Release
date: November 11th
2016 (EU) and December 9th
2016 (US). Label: Fuzzorama Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
III
– Tracklisting
1.Pale
Moon
2.Last
Days
3.Til'
Dawn
4.Wolf
& Snake
5.Silver
& Gold
6.Them
Calling
7.Mr.
Strange
Band
Members:
Robin
Hirse – Vocals/Guitar
Johannes
Nilsson – Bass/Vocals
Jimmi
Kohlscheen - Drums/Vocals
Review:
Almost
at the threshold of 40, and having started to listen to music at the
age of 6 thanks to my father’s vinyl collection, I always wondered
how all those groups I’ve loved to tears would have played today,
with the inspiration of their golden years. Imagine how, one of the
most inflated genres to date, the stoner/psych/fuzz rock/metal, would
have been played by bands like Pink Floyd, The Who, Jefferson
Airplane, Led Zeppelin.
I
know that many of them have laid the foundations for the development
of many of the genres we love, and would face a time paradox worthy
of Back To The Future but, think for a while, how it would be.
Seriously, I asked myself this thing really in recent years and,
today, I found a first, partial, response in the new album from the
Sweden based trio from Örebro, Asteroid (III, Fuzzorama Records).
III is with no doubt one of the best releases so far. All in this
album is close to perfection.
The
rhythm section of Johannes Nilsson (vocals and bass) and Jimmi
Kohlscheen (drums) is something I have not heard from time, perfect,
powerful and dynamic at the same time. The riffing of Robin Hirse
(guitars and vocals) is something in between the golden age of modern
stoner rock and the psychedelic sound of the late 60s-70s. And what
about singing? Simply amazing. With that voice he could not sing
anything in any other group. One of the best productions ever heard
so far.
III
starts with Pale Moon, which has one of the most beautiful intro of
the last years, reminds me closely the Pink Floyd. Here, the groovy
bass line and drumming are the perfect background for the sliding
distorted guitar that gently introduce a powerful and psychedelic
song, with the voice of Robin that stops for a very few moments the
lysergic atmosphere of this little gem of about six minutes.
Probably
one of my favorite songs. Last Days, the second song of III, starts
with the right dose of modulation effects that brings a very unique
sound, giving the way to a more rhythmic part for a completely
different song than the opener. In Til’Dawn, the clean sound of the
guitar during the intro alternates with fuzzy riffs and a vocal part
that literally makes you shudder for intensity and depth, especially
towards the end where the voice of Robin and the use of back-vocals
closely reminds me the Alice in Chains.
Wolf
& Snake is such a kind of song every stoner rock band should have
in their repertoire. Inside is everything you need, classic 70s
riffs, Kyuss, Truckfighters, Fu Manchu, all united in a perfect mix
for a beautiful song ending in a pure sludge style, with slow tempos
and massive fuzz that contrast with the clean outro of the song. It
follows Silver & Gold, the shortest song of III, where in about 3
minutes Asteroid explore an upper floor in the way of composing,
giving us a pure psychedelic song with a blend of layered vocals and
guitar that gently introduce the fuzz and groove of the penultimate
song, Them Calling.
III
ends with Mr. Strange, a powerful song that rightly includes my
initial thought of this review. Here, the echos of Led Zeppelin and
Jefferson Airplane fuse with the sounds of modern stoner, while
leaving that vintage note until the last part of the song, where
choirs and chanting vocals close, perfectly, the album.
What
to say. It seems clear that I liked the album and I highly recommend
it to everyone, especially to all tired of the same usual way to
decline a genre now hyper-inflated. III is definitively a masterpiece
and, as a musician, it is exactly the album I would have like to
make.
Words
by Bruno Bellisario
Thanks
to Oskar at Fuzzorama Records. III will be available to buy on
CD/DD/Vinyl via Fuzzorama Records on 11th November 2016 in
Europe and 9th December 2016 in USA.
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