Saturday 3 September 2016

Asatta - Spiraling Into Oblivion (Album Review)


Release date: September 02nd 2016. Label: Burnout Planet Records House. Format: CD/DD

Spiraling Into Oblivion – Tracklisting

1.Three Dials 08:31
2.Lapse 06:38
3.1678 04:04
4.She Died Long Ago 09:21
5.Breath of Kali 07:22
6.Son of the Morning 11:03

Band Members:

Neil Pech, Jay Denzer, Sean Anderson, Joe Arenas, and Kara Phillips

On this recording Asatta is

Sean Anderson -Vocals
Joe Arenas-Bass
Neil Pech-Drums
Jay Denzer-guitars
Lee Halvorson-Keyboards

Guests

Cello on "She Died Long Ago" by Maddie Frank
Theremin on "She Died Long Ago" and "Breath of Kali" by Jon Liedtke
Main riff concept on "3 Dials" by Carrie Christiansen

Review:

Asatta’s new album Spiraling Into Oblivion is an album that will take time to fully appreciate. It took me quite a while to enjoy their combination of Heavy Doom/Stoner Riffs. The album has quite a raw feel to it though the mood is loud, clear and angry throughout. The vocals are a combination of heavy clean vocals and distorted growls. Asatta add a heavier psychedelic edge at different parts of the album.

Opening track – Dials – brings you crashing into Asatta’s world with an almighty bang as the Doom/Stoner riffs are merged with a Sludgier groove. The vocals have the same weight and volume as the bombastic riffs. Put these two things together and Asatta have created one hell of a racket. It’s quite an experience listening to this track at a high volume as it just pulverizes you into submission. It’s very cool when the band venture into Grunge based sonic territories that gives their music a classic nineties Grunge feel.

Second track – Lapse – carries on the loud riffs from the opening tracks with the vocals flirting between Grunge vibes and heavier NOLA sounds. The riffs have a distorted chainsaw effect where the band create a more potent noise rock atmosphere to build their normal Doom/Sludge/Stoner riffs upon. This song and the remainder of the album is played at a deliberate slow to mid pace. This allows Asatta to create a high amount of loud noise that bring back memories of Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.

Asatta wisely keep this Grunge/Doom/Stoner hybrid sound going for the rest of the album but there are a few moments where the band change musical direction which stops the natural flow of the album. The band soon return to their normal standard sound. The production for the album is handled superbly well as the volume can quite deafening at times. If you like your riffs loud then this is the album for you.

Tracks 1678, She Died Long Ago and Breath Of Kali are perhaps the most exciting parts with Asatta hitting a confident stride and creating the albums heaviest and most exciting moments. Spiraling Into Oblivion is a well-made and thought provoking album as it has an air of intelligence around it that you wouldn’t expect from a debut album. Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Spiraling Into Oblivion is available to buy on CD/DD from Burnout Planet Records now.

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