Photos by Wayne Edwards.
© Wayne Edwards
Photo Gallery: Bassists, Part 5
Hard Rock
Photo Gallery: Singers, Part 1
Photos by Wayne Edwards.
© Wayne Edwards
Photo Gallery: Drummers, Part 4
Photos by Wayne Edwards.
© Wayne Edwards
Photo Gallery: Bassists, Part 2
Photos by Wayne Edwards.
© Wayne Edwards
Photo Gallery: Bassists, Part 1
Photos by Wayne Edwards.
© Wayne Edwards
The Freqs, Poachers (2023)
Heavy rock stoner band The Freqs bring it on with their latest, Poachers.
At the tender age of three, The Freqs have their act together. In such a short time, it is surprising that the Salem, Massachusetts band is four EPs deep with the new record. Each album so far has been a step up, and the new one is no exception. The band is Seth Crowell (guitar, vocals), Ian Mandly (bass, keys), and Zack Fierman (drums).
“Poacher Gets The Tusk” gets things rolling with a heavy stoner riff and a surprisingly intense catchiness. It has a good cook to it, this song, with a syrupy passage in the center. Mostly fungus-free, this one is a winner. “Powertrippin’” is a bit stabby, with distorted vocals paired by a harsh guitar partner. Frenzied and clacking, the song excites your nerve endings like a fourth cup of coffee at breakfast. There is a very odd choir-like chorus in the softened center that might wrong-foot you, so watch out. “Asphalt Rivers” makes out like it is a gentle lounge piece. It is more than that, with creaturous ripples biding their time just beneath the surface. Soon enough they break through and rock your inadequate boat. It is unsettling.
Side two brings “Sludge Rats,” a song that sounds like it seems it would sound. At first. Like the other songs in this set, first impressions do not convey accurately the entirety of the enterprise. The swelling and growth of the music herein is industrious. “Chase Fire, Caught Smoke” has a delightful mystery to it, a devilish squirm that is enticing and mesmerizing. I love the tone. The last track is “Witch,” a raw, sludgy delicacy. I find the guitar in this song very appealing, highlighted here even more than in other songs. This album deserves a listen. Recommended.
Poachers is out on Friday, February 3rd in glorious digital at the Bandcamp link below.
Band photo by Zack Fierman.
Links.
Bandcamp, https://thefreqs.bandcamp.com/album/poachers
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/thefreqsband
© Wayne Edwards
Steve Vai, Vai / Gash (Favored Nations 2023)
Steve Vai’s collaboration with Johnny “Gash” Sombretto finally gets a wide release thirty years after it was recorded.
There are stories about lost albums, entire records that were recorded but never released. The reasons are sometimes contractual or esoteric. In the case of the Johnny “Gash” Sombretto and Steve Vai record, the reason it never came is tragic. Vai, an avid motorcycle enthusiast, met Sombretto through a friend around 1990. Steve put together a collection of songs over the years inspired by his love of motorcycles, and he convinced Sombretto to sing on the album. Sadly, before the music could be released, Johnny died in a motorcycle accident. Steve Vai put the recordings aside in 1998, but has now decided to let the world hear the music as a tribute to a singer most people never knew about.
“In The Wind” opens the door on goodtime hard-edged nineties rock and roll. Sombretto does sound the part, and I have no doubt that if events had taken a different turn and luck had been on his side, he could have had a long career as a front man. It is a hearty rock rollick that is hard to resist. “Busted” has a slightly heavier edge to it, a grittier feel. The melodic moments come fast and furious on this one, too. Vai’s lead breaks are short and sweet on these two, but the guitar picks up some with “Let’s Jam.” Not very much, though – the center of attention on this record is clearly Gash. “Woman Fever” closes side one on a bluesy note.
The flip side continues to walk the ground established by the first four songs. The record is fairly short, and the songs tend to cruise in a radio lane. “Danger Zone” is the pushiest piece, and “Flowers Of Fire” is the most contemplative, essentially a ballad. The album is worth hearing for its place in rock and roll history, and to listen to a singer who could have been big. Steve Vai’s presence is prominent throughout as well, of course, shining through on the compositional front and the always-impeccable guitar contributions. Recommended.
CD and digital versions are available on January 27th with vinyl to follow in February through Mascot Label Group’s Favored Nations Entertainment.
Links.
Steve Vai website, https://vai.com/
Bandcamp, https://stevevai.bandcamp.com/album/vai-gash
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/stevevai
Favored Nations Entertainment, https://www.favorednations.com/
Mascot Label Group, https://usa-store.mascotlabelgroup.com/collections/steve-vai
© Wayne Edwards
Robot Death Monkey, Intergalactic Party Powder (2022)
Scotland’s Robot Death Monkey slap down another irresistible slab of metal on Intergalactic Party Powder.
For a dozen years now, Robot Death Monkey has been ruffling feathers in the stoner metal world. In a good way. They have released a string of fierce EPs, including Booze Cruise (2015), Big Pussy (2019), and Druid Odyssey (2021). The music is heavy groove metal with a rock and roll propulsion that you can’t get enough of once you start listening. The band is Shaun Forshaw (bass, vocals) Sam Forshaw (drums), Alan Travers (guitar), and Fraser Lough (guitar).
“Bantha Rider” has a great punch. The song structure does put me in mind of Clutch, but the music is much more metal, maybe in the Orange Goblin direction. Great riffs, great pound. The lead guitar solo is fantastic. It is an instrumental heavy metal feast. “Asgardian Micro Whitey” is another rambler, and our first clear listen to Forshaw’s vocals, which are rugged and declarative. The lead break on this song is lethal, and it’ll pin your ears back.
With a title like “Dragon Clit,” it almost doesn’t matter what the song sounds like. Thankfully, it turns out this track is a killer. The riffage is like a line of lance-wielding Spartans advancing unstoppably, all the while stabbing straight for your eyes. It is another instrumental juggernaut. “Kittens and Coke” opens gently, like a murderer laying in wait. Suddenly, the entire group jumps out, every hand swinging a heavy hammer. We are told straight up that there “is only one thing that I need: kittens and coke.” Well, sure, who hasn’t said that themselves? And here we have it set to music. This is a tasty party song the legions will welcome.
Listening to this four-song EP on repeat might lead to spontaneous human combustion. Recommended.
Intergalactic Party Powder is out now. Bandcamp is the reliable hook-up. While you are there, check out the band’s other albums – there is lot of great music ready to be heard.
Links.
Bandcamp, https://robotdeathmonkey.bandcamp.com/album/intergalactic-party-powder
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RobotDeathMonkey/
© Wayne Edwards
Müut, Made Me Do It (2023)
Warsaw stoner rock band Müut lets loose on their debut long-player, Made Me Do It.
Müut began just a couple of years ago. Initially inspired and informed by punk and hardcore music, the compositional direction of the band eventually shifted toward a hard rock version of stoner rock, with big nods to classic forms. The result is a cracking set of rock and roll with exotic undertones. Müut is Vlad Guzmán (vocals, bass), Mateusz Pacholczyk (drums), Krzysztof Geryk (guitar), and Szymon Kaim (guitar).
“Another Bill To Pay” is a hard-charging rock song, up-tempo and loaded with catchiness. The lead break is designed for broad appeal as well, not taking up too much space. A very good, rollicking beginning. “Graso” seeks to keep the energy high, but in a very different way. The opening lyrics have a stabbing quality to them, like an attack on the listener. They mellow as the song continues, but you never forget the opening peal, which is itself repeated for good measure. “Fight The Müutonegro” offers a nostalgic appeal to old school tropes, and so does “Braindead,” in many ways, although different ones. These familiar bits a remolded and integrated into modern settings, giving them new life. Side one ends on “Enter Thy Name,” a pensive, reflective number that is an effective cooldown.
The back half continues with the premise establish by the early songs. I especially like “Last Tattoo,” which has a dominating presence and is a genuine battering. The tone changes midway, and the song transforms somewhat, making it all the more appealing. The final track stands out as well, “Salvation Fix.” It is a gruff way to exit, and I like it a lot. This record is good hard-edged rock and roll. Give it a spin.
Made Me Do It is out now. In the US, Bandcamp is a good place to pick it up.
Links.
Bandcamp, https://muutband.bandcamp.com/
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/muut.band/
© Wayne Edwards
The Black Halos, How The Darkness Doubled (Stomp Records 2022)
Canadian punk-n-roll band The Black Halos are back with a new album, How The Darkness Doubled, twenty three years after their first.
Think back to 2001 when the iconic underground record label Sub Pop released The Violent Years, The Black Halos’ second album. It was a big success for the Vancouver band, riding hot on the heels of their self-titled debut from a couple years before. There were a series of line-up changes after that, and the band came together and drifted apart several times over the years. They did release several more records, EPs, and compilations. How The Darkness Doubled is their fifth studio long-player. Original songwriters Billy Hopeless, Rich Jones, and Jay Millette, have reunited now and are joined by new members John Kerns and Danni Action.
The record begins with “A History of Violence,” a peppy snarler. The vocals are a combination of melodic and a bit of a growl, and the catchy music features unforgettable singalong lines that will have the crowds at live shows joining in. “Tenement Kids” follows with a slight downshift in tempo and an upshift in attitude. Different still, “Uncommonwealth” brings an insistent urgency in the delivery. With these opening songs, and all of them, truly, the guitars are the driving force, and the vocals are what make the music stick in your head.
There are a dozen songs on the new record, each one its own individual implementation of the band’s unique, appealing style. Stand out tracks include “Better Days” – see the video for a feel of the band in action in 2022, and “A Positive Note,” the closer and one of my personal favorites of the set. I am glad to hear new music from The Black Halos, and I hope this album is a sign of more to come. Recommended.
How The Darkness Doubled is out now. You can get the digital at Bandcamp – the vinyl might be sold out by now. Follow the links below to find out.
Band photo by Michael Crusty.
Links.
Bandcamp, https://theblackhalos.bandcamp.com/album/how-the-darkness-doubled
Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/TheBlackHalos/
Stomp Records, https://stomprecords.com/shop/how-the-darkness-doubled/
© Wayne Edwards
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