Saturday 9 September 2017

War Cloud - S/T (Album Review)


Release date: September 08th 2017. Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

War Cloud – S/T – Tracklisting

1.Give'r 04:08
2.Chopper Wired 02:57
3.Divide and Conquer 04:29
4.Hurricane 03:24
5.No Man's Land 04:24
6.Red Witch 04:13
7.Speed Demon 03:17
8.Vulture City 04:05

Members

Alex Wein – Vocals/Guitar
Tony Campos – Guitar
Joaquin Ridgell – Drums

Review

War Cloud's self-titled album is an seventies hard-rocking album that blends Classic Rock, Doom and Stoner Rock sounds. War Cloud is influenced by the legendary guitar bands of such as Thin Lizzy, UFO, Uriah Heep and Deep Purple. The album is never too flash or progressive for its own good. With War Cloud creating a fine amount of heavy twin-guitar riffage.

Opening track - Give'r - is hard-rocking anthem if I ever heard one. Driven by classic dual/twin guitar sound with elements of psychedelic rock and groovy vocals make a winning start. The song does have a vintage sounding heavy metal feel with a cool seedy underbelly starting to creep in.

Second track - Chopper Wired - is pure classic hard rock carnage with War Cloud playing finely tuned riffs that's perfectly matched against the OTT lyrics and splendid vocals that make this a classic rock fan's dream come to life. Who cares if the album doesn't break any new ground musically. War Cloud knows what they are and they are miles ahead of the competition with expertly written melodies that captures the sound of the legendary seventies/eighties Hard Rock/Metal scene.

The album does move into heavier waters especially on the third track - Divide And Conquer - which has a slight Black Sabbath sensibility merged with NWOBHM sounds. Though it's the dual/twin guitar riff worship the band use to the best of their abilities that holds your attention throughout.

War Cloud would make brilliant touring buddies to Ripple Music legends - Mothership. As they both play a similar style of music. Sure Mothership maybe more into the cosmic side of things.

The album sounds intense and fantastic from the start. It perhaps ranks as the best sounding album Ripple Music have released this year. The album is loud and vibrant which elevates War Cloud's sound to Stadium Rock levels. Other songs on the album such as Hurricane, Red Witch and Speed Demon sees War Cloud opt for a faster style of music.

The music is addictive and played with a no-nonsense approach. My only complaint is that the album is on the short side running under thirty three minutes. I wish there were a couple more songs just to make the album last more. Though I suppose this keeps with the short album running times of albums released in the seventies from bands such as Thin Lizzy.

At least War Cloud will keep you supremely entertained throughout the entire album. Especially when War Cloud focus on playing heavy epic riffs that will have you pressing the rewind/repeat button on your media player. War Cloud's debut album may have a "classic" sounding sensibility but it's an album that will go down a storm with not only the classic rock brigade but also the modern stoner rock collective.

All in all, War Cloud has delivered a truly superb and brilliantly entertaining debut album. What more could you possibly want....

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Sheltered Life for the promo. War Cloud S/T is now available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music now.

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