Wednesday 9 May 2018

Satori Junk - The Golden Dwarf (Album Review)


Release date: May 11th 2018. Label: Endless Winter. Format: CD/DD

The Golden Dwarf – Tracklisting

1.Intro
2.All Gods Die
3.Cosmic Prison
4.Blood Red Shrine 05:37
5.Death Dog
6.The Golden Dwarf
7.Light My Fire (The Doors cover)

Members

Luke Von Fuzz - Vocals / Synth / Keys / Theremin/ Flute
Chris - Guitars / Analog Synth / Sequencer
Lory Grinder - Bass
Max - Drums

Review

Satori Junk new album The Golden Dwarf didn't grab me at first when I originally listened to the album and that's perhaps down to the two opening songs - Intro and All Gods Die. Intro opens with a standard audio soundbyte about the perils of modern environmental issues. Second track - All Gods Die - is a subdued seventies Psych/Prog Rock affair that has moments of heavy rock and doom based sounds. The whole flow of this song and album feels influenced by Faith No More.

Satori Junk change their sound at so many different parts of the album that it sometimes can be very hard to understand what is going on. I admire Satori Junk's willingness to experiment with their sound and leave the listener questioning what they are listening to. The Golden Dwarf has a sinister psychedelic vision and each song drives you further into the dark abyss that Satori Junk create on the lengthier tracks such as Cosmic Poison, Blood Red Shine, Death Dog, The Golden Dwarf and their superb cover of The Doors classic song - Light My Fire.

The majority of these songs run between to ten minutes and fifteen minutes in length. The whole key here is sonic experimentation with heavy distorted guitars that have an Alternative Rock/Metal approach to them. I apologize for bringing up the Faith No More influence again but I feel lead vocalist Luke Von Fuzz is heavily inspired by Mike Patton. I'm kinda OK with this as it beats all the Ozzy Osbourne/John Garcia inspired vocals I've heard over the years. This may sound like I don't rate the album at all. However, I actually rate this album very highly. As it's a gloriously heavy and experimental Doom/Sludge Metal affair.

The psychedelic glitch based sounds merged with the Doom/Sludge Metal riffs allows Satori Junk to create their own twisted unique sound especially on songs such as: Cosmic Poison, Death Dog and The Golden Dwarf.

I haven't a clue what the whole album means as I need to devote more time listening to the album. Time which I don't currently have at the moment. However, I will in the future as The Golden Dwarf is an album that will leave a mighty impression on you. Satori Junk style of music could be classed as Avant-Garde at times with everything sounding like a psychedelic nightmare coming to life.

The production is quite loud and intense at times with the majority of the epic songs having the most powerful and out-there moments on the album. Satori Junk has never been the easiest band to categorize and that won't change with this album.

The Golden Dwarf is a superb album. No question, though it will be some time before I build up the nerve to listen to it again.....

Words by Steve Howe

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