Release
date: May
11th
2018.
Label: Heavy
Psych Sounds.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Under
The Influence
– Tracklisting
1.
Troublemaker
2.
The Bad Will Die
3.
History Of Man
4.
Born To Go
5.
Master Of The Universe
6.
Come Together
Members
Doug
Sabolik
Michael
Field Connor
Kevin
Nickles
Ricky
Kulp
Review
Greetings All,
Philadelphia’s
Ecstatic Vision have given unto us a killer 6 song covers EP entitle
Under the Influence that will send the listener hurling a wild trip
back to the 70’s. Those familiar with Ecstatic Vision and their
gritty, heavy take on garage psych will go bonkers over this EP. The
record is half ZamRock covers and half 60’s/70’s psych rock
covers. I won’t lie to you, I had no idea what ZamRock was until I
started researching it for this record. ZamRock is a mostly psych
rock sound that emanated from Zambia in the 1970’s.
The first three tracks
on the record are from these ZamRock artists. The last 3 tracks are
an homage to two of the early purveyors of psych rock, the MC5 and
Hawkwind. This EP rips it up from beginning to end. I personally have
always been a fan of the EP format, it leaves the listener wanting
more, and Ecstatic Vision have nailed it here. The record is concise
and rocking from the first to the final note.
The record has a very
gritty, distorted almost lo-fi sound that truly suits all of the
songs presented on Under the Influence. Ecstatic Vision sound is a
mix of effects heavy psychedelic rock with 70’s rock crunch and
from time to time some distorted saxophone that is a mighty tool and
a killer piece of the puzzle.
Troublemaker by
Chrissy Zebby Tembo kicks the record off with a heavy chug and some
of the most gravel filled, distorted vocals around. This song, as
with all on this EP, is heavy on the rhythm and guitar with plenty of
spaced out distortion to spare.
The Bad Will Die
by Keith Mlevhu is up next. This almost fully instrumental track is a
guitar-centric spaced out trip back to the early 70’s.
History of Man
follows. It is by Amanaz and is groovy and again is overloaded with
fuzzed out, wah heavy guitars and a killer groove that is accentuated
by some righteous vocals and lyrics.
Squalling
feedback opens Born to Go by Hawkwind which fully embraces the
70’s psych sound with a killer beat and heavy, heavy usage of
phasers and effects.
The band then grabs
another Hawkwind track, Master of the Universe. This monster
track is the perfect stage for the bands use of distorted saxophone
to close out the song.
The album closes with
Come Together by the MC5 (not the Beatles tune which would
have been an interesting choice). In listening to this ripper of a
closer, you can feel the admiration for the Detroit rock group coming
through in the song. EV and the MC5 are kindred spirits.
Under
the Influence is a righteous addition to Ecstatic Vision already
stellar catalogue. If you haven’t checked out their first two
records, do yourself a favor and grab them along with this ripper.
You owe it to yourself to take a long strange trip to the 70’s with
the Vision. Highly Recommended!
Instagram @alltheghoststhathauntyou
Words by Todd Stealey
Thanks
to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Under The Influence will
be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds from May
11th 2018.
Facebook | BandCamp
