Saturday 17 March 2018

Sons Of Nibiru - Hellspirit (Album Review)


Release date: December 16th 2017. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Hellspirit – Tracklisting

1.The Signal 03:53
2.Arrival 06:33
3.Preachcraft 08:32
4.Pulsar 05:08
5.Hellspirit 08:16
6.The Journey 05:58
7.Star Sailors 14:19

Members

Khshemo - vocals, bass guitar
Quoda - guitars
Caspah - drums

Review

Psychedelic Stoner Rockers Sons Of Nibiru debut album - Hellspirit - doesn’t get off to the most exciting of starts with the opening track - The Signal. Almost four minutes of slowly played drum beats and a didgeridoo with a hint of psychedelic noises. It doesn't really go anywhere as it constantly goes on without ever coming to anything. That's my only criticism of the album as from this point Sons Of Nibiru actually start to create some interesting noises of their own.

Second track - Arrival - sees the heavy Desert/Stoner guitars appear and you can finally become connected with this album. The sounds from the opening track are still there but there immersed with a heavier psychedelic stoner sound that veers on the progressive side as well. It's has quite an action-packed FUZZ sounding centre as the band moves from different sounds with relevant ease. The guitars are what keep the vibrant mood alive as the band keeps the song purely instrumental. The later stages of the song offer some of the heaviest sounds on the album with Sons Of Nibiru settling into a confident rhythm. The overall sound of the album is influenced by the usual round of Stoner Rock legends.

Third track - Preachcraft - sees the welcome addition of superb "Ozzy" inspired vocals from Khshemo. The whole atmosphere of the album becomes more "doom" based as a result. The bass guitars are quite heavy and distinctive on this song as this song bursts through the eight minute mark with superb creativity. The music is distorted at times but this allows Sons Of Nibiru to create a more expansive sound. The drumming and guitars have a dominant echo feel. The song drifts towards heavier levels of FUZZ style feedback.

Fourth song - Pulsar - lives up to its title by opening with drone/sonic style sounds that has echoes of seventies style stoner/doom experimentation. Sons Of Nibiru drift further into the psychedelic cosmos with this song and it feels slightly OTT at times but given the whole nature of the album it never feels out of place.

The final three songs on the album - Hellspirit , The Journey and Star Sailors - sees Sons Of Nibiru probably unleash the heaviest and doomed out psychedelic sounds on the album. Though the band still find time to include a wide range of different Stoner, Desert Rock and Fuzz based sounds. The vocals are very dominant when they appear but it's the music that holds your attention.

The final song on the album Star Sailors lasts for an epic fourteen minutes and it's no doubt the best song on the album. Apart from the first track which I had issues with, Hellspirit is a very cool sounding album with the immense production giving a real dynamic to the band's overall sound.

If you haven't heard this album yet then I recommend you correct that situation now as Hellspirit is a thunderous and highly energetic experience.

Words by Steve Howe

Links: