Release
date: January 06th 2017. Label: Rise Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Echolocation
– Tracklisting
Sentient
Gift
Resurge
Dublin
Ornament
Pawns
Colourfade
Roads
Slow Awakening
Fast Awakening
Echolocation
Band
Members
Tony Hajjar
Troy Sanders
Troy van Leeuwen
Mike Zarin
Review
Greetings
all,
Welcome
to 2017. If my first review of the year is any indication, we are in
for one hell of a good year for music. Here we have Gone is Gone,
which is a kind of Super group/Side project for members Troy Sanders
(Mastodon), Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stone Age) and Tony
Hajjar (At the Drive In), along with multi instrumentalist, Mike
Zarin. Their debut self titled EP was released last July and the
follow it up with the stunningly subdued, yet rocking Echolocation.
I
will be the first to admit that I am not always the biggest fan of
supergroups or side projects, they tend to feel like either a pompous
glory project or a half hearted time killer between members actual
bands.
Gone
is Gone does not have that feel at all. It delivers in spades. It is
well played, well recorded. Definitely not over produced (which tends
to happen on these types of endeavours,), and the songs are strong.
Echolocation is an ambitious, sprawling 12 song, 55 minute trek, that
showcases the finer points and sensibilities that the members bring
to their respective other bands. Echolocation is a little hard to
classify, other than to say it sounds like what would happen if
Mastodon made a record with later-era QoTSA. Which, obviously, is
exactly what we are dealing with here. There is a level of ambience,
mixed with a nice dose of dissonance that give way quite often to
some rock/metal leanings.
On
to the songs themselves, the record opens with Sentient, which after
a rather ambient sounding opening rolls into a big drum rocker.
Propelled by Hajjar's big time drumming, which is all over this
record. The Gift is a catchy heavy rock song with a nice earworm that
hooks you real good. Resurge has the feel of a QoTSA style stomp to
it.
The next track Dublin has a very subdued, meditative quality, with a percussive, dissonant feel. The next couple of tracks Ornament, Pawns, and Colourfade are all excellent, mid tempo rock songs. These tracks then give way to the boiling, dissonant and echo filled Roads. The final portion of the record shows the band visiting all kinds of different territories.
The next two tracks, Slow Awakening followed by Fast Awakening show the bands range. Slow Awakening fits the name, it is reminiscent of later era Nine Inch Nails feel and leads in to the more rocking Fast Awakening. Resolve is an excellent acoustic tracks, with some strings thrown in for good measure. The closer is the big time rock track Echolocation. An apt closer for this satisfying musical excursion.
The next track Dublin has a very subdued, meditative quality, with a percussive, dissonant feel. The next couple of tracks Ornament, Pawns, and Colourfade are all excellent, mid tempo rock songs. These tracks then give way to the boiling, dissonant and echo filled Roads. The final portion of the record shows the band visiting all kinds of different territories.
The next two tracks, Slow Awakening followed by Fast Awakening show the bands range. Slow Awakening fits the name, it is reminiscent of later era Nine Inch Nails feel and leads in to the more rocking Fast Awakening. Resolve is an excellent acoustic tracks, with some strings thrown in for good measure. The closer is the big time rock track Echolocation. An apt closer for this satisfying musical excursion.
If
you are a big fan of Mastodon or Queens of the Stone Age, you are
probably already aware and on this record. If you are like me, and
wary of these types of project. Don't be. Gone is Gone delivers.
Echolocation is a rocking, satisfying addition to these fine
musicians already stellar resumes. Here's hoping Gone is Gone keep it
going for quite a while.
-Todd
S
Words
by Todd Stealey
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