It is with great pleasure I present to you Fortuna Havana (Black Bow) by the band 1968. Fortuna Havana is released on Black Bow Records and features the talents of Jimi Ray on vocals, Sam Orr on guitar, Tom Richards on bass guitar, and Tom Drury on drums. I won’t lie to you, I was blown away from the opening strain.

The first track ‘Vorpal’ puts you in the mind of Orange Goblin. It’s thick with primal ooze that seeps into your pores and transforms you into a slick sick metal god. Everything from the wailing vocals to the raunchy guitars is worth loving. It is impossible to sit still while this track is on.

‘War Dogs’ opens with an ominous guitar over some heavy drumming. If you didn’t know better you’d think you were listening to early Black Sabbath. Jimi saunters in with some vocals designed to make one very….moist.

‘Dutches’ is the third track and again, the groove…the GROOVE!!! At 1:39 into the track it segues into this 90’s grunge kaleidoscope that has shades of Soundgarden. The EP ends with the title track ‘Fortuna Havana’, and, for me, the best part of this song is the cow bell. It just makes me happy. There really is nothing to dislike about this EP… Ok, I wish there were more of it!

So, instead, I shall be content to replay the four songs over and over and over again.

9.0/10

VICTORIA ANDERSON