Lollipop MagazineGenerous Maria"Command of the New Rock" (Abstract Sounds) by Craig Regala I love this disc. Perfectly laid out, rolling grooves that bespeak Kyuss� DNA, topped off with a Northern European melodic sense. Tinges of Viking folk songs and spacious symphonic logic point towards their cultural roots. Not that you�d mistake these guys for one of those post black metal bands reliving their pagan swords�n�icebergs past (which I like), but trust me, it bubbles up from the aquifer and falls from the sky and it�d be a dumb move to ignore that much free inspiration, so they don�t. Command�
avoids the retro-tag by being the next generation of an approach, rather than a
straight copy. Look at it like this; These guys jump off from classic kickass
Deep Purple/Uriah Heep grooves the same way Korn took off from Faith No More and
the Chili Peppers. It all wouldn�t mean dick if they didn�t have the tunes,
and I wouldn�t�ve typed this far, so you�re safe there. All the songs
cohere even as they pull from stomp rock syncopation, laid back power boogie,
mid-tempo ker-chug, psychedelic prettiness, or rave-up kickass. Not just for
"stoner rock" fans. If the last couple Monster Magnet discs haven�t
had enough heft for you, check this.
|