Sunday 27 August 2017

The Dead End Alley Band - Storms (Album Review)


Release date: August 18th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Storms – Tracklisting

1.Red Woman 07:36
2.Headstone Fortress 06:01
3.Need You (It's Enough) 03:59
4.Thunderbolts & Lace 06:06
5.The Clock Has Stopped 07:28
6.Waiting For The Void 08:58

Band Members

Javier Kou (Bass and vocals)
Sebastian Sanchez-Botta (Lead vocal and organs)
Leonardo Alva (Guitar)
Jafer Diaz (Drums)

Review

Peruvian Psych Stoners – The Dead End Alley Band (TDEAB) – return with their 3rd cosmic opus and it's one that is very different to their previous albums. It's more doomier and with a more adventurous cosmic feel. The riffs drift from acid rock sounds to a more lingering sinister doom/stoner vibes.

The album has a distinctive 70s feel with the opening track of Red Woman capturing a band influenced by Black Sabbath but with a more acid rock feel. The vocals from Sebastian oozes style and confidence with the band playing at a very slow pace. The song has elements of progressive rock and allows the band to be more creative and assertive with their music. It's more of an Stoner/Doom sound than psychedelic rock especially when the the fantastic sounding organs appear.

Second track – Headstone Fortress – has a more distorted and fuzz rock feel and 60s sounding vocals coming from Sebastian. The album still has that lurking doom and gloom atmosphere but with a more lo-fi feel. Sometimes TDEAB struggle at times matching the doomier sounds with the more far-out cosmic/trippy sounds on this song. It would have been better if the band focused on that particular sound. As sometimes certain parts of the song are bogged down by too many different ideas all vying for your attention. The song is superbly played though.

Third track – Need You (It's Enough) – is a more straight forward song but allows TDEAB to return to winning ways. It's a dirty and seedy garage/stoner rock song with kick-ass lyrics to match. The vocals are slightly creepy but this allows the song to be one of the standout tracks on the album.

The second half of the album is so much stronger than the first half as TDEAB feel more comfortable creating more experimental sounds. The whole feel of the album does veer into different directions but it keeps you entertained throughout. Standout tracks have to be The Clock Has Stopped and Waiting For The Void.

Storms has a lot going for it. Epic creepy doomed out jams, great vocals and superb lyrics. The production feels very forced at times but nothing that will take from the overall enjoyment of the album.

The Dead End Alley Band should be proud of this album and I can see this album doing very well with the more adventurous Psych/Doom/Stoner Rock fan. Storms ranks as The Dead End Alley Band's finest work to date.

Words by Steve Howe

Upcoming releases:

- CD by Necio Records and Inti Records - Oct 13 (PE)
- CD by Forbidden Place Records - December (US)
- VINYL by Clostridium Records - Jan 19 (EU)
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