Release
date: August 22nd
2015. Label: Setalight Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Ecosphere
– Tracklisting
01
- Astrogate (00:00)
02
- Shockblast (03:52)
03
- Nexus (06:58)
04
- Warp Rider (11:41)
05
- Citadel (15:09)
06
- Corona Azylum (18:46)
07
- Waldo (23:39)
08
- 7th Sun (25:49)
09
- Starmist (33:44)
10
- Needler (39:26)
Band
Members:
Cpt
Ulven - Vocals
Roffe
- Guitars
Liz
- Bass
Bjudas
– Drums
Review:
Kal-El's
second album – Ecosphere – was released in August 2015 and it
seems it flew under my radar. I was asked recently to check them out
and I was pleasantly surprised as I was expecting something run of
the mill. Not a kick-ass album packed full of Stoner Rock grooves
with the band offering plenty of Doom based Desert/Blues Rock vibes.
The
band excel in creating different atmospheres for each of the songs.
I'm sure I can hear influences diverse from bands such as Black
Sabbath, Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Dozer and Uncle Acid but Kal-El add a
refreshing Spaced Out Sci-fi twist. Kal-El offer a bleak alternative
stoner rock outlook on life especially on tracks such as Shockblast
and Warp Rider.
The
instrumental work is one of the albums strengths as Kal-El offer a
different sound for each of the 10 songs on the album. That's a very
hard thing to do but Kal-El pull this off with style and conviction.
Kal-El's stock has been rising considerably within the Stoner Metal
world recently and it's not hard to see why. They've written a
collection of excellent songs that will appeal to the vast majority
of Doom/Stoner Metal fans.
If
you miss the early days of Monster Magnet where Dave, Ed and company
were more about the spaced out vibes and hard rock riffs then Kal-El
are the band for you. Ecosphere feels like a long lost 1990's Monster
Magnet album that was never released. The final 4 songs on the album
Waldo, 7th Sun, Starmist and Needler are perhaps the
albums most exciting moments as Kal-El play the albums heaviest riffs that will leave you in a daze.
I've
only seen a few reviews of this album so far and that's a damn shame
as Ecosphere is quite the Stoner Metal album experience. It's packed
full of twists and turns that will leave you on the edge of your
seat. The band have done themselves proud here. If I heard this album
last year I would have put this in my best albums of 2015. It's
simply that good.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
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