Desert Psychlist remembers back in 2014 stumbling across an EP appropriately titled "EP no,1" by a Polish outfit going by the name of Red Scalp, it was a pretty good collection of stoner rock/heavy psych tunes but was nothing really that out of the ordinary. Two years later this same band released their debut album "Rituals" and it was like listening to a totally different band, the music still existed very much in the same genre pool as its predecessor but there was a polish and depth to this release that had not been there before. Next came "Lost Ghosts" followed two years later by "The Great Chase In The Sky" two albums that pushed the envelope of what could be done within the narrow confines of the genres Red Scalp had chosen to work in. Red Scalp were evolving, release by release, from stoner rock journeymen into real contenders and that evolution continues with new EP "Hallucinations", an EP truly deserving of the praise that will undoubtedly come its way.
A short but effective solo sax piece going by the title "In" kicks things off and is quickly followed by the track "Hallucination" here we find Red Scalp jamming on a groove not too distantly removed from Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" but sounding not unlike something you might hear in a club being danced to by kids wearing lurid t-shirts and shorts. Fear not though you worshippers of the riff this is a tune that rocks hard and rocks especially hard when the guitars come in heavier in accompaniment to the songs vocals which are delivered with deliciously sneery intent, there is a hell of a lot going on in this song and all of it is GOOD! "Now" rears its head next and is another short piece, this time heavy on the synths and very reminiscent of something UK prog ravers Ozric Tentacles might have dallied with, it is followed by "Paralyzed" a manic rock/rave workout that mixes faintly sounding 60's vocal melodies with sampled narrative to great effect. It has to be said that this song seems to be going in a hundred different directions all at once with synths guitars drums and vocals all fighting each other for dominance yet despite all this mayhem, and probably because of it, is a totally captivating listen. Final track "Be Gone" is probably a little more straightforward and stoner-ish than what has gone before but don't for one minute think that Red Scalp's take on straightforward and stoner-ish is anything like other bands and artistes version of those terms, oh no Red Scalp's comes with a side order of musical schizophrenia and otherworldly weirdness.
There are not many bands out there blending psychedelic hard rock with elements borrowed from today's dance culture and there will probably be those who, because of reading those words in a review, will avoid this superb release like it is carrying a disease. However those unafraid to bend an ear to music a little outside their comfort zone will discover in "Red Scalp's " Hallucinations" a release that will rock their socks off but might also have them throwing a few shapes.
Check it out .....
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