Release
date: 09th
March 2018. Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Black
Abyss – Tracklisting
Alien Lust
Black Abyss
Buzzard
Oklahoma
People Of The Gun
Seven Tenets
Starfire
Suffer Fool
Members
Tim Narducci -
Vocals
Jeremy Epp - Guitars
Cornbread - Bass
Carter Kennedy -
Drums
Review
Why am I not surprised
that The Watcher's debut album - Black Abyss - is being released on
Ripple Music. As The Watchers embrace the seventies/eighties Classic
Heavy Metal sound that Ripple Music has built their brilliant and
well-deserved reputation upon. It's also good that Black Abyss is the
perhaps one of the best albums I've heard that combines the Retro
Rock sound with a modern Doom/Stoner Metal sensibility.
Opening track - Black
Abyss - comes kicking and screaming straight from the eighties
classic hard rock scene with bombastic vocals to match. The doomy
riffs allow The Watchers to create a sound that feels timeless at
times. The music is very loud with the band setting the tone and
structure of the album from the very first riff. The Watchers do show
their love and appreciation for the Classic Hard Rock scene over the
last forty years or so. The lyrics are very OTT but to the bands
credit, they make it work on all of the songs held on the album.
Second track - Alien
Lust - is pure heavy metal excess but with a thumping Stoner Metal
drive. The song does struggle at times in holding everything together
but soon corrects itself towards the end and The Watchers end up
creating some of the albums finest moments. The band can be too
clever for their own good at times with some flashy progressive
guitar sounds but it won't stop your enjoyment of the album itself.
The Watchers are a very
hard band to pin down. Classic Rock, Heavy Metal, Vintage Doom or
Stoner Metal. I would call them a good old fashioned Hard Rock Band
who knows how to write a good song with infectious hooks to keep you
entertained for a long time to come. They prove this time and time
again on songs such as: Oklahoma Black Magic, Buzzard, Starfire,
Suffer Fool and Seven Tenets.
I should have said at
the start of the review that this band contains ex-members of Orchid,
White Wytch Canyon and Bizarro. So you can't deny their musical
ability as The Watchers know their way round a heavy riff.
Black Abyss creates a
magical hold on the listener. It's good to hear a band creating good
old fashioned Hard Rock album and including social elements to their
music. Sometimes we want to leave the problems of the outside world
and just be entertained. This is where The Watchers excel at in
keeping you superbly entertained from start to finish
One of the best songs
on the album has to be Buzzard. As the whole mood of the song
progresses from Hard Rock to Classic Rock whilst still offering heavy
moments of Psych, Doom and Stoner Rock. As Ripple Music always strive
for perfection and high quality sounding music, the production on
this album is fantastic. The vocals from Tim sound dynamic from the
start. Though it's the music that's the main standout. As you can
feel and hear every note being played on the album.
I couldn't see Black
Abyss being released by any other label than Ripple Music. We all
know if a band is signed to Ripple Music then it's already a sign of
quality music and that you're in for a damn good time. The Watchers
prove that statement with their debut album. They are already gaining
a great reputation within the Hard Rock/Stoner Metal scene and I can
see their fanbase growing considerably when this album is officially
released. Black Abyss is a superbly entertaining album and sees The
Watchers as future breakout stars of the scene.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks to Richard at
Sheltered Life and Carl at Action PR for the promo. Black Abyss will
be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from March 09th
2018.
Links:
