Wednesday 31 May 2017

OPERATORS - Revelers (Album Review)


Release date: May 24th 2017. Label: Fuzzmatazz Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Revelers – Tracklisting

1.Leveled Reveler 07:49
2.Pusher 03:04
3.Messina 07:15
4.Walkin' on Air 03:50
5.Fuzz Muncher 04:42
6.Rolling Hitch 10:03

Band Members:

Eggat - Vocals
Dirk - Guitar & Vocals
Konni - Organ
Dän - Bass
Säsh - Drums & Vocals

Review

I believe this is Operators third album. I'm fairly new to their robust Stoner Rock sound and their new album Revelers - acts a great introduction for beginners such as myself. Operators have quite a boisterous and playful angry side with their music that they fuse with psychedelic blues riffs.

Opening track - Leveled Reveler - opens with a two minute instrumental piece that shows what Operators are made of. Fast-paced blues driven psych stoner rock before the vocals finally appear.Some very cool organs appear and it allows Operators to play a very different kind of Stoner Rock sound. Trippy funk based psychedelics appear towards the song. 

The vocals from Eggat feel influenced by Anthony Kiedes of RHCP fame. It's a strong opening track and one that makes you feel at ease with the crazy music being played around you. These guys are highly thought of within the Stoner Rock world and from this song it's not hard to see why.

Second track - Pusher - is a thrashier punk kind of sound. A slight change in musical direction with sixties psychedelic sounding organs merged with the more modern thrash/punk stoner sound. I don't know why but I can hear elements of classic heavy metal sounds but given a psychedelic blues rock makeover when the heavier moments appear. Maybe I'm crazy, just the feeling I experience when listening to this album.

Third track - Messina - is a calmer affair with slowly played moments of psychedelic blues based rock. The organs add a gloomier atmosphere with subtle vocals from lead singer Eggat. The song does feel emotionally distant at times but that's probably down to the slow-paced riffs that appear on the first half of the track. The second half of the song is a very different story as Operators go slightly demonic with the heavier and doomier riffs that appear. The song does move into more prog rock territory especially with the vocals and lyrics of the song.

The final three songs - Walkin' On Air, Fuzz Muncher and Rolling Hitch all carry on the experimental vibe of the opening tracks. Crazy Stoner Rock sounds merged with a blues/hard rock vibe with great lyrics to match especially on Walkin' On Air.

The final track - Rolling Hitch - lasts for around ten minutes and it did start to test my patience at times. It's not a bad song, it's a great song overall. It's that the band changes the mood far too many times and it can be quite exhausting to keep up with. Though I do admire their talent and drive for writing a song such as Rolling Hitch. Overall, Revelers is a hugely enjoyable album with many exciting moments that will keep the most jaded Stoner Rock fan entertained from start to finish.

Is this an album I will be listening to all the time? Possibly not but I will return to the crazy world of Operators from time to time. Mainly to be entertained and be thrilled by some of their wacky and strange ideas held on the album.

Words by Steve Howe

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