On their third full-length Something Wicked, Earthride most certainly knows how to play some damn rocking and laid-back doom metal. Right here you’ve got Black Sabbath going more stoner and sludgy and, of course, with a lot of tasty groove. Something Wicked isn’t what I would generally listen to, as many know that I’d usually prefer the harsh and cold landscapes of fierce black metal, but there’s no way of denying this album’s simple power.
What comes to the production, Something Wicked sounds like it was recorded underneath a layer of mud, at least the buzzing bass and guitars that have a very dark and muffled tone. The sound is perfect for these groovy, ass kicking riffs straight from the 70s. Vocals go fittingly to that decade as well, including masculine groans and rasps, yet at times delivering fully clean vocals. The latter are most perfectly delivered on ”Zodiac”, a favourite of mine, that also beautifully flirts with latent melancholy, yet still retaining the kick ass aspect all the way through.
The laid-back atmosphere makes Something Wicked quite an easy listen - sometimes perhaps even too much so as on the latter half of the album my mind may wander off from the music due to the simplicity that might get tiresome during the course of 52 minutes - but, evidently, the album isn’t meant to be anything too extraordinary nor challening. It’s all about the crushing riffs and solos, and I see absolutely no reason why a lover of old school doom metal and, heck, even fans Phil Anselmo or Lenny, would not love Something Wicked. Consider yours truly impressed, albeit too exhausted by the total length. I don’t know how many albums of this kind I could tackle with joy, but as a rather newbie to the style, I find Something Wicked a convincing record.
What comes to the production, Something Wicked sounds like it was recorded underneath a layer of mud, at least the buzzing bass and guitars that have a very dark and muffled tone. The sound is perfect for these groovy, ass kicking riffs straight from the 70s. Vocals go fittingly to that decade as well, including masculine groans and rasps, yet at times delivering fully clean vocals. The latter are most perfectly delivered on ”Zodiac”, a favourite of mine, that also beautifully flirts with latent melancholy, yet still retaining the kick ass aspect all the way through.
The laid-back atmosphere makes Something Wicked quite an easy listen - sometimes perhaps even too much so as on the latter half of the album my mind may wander off from the music due to the simplicity that might get tiresome during the course of 52 minutes - but, evidently, the album isn’t meant to be anything too extraordinary nor challening. It’s all about the crushing riffs and solos, and I see absolutely no reason why a lover of old school doom metal and, heck, even fans Phil Anselmo or Lenny, would not love Something Wicked. Consider yours truly impressed, albeit too exhausted by the total length. I don’t know how many albums of this kind I could tackle with joy, but as a rather newbie to the style, I find Something Wicked a convincing record.
3.5 / 5
No comments:
Post a Comment