Duel’s 2017 album ‘Witchbanger’ served up eight slabs of fuzzy stoner rock that captured a genuinely great sound. Most of the guitar work came with a retro warmth as if everything was being slightly distorted by Orange amps, and when the band hit a genuine groove, the rhythm section sounded unshakable. The title cut played out like in the manner of a top notch stoner act attacking something by Monster Magnet with more of a swagger; ‘Cat’s Eye’ approached a world of melodic fuzz and a jagged groove with a genuine ease, and the slow and moody ‘The Sake Queen’ mixed the NWOBHM tones of Diamond Head with a more thoughtful and bluesy approach, but still sat naturally alongside the record’s slightly heavier tracks. Of course, the indelible influence from the likes of Sabbath and Mountain were there, but it was a pleasure to hear a stoner/doom band who were unafraid of mixing things up a little, and who also had the confidence to share shorter arrangements rather than letting a more typical epic doom approach pummel the audience into submission.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
SUN ATOMS – Take This Love / And The Lion Saw The UFO
Near the beginning of 2024, US post punk band Sun Atoms broke a near three year silence when they released the single ‘Ceiling Tiles’. That track provided the perfect reminder of their great sound with its angular riffs, pulsing rhythms and light gothic tones. In a little over five minutes, the music transported the listener back to the early 90s with its alternative feel, but Sun Atoms’ music still played very well in the present.
THUNDER – The Complete EMI Recordings 1989-1995
When it comes to rock bands, Thunder are a British institution. Their classic rock sound has long conveyed a timeless style, and in the live setting, Danny Bowes, Luke Morley and company are second to none. What’s even more amazing is that Thunder’s greatness was evident from the very beginning. Whereas some bands work hard to hone their sound and have to learn to win over a crowd, Thunder displayed a natural ability the moment they arrived. Part of that was obviously due to Danny and Luke warming up with their former act Terraplane, but Thunder’s live presence was much greater than their predecessor. Almost perfect proof of this can be heard during their very first Donington Monsters of Rock appearance. It’s a difficult task – sometimes even thankless – being the first band on at a festival, in front of a demanding audience, but on Saturday 18th August 1990, Thunder played a blinding forty minute set that proved they were more than “just another band”. They gained an army of fans that day, and it’s a festival show that still got talked about many years after the event.
MIKE TRAMP – Songs Of White Lion II
Back in the late 80s/early 90s, White Lion released four enjoyable but hit and miss albums. Their 1991 swansong ‘Mane Attraction’, in particular, captured the band in top form, with the epic ‘Lights & Thunder’ and the rocky ‘Leave Me Alone’ showing off the Mike Tramp and Vito Bratta musical partnership at its finest and arguably most intricate.
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Ring The Bells & Sing: Progressive Sounds Of 1975
Whenever a new, yearly themed box of prog rock cuts gets released by Esoteric Records, genre fans automatically know they’re in for some great listening. Even when their ‘Underground Sounds’ and ‘Progressive Sounds’ anthologies merely recycle a world of album cuts, these affordable multi-disc sets create something that isn’t just well rounded; when approached in the right mood, they’re compilations which are incredibly absorbing. Whether approaching them from a nostalgic perspective or in the hope of discovering something new – hopefully both – these anthologies supply a huge amount of entertainment.