Turtle Skull – Digital Download // Band Shirt Bundles
Self Released – releases May 17, 2018
Terry “The Ancient One” Cuyler
Surfing the Psychedelic Sound Waves
Tracklist: No News is Bad News – 6:56 Take it or Leave It – 8:27 Eden – 6:08 Empty Ships – 8:23
Ah…Spring has sprung. The trees are leafing and flowers blooming and I feel the urge to leave my cave behind and go bike riding. But to do that I need some good riding music and in my collection I have quite a bit to choose that covers a wide spectrum of styles.
Most recently I added a “Self Titled” EP by the self described Flower Doom rockers from Sydney Australia called Turtle Skull who will be debuting the download of their EP on Bandcamp this May 17th 2018. Available for Pre – order now for $1 US I’d feel like I was ripping them off if I didn’t pay $5. Offering up what sounds to me like surf music infused with psychedelic feel good fuzz I find it easy to not care about trivial things when I listen to it. While I am not going to claim Turtle Skull is the next Earthless I feel pretty safe saying they have a lot of potential and I’d buy a full length album if they produce one.
Opening the EP is No News is Bad News a trippy fuzzadelic song about tuning out the talking heads on TV that encourage us to buy into their vision of a plastic paradise that we all to often buy into. What I like most about this are the droning vocals and guitars that feel like they are coming from the deep.
With a steady mid tempo rhythm that keeps things simple Take It Or Leave It has the rolling feel of a classic surf song. Overall, what I enjoyed was its catchy feel.
Nothing like having drums and guitars create a rhythm which Turtle Skull does masterfully.
Moving into a more visceral sound is Eden the 3rd track is my favorite on the EP. What I like most is that naughty guitar played by vocalist guitarist Dean.
Closing “Turtle Skull” is the psychedelic blues song Empty Ships that feels like a midnight swim under the stars. Deans smooth vocals and guitar along with Dan on synth set the mood for the song and proved to me they can do more than just sound more fuzzed. This debut album is an excellent start for this promising band. I look forward to what they have in store for us in the near future. Highly Recommend!!
Original Tracklist: Intro 00:32
Down And Outer 03:36
Trip Down Memory Lane 01:11
Drugged Up Dolls 02:19
Sex Devil 05:50
The Doped Up Devil 04:05
Satanola 03:48
Perversion For Profit 03:28
You Are The Prettiest Pill 04:06
Did You Know? 03:11
Low 05:38
Control 03:19
You Had This Coming 03:49
Outro 01:13
Nothing Song (Bonus Track) 03:30
Re-release Tracklist: Intro 00:33
Down And Outer 03:19
Drugged Up Dolls 04:40
Sex Devil 06:01
Satanola 03:48
Perversion For Profit 03:19
Intermission 01:31
Nothing Song 03:29
You Are The Prettiest Pill 06:53
Low 05:51
Did You Know? 03:08
Devil’s Advocate 03:16
Stoned 05:17
The Doped Up Devil’s with Sexual Grooves (Re-Release)
Review:
I’ll let his Facebook bio explain: “Bad Monster Black is a project formed by King Jeremy The Wicked (Jeremy Vibbert). “Bad Monster Black: The Doped Up Devils With Sexual Grooves” EP was released late 2014 and did not fit the KJTW catalog, it was something different, it had swing, punch, and an undeniable groove that broke away from the thrash metal criteria. So shortly after releasing the EP, it was re-released under the name Bad Monster Black, and eventually taken off of the KJTW Discography. Thus, making Bad Monster Black the new home of the experimentation with swinging riffs, overloaded guitars, and a tongue in cheek attitude that makes the music even more fun to listen to. This isn’t music you’d take home for your family to listen to, and that’s how it’s intended.”
The sound of Bad Monster Black’s music is very 90’s; it is very reminiscent of the music of Puscifer, Marilyn Manson,White Zombie and even Rob Zombie’s solo work. Even though those influences are very prevalent Jeremy found a way to make it not sound too dated. Both releases have different track-listings and have a couple of different songs on each.
That being said I’ll make a somewhat in depth look on the tracks that are same (and what has changed on the remaster.) On the tracks that are different I’ll say what each of them do to make the release different.
Almost all of the tracks stay except; Trip Down Memory Lane, The Doped Up Devil, Control, You Had This Coming, and Outro (on the original release) and on the re-release; Intermission, Devil’s Advocate, and Stoned. These tracks are either new (in the case of the re-release) or taken out (original) the only track is the Intermission which is a shorter version of The Doped Up Devil.
The tracks that stay almost the same; Intro, Drugged Up Dolls, Sex Devil, Satanola, Nothing Song, You Are The Prettiest Pill, Did You Know, Low. What did change was samples and some of the production. Overall there was less use of samples in the remaster and, in a way, that makes sense for the update to fit the Bad Monster Black catalog since the focus changed to more sleazy Rock. Intro, Did You Know and Low did not change at all, or not enough that change the experience. Satanola is a standout that would fit nicely into any Puscifer album.
There are only two original tracks that are different, Down and Outer and Perversion for Profit. For the remaster the guitar solos were replaced by slower guitar parts and dirtier production.
“The Doped Up Devils with Sexual Grooves” – (Original 2014)
The original release is more of a current sounding album than the remaster and is a heavier/more metal than it as well. As I stated before; the main differences between them is that on the remaster the recording is less clean and more fuzzed out for that dirty 90s feel and the guitar solos that are in the original are changed to fit the dirty sound so the sound isn’t as muddy and has less of a touch of Metal. The sleaze is upgraded for a more solid Sleaze Rock feel. If you like music that is dark, sleazy, has hints of blues, lots of fuzz, Rob Zombie-ish (and at times Tonetta-ish in the remaster) this band and its’ albums are for you.
Bad Monster Black (King Jeremy The Wicked) is a prolific writer and pumps out high quality music on a regular basis. To use Mr. Wicked’s own words about this album and his process, “This is a re-release from the 2014 version. The reason? This band is all DIY, Which means about 90% of the time it’s all trial and error.” So Support!!!
Download the original HERE and the Re-release HERE
P.S. to King Jeremy the Wicked, if you would like to do an interview about this album please contact me.
Independent – Released – Mar 23 2018 on MP3, FLAC // CD
LP May 30, 2018 (approx.)
Reviewed by Mike Hackenschmidt
Line Up:
“lonely loners on a lonely road… alone”
Review: Sunnata is a Buddhist term meaning emptiness… sort of. The actual meaning totally depends upon context. Considering this, along with the Middle Eastern style writing on the album cover, it’s a bit of a surprise to me that the band is from Warsaw. Last I checked that’s still in Poland.
Be that as it may, the origin of these “lonely loners” being a bit different from the “lonely road” they’ve chosen to walk is not the most interesting contrast of “Outlands”. Instead, it’s the clash of styles Sunnata has merged together, which works!! If you’ve perhaps started the stream then let’s address the 350lb rooster in the room… and that’s the fact that “Outlands” has an undeniable vibe resembling a certain well-known 90’s band.
In fact the first time I listened to this I was struggling to remember who they sound like and I found myself getting off track…
“Into some-thing again
Yadda yadda, blah, blah, blah
So I made big mistake
Something, something was my way”
So, turns out I’m not a huge Alice in Chains fan and ‘Would?’ is almost the only song I know by them. Actually, I don’t really know it. I can just kind of catch the tune and mumble a few correct and otherwise mostly incorrect words to absolutely murder it. But hey, it’s a good tune. I mean… when they do it. The only other AIC song I remember is the god-awful ‘Man In the Box’ that’s probably not as bad as I remember, just that I got thru the 90’s having heard it too many times involuntarily and I’m a bit burnt out on it.
Thankfully Sunnata keeps things fresh and creates a very cool sound by blending the AIC vibe with Eastern folk and doom – I want to say stoner doom but actually, I’m not sure if that’s really accurate. There is a psychedelic feel but the mind bending might be inspired more by meditation and a fascination with the metaphysics. Obviously, sometimes these go hand-in-hand so it might be difficult to differentiate between the two without some understanding of the lyrical content. Unfortunately, I don’t have that.
For the most part, the vocals are distorted and somewhat mumbled, much like my above rendition of ‘Would?’. Maybe if I were a bit more present and relaxed, I could slip into a state of elevated consciousness and be able to decipher what’s being said. Perhaps some other enhancements would help. Unfortunately, I’m sober and watching hockey so I’m otherwise clueless.
Considering the meaning of Sunnata, the album title and the wicked album art, I’m quite disappointed that I can’t dig a little deeper to understand the lyrics. I feel like they would be fascinating, possibly with some ideas I’ve not yet encountered invoking thought and furthering my understanding of the world.
Check it out and experience your own interpretation of this well crafted release. Highly Recommend!!
Tracklist: She’s On My Mind 02:56
Little Late For Love 04:16
Rabbit Hole 03:54
Electric Red 02:51
Irresistible 03:15
Run 04:54
Afterglow 03:39
Used 03:47
Review:
Arcadian Child are a rock band from Limassol, Cyprus, Greece and this album is the debut release by the band.
This album is a great blend of Classic Rock influences, Modern Rock, and little sprinkles of psychedelia. Musically they remind me of Wolfmother and those other “modern classic” rock bands like The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, (1990s) Divinyls and many others that continued writing and performing music as if it were still the late 70s.
That “modern classic” style started in the early 90s and continued into the new millennium. (With some bands still carrying the torch, like Arcadian Child. Even the track-listing is set up for a vinyl release (if the right people get a hold of the rights. Which they totally should…)
Track-by-Track:
She’s On My Mind 02:56 – This is a great track to start the album with, and in my case, it is a track that will stick in your head for days afterwards. If it weren’t for the effects used on the tracks this track could be from the 70s. The music video is a trip as well.
Little Late For Love 04:16 – This track works great as a cool down from the first high energy track. It is more chill but it still is an experience though, there are spots were they compress and pan the music during instrumental parts. This track also has more of a groove than the first.
Rabbit Hole 03:54 (Favorite track) – Here they bring their psychedelic influences in a little more. They take their time to set up the world of the song with slow strumming of the guitar and after a few seconds they introduce the drums and vocals. The lyrics are especially in that vein; “How deep can you go? Can you trick your mind? Are you deep in the zone? Can you deceive your soul? Would you walk bare footed at the edge of the unknown?”
Electric Red 02:51 – In this song we go back to a harder rocking track, reminding me a little of King Crimson’s Red. I feel like this track is miss titled and should have been called Don’t Ask Me Why.
Irresistible 03:15 – This is a much darker track, lyrically, than the first four. With lyrics like; “Down the broken road, You will find us all, Don’t caress their hopes, Love our absent soul” and “Solemnly abide, To all that make you smile, All things in between, Burn in melting ice” Musically it is similar to Rabbit Hole.
Run 04:54 – This song has a very 90s alternative feel and I cannot quite place why. It might be the simple repeated riffs or the affects used of the vocals as flange-y sounding guitars.
Afterglow 03:39 – Back to a hard rocker but still holding on to that 90’s feel. Maybe because of how the lyrics are set up; “You make me feel like the only man alive, Loved and caressed by your controlling lies, Addicted and free, I’m certainly involved, You make me feel like an empty broken soul”
Used 03:47 – We are left on a slow burn of a song that rounds out the album well. It sounds like they mix together a good chunk of the aforementioned influences. There is Rock, psychedelic, modern rock and a good solo.
Final Thoughts: For some reason it sounds like there are tracks missing or maybe it is just that I want more… I’ll be keeping my eye on this band. Hopefully they continue this trend on their next release. If you are in the mood for some modern rock with that classic and psychedelic feel you should definitely pick this album up!
Review: One might expect and album that opens with a piano excerpt from “Entry of the Gladiators”, more commonly known as the song they play at the circus as the clowns pile out of their tiny car and climb on their unicycles to juggle bowling pins, or break into a tumbling routine or whatever else clowns do… well you might expect an album that opens with this to be a bit of a joke.
But you’re not quite right. While Mountains of Gaia does have its fun moments, most are relegated to the opening track which is appropriately named “Circus”. Once the piano fades behind the percussion, the bass takes over, carrying the tune while distorted screams point us in a different direction. Thankfully, the screams give way to more melodic, though still filtered, singing. Really, this is where the lightheartedness goes out the window and we begin a musical adventure.
“Backstabber” takes us to a completely different locale of Container’s sound with a little 70’s Black Sabbath worship and an edge all their own. It’s a bit stoner and a bit “garage”, as they put it. It’s clear listening to the band that this was recorded in a studio, but I still think garage is a very apt term to describe a certain rawness or lack of refinement in Container’s style.
“Challenger” is an 8 minute, long, slow piece that musically reminds me of the Doors. Maybe Riders on the Storm or LA Woman, but then there’s some spoken word reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine, if you can imagine these two together. That’s only the first couple of minutes. It picks up with more of a Vol. 4 ambiance before slowing again to that Doors-y, wandering-through-the-dessert-on-peyote feeling with one last increase in pace to close it out.
Even though we’re only about halfway through, it’s hard now to look back and remember the silliness Mountains of Gaia opened with. The album leads us down a path of variety with different tracks blending the (aforementioned) base elements, stoner rock & “garage rock”, with a touch of post-rock, punk and hardcore. The result is an eclectic adventure that might seem to stray yet is uniquely Container. It’s almost surreal how after the 8th and final, the title track, another 8 minute opus taking us through the Mountains of Gaia until the music ends. Surreal, I mean if we decide to press play and take the trip again. We realize we’re started back at Circus. Is it a metaphor?
Review: Psy:Code is a Danish modern hardcore / deathcore act who recently signed to Pavement Entertainment. Mørke is their 3rd independent release that’s created a stir of interest just before their recent signing. According to their website, it’s been a dream of Psy:Code’s to go to America and play their music and between signing with an American label and the scene’s current fascination with deathcore and grind core, the timing couldn’t be better for Psy:Code to realize their aspirations.
Starting with the cover, I’m not exactly sure what they’re going for with this one. The plant and the head and the skull… no clue. I was hoping translating the album title would shed some light on this. Ironically, Mørke is Danish for darkness. I guess that’s where I’m going to stay on this one for now. Maybe one of my readers can explain it to me? I love symbolism when I’m smart enough to get the reference.
Musically, this album starts with some slow guitars, slightly off-tune guitars for a few seconds before going hard and heavy. Schou growl-screams his way through the album Anselmo-style; though there are some periodical clean backing vocals for effect. How original that is? Well… I’d tend to say not very.
Where I think Psy:Code is going to garner most of their fans is from the technical guitar work from SteiN and/or JezpR. To be honest, there’s not much indication who’s playing the lead here so it could be one or the other or both. While the capitalization seems random the song structure tends to be more technical and progressive. This is an area where my expertise is extremely limited, though I can say that the guitar has six strings… except when it doesn’t.
Interestingly, to write and compose Mørke, Psy:Code recluded themselves to a cabin in the Swedish wilderness. If the story in their Riven video is truth, the plan was to make some awesome metal. Instead, they got drunk. I can’t say how many times this has happened to me. Not the part about the Swedish cabin or the part about making awesome metal… just the getting drunk part. Perhaps you can relate? Anyway, what came out doesn’t appear to be the work of drunken fools so I assume they were just kidding. That or I need to start writing shit down when I have a few beers in me. I can hardly operate a pen sober… so maybe not?
Lyrically speaking, I’m not sure what they’re singing. I scoured the internet for lyrics but the best I could find was a lyric video for Riven. They seem to like this song, as this is 2nd video I could find for it. Riven seems to be about being scarred by a vicious former lover or perhaps an over-bearing parent. I’m a little confused but the recurring line “I can’t receive”. I don’t know how this ties into the rest of the words.
In conclusion, Psy:Code is a hard hitting band and Mørke is a hard hitting album that’s going to appeal to those who enjoy a more technical sound. I believe some will criticize it for lacking variety, which might be a legitimate concern for those who like me who can’t follow the progression. In this case, I think you either get it or you don’t. Check them out and see what you think.
NAP are a Stoner/Progressive Rock band from Oldenburg, Germany. Here is how they describe themselves; “Nap plays as a classical 3-piece rock-formation, mostly instrumental with rather rare vocal parts. Psychedelic sounds, up-tempo beats, grooving Doom and Stoner-riffage plus some Noise and Surf influences with strong tendencies reminiscing the sound of the Hippie-Era and the origin of Metal. A combined musical paradox, of highs and lows, all to end into an excessive nightmare.”
Album Art: Depending on which version of the album you get you either get a melt-y dreamscape (in black and white) or a cloudy sky at sunset.
Track-by-track Breakdown:
A1/1 Donnerwetter
Translates into Thunderstorm. This track goes in between a somewhat clean solo and a fuzzy riff. It is almost book-ended by drum fills. At some points it almost gives me the feeling that the end of “Side A” (Black Bombaim – Saturdays Space Travels) gives off.
A2/2 Sabacia
It starts off very 1970’s Black Sabbath sounding but becomes less so as the song continues, until it gets to about six minutes into it then we get our first glimpse at vocals on this album. (Almost sounding The Atomic Bitchwax-y)
A3/3 Duna
Duna is a preview is what is to come in Xurf. Here we have, for the most part, Clean guitar tones and an almost repetitive beat. Duna might be in reference to Duna Jam which is a “a mix between a picnic and a pilgrimage” in Italy that has been going since 2006.
A4/4 Larva (favorite track)
This track is clearly a jam and it’s fuzzy guitar and strained vocals (once again at the end of the track) keep the track interesting. It is definitely an almost Karma to Burn like in its structure and amount of guitar.
B1/5 Xurf
Is what the title of the song suggests, It is a Surfer Rock style song. (But with distortion) A reference would be Dick Dale. This would not be out of place basting on the beaches of California in the sixties.
B2/6Shitzo
Starts off slow, like a Sleep song but gains speed toward 3:54 and gains its speed again. It is almost a Sludge Metal song; if it wasn’t for the speed it gains toward the end. I could not find a translation for this word but it could be a clean mononym for for shit-show because it sounds like a mash-up of all of the references in the rest of the album.
B3/7 Ungeheuer (Should be a single)
Translation: Monster. And, oh, is it one. The music stays loud throughout the whole track. This is the last track that has vocals, and it also has the most. “Shallow phrases come out of their mouths, With their shallow hearts they try to occupy your mind, Confusion spreads like the flu, Some day they may come over you, It all ends up in the eternal void anywhere you go.”
B4/8 Autobahn
Translation: Highway. This song stays constant and almost repetitive structure (like a highway) and in the end (4:15) it begins to differ from the beginning of the song. It is almost like a crash starting to happen, it slows, it gets faster and faster until it becomes an almost screech and then it ends.
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In Conclusion:
Nap are reminiscent of another Stoner band, Sleep, but faster, which is ironically what a nap is compared to sleep. The music, as well as being them jamming, it is like a journey. A journey like the ones most stoner albums give are best experienced on vinyl (Which sadly are sold out (unless you look at Discogs) or you can buy a CD directly from the band’s Bandcamp Page (link below or above).
The vocals remind me of Brocas Helm or The Atomic Bitchwax (Except they are used less in Nap’s songs). The instrumentals are similar to Black Sabbath in the 1970’s, especially during the “Vol. 4” & “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath” years. The music is also very close to the jamming in some of Karma to Burn’s music. The songs that do have a little bit of organ have almost a Cheap Wine feel; the organ is just barely there but it is present. When the music gets faster and more distorted there is a clear relation to Black Bombaim.
You will not be disappointed with this album if you enjoy a good Stoner jam band (or a if you are a fan of Black Sabbath).
This “Self Titled” EP is the first outing for this three piece outfit and is made up of 4 tracks clocking in at 26+ minutes and from front to back. VULPTURE has put together some of the most raucous guitar progressions, thunderous bass lines and hammering drums keeping absolute syncopation in place combined with a vocal split between drummer and guitarist that works pretty well; already demonstrating a flexibility that a lot of their counter-parts do not possess yet. When asked to describe themselves, the collective answer was, Quote “After attempting to play with different musicians, Diego Maud and Vicente met up for practice for the very first time at the end of 2014. After slowly narrowing it down to 5, and then 4, until finally this power-trio locked in and so was the birth of Vulpture, a rock and roll mixture of doom spirit, walking in the desert of stoner, looking towards the heavy psych skies.” Enquote. Referencing those that did not quite make the cut, it has been said that, “On the other side of that universe, the ex members just decided to set up a cheap clothes shop.”
A ‘fitting’ fate seems the obvious response…
Opener ‘Wasteland’ opens with all the ghostly doomish power chords you could want before 30 seconds in, a light hammering tap on a ride and open notes rattling ribs enter before at the minute mark, all three jump in and we’re off for this ride across the aforementioned psych-skies in a 70’s style jam that sets the stage for this record that churns along until the first word hits at 2:49 in with an attention-grabbing snap-vocal, gruff as can be and by the time the last section opens with a screaming solo, it is clear they are firing on ALL cylinders.
‘The Oath’ comes on at a slower pace but twice as thick and even heavier in tone and the swarming bees of staccato guitar notes is mesmerizing leading to the vocal break and the time shifts and fills being held high by the precision bass playing that gives support in spades. This allows the other two members to take this, and really EACH song here, to the highest plateaus of clarity in expression and delivery of their individual parts and the collective result is full-on rock-n-roll purity.
‘Fuzz Cloud’ is even more of the same with an added sneer in the speed and fury that keeps you moving along in pace, even after the two-minute mark when the tempo slows, bass steps to the front over drum fills that are the perfect punctuation before the power chords are back punching the air full of holes, leading the the last section that gets as dark as night and ugly in the best sense of with the meanderings of each member and it is stoner-bliss all the way to the end as they crank it back up to full speed.
Closer ‘Rocky Road’ has this lower tempo opening filled with harmonic bends and swithing to that churning heaviness and back with the underlying rhythm section giving all the room needed to keep your head moving in perfect time before the vocal explodes across the front. Maniacal laughter and all, further proving the versatility of each member. They fit together as so many puzzle pieces and if this is any indication of what we can expect from Vulpture, I can hardly wait for more!! The production is that ‘live in the studio’ feel and is perfect for this serving as it were.
Get it NOW, share it with ALL in your personal realm and go support them live if you are given the chance… keep it LOUD!!
Band members: Sébastien Mathieu (guitar) Sébastien Usel (vocals) Ludovic Favro (bass) Nicolas Millo (drums)
Previous Releases – “Démo” (2013) / “Extended Play” (2014) / “Devil’s Complaint” single (2016) / “Extended Play 2” (2016) / “Whiskey” single (2017)
Loosely stated, this is an all-out, balls to the wall party band borne from a mutual violent-love of beer as the band cites in their description of how it got started. According to that, Mathieu decides to go back to ‘scratch’ and sets up a group. Within a short time, with a lot of people and a violent love for beer, so is born POSTE 942. With thick, slippery riffs, the band merges the blues, stoner, a little grunge, elements of old-school punk and even some southern rock flavors here, complete with an ORANGE ™ amp sound straight from the banks of the Caramy, via means of the factory in Atlanta, Georgia. While this may sound like an extreme mixture of some elements that would not necessarily blend well, the concoction we are offered with this, the first official full-length release, is sweeter than the coolest southern tea with ALL of the kick of pure Tennessee whiskey over fresh-cracked ice and as we drink it in, we know we’re going to need more…a LOT more!!
Picture from the Making of Music Video ‘Whiskey’
Thirteen tracks clocking in at 39+ minutes, these songs do indeed cover the gamut of all elements mentioned and there is not a sleeper in the bunch. Listing their influences as ranging from AC/DC to NIRVANA, from QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE to FAITH NO MORE and even going from PEARL JAM to PANTERA. These guys have no qualms about saluting their favorites and putting their own stamp on it at the same time, a hard thing for so many bands to do anymore. From ‘Color Of Red’ with an opening drum line that sounds straight out of MONTROSE‘s ‘Rock Candy’ before the pick slide down the guitar neck that marks the beginning of this tale of “Not love I see…” that rolls heavy and even to the ‘jangly opening guitar of ‘Devil’s Complaint’ with the lyrics of “What you need or you feel in this world of pain, all your gods and your dreams will not wash this rain.” The stage is set for this grunge sounding, stoner romp that is complete with an under-modulated guitar tone for the end section that will tickle the rock-fan in us all.
‘49.3’ begins with an engine rev before Usel’s vocal roars out with a fury equal to that 8-cylinder growl we started with and meet again halfway through and then roars past us at the end. ‘Punky Booster’ is true to the name with this pure-punk edged track, where ‘Grace’ is a slower-paced rocker that you can’t help but move to with it’s catchy hook before the pummeling drums and thunderous bass are back in your face with fills and heaviness galore showing they are a tight portion of this program and provide the perfect vehicle for ‘Seb and Seb’ to do their thing individually, while remaining cohesive in delivery.
‘Pigs In Paradise’ starts off with what could be any southern rock intro with it’s clean-ish guitar tone and tempo until the 1-minute mark when that stoner-feel hits back before we flow into that clean-ish guitar again, all under-flowing with Usel’s words. ‘Lonely Day’ is just busting with a SOUNDGARDEN vs FNM mentality and will rip your face off with the heavy as fuck melody and this off time cymbal tap that rings out in it’s half-muted glory. ‘Breathe’ is another faster romp that keeps it moving fast and hard.
‘Psycho Love’ Pts I & II did make me think of PANTERA‘s ‘Suicide Note’ pt I & II in that the structure is eerily similar, again I believe, in respect to an idol, and the vocal is clear and ringing over a beautiful acoustic progression that fits the mood and tempo perfectly and provoked images of standing with arms spread wide open in revealing from within with a sonic solo that makes your feet almost leave the ground following each note, and when pt-II hits the ground running, with a bass line deep and dark and brooding as those guitar notes keep calling out before the multi layer vocal signals the darkness gathering before the staccato guitar takes over the melody and the rage explodes into the mic again. Pure brilliance in arrangement and execution.
Standout track on this album for ME, and probably my favorite from these guys so far into their career, would have to be ‘Whiskey’. From the first notes, I felt like I was in somebody’s backyard down home here in the Southern USA listening to some good ole boys jamming and slamming away under the hanging branches swaying in a summer breeze while sipping some ‘shine and chasing that with some good ole Jack Daniels and when the bagpipes came in, all AC/DC-KORN in tone/feel, it was a perfect fit, each member given their three-second-solo bit at the bridge, and then back to the Southern-Slam this song is. Like I had stated earlier, I can not get enough of this one, and there is no slaking this ‘thirst’, even while I am drinking it down, in any other manner but to play it again and even LOUDER!!
Taking their time and fine-tuning each song to get to this point and using some stellar production values, POSTE 942 is ready to rise up and shine. Get this album the second you can, play it repeatedly for anyone you can, support them live if they come anywhere near you and keep it LOUD!!
Band Members:
Stevil Helmer – guitars Matt Westlake – guitars Elvin Rodriguez – vocals Dave Bizzigotti – bass Gary Farano – drums Tracy G. – guest guitar (“Bag Of Dimes”)
Previous Releases – “A Million Pieces” single (2013) / “Ivory Tower (Acoustic) single (2015) / “Bag Of Dimes” single (2016)
Two years and three months in the making, this “S/T” album marks a landmark with it being the first full-length release from HELMER and is right on time to fill a void that has been growing wider in scope. That being original music filled with power and managing to avoid falling into any of the trappings of heavier music while showing a mindset of singularity… to make ‘formula music’ obsolete and forge forward wielding ‘axes high’ in this 9-track, 38+ minute venture into the mind of guitar-master Stevil Helmer.
Each of these tracks is ‘tall-enough’ to stand on their own, much as ‘Bag Of Dimes’ and ‘Ivory Tower’ have done, originally released as singles, and together as a unit, the resulting compilation is simply…. KICK ASS!! From the dark fade in of ‘Electromagnetic’ to ‘Burn The Rain’, with a staggered tempo entry, it is clear there is no rest or compromise offered in the relentless pulling as the HELMER train keeps you moving along with no thought of anything but MORE…
‘Caveman’ has this chilling harmonic squealing that turns into the thickest chunky melody that keeps hitting hard and heavy as we “Shine, shine, shine, shine…”, while ‘Two Birds, One Stone’ hits your brain asking “If Misery loves company, than why am I alone?” and the body of the song is immediately rolling hard, grabbing you along.
‘Pure Madness’ is more of a doom/stoner track in it’s delivery, nice and even and filled with guitar textures galore to fill the most ardent guitar fan with happiness and when ‘Hey Hey My My’ hits, there is nothing to do but scream along with this absolutely genius update that even NEIL YOUNG would have to smile wide. On the version I purchased, the original version of ‘Ivory Tower’ is including in all it’s haunting acoustic glory that was how I heard it first and shows how much even one song can progress just by shifting gears. In MY opinion, the combination of both versions, acoustic first, followed immediately with the electrified would be the perfect set closer/encore in a live setting and would melt heads off.
Get YOUR copy of this immediately, share it out and shove it down the throats of the unwilling. Get out and see this music live if you are afforded the opportunity and keep it LOUD!!
