Release
date: November 5th
2015. Label: Self Released. Format: DD
Grand
Orbiter – Tracklisting
1.Departure
01:40
2.Milestone
06:31
3.High
Ride 04:55
4.Sunrise
Station 02:03
5.Barefoot
07:42
6.Grand
Orbiter 05:26
7.Arrival
Pt. I 01:54
Band
Members:
Fancisco
Dantas - Drums
Gonçalo
Palmas - Synth
Hugo
Quintela - Guitar
Kevin
Pires - Guitar
Nuno
Silva - Bass
Pedro
Ferreira - Vocals/Guitar
Review:
Big
Red Panda are a Psychedelic/Progressive/Stoner/Space Rock Band from
Portugal who released a stunning S/T debut album back in 2014. 18
months later the guys return to take you on another spiritual and
cosmic journey with Grand Orbiter.
Grand
Orbiter offers 30 minutes of dreamlike trance induced Stoner sounds
where the band taking influence from Pink Floyd but still maintaining
their own sound. Opening track – Departure – is a superb
instrumental piece with the band creating a psychedelic ride into the
Stoner Rock cosmos. That vibe is carried straight into the epic 2nd
song – Milestone.
Milestone
sees the band venture further into the realm of Progressive Rock with
trippy spaced-out riffs. The synths have a certain 80s movie
soundtrack feel to them as the band expand your mind without the need
for hallucinogenic drugs or toxins.
The
rest of the album follows the same template as Milestone as Big Red
Panda prove they aren't your typical Stoner Rock band. The vocals
don't appear until the 5th track – Barefoot – just
when I was beginning to wonder if they would ever appear at all. Not
that I wasn't enjoying myself far from it. Grand Orbiter would still
be a fantastic album if it had vocals or not. Pedro's vocals are
highly influenced from 60s/70s Psychedelic Rock bands.
The
production is handled superbly well and Big Red Panda have tons of
great ideas here. It's a shame the album didn't have a few more songs
as it suddenly ends and I wanted it continue for at least 10 mins or
so. Other than that Grand Orbiter is an excellent release from a band
you need to check out now.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
