Thursday 24 August 2017

KAL-EL - Astrodoomeda (Album Review)


Release date: August 25th 2017. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Astrodoomeda – Tracklisting

1. Astrodoomeda
2. Atmosphere
3. Mothership
4. Code of the Ancient
5. Luna
6. Starlight Shade
7. Spacecraft
8. Green Machine

Band Members

Cpt Ulven - Vocals
Roffe - Guitars
Liz - Bass
Bjudas - Drums

Review

Spaced Out Stoners - Kal-El - return with their new album - Astrodoomeda - and it's everything bit as intriguing and heavy as the title suggests. Their last album made a big impression on me and this one is so much grander within its scope and execution of the whole narrative of the album.

Opening track - Astrodoomeda - sees lead vocalist – Cpt Ulven - channelling his inner Ozzy Osborne and delivering a bona-fide vocal performance this album richly deserves. The riffs are a mixture of spaced out doom sounds and classic sounding stoner metal vibes. It can be very Monster Magnet/Black Sabbath sounding in parts but Kal-El do this on their own terms and not a pale imitation. The lyrics are one of the albums main strengths as they interact seamlessly with the sci-fi theme of the whole album.

The opening track is one of two epic tracks running near the nine minute and ten minute mark. It's to Kal-El's credit they keep you intrigued with cool spaced out noises and sublime voiceovers that hark back to the days of fifties science fiction movies. Well played, Kal-El. You've done your homework on this album.

Songs such as Atmosphere, Mothership and Luna drive this album to heavier psychedelic moments with the band playing a non-stop barrage of fantastic sounding riffs and noises. Kal-El even manage to find time to include moments of Fuzz/Desert Rock into their music. One of the main strengths of this album and Kal-El's music in general is their undeniably strong chemistry the band has with each other. The music flows naturally and never feels out of place.

The whole atmosphere of the album never feels forced and you're genuinely excited by the music that Kal-El play. The album has an air of intelligence as the band throw in a few knowing winks to the world of Science Fiction. My favourite song on the album is Starlight Shade. The second epic song on the album the band has included. Kal-El creates another trippy spaced out story powered by heavy stoner riffs.

Kal-El include a cover of the Kyuss classic Green Machine as the final song. You've probably heard a thousand covers of this iconic song before. Well time to hear another version. It's a very cool version indeed and at least Kal-El try to add their own spin to the song.

Kal-El also made the right decision in signing to Argonauta Records for this album release. Perhaps the most in-form record label around who are releasing quality albums across the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal spectrum.

If you're a fan of Black Sabbath, Kyuss and Monster Magnet then Astrodoomeda is the album you need to hear and fully experience right now. As Astrodoomeda is a wild and wonderful spaced out musical odyssey that could launch Kal-El on to bigger and better things.

Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to NeeCee Agency for the promo. Astrodoomeda will be available to buy on CD/DD via Argonauta Records from August 25th 2017.
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