Monday 21 September 2015

Wizard Eye - S/T (Album Review)


Release date: October 10th 2015. Label: Black Monk Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Wizard Eye – S/T - Tracklisting

1. Eye of the Deep
2. Flying Falling
3. Phase Return
4. Graybeard
5. Drowning Daydream
6. My Riposte Is Like Lightning
7. Nullarbor
8. Thunderbird Divine
9. Stoneburner

Band Members:

Dave - bass/vocals
Erik - guitar/vocals/theremin
Mike - drums/percussion

Review:

Five years on from their debut album – Orbital Rites – Wizard Eye return with their highly anticipated 2nd self-titled album. The sound as you would expect is one of fuzzy and cosmic doomy and stoner metal.

Opening track – Eye Of The Deep – is an instrumental Doom/Stoner riff-fest with the band showing they have a keen eye for sound and rhythm as the song has some impressive cosmic/space rock style moments to open the album with. Influences such as Blue Cheer, Sabbath and Hawkwind can be heard on the opening track and it’s an exciting ride with Wizard Eye setting up the tone for the rest of the album.

Second track – Flying Falling – carries on the space rock influenced doomy/stoner metal vibe with the band finally adding vocals to the mix. The vocals are grizzled as hell with a slight Lemmy vibe. The song blends classic hard rock theatrics with a fuzzier modern day style of Doom/Stoner Metal. The guitars are down-tuned and played with a huge amount of FUZZ. It can be very trippy and psychedelic at times as Wizard Eye opts for a mind-expanding approach towards the end.

Third track – Phase Return – is one of the albums standout tracks as Wizard Eye weaves a hard-rocking tale where the atmosphere is very loud from the start. The vocals more than match the crazed guitar riffs in the volume stakes though it’s the heavy-pounding bass guitar that’s the loudest part of this song. It can be very jam-based at times and that’s a good thing as it shows Wizard Eye know how to have fun despite some of the heavier moments.

Fourth track – Graybeard – sees Wizard Eye offer some of the albums heaviest moments in both the riffs and vocals dept as Dave takes over with grizzled conviction. It’s a bluesy and boisterous affair with Wizard Eye offering some serious Sabbath style amplifier worship. The vocals are different as they take a heavier approach and it’s a style that takes some getting used to but it’s good that the music is so damn good. Riffs are the main order of business as some impressive guitar solos appear. The drumming sounds fantastic on this song as you feel part of the action with each passing moment.

Fifth track – Drowning Daydream – is Wizard Eye playing a more direct Doom/Stoner Metal sound that fans of Saint Vitus will dig. It’s another trippy and psychedelic offering that some people may yearn for something different from time to time. It’s true that the band stick to a set sound for the majority of the album but you can’t deny how good it sounds and Drowning Daydream is another superb track that Wizard Eye have created here.

If you’re apart of the Black Sabbath riff loving congregation then you’re going to be in your element here as Wizard Eye create some of the albums most spaced out and heaviest moments. Especially on songs such as My Riposte Is Like Lighting (where Dave takes over vocal duties once more), Nullarbor and Stoneburner. Nullarbor sees the band blend Eastern noises and moments of psychedelic instrumental madness. Nullarbor is perhaps the most diverse song on the album as it shows Wizard Eye can experiment with their sound by adding different noises to the mix.

Before you we get to Stoneburner, Wizard Eye offer a slice of demented madness with Thunderbird Divine. The vocals matched against the doomy guitar sounds create a dark and twisted atmosphere as the fuzz-based riffs reach their natural conclusion. Finally, the album closes with Stoneburner. An epic 8 minute song that sees the band play one final round of heavy-psych-stoner-doom metal epic riffs as it ends this album on a trippy and far out experience.

Wizard Eye has created an excellent album and one that will win them a huge range of admirers within the Doom/Stoner Metal community. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Earsplit PR for promo. Wizard Eye S/T album will be out to buy on DD/Vinyl form Blank Monk Records on October 10th 2015.

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