Thursday 10 September 2015

Bevar Sea - Invoke The Bizarre (Album Review)



Release date: Sept 25th 2015 (India)/October 31st 2015 (Elsewhere). Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD

Invoke The Bizarre: Tracklisting 

1.Bearded and Bizarre
2.Bury Me in NOLA
3.Sleeping Pool
4.Where There's Smoke (There is a Pyre)
5.Heathen
6.The Grand Alignment

Band Members: 

Ganesh Krishnaswamy - Vocals, lyrics
Srikanth Panaman - Guitars, music
Rahul Chacko - Guitars, artwork
Avinash Ramchander - Bass
Deepak Raghu – Drums 

Review:

Indian Stoner/Doom Metal band Bevar Sea – made one heck of an impression back in 2012 when they released their debut album. Bevar Sea’s style of Sabbath based Doom mixed with elements of Kyuss inspired Stoner Metal made them a band to look out for. Now it’s time for Bevar Sea to return with their new album – Invoke The Bizarre. And it’s quite a different sound to their debut album as Bevar Sea opts for a doomier and thrashier style of sound. It’s still Stoner Metal places but you’ll be surprised to hear Bevar Sea playing heavier and faster paced riffs.

Opening track – Bearded And Bizarre – is a dirty sounding song that sees Bevar Sea unleashing the heavy epic riffs from the start. Parts Doom, Stoner and Thrash with a dark psychedelic atmosphere that allows lead vocalist Ganesh to display his impressive vocal range. It’s a great mixture of slower and faster paced riffs all for your musical entertainment.

Second track – Bury Me In NOLA – is Bevar Sea’s love letter to the legendary NOLA Sludge Scene and they do the NOLA scene proud with an epic murky tale covered in Doomy/Stoner filled Sludge Metal. Ganesh offers a thrashier approach to his vocals and it’s very powerful indeed. Bevar Sea are a more powerful band to listen to when they decide to play faster riffs as they unleash the heaviest moments on the album.

Third track – Sleeping Pool – is a 10:14 minute slice of progressive doom/stoner metal with the seedy atmosphere starting to gain momentum. The music drifts from slow-paced to the heavier fast-paced style of sounds. Sleeping Pool sees Bevar Sea drift further and further into the doomy abyss of dark riffs. When the Stoner Metal vibes do appear, they’re drowned out by Ganesh’s creepy vocals. This is perhaps the best song on the album as it sums what Bevar Sea are all about now. Doom and Gloom inspired based madness!!!

The second half of the album follows the same dark and twisted path of the opening three tracks. Fourth track – Where There’s Smoke (There’s A Pyre) is a great style of Blues, Doom, Stoner and Thrash with Ganesh giving his doomy vocals a rest for a more restrained performance for the first half of the song. That’s not to say he’s quiet, far from it. He’s angry as heck. On the second half Ganesh returns to his heavier and harsher style of vocals. I have to say the rest of the band are the main stars on this song as they put in a truly commanding performance especially during the thrashier based moments.

Fifth song – Heathen – is a short paced 90 second song with the band in mellow acoustic mood. It’s quite a soothing song and it’s a good contrast to the other songs on the album. Fans of Ancient Vvisdom will find much to admire here as it has a similar acoustic occult/doom rock vibe.

The final song on the album is – The Grand Alignment – is perhaps the most doomy and heaviest song on the album as Bevar Sea go with a band. The music is superb from start to finish with Ganesh paying homage to his favourite Metal vocalists such as Ozzy Osborne and Ronnie James Dio. It lasts for 11 mins and there’s a ton of great riffs for you to enjoy and admire.

Invoke The Bizarre is a much better and well rounded experience than their debut album. Bevar Sea are a different band from a few years ago. They’re more brash, confident and slightly scarier as well. This album is going to go down a storm with the Doom/Stoner Metal crowd and I have a feeling that the Old-School Heavy Metal crowd will dig this too. Invoke The Bizarre is a superb album from one of India’s Premier Metal Bands. Check it out. You’ll be a fool to miss this. 

Words by Steve Howe 

Thanks to Bevar Sea and Clawhammer PR for the promo. Invoke The Bizarre is out in India on Sept 25th 2015 and Oct 31st 2015 elsewhere on CD/DD.

Links:

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