnarly "Resurrection of Evil" invades your headspace, a song that sees Hexenbane adding extreme metal to their curriculum vitae with heavily filtered clean vocals and barely recognisable as human harshness sharing space over a maelstrom of groove that begins and ends in proto doomic territories but in between occupies some sort of deliciously hellish middle ground between metal of a death and black persuasion. 

Hexenbane's "Diablo's Prison" is a superb debut release, its first three songs are by far some of the best examples of the bringing together of doom, goth, occult and heavy psych you will find released this year, while its remaining two songs point to a band unafraid to mix things up and take chances. 

Check it out ...  

© 2024 Frazer Jones

DESERT SUNS ~ EDGE OF THE SKY .... review

Blending stoner/desert rock with blues, psych and alt-metal is not something new, there are a million and one bands out there doing much the same thing, many who have graced Desert Psychlist's pages, but to blend those elements without one gaining total dominance over the other is somewhat of a feat. California's Desert Suns, Ben McDowell (drums); A.J.Belluto (guitar); Lucas Fisher (guitar); Gabe Fonseca (bass) and Jason Busiek (vocals), are a band who have that balance almost down to a fine art. Of course it has not always been that way, it takes time to polish coal into a diamond, but with a few line-up changes along the way the band have arrived at a sound that really allows them to sparkle in a way we, who have been following their progress, always knew they could. and that sparkle is something that can be found shining through each and every track of the bands latest release "Edge of the Sky"(Glory or Death Records).

"Edge of the Sky" begins its account with "Sweet Sorrow" a song that along with all the usual aspects Desert Suns bring to the table with their music also includes an element of proggish complexity, Fisher and Belluto trading convoluted chord progressions, ear pleasing twin motifs and swirling solos over a backdrop of ever-shifting groove expertly supplied by the bass and drums of Fonseca and McDowell. What we are talking about when saying "ever-shifting" are the songs seamless transitions between passages of up-tempo driving stoner/hard rock, dank doominosity and serpentine prog and psych. Some of you out there will already know Busiek from his vocal work with his other band  the excellent Sea of Snakes and his vocals here are no less impressive, his strong powerful tones bringing an air of soulful weariness to all they touch. "Luck of the Draw" follows and jams a groove that is for its most part a little more straightforward and rocking than its predecessor though that does not mean it does not have its moments one of which is when the guitars face off in a duelling match reminiscent of those days when the guitarists in bands like Thin Lizzy, UFO and Lynyrd Skynyrd would just let rip and push each other to go that extra mile. There is a laid back and bluesy feel to next song "Real Eyes" but its a bluesy feel tinted with a touch of grunginess, a grunginess that does not come from its instrumental attack, which remains bluesy throughout, but from Busiek's vocal which carries just a hint of the late Layne Staley's (Alice In Chains) pained grittiness in its tones. The Alice In Chains feel of the previous tracks leeches into next track "Daisy Chain" but this time with Fisher, Belluto, Fonseca and McDowell matching Busiek's grunge like vocal delivery with a groove that is far more rainy Seattle than it is sunny California. Desert Suns bring a bottle of haziness and a carafe of fuzz to the party for final number "Fata Morgana" a song that begins life hazy and languid around an understated crooned vocal but then suddenly erupts into a groove that has desert party written large all over it, especially in its final quarter when things get a little more "out there" and improvised with the drums and bass acting as an anchor for swirling double guitar pyrotechnics.

It could be argued that any band with "desert" in their name are likely to jam a sound that reflects the use of that word.. and Desert Suns are no exception. The band have always had that expansive psych/desert element in their locker, however the introduction of Lucas Fisher and Jason Busiek to the bands ranks has brought to the table elements of alt-metal, acid rock and prog that although may have been present on previous albums are on "Edge of the Sky" much more prominent and defined, all of which has resulted in the bands sound becoming so much more rounded and immersive. 

Check it out .... 

© 2024 Frazer Jones

GUDGER ~ III .....review

For those not familiar with Gudger, Aaron Eddleblute (bass/vocals); Derek Eddleblute (guitar) and Justin Kaplan (drums), the band jam a groove that is an amalgamation of old school heavy metal and stoner/hard rock, a sound that unapologetically draws its influences from the 70's right up to the present day. Do not feel bad however if up until reading this review you have been unaware of the bands existence because frankly Ohio's Gudger have not been exactly the most prolific of bands when it comes to album releases, since their formation the band have only previously released two full length albums "Gudger" in 2015 and "II" in 2018, there have been a couple of one off singles and the inclusion of three songs on a compilation but even so it cannot be said that they have exactly flooded the market with their wares. Having said that a Gudger release is always a good listen and the news that they have just released their third album "III" is for us, and we hope you, cause for celebration..

  A throbbing effect and gently picked arpeggios introduce first track "Disreality" and are quickly joined by swooning lead work but then the drums enter and its rifforama time from here on in, crunchy chord progressions and punchy rhythms supporting a vocal that is constantly shifting between hardcore like raspiness, stoner grittiness and and classic rock style cleanliness. Second track "Dust and Shadows" leans slightly away from the stoner(ish) drive of the previous track and more towards the type of hard rock played by the likes of UFO and Thin Lizzy, ear-pleasing guitar hooks and strident rhythms supporting a clean, slightly gritted, vocal melody. Gudger slow things down a little with their next two songs "Fever Dream" and "Peaks and Valleys" both songs existing in that hinterland between balladry and lamentation, both powerful and atmospheric. "Dig Deep" finds Gudger flexing their stoner/desert muscles with a song that could easily be mistaken for an unreleased Queens of the Stone Age track if it were not for its occasional harsher vocal attack while "Live It Down" twins classic rock flavoured vocal melodies with stuttering and swaggering up-tempo hard rock grooves. "Vicious Cycle" lives up to its title by delivering circular guitar riffage over low bouncy bass and furious busy drumming and then enhances the results with yet another ear-catching  clean/gritty vocal melody. Penultimate number "Long Way Down" boasts  a Clutch-like groove but with cleaner, less lay preacher like, vocals. For their last number Gudger opt not to go out with one of their own song but instead go with a cover of Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine", now Desert Psychlist has heard plenty of covers of Floyd songs, some have been very good and some have been just damn awful, this one falls into the former category and it has to be said pretty near to the top of that category.

Gudger's "III" is a solid  highly enjoyable rock album, an album that is a touch old school in places and a touch new school in others. Sometimes we get so caught up in trying to discover the next Elder or the next All Them Witches that we forget that rock music does not always have to be cutting edge or genre -defining, that a good vocal combined with some good hearty grooves is still something to be appreciated and applauded, qualities Gudger's "III" has in abundance.

Check it out .... 

© 2024 Frazer Jones

OKKTLI ~ LADO A ... review

 

It is funny how we have come to associate a certain kind of sound to underground rock bands and artistes from different countries, for example we tend to expect a level of  crushing intensity from bands hailing from Poland, Swedish bands we often associate with distortion drenched hard rock mixed with a large dose of fuzzy bluesiness while Chile seems to have cornered the market, in our minds, when it comes to swirling heavy psych. Now we do not know if it is just us but when we think of bands from Mexico we tend to think of bands with an abrasive and gritty edge to their grooves, an uncompromising rawness. Mexico City's Okktli, Alfonso Brito López (vocals & rhythm guitar); Mauricio Hernández (drums); Israel Oñate (bass) and César Gama (lead guitar), however are a band not so easily pigeonholed, yes their music does possess elements of that rawness and grit we have so readily associated with rock music from their home country but there is also a richness of texture and colour to their sound that we do not usually equate with Mexico's underground rock scene, textures and colours that could be found gracing their self-titled debut release "Okktli" but are even more prominent on their latest release "Lado A". 

 Things begin on the right side of dank and crunchy with opening track "March of Glory" a thrumming and atmospheric instrumental driven by militaristic drumming and basement low bass over which the guitars deliver mid to slow tempo refrains and dark twisting solos it is followed by "The Uprising" a proto-doomic behemoth with bluesy undertones that sports call to arms type lyrical content, Lopez telling a tale of the dead ancestors rising up to claim back their thrones in tones deep luxuriant and powerful against a backdrop of thunderous bass and drum groove enhanced by wailing lead work and crunching rhythm guitar. Next track "I Walk Alone" is a lament come torch song drenched in atmosphere that sees Lopez and Gama initially trading off guitar motifs over a deliciously emotive doomic blues groove expertly delivered by Oñate and Hernández, Lopez's guitar work then dropping out slightly in order to deliver a deliciously smooth lounge lizard like crooned vocal. If the song was to fade out at this point there would be no complaints from Desert Psychlist, nor we should imagine the majority of listeners, but instead of a fade out we get a gear change into proto-doom/metal territory, López's vocal shifting from a croon to a powerful and quite soulful roar beneath which the songs groove moves from bluesy and laid back to insistent and thrusting in response. Final track "Mistress of the Sea" is a shape shifting riff monster that routinely swings back and forth between traditional and proto doom, atmospheric and moody one minute, blustering and bold the next, López altering his vocal attack to accommodate both disciplines. 

If you do NOT feel disappointed that Okktli's latest release ONLY consists of four songs then maybe the underground rock scene is not the place for you, because "Lado A" is, bar maybe two more songs, everything you could ever want from a doom album pitched at the more accessible end of the genres spectrum. Its grooves are heavy without being overpowering, its vocals are rich deep clean and powerful and its musicianship, song structures and lyrical content, despite this only being the bands second studio album, are on a par with those employed by some of the scenes major players, an album that is essential listening for not just fans of doom but for anyone who loves well crafted and superbly executed rock music.

Check it out ...

© 2024 Frazer Jones

DESERT PSYCHLIST'S BEST OF 2024

 

Another year goes flying by and here we are again with another best of list. Once again we are publishing a list of  the 30 albums/EP's that kept us at Desert Psychlist relatively sane and grounded. As we say every year these are our picks and may differ greatly from your own but then you probably realise that already, we also need to tell you that the text accompanying our choices are a mix of snippets of reviews posted on Desert Psychlist's pages and blurbs we have posted on the various artists Bandcamp pages. Right fasten those seatbelts here we go again......

30.  HUANASTONE ~ SON OF JUNO

Huanastone raised the bar high with their previous studio album "Third Stone From the Sun" with "Son of Juno" they have thrown that bar into the stratosphere, the album is everything that the last album was and much more, it is an album that will be demanding your attention not just over the next few months but over many years.

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29.  HEKATE ~  HOUSE OF SOLOMON

A seriously impressive album that if there is any justice in this world ought to be figuring on all those best of lists at the end of the year.. not just this one

28:  HELL IS A CITY ~ NARROW SEAS

For Hell Is A City the blues are the block on which all their songs are built, every song on "Narrow Seas" has its roots in the genre, this is not a doom album with elements of the blues, this is a blues album with elements of doom.

27:  ORANGE GOBLIN ~ SCIENCE, NOT FICTION

Orange Goblin's return to the studio was a much heralded one but sadly with anticipation often comes disappointment, not in this case though.  

26.  LUCIFER GIANT ~ LUCIFER GIANT

A delightfully dynamic blending of prog, doom and heavy psych with strong clean vocals that sit nicely in that middle of the mix pocket. An absolute monster of an album.

25.  TEMPORAL DRIVER ~ A TREATISE OF SORCERY: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO MYSTICISM IN MAGIC

A powerful dark and dank assemblage of songs tinted with elements of doom, desert rock, psych and British goth, an album that any lover of good melodic heavy music would want gracing their collection.

 

24.  HEAVY TEMPLE ~ GARDEN OF HEATHENS

It's still kind of hard to believe that "Garden of Heathens" is only Heavy Temple's second full length album, especially given how long they have been around, but the best things are always worth waiting for and Heavy Temple have with their new album delivered one of the best things you'll hear this year.

 

23:  DEAD RUNES ~ RAIDHO

A headbanging blend of heavy rock and doom decorated in well delivered clean and powerful vocals, an intelligent and varied mix of prog- like complexity, lysergic languidity and swaggering heaviness.

22:  SANTA PLANTA ~ FROM THE TRAILS OF DESIRE

A scintillating mish mash of low'n'slow stoner doom and spacious acidic psych, a truly impressive listen from start to finish. 

21:  CURSE THE SON ~ DELIRIUM

Do not go dismissing Curse the Son as another of those Sabbath worshipping bands as they are far from being that, yes they do work in a similar field of music but their sound, when not spiralling off into hazy and lysergic territories, is much more an American take on doom, a sound inspired more by Wino than it is Iommi.

20:  RED MESA ~ PARTIAL DISTORTIONS

There were hints on the bands previous album, "The Path To The Deathless", that the band were heading in a heavier direction but nobody would have predicted they would get this damn heavy,

19.  CHEDDAR ~ PSYCHE

Elements of prog, alt-rock, occult rock and even hints of symphonic metal can be found nestled among these eight songs, a stunning mix of crunching riffage and vocal ethereality.

18.  SONIC WOLVES ~ III

Sonic Wolves "III" is an outstanding release that ticks all the boxes any discerning rock music fan could ever want ticking, it's aggressive in places soothing and spacious in others, it is an album that will appeal to those brought up on the classic, garage and hard rock of the 70's, those who cut their teeth on 80's metal and those with an investment in the stoner rock, psych and doom that has graced record collections from the 90's to the present day.

17.  MALSTEN ~ THE HAUNTING OF SILVAKRA MILL-RITES OF PASSAGE

Malsten's Silvakra saga continued into a second album, a combination of storytelling and groove that'll send shivers down the spine.

16.  INCHE KAI CHE ~ TRANSMUTACIÓN

If Inche Kai Che's "Transmutaci​ó​n" was a jewel it would be a radiant cut diamond, bright and shining with many facets, if it were a food it would be Ambrosia, divine and spiritually uplifting. It is however merely a collection of songs on an album....but what a magnificent collection of songs and what a stunning album it is. 

15.  SUNDRIFTER ~ AN EARLIER TIME

Sundrifter's "An Earlier Time", is one of those albums with the potential to live on much longer than the band that made it actually exists, a game changing album much like Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" was back in its day, Radiohead's "OK Computer" is today and how Elder's "Lore" will no doubt be perceived in the future, a bold statement you might say but this album really is that GOOD!

14. SAUTRAS ~ LAZARUS DILEMMA

No two Sautrus albums are alike, each is its own separate journey with its own unique twists and turns and this album may well be the finest journey they have taken us on so far.

13.  DVNE ~ VOIDKIND

Many may have thought that DVNE had reached their peak with "Etemen Ænka" that there was no possible way they could ever top such a hugely impactful release but those "many" underestimated how much more these guys had (and still have) in their locker, what they had in that locker was "Voidkind" probably the best black edged progressive metal album to come out of the British Isles in an age.

12.  MAMMOTH VOLUME ~ RAISED UP BY WITCHES

Big debates are raging over the effects of AI on the arts but until the powers that be can invent a programme that can reproduce music as eclectic, off-centred and deliciously diverse as that which Mammoth Volume deliver with "Raised Up By Witches" then we can all lay in our beds safe in the knowledge that real music played by real musicians is still something worth celebrating.

11.  DAEVAR ~ AMBER EYES

Daevar have with "Amber Eyes" made the album we all hoped they would make , an album that doesn't stray too far away from the blueprint the band drew up with the excellent "Delirious Rites" but is at the same time a progression in both its ideas, its arrangements and its musicality.

10.  BOVEDA DEL SOL ~ COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUSNESS

Unbelievably impressive collection of tunes tinted with elements of sludge, prog, space and doom and decorated in a variety of vocal tones.

09.  SUNNATA ~ CHASING SHADOWS

Everything you have loved about the bands previous work, the broad soundscapes the heaviness and the feeling of shamanic spirituality are all here but so much broader, heavier and more spiritual. 

 

08.  ROBOT GOD ~ SUBCONSCIOUS AWAKENING

Epic length songs of engrossing space rock and heavy psych shot through with all the elements of stoner rock and doom we've fast become accustomed to hearing from these Australians.

07.  SPACESLUG ~ OUT OF WATER

Polish underground bands are known world wide for delivering off the scale levels of intensity, complexity and heaviness and Spaceslug are no shrinking violets in those departments, however the complexity, intensity and heaviness Spaceslug bring to the table with "Out Of Water" is of the measured variety, there is a deftness of touch to the heaviness on this album that does not so much pin you to the wall as invite you to stand against that wall and allow the music to flow over you.

06.  BIRDS OF VALE ~ LIMBO

These Athenians have nailed it with this their debut, an absolute peach of an album that draws from the wells of stoner rock, grunge, the blues and southern rock.

05.  FREE RIDE ~ ACIDO Y PUTO

Free Ride cut their teeth playing generator parties on the open plateau's outside of their Madrid home so it will come as no surprise that the sound the band bring to the table with "Acido y Puto" is one not too far removed from that which once echoed across the open deserts of California when bands like Kyuss, Nebula and Fu Manchu were first finding their feet in this world. Basically if you like your stoner "old school" and served up with with a little lysergic haziness and a pinch of Mediterranean spiciness then this is the album you will want to be spinning.

04.  REZN ~ BURDEN

Not much you can say about this album other than it is absolutely magical from start to finish, these guys are not just musicians they are spellcasters.

03.  ANCIIENTS ~ BEYOND THE REACH OF THE SUN

Anciients "Beyond the Reach of the Sun" is the sound of a band at the very top of their game, the musicianship is off the scale impressive, the vocals are a delicious mix of melodic and growly and the lyrics are poetically cryptic and thought provoking. For those of you out there who love their music crushingly complex instrumentally intricate and unbelievably powerful it really doesn't get better than this. 

02.  HUNTSMEN ~ THE DRY LAND

Elements of Americana, folk and prog framed in blackened doom and sludge, an outstanding follow up to their mind-blowing second album "Mandala of Fear" and its following EP "The Dying Pines", 

01.  SERGEANT THUNDERHOOF ~ THE GHOST OF BADON HILL

Musically stunning and lyrically intelligent Sergeant Thunderhoof's "The Ghost of Badon Hill" is everything you could ever want from a modern era rock album, it is a release that rocks and dooms in equal measure while also incorporating into its make-up elements of complex prog and textured psych. Add to this genre crossing tapestry a concept that actually works, and doesn't leave you scratching your head in confusion, and what you are left with is an absolute modern day rock masterpiece.

Well, that's 2024 over and out folks so before the ice caps melt, nuclear war breaks out and AI decides humanity is more bother than its worth lets get some shout outs done.....
Michele for her love, hard work and support, Vikki, Billy, Sian, Ethan, Austin, Rowan and Amber for just being life affirming, Steve Howe (of Outlaws Of The Sun) and Reek of Stoom (of Howls From The Hollows podcast) for their continued support and late night banter , Joop Konraad (of Stoner Hive) for all his support and regular shout-outs, the ever-growing list of contributors to  Retro Rockets (Facebook page) for reminding me that there is still a ton of music from the past still to be heard , the wonderful Leanne Ridgeway (of Riff Relevant) for just being Leanne Ridgway, all the contributors at The Doom Charts who refuse to let a new release pass them by, all the record labels and PR companies for the promos and updates, all the musicians and artists who constantly amaze us with their music, and of course you the readers because without you this site just would not exist.

© 2024 Frazer Jones

MEGATON COMMUNION ~ RED SKY WARNING ... review

Regular readers of Desert Psychlist will know that most of our reviews are split between music that is gnarly and crushing and that which is lilting and psychedelic as well as music that falls somewhere between the two. Today though we are reviewing a band whose music could just as easily be seen gracing the Doom Charts as it could heard gracing the airwaves of mainstream rock radio, a band with an undeniably American sound but one edged with world-crossing metallic growl and bite. The band we speak of are a Ohio three piece, consisting of Derrick Walter (guitar); Ryan Sharkey (drums) and Joe Marshall (bass/vocals), who go by the name Megaton Communion, the album we are reviewing today is their debut "Red Sky Warning" (Black Doomba Records), we think you'll like it.

"Red Sky Warning" opens its account with "Kentucky Buddha", there is no fancy intro here, no polite knocking on the door asking for access, instead we get a crunchy and raunchy circular guitar motif pushed hard by low growly bass and punchy percussion virtually kicking said door clear off its hinges. The groove does settle down somewhat when the vocals come in, which are delivered husky strong and clean, but it is that recurring guitar motif that is the real deal-breaker here. We did mention in our intro piece to this review that Megaton Communion have that rock radio friendly card in their back pockets and they play that card to perfection on next song "Seven Sacred Pools", a mid tempo southern flavoured rocker with a soulfully sang vocal melody and tastefully delivered guitar solos, it is no wonder the band chose this as a single to promote the album with. Next up comes the instrumental "Heir To The Earth", Walter's guitar work, ably supported by Sharkey's solid drumming and Marshall's low bouncy bass lines, is sublime here, no flashy shredding just feel drenched solos and thrumming chord progressions. "I-80 West" follows and is lyrically a road song, Marshall bemoaning "long highways" and being "too far from home" in wearied but soulful tones, however the vocal is just a fraction of the song the real meat and potatoes of this tome comes in its middle section when the band slip into jam mode with searing solos firing off in all directions, some scorching and bluesy and some textured and lysergic. "Undone" begins life fairly laid-back and languid which makes Marshall's vocal, when it comes in, all the more surprising, those husky soulful tones are here replaced by tones that almost border on harsh and hardcore, strangely it is the clash of styles between the vocals and the music that makes this song work, had Marshall opted for his usual soulful huskiness much of the songs impact would have, in our opinion, been diluted. "Disbelief" sees the band donning their desert rock hats for a deliciously riff heavy barnburner with minimal vocal content but a ton of groove. "Pass Me Over" follows and has a similar desert rock feel to its predecessor but this time with an ear catching vocal melody as its main focus. Final song "The End Of Everything" combines elements of grungy Americana with stonerized hard rock and psych, it is probably the albums most expansive and diverse track and deservedly merits its place as the albums curtain closer.

Megaton Communion's "Red Sky Warning" is a superbly well balanced collection of songs that should appeal to both mainstream rock radio listeners and those of a more "underground" persuasion, an album with the swagger and strut of southern rock, the crunch and growl of stoner metal and the panache and polish of classic rock.

Check it out ....  

© 2024 Frazer Jones

DESERT COLLIDER ~ GENERATION SHIP: ENDLESS DRIFT THROUGH INFINITY .... review

As much as we at Desert Psychlist love the Electric Wizard inspired psychedelic fuzz drenched mayhem delivered by the likes of Sonic Demon, Witchsnake and Demonio we do sometimes hanker for that more expansive desert sound that first turned our head in the direction of Italy's underground scene many moons ago. Thankfully our hankering was assuaged somewhat by an email from Cesena based four piece Desert Collider, Federico C (guitars/synths/backing vocals/FX); Federico G (vocals/Synths; Andrea (drums/percussion) and Manuel (bass/FX),  informing us of the release of their debut album "Generation Ship: endless drift through infinity" a delicious blend of  sand blasted desert rock, heady psych and strutting heavy rock. Not only were the band informing us of its release they were also asking if we would consider reviewing it, well one listen and our minds were made up, so without further ado here's the review.

Opening number "Orphans of the Sky Part I; Generation Ship" begins spacious and otherworldly with tribal drumming and low liquid bass supporting synth generated whoops whirls, its groove gradually building in intensity until finally erupting into maelstrom of crunching guitar and thunderous drumming anchored by a low and deliciously fuzzy bass line all of which takes us nicely up to the songs halfway mark. The second half of the song is no less impactful but instead of following the more four to the floor pattern of its first half here we get an element of off centredness thrown into the mix which is accompanied by a vocal that is more spoken than sung and moves towards shouted and angry in its later stages. Next song "Floating Hand In Space" opens with heavily filtered vocals singing over a swirling circular space rock flavoured guitar motif then is joined by the bass and drums in thunderous desert rock groove that threatens real damage to the speakers of any device you may be listening on. "Sonic Carver" in its initial stages is a romping stomping desert rocker, with an ear catching vocal melody, played at an almost thrash metal tempo but then midway through transforms into a melodic space blues buoyed by swooning guitar textures and lilting vocal harmonies. "Orphans of the Sky Part II: Disembark" shuffles between heavy doomic bluster and languid psychedelic haziness but does so seamlessly, its vocal in its heavier parts delivered clean forceful and gritty but in its quieter  passages shifting to distant hazy and remote. Next we get "ThumpeRRR", a song, much like "Sonic Carver", that is another go for the throat romp but this time a little less desert and a little more heavy rock, albeit heavy rock played at breakneck speed while "Nomads of the Red Sun", an instrumental, finds Desert Collider mixing their synths with acoustic guitars and hand percussion to create a languid campfire jam vibe. The languid feel of the previous track seeps into "Far Centaurus: Drifting without Guidance through Interstellar Space" only this time that lanquidity is enhanced with electric guitars and lilting clean vocals however the songs relaxed feel is soon shattered when the band suddenly launch into a driving desert rock groove, a groove most bands might have opted to take to the close but Desert Collider, not being like most bands, decide to then shift into a torch-like mix of heavy psych and prog. Desert Collider close their account with another of those out and out rockers they are so fond of, this one called "Nebuchadnezzar" a song that for once finishes very much in the manner it began.. furious, fast and fun. 

Lovers of desert flavoured rock blended with heavy psych and space rock and are not averse to some synthesised whoops whirls squiggles and squawks will find Desert Collider's "Generation Ship: endless drift through infinity" right up their proverbial alley, it is an album that delivers on levels that haven't even been built yet 

Check 'it out ... 

© 2024 Frazer Jones

MUDLARKER ~ RADIO SILENCE .... review

Aside from Mott The Hoople and three of the original Pretenders Hereford, UK is probably better known for its cattle than it is its rock music but that does not mean that there is a dearth of aspiring rockers to be found in the city. One such Hereford based band hoping to make their mark on the world are Mudlarker, Tom Berrow (vocals); Marc Jones (bass); Elliott Crosby (drums) and Dave Knott (guitar), a band who pitch their grooves somewhere between current era stoner rock and metal and 70's classic rock. Some out there may remember the band from their moderately well received  2023 self-titled release "Mudlarker" but if you are one of those that missed out do not worry because you have the chance to make up for that oversight by giving their follow up "Radio Silence" a spin, a far more dynamically robust musical affair that sees Mudlarker combining their growl with an added element of bite!

Title track "Radio Silence" kicks things off in style with raucous and ragged guitar riffage crunching out over a solid and uncomplicated bass and drum groove all of which is accompanied by strong clean but raw and throaty vocals that tell a sci-fi themed tale of abandonment and isolation, a truly ass-kicking number to start an album with. "Leviathan" follows and starts with wind effects and feedback then erupts into a dark and dank doomic groove that has just the merest hint of bluesiness in its attack that bluesiness further reflected in the meter and tone of its gritty vocal and piercing but tasteful guitar solos, however at the songs mid way mark the song suddenly shifts into proto-doom territory with chugging Sabbath-esque refrains holding sway over up-tempo rhythms, the songs vocal here a little more forceful and insistent. The bluesy aspects of the preceding track are given a slightly bigger platform on next track "Godshead" but gradually move up to more heavier torch-like dynamic as the song evolves while "The Persistence" makes no pretence at being anything other than thunderous and doomic. Up next is "Dreadnaught (impending ruin)" a brief but quite effective semi-instrumental with rumbling rhythmic underbelly over which drone-like guitar effects and a remote mantra like vocal create a feeling of otherworldliness. That mantra-like vocal resurfaces again in  "Cruisership" along with a heavily distorted bass line and militaristic drumming, the guitar work here is circular and slurred and works well in that it gives the song a spinning off centred and out of control feel. Mudlarker opt for more traditional four to the floor heavy metal dynamics for the first half of "Reaver" but then slide into low'n'slow stoner doom territory for the second half of the song. Now we did mention, in the opening piece to this review, that Mudlarker count among their influences 70's classic rock and next song "River" is them fully immersed in that genre, bluesy guitar tones, bouncy bass and chunky drumming supporting a soulful clean and powerful vocal,  there is not a trace of stoner or doom to found anywhere on this number. For their final song, "Empyrean" Mudlarker go epic, not so much in length more in feel, a sprawling and atmospheric tome with a superb vocal that builds layer by layer until it reaches a peak and then finally fades out on waves of dissonant and droning guitar, a fittingly strong finish to seriously strong album. 

Mudlarker's self titled debut was an impressive release from a band with the potential to be a major force in this thing we call the "underground rock scene", it had everything; great songs, superb musicianship and strong vocals, the only thing that did let it down was its production which didn't quite deliver the crispness and clarity the bands sound deserved. "Radio Silence" does not suffer from the same problem as its predecessor, the production here is right on the money the vocals sit exactly where they should be in the mix, the guitar work comes over sharp and concise and the drums and bass have so much more depth and punch, add these production values to the stronger song structures and arrangements the band bring to the table this time around and what you have is an absolute killer second album.

Check it out .... 

© 2024 Frazer Jones

DYING HYDRA ~ STRANGE AND BEAUTIFUL THINGS ....review

November 2024 has turned out to be quite the month for those who like their grooves heavy, atmospheric and Danish, not only have we been graced with an exceptionally impressive release from Copenhagen based outfit Alkymist (reviewed here) but also a release from Dying Hydra, a trio also hailing from the same city. Dying Hydra, Tejs Kyhl (drums); Lars Pontoppidan (guitar/vocals) and Patrick Fragtrup (guitar/vocals) are unusual in that they have no bassist in their line up instead preferring to bring that all important low end rumble to their grooves via clever deployment of octave pedals. The bands latest release "Strange And Beautiful Things" (Black Grain Records), the follow up to their well received debut album  "Of Lowly Origin", is built around a conceptual theme that explores humanities effect on our environment, specifically our oceans, an album that finds the band tackling some very weighty issues with some seriously weighty lyrics and music.

An exotic sounding guitar motif introduces opening track "Lithification" joined by light percussion and sharded chord voicings from the second guitar, so far things are sounding quite post metallic and ambient but then that first guitar motif  gradually starts to get a touch more crunchier and intense, that percussion begin to get a little bigger and heavier and that second guitar starts to add a little more bite and growl to its tones, without really noticing it we, the listeners, have been gradually moved from a place of  ambience and serenity to a place of chaos and mayhem, a gloriously heavy chaos and mayhem fronted by powerful raspy and guttural vocals. Next song "Aurelia" again begins languid and post-metallic but here the move from languid post metal to heavy sludge is less gradual, and when we say heavy sludge we are not talking brutal, there is a refined and complex element to Dying Hydra's heaviness that makes it seem doubly strange that the word "progressive" is not bandied about more when discussing their music. Third track "Abyssal Clocks" is an atmosphere drenched behemoth that sees the vocals shifting back and forth between  impassioned gravelled howls and deep guttural growls over a constantly swelling and dissipating musical backdrop while "Grasping Stone" is a rhythmic tour-de-force taken to another level by eastern flavoured guitar textures and a full on throaty vocal. Penultimate song "Into Existence" finds Dying Hydra pushing those elements of post-metal and prog, that have coloured each track up to this point, to the fore, musically still staying very much in the sludge arena but with much more emphasis on texture and colour. Finally we arrive at "Ancestral", the songs furious driving rhythm patterns serving as a platform for the two guitarists to trade off crunching  riffs, ear catching motifs and tasteful licks beneath equally furious vocal interplay, if you find you have been holding your breath in awe right up to the last note of tis song then be safe in the knowledge that we at Desert Psychlist were doing exactly the same thing, whew!

Wikipedia defines sludge as "an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that combines elements of doom metal and hardcore punk" and goes on to say "the genre generally includes slow tempos, tuned down guitars and nihilistic lyrics discussing poverty, drug addiction and pollution". Well if you take that as your gospel then Dying Hydra's "Strange And Beautiful Things" is not what you would call your archetypical sludge album, sure its down tuned and incorporates slow tempos and its concept does broach pollution but then factor in its post-metallic textures an its prog-like structures and you have an album that is probably more sludge(ish) than it is actually full-blown sludge. If you really needed to hang a tag on this album then "damn fine complex heavy music with a social conscious" should just about cover it.

Check it out ..... 

© 2024 Frazer Jones