14/02/05

HIGH ON FIRE / BLESSED BLACK WINGS

This is the American Stoner band’s third album and they just keep getting better and better, if you think Stoner Rock is the same old same old being endlessly regurgitated, your wrong because this is fresh, vibrant and exciting.

Their sound is akin to early Cathedral, with a vocalist that vaguely reminds me of Lemmy, the guitars are heavy, dense and organic and the percussion is thunderous, inventive and as dynamic as a roller coaster, I cant remember the last time the drummer played such a dominant part in a bands sound, bringing to mind the chaotic creativity of Moon the loon, yeah, that good.

The first track "Deviloution" hasn’t been off my MP3 player since it became available from the Relapse website a few weeks ago, stating with the aforementioned drumming, starting the way they mean to carry on and it doesn’t let up until the last instrumental track appropriately called "Sons Of Thunder" and that’s not to mention the tracks "Blessed Black Wings", "The Face Of Oblivion" and "Anointing The Seer" that come in between.

This is Stoner at it creative best, that’s 2 good Stoner CD’s in one month, (Open Hand) being the other and you can’t get much more different than those two. Initial copies come with a bonus DVD of live material which is very basic and sound quality is not too good but hey, it’s free.

DOWNLOAD "Deviloution" from the Relapse site

TOTAL PLAYING TIME = 53 mins + 9 TRACKS