EP REVIEW: Slower – Slower


Covering Slayer is a tricky business. Many bands have tried and failed, and despite displaying obvious reverence to the Californian Thrash legends, only a handful have ever really been able to do real justice to the source material. And of those, it’s the ones who arrive from left field that remain in the memory the most.

From Finnish cellists Apocalyptica to LA rap-metallers Body Count, it’s US singer/pianist Tori Amos who produced arguably the most innovative cross-genre take back in 2001 when she gave the world a very different version of “Raining Blood”. And now it’s the turn of Fu Manchu guitarist Bob Balch, the stoner metal legend getting the idea after teaching a student how to play “South of Heaven” in a different tuning and, well… Slower.Continue reading


Kylesa – Exhausting Fire


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Ever think you could compare 70s New wave to Savannah Psych-Sludge outfit Kylesa? No, me neither…

A new Kylesa album used to be a huge event in the Quinn household until 2010’s Spiral Shadow (Season of Mist) showed a mellowing of the lambent, crushing anger, introducing more of the band’s progressive drift. Two albums later and it’s sadly obvious that the band is continuing the journey further from their harsh roots.

Exhausting Fire (Season of Mist) isn’t devoid of bulldozing riffs: opener ‘Crusher’s entrancing verses displaying the customary steel which fires up a laconic, Blondie ballad-style chorus highlighting the increasing melody in Laura Pleasants’ voice. The ensuing ‘Inward Debate’ is Philip Cope’s first foray into action, immediately infusing the sound with a buzzing anger: yet his performance in ‘Moving Day’ is more indolent, an almost spoken-word delivery, Pleasants’ honeyed backing and jangling hookline giving way to a fuzzed coda.

This is a less inventive, softer Kylesa, seemingly happy after all these years to plough a furrow without traversing the path of discovery. Briefly howling leads and a growling riff awaken the dreamy, drifting ‘Falling’, the kind of track the band are becoming more well-known for. The Talking Heads-esque ‘Night Drive’ is a cool evocation of the cosmic violence of the Spiral Shadow era, a lazy Prog infused with swelling, pulsing power. ‘Blood Moon’ however, is more indicative of the second half of the album, its blend of Asian-influenced MOR and bludgeoning Punk feeling tired and occasionally flaccid: a tiredness which the insouciant, Nirvana-like ‘Growing Roots’, only occasionally tempting with spiralling swells, further highlights.

Closer ‘Out of My Mind’ sees more of those terribly wearisome vocals – in all honesty, the biggest problem here – destroy a gradual pogo-fest. It’s by no means dire, just desperately disappointing and lacklustre. Here, it seems, we have a once-crushing colossus now older, battered by tough times, and content to peddle uninspired stodge which eclipses many other bands’ output, but insults Kylesa’s legacy and name. Intermittent flashes of dazzling, indelible former glories save us from a worse fate. Exhausting Fire? Exhaustion seems not a million miles away…

 

5.5/10.0

PAUL QUINN


Ruby the Hatchet – Valley of the Snake


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February 24th marks the release of Ruby the Hatchet’s latest work; Valley of the Snake (Tee Pee Records). Where a lot of bands compete for who is the loudest and the fastest, Ruby the Hatchet catches my attention for the opposite reasons. If you enjoy psychedelic and/or stoner-rock, then the Philadelphia, PA based outfit should be right up your alley.

One of the songs to really catch my attention from the very beginning was ‘Tomorrow Never Comes’ with its heavy organ work. I’m not usually a fan of organs, keyboards, synthesizers or things of that nature because I feel that they tend to overpower the rest of the music but the balance just works in this context. It’s a beautiful track with an underlying feeling of hopelessness. This would be great paired with old horror movie footage. Possible video idea?

I will completely admit that I tend to dislike female singers and will usually write a band off completely if I can’t stomach them, but Jillian Taylor is brilliant. I believe the song ‘Demons’ showcases her talents quite nicely while making it difficult to keep still. Her soft, ethereal voice is like a living creature, calling out to the listener from a place just beyond their line of sight. I’m adding Jillian’s name to my lady crush list, right next to Kylesa’s Laura Pleasants.

Ruby the Hatchet remind me of a mix between The Sword and The Atomic Bitchwax with a woman’s touch. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this album overall and I recommend picking it up for a full bodied stoner/psychedelic rock experience. It’s definitely something that I can see myself having on repeat for a few hours and just getting lost to.

8.5/10

ALEIDA LA LLAVE