Taking their cue from the analogue sounding Sabbathed out sounds of Kyuss and Melvins (specifically ‘Stoner Witch’) dropped in the early 90s, Limb take similarly heavy vibes and slow, expertly structured and lumbering riffs to a high plateau. From the brief distortion and grinding guitar line that kicks off ‘Twelve Ghosts’, they make no attempt to hide any of their influences. The fuzz and sheer drive of their opening statement ensures those unfamiliar with Limb will instantly recognise this album as being doom/sludge metal of the highest order – that Limb are set to pummel their listeners with an almost narrow view towards a sonic range; often shifting from heavy to heavier still. At the point the vocals arrive – self-aware that they are not as important as the riff – you might expect things to fall away, but still the band maintain their intensity. Frontman Rob Hoey growls and shouts like a hybrid of Mastondon’s Troy Sanders and the mouthpiece from Brazilian stoners Son of a Witch, his delivery taking on a similarly untrained and unrestrained rasp; with only a few lines he ensures he makes them count – making himself sound hoarse in the process. Meanwhile, the rest of the band shift between slow, doom laden moods and occasional Fu Manchu-esque groove; while the change in speed is welcome, it doesn’t necessarily mean things are about to get lighter… The blend between the severely downtuned guitars and a rattling riff with clanging ride cymbal evokes a classic stoner/doom sound, akin to the grooves that filled the majority of Down’s classic ‘Nola’, a sound which suits Limb frighteningly well…and they know it. So much so, in fact, that it’s a model from which this debut full-length release rarely deviates: whether that is a good or bad thing, as always, will be solely down to personal taste.
Tag Archives: stoner
THE MOTHERSHIP – Bright Side Of Dim
The Mothership’s debut album (‘Ten Miles Wide’, released in 2011) was a promising first effort. Although some of the material was generic, it was passionately played and its four stand-out cuts were strong enough alone to recommend listening. The band showed off a very solid approach to a retro riff, but with the woozy acoustic track ‘Ugly Love’ nestled at the end of the record [free mp3 here], the band showed they had more potential than merely being grungy revivalists. The “desert sessions” style of their quieter moments set high hopes for their sophomore release.
BUTCHERS OF SKY VALLEY – Butchers Of Sky Valley
In a case of artwork capturing the spirit of an album, The Butchers of Sky Valley’s debut release hits its target square on. Nothing says seventies fuzz better than a monochrome photo of a woman looking like she’s posing for an Atomic Bitchwax release. However, if you’re approaching this album expecting a straight-up rehash of Bitchwax, Kyuss or Brandt Bjork sounds, you’re likely to be disappointed at first. Yes, there are tracks that blatantly wear their Kyuss-love on their sleeves for all to hear – more of which later – but at first, this New York band’s sound brings more of a fuzzy late 60s trip than a 70s doom-laden meander.
SKELETONS IN THE PIANO – Please Don’t Die
Skeletons In The Piano are the stuff of your technicolour dreams and your darkest nightmares. Billing themselves as falling somewhere between The Doors and Black Sabbath, this New York septet’s sound constantly pulls between extremes, often favouring moods lodged inside the dustiest corner of the imagination.
New video from Swedish hard rock/stoner band The Quill
Taken from their eighth album ‘Tiger Blood’, Swedish hard rockers The Quill have released a new video for their track ‘Freak Show’, which can now be seen below.