COSMIC FALL ~ IN SEARCH OF OUTER SPACE ...review

One definition of the word cosmic is something that is "inconceivably vast" and that is exactly what you can expect from Berlin, Germany's purveyors of the lysergic and trippy Cosmic Fall. The band, Daniel Sax (drums), Klaus Friedrich (bass/vocals) and Marcin Morawski ( guitar) describe themselves as a psychedelic jam band so the question is can a band who have a tendency, and need, to go off on tangents into the unknown be confined by the parameters placed upon them by studio time and album length, well I guess we will find out by giving their latest release "In Search of Outer Space" a listen.

Deep rolling distorted bass backed by solid insistent percussion introduces first track "Jabberwocky" and is then joined by wailing low pitched guitar only for it to all fall away when the vocals enter. Not wishing to sound rude or of stereotyping a particular style of singing but Friedrich's vocals do have a distinctive Germanic tone, a tone often associated with the work of  Kraftwerk, an almost robotic baritone delivery that at first listen sounds slightly at odds with the swirling psych that surrounds them but after their initial shock dissipates seem like the most natural thing in the world. Whether your a fan of Friedrich's vocal stylings or not the real meat and potatoes of Cosmic Fall's sound is their ability to take a groove and twist and bend it into any shape or form they desire, taking off on tangents into hyperspace one minute grooving on the dirtiest of riffs the next while shoehorning elements of jazz, metal, funk and good old fashioned rock into those grooves along the way. Musically these guys are firmly on point with Friedrich holding down the bottom end on songs like "Narcotic Vortex", "Lumberjam" and the aforementioned "Jabberwocky" with a mixture of liquid funky and fuzz heavy distorted bass while Sax's drumming throughout is nothing short of breath-taking, especially on the laid back "Purification" where his jazzy chops are well and truly to the fore. Morawski meantime takes elements from such guitar masters as Gilmour, Hendrix, Page and Holdsworth and blends them together in a mish mash of styles that comes out as pure Morawski, using elements, drawn from a wide musical spectrum, to paint swirling brush strokes of scintillating lead over Friedrich and Sax's ever shifting rhythmic textures.

The title of this album is "In Search Of Outer Space" and they say that the search is half the fun, if they are having this much fun just searching imagine the fun they will have when they finally find what they are looking for
Check it out ...

© 2018 Frazer Jones

INDICA BLUES ~ HYMNS FOR A DYING REALM .... review

Greek mythology tells us that from the demise of the legendary Phoenix another will rise from its ashes and take its place, well that legend when applied to Oxford based doomsters Indica Blues has a ring of truth to it. When cult Oxford doomsters Caravan of Whores called it a day fan Tom Pilsworth, a guitarist/vocalist with a love of Kyuss and Electric Wizard, approached CoW's now out of work guitarist John Slaymaker and invited him to a jam, the pair hit it off both musically and personally and after recruiting Andrew Haines-Villalta on bass and Ed Glenn on drums (Glenn has since left the band and has been replaced by Rich Walker) Indica Blues were born.
The current line up have just released the follow up to their well received debut "Ruins On The Shore" entitled "Hymns For A Dying Realm". ( Releases April 21 2018. available to pre-order from their Bandcamp page now)

Doom, as a genre, is a many headed beast sprouting a myriad of sub-genre faces snapping and snarling at each other from a dark powerful neck so the question you may be asking now is what doomic face does Oxford's Indica Blues wear? Well the answer to that question is not as straightforward as you might expect as Indica Blues are as prone to travelling the traditional route as they are to travelling down more diverse roads, the band blending elements of  old school grandeur with those of a more lysergic and stonerized nature while at the same time tipping their caps to the Sabbath's, Budgie's and May Blitz's whose proto-metal endeavour's unwittingly and unknowingly kick started this whole doom thing. The old school elements of  Indica Blues sound are well represented here on "Hymns For A Dying Realm" by the albums first two songs "Cosmic Fall" and "Knight's Return" both of which are driven by pounding percussion and throbbing deep bass lines then overlaid with clean. slightly stilted and gothic vocal tones around which overdriven crunching riffs and swirling dark solo's are weaved. If the grandiose doom of the likes of Candlemass and Reverend Bizarre are your thing then you may now be thinking you've opened the door to your own personal heaven but there is more to Indica Blues than just big riffs and big vocals as can be witnessed on the album's next track,"Reigns End", which not only raises the albums tempo up a notch or two but also sees the band experimenting with touches of goth rock texturing. Here the big riffs and pummeling percussion, employed on the songs verses, are fractured by shimmering chordal voicings, on its chorus, and give the song a feel that would not have sounded out of place on one of The Cure's (British goth rock band) darker, early career, albums. "Scum River" follows and finds the band back in low, slow territory but this time salting their sedate refrains with a sprinkling of heady lysergic flavouring with scorching blues infused lead work swooping and swirling over a backdrop of grainy doom groove. "Pearls In The Ash" and "Island of Hate" follow in very much the same vein with heavy riffs, thundering percussion and psych drenched solo's the frame around which mournful clean vocals tell their stories of  woe and wonder before the band bring things to a close with "Psychedelic Haze" a huge atmospheric tome infused with bluesy colourings and proto doomic dankness that takes off into the stratosphere in its final third courtesy of it's spine-chilling, jaw dropping guitar solo.

Indica Blues, with "Hymns For A Dying Realm", have taken traditional doom back into territories the genre was heading towards, before the stoners, droners and black metallers hijacked it and diverted it down new paths, and have done so by not blinkering themselves to those other forms and styles but by amalgamating some, but not all, of those forms into their own sound, creating a sort of hybrid that has is roots in the traditional but it's head in the clouds.
Check it out ....

© 2018 Frazer Jones

CLEOPHUZZ ~ WIZARD OF PHUZZ .... review

Two six-string guitars, one set of drums might suggest a lack of bottom end in a bands overall sonic impact but Quebec based Canadian psychonauts Cleophuzz, Alex Sabourin (rhythm guitar), Joe Poitras (guitar/vocals) and Joseph Grenier (drums), have no problems with putting "the low" into their particular brand of desert tinted, blues flecked psychedelic rock as can be witnessed when giving the bands eclectic debut EP "Wizard of Phuzz" (releases March 30th 2018) a spin.

"Wizard of Phuzz" opens its account with "Sandstorm" an instrumental that begins its life in Colour Haze flavoured style, moody, atmospheric and drenched in fuzz. The song crawls and drags itself slowly along on this experimental, highly atmospheric dynamic, embellished with clever little sound effects,  gradually gaining in momentum before climbing to its feet and suddenly exploding into a heavy psychedelic/desert groove pushed by Grenier's pummelling percussion and Sabourin's grainy, heavily effected rhythmic guitar and overlayed with swirling lysergic colouring courtesy of Poitras' hugely distorted lead work. "Mirage" follows and although very much in the same ballpark soundwise as the previous track this time the band introduces a little laid back bluesy swagger into the equation, a swagger that is further emphasised by Poitras  throaty, slightly weary but totally effective vocal melody. Next track " Half Moon Ritual" finds Cleophuzz exploring their spiritual, transcendental side with an achingly beautiful instrumental that has a strong Arabian/Indian influence and sees Grenier providing a strong backbone of tribalistic percussion around which Sabourin and Poitras weave a smorgasbord of diverse, exhilarating and majestic glistening arpeggios, fractured chords and swooping solo's all competing and complementing each other against a backdrop of mesmerising eastern rhythms. It seems fitting, given the Cleophuzz's obvious desert rock influences, that they should brings things to a close with "Walk of Shame" a song that ties all the elements of the albums previous songs together in one place and adds into that mix a touch of Kyuss-like Palm Desert swing with Poitras very much channelling the raw spirit of John Garcia in his strong powerful vocal delivery.

Desert rock is a term and genre that covers quite a wide and varied spectrum taking in the experimental explorations of bands like Causa Sui, Colour Haze and Sungrazer right through to the raucous riffery  of Kyuss and Unida, Cleophuzz with "Wizard of Phuzz" have found a place for themselves in a middle ground sitting somewhere between those dynamics, a place that allows them the freedom to experiment and rock out in equal measure, a place you should most definitely visit.
Check 'em out ....


© 2018 Frazer Jones

GREEN DRUID ~ ASHEN BLOOD ...review

Desert Psychlist are not the first site to review Green Druid's debut album nor we suspect will we be the last and in reading the reviews  from our colleagues in the undergrounds free press (for research reasons, no plagiarism here) there seems to be a lot of Sleep, Electric Wizard comparisons being made with regard to this Denver based quartet. Now for some that may not seem a bad thing others may well disagree but whatever your stance there is no denying that the bands first full length album "Ashen Blood". (Earache Records), is something that certainly makes its presence felt.

They say "big is beautiful" and it has to be said that although beautiful is not something Green Druid were specifically aiming for with "Ashen Blood" big is certainly something they have achieved. What we have here are seven dank slow, low and heavy tomes, six of which span from just under nine minutes to an epic eighteen plus, with only one "Nightfall", an eerie collection of drones, scraping metal and cawing bird effects, falling under four minutes. "Pale Blood Sky" opens proceedings and begins with the band laying down a swathe of grizzled, grainy low slung riffage that suddenly falls away when the vocals appear. Up to this moment it is fairly easy to understand why those comparisons with Sleep and Electric Wizard have been made as there is a similar level of relentlessness and raw depth to the riffs and rhythms executed here, however the addition of guitarist/vocalist Chris McLaughlin's voice to the mix takes things in a whole new direction. McLaughlin's vocals, whether singing clean and mellow or growling harsh and feral, have a certain uniqueness that is hard to describe, there are times, like on the quieter moments of the superbly schizophrenic "Dead Tree", when his voice almost wanders into indie/alt territory, his harsher delivery is also just as unique with him avoiding the usual low guttural approach and opting for a far more manic larynx shredding roar, while on "Ritual Sacrifice" his heavily phased vocal gives the song an almost otherworldly feel. McLaughlin's diverse array of vocal tones throughout "Ashen Blood" are what gives Green Druid their edge over similar sounding bands and helps elevate the albums songs to a level they might not have attained if the band had employed a vocalist of a more generic doom nature  McLaughlin's voice and guitar contributions are superbly backed up by Ryan Skates growling, grumbling bass and Ryan Sims powerful, relentless percussion the pair combining to lay down huge arrays of thunderous groove on the albums heavier sections yet able to lay out considerate and supportive on its quieter, more lysergic moments, creating the perfect rhythmic platform for guitarists Graham Zander and McLaughlin to decorate with their mix of crunching down tuned power chords and dark swirling, psych drenched solo's, their guitars weaving around each other to fill the spaces Skates and Sims leave with swathes of dank but vibrant six-string colouring.

Those fans of Sleep and Electric Wizard brought here by those reviews, mentioned in this pieces intro, will no doubt revel in the heaviness and remorselessness of the grooves found within "Ashen Blood" but those with a more discerning palette, who may find the more progressive/psychedelic, yet still as heavy, leanings of the likes of Elder and Spelljammer more to there taste, will also discover plenty here to drool and slaver over too.
Check it out .....



© 2018 Frazer Jones

MAMMOTH WEED WIZARD BASTARD/SLOMATICS ~ TOTEMS (SPLIT) ..... review

Whoever came up with the idea of pairing Irish riffmeisters Slomatics with that of Welsh heavy psychonauts Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard deserves a hearty pack on the back, MWWB's ethereal fronted heavy psych grooves are a perfect match for those gnarled monolithic riffs and distanced vocals Slomatics bring to the table, as the two bands recent split "Totems" (Black Bow Records) can testify.

Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard get first crack of the whip on "Totems", contributing two epic songs, the first, "The Master And His Emissary", a massive twelve minute plus opus packed to the rafters with swirling guitars and haunting vocals underpinned by a throbbing slow rhythmic groove. The second "Eagduru"(an Anglo-Saxon/Celtic word for eye-door or window), is a much more diverse affair , shifting through a series of undulating heavy doomic grooves counterbalanced by sweet almost honeyed vocals.
Slomatics, who have often bemused and confused Desert Psychlist by tending to lean a touch too far towards the repetitive drone end of the doom spectrum, here redeem themselves with three of the best songs they have probably ever recorded. "Ancient Architects" throbs with latent malevolence, its intensity almost tangible, it's shifting rhythms and riffs overlaid with clean powerful vocals all combining to pin you down like a butterfly in a collectors case. "Silver Ships Into the Future" sees the band experimenting with progressive ambience, a lone piano comping out a series of single notes against a background of swirling electronic noise, its tranquil, haunting and strangely beautiful. "Masters Descent",  Slomatics final contribution and EP closer, is a doomic tome enriched by thick sludgy riffs and slow pummelling percussion over which dark droning guitar solo's are laid as well as those already mentioned powerful, slightly distant vocals. Dark, dank and majestic it's the perfect finish to a perfect split.

"Totems" showcases two bands who sit a little left of centre from the other bands residing in the halls of doom, both bands prefer to keep things slow, psychedelic and a little intense and both bands prefer to balance their grinding heaviness with vocals of a sweeter cleaner nature. As Desert Psychlist has mentioned before ,in past reviews, split releases can be tricky affairs but when they work they are not just a novelty item showcasing two bands to a wider audience, they are, like "Totems", an essential purchase.
Check it out ....

© 2018 Frazer Jones

SUNNATA ~ OUTLANDS .... review

Poland's Sunnata caused a bit of tremor to resonate around the stoner/doom community with the release of their 2016 album "Zorya", a stunning collection of psych drenched tunes infused with both doom and post-metal textures that had reviewers falling over themselves to heap praise upon. Some called it spiritual and transcendental, others called it mind expanding and brave, either way you looked at it Sunnata had with "Zorya" announced their arrival as a major player on the underground scene.This year (2018) the band return to once again expand our minds and re-spin our chakras with their latest offering "Outlands".(Releases March 23)

"Outlands" begins with "Intro" a series of deep disonant droning effects backed by chiming percussion that slowly segues into "Lucid Dream" an eastern tinted opus based around a deliciously liquid bass line over which eastern tinted guitar motifs are weaved backed up some superbly restrained but totally effective drumming. The song has a strong spiritual feel which is made to feel even more so by the use of clean, mellow cantilated style vocal melodies. more intoned than actually sang giving the song an almost mystical feel. This spiritualistic approach is prominent throughout "Outlands" eight tracks with many of the songs having an almost devout feel, albeit with a heavy doom/post-metal bias, the band blending elements of grunge, sludge,stoner, psych and even Indian raga into songs with titles like "Gordian Knot" and "Hollow Kingdom" , stirring these elements together in one big melting pot to create something that is as exciting as it is unique

Sometimes brutal, sometimes beautiful, sometimes challenging, sometimes simple but at all times totally intruiguing and immersive "Outlands" is an album that delivers on all levels.
Check it out .....

© 2018 Frazer Jones

OKWAHO ~ OKWAHO .... review

In the realms of doom and sludge metal "atmosphere" can be almost as an important factor in defining your sound as the strength of your songs and instrumental prowess, there are many ways a band can ramp up a songs atmospherics but by far the best and most effective way is by tuning low and playing your grooves at a sedate, almost pedestrian tempo. Athens based Greek sludgemeisters Okwaho, Andreas (drums), Bob (bass) and George (guitar/vocals), are one such band to use this technique, combining their low slung riffage with almost equally low slung vocal tones  all underpinned by pummelling slow and heavy percussion, as can be heard on the bands self-titled debut album "Okwaho"

It is unlikely that the music Okwaho create is one that will cause a continuous outbreak of swirling moshpits to erupt at their live gigs, the more likely scenario is one of long haired heads nodding as one to the slow deliberate heavy grooves being laid before them. If Desert Psychlist were to use an analogy to describe Okwaho's sound then it would be to say that the bands groove is akin to an old grizzly bear, a growling, lumbering mass of muscle and teeth that although is not as fast as its younger brethren is nonetheless still as highly dangerous. This feeling of lumbering menace is perfectly exemplified right from the off with title track "Okwaho", a grumbling low, slow and heavy tome that crawls from the speakers driven by slow thunderous percussion and rumbling bass. Overlaid with thick gravel throated vocal tones and a mixture of crunching sludge guitar riffage and lysergic infused solo's the song drips and drools with a latent malevolence and menace and perfectly sets the tone for everything else to come. It would be wrong however to say that "Okwaho" is just a long procession of doom and despair as there are many moments of bright shinning light to be found among the dankness and gloom of the albums seven songs, such as on the superbly atmospheric "Bitter Taste of Betrayal", where in the songs last quarter the curtains of doom are briefly parted and the listener is treated to a blistering blues drenched guitar solo backed by an almost proto(ish) hard rock groove, and the chugging "Stray Hound" with its, albeit vastly slower, stoner rock feel. Blending melody with brutality is no easy thing but Okwaho have managed to balance the two superbly by offsetting their heavy riffs and rhythms with brief but strategic moments of bluesy swagger and lysergic colouring and in doing so have created a highly enjoyable and well rounded album.

If your a fan of Dopelord, Weedeater and their ilk but also partial to the likes of Egypt, Goya and Electric Wizard then you might just find "Okwaho" is the album for you
Check it out ....


© 2018 Frazer Jones