Release
date: 06th
April
2018. Label: Self
Released.
Format: CD/DD
Crossing
The Desert - Tracklisting
1.White
Desert Sun
2.The
Beerfields of Bridgeview
3.Worldbane
4.Hello,
Mr. Thompson
5.Sacraments
& Bayonets
6.Lady
Kyteler
7.Well
Respected Man
8.The
Flood
9.Soul
Eater
Pyreship
- Members
Josh
Percy - Lead Vocals
Brandon
Corness - Guitar, Vocals, Organ
Andrei
Pavlov - Guitar
Crouton
McGinn - Bass, Vocals, Violin
Ian
Alvarez - Drums, Vocals
Review
BORT is a Canadian
Psych Desert/Stoner Rock Band with a distinctive sound of their own.
Their debut album Crossing The Desert sees the band trying their hand
at different styles of Desert/Stoner Rock. It's quite a lively and
highly accomplished affair with BORT taking influence from the usual
legendary bands of the scene. Though BORT add a more experimental and
progressive feel to their music.
Opening track - White
Desert Sun - is a superb instrumental song with the band adapting a
cool Post-Rock persona before venturing into the familiar heavy
Desert/Stoner Metal sound. Second track - The Beerfields Of
Bridgewater - is a very cool song indeed with BORT merging Post-Rock
atmospherics and heavy amounts of Desert/Stoner Rock sounds. Josh’s
vocals are quite raw and match the Desert Rock vibes superbly well.
The psychedelic noises allows the band to create a soothing
atmosphere at times but these moments don't last long before the
heavy pounding drums of Ian keeps the mood more modern.
The lyrics are your
usual Desert/Stoner Metal fare but they do add a sense of urgency at
times. Maybe the sound of the album relies too much on the legendary
"Kyuss" sound but which Stoner Rock/Metal band doesn't. In
BORT's defence at least they mix things up a bit.
The groove laiden
guitars of Brandon and Andrei and Crouton on Bass is another one of
the albums highlights. As the guitars add extra steel and grit to
BORT's overall sound. Songs such as Worldbane, Hello Mr. Thompson and
Lady Kyteler sees BORT offer a more theatrical style of Hard Rock and
Heavy Metal. The whole flow and feel of the album is still rooted in
Desert/Stoner Rock but that doesn't stop BORT adding different
elements of music into the mix. Worldbane is perhaps one of my
favourite songs on the album as this has an early Red Fang feel.
The lyrics are very
tongue in cheek at times but BORT offer a heavy and fast-paced
experience that Red Fang used to do back in the day. The production
on the album is great for the most part. There are a couple rough
moments with the vocals at times but maybe this is intentional.
Mainly to show how BORT would sound like in the real world.
The majority of the
songs on the album run past the five minute mark though BORT does
offer one eight minute track with the superb sounding final track
Soul Eater. This is another one of the albums standout tracks as BORT
unleashes one final round of Progressive Psych Desert/Stoner Rock
that will leave you wanting more. Crossing The Desert should
hopefully get BORT noticed within the Desert/Stoner Rock community.
As I feel there's a lot
more to their overall sound that's been created here. I want to see
how they progress with their sound on future releases. Until then Crossing The
Desert deserves to be heard by the biggest audience possible.
Excellent and Highly
Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
BORT
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