I was thoroughly impressed when I caught this band supporting Burst and The Ocean last year, enough for me to want to hear their second full length album any road. Their brand of heavy metal with the emphasis firmly on heavy was catchy and matched by an enigmatic performance on stage as well.
If you had to name ten bands that were purely just heavy metal, no sub-genres or style additions and definitely no keyboards then I reckon you would struggle to name them outside of the 70s and 80s. The inauspicious and slightly guarded start of “Stressed Elephant” (fantastic song title by the way) gives no hints as to what to expect as the track veers straight into a Sabbathy fuzz with a sturdy granite beat. The bands focuses on repetition making you listen to each riff and lead until they are etched into your brain permanently. Whilst the pace of most of the songs is fairly laboured the songs do not surrender to doom style sludge. “Fear Cave” has a speedier edge initially before turning off the road into mud laden sludge that had me rekindling memories of my old Mudhoney phase of yesteryear such is the fuzz on the guitar. However there is little doubt that the majority of this album sits in early 70s Sabbath mould.
“Melody, This Is For You” will have you eyebrowing at a Southern states blues style but don’t be fooled this is METAL with a massive kick and dominating snare/cymbal work. The track has a superb resonating bass line that threatens a seismic aural demolition. The shorter and more upbeat “Two-Day Booze” does exactly what the title suggests; it rocks you out in old Motorhead fashion with purposeful riff changes that are dirty and delightful. The band limits the vocals to short acerbic rants that don’t dwell too long, since they are the harsh shouted variety you either like or don’t. Personally I’m indifferent as the rest of the album had me hooked with “Take The Next Exit” having some quicker elements and some cracking riffs as the song builds up to a thunderous climax. I’d be hard pressed to name a track that stands out over anything else as this focuses on delivering untainted metal of the highest order. There is little doubt that these Canadian beasts have come up with seven tracks of monstrously heavy metal that will crush your feeble ear drums.
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