Release
date: July 14th 2018. Label: Self Released. Format: DD
Gods
Of Biomechanics –
Tracklisting
1.Incept
02:21
2.Tannhauser
Gate 03:40
3.Orion's
Shoulder 02:52
4.Caesium
Beams 03:46
5.Zhora
04:20
6.Morphology
02:55
7.Retirement
03:03
8.Leon
04:25
9.Tyrell
03:19
10..
Gods of Biomechanics 02:53
Members
PJ
Costigan- drums
Alex
Johnson- pedal steel and synth
Brooks
Willhoite- bass and vocals
Review
Making
an album on seminal classic science fiction film Blade Runner is
mighty bold and impressive by anyone’s standards. However doing
another album based on the same film is downright insane. Who could
pull such a task off. Well, Mountains Of Smoke for a start. The hard
edged Sludge/Stoner Metallers are back with their new album – Gods
OF Biomechanics.
An
intriguing and thrilling progressive album that takes many themes
from the landmark movie and adds a nightmarish surreal industrial
Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal sound with hints of warped electronica. The
opening two tracks Incept and Tannhäuser Gate is what you expect
from the band with fast-paced drone like riffs weaving psychedelic
sounds into the realm of Blade Runner.
The
vocals from Brooks are heavily digitised which is natural for an
album such as this. Mountain Of Smoke have devilish fun blending the
ideas of the movie against a backdrop of heavy Doom/Sludge based
themes. Mountain Of Smoke already tried this idea on their
self-titled debut album back in 2014. I remember listening to the
album back then. I remember not being fully sold on the whole concept
and sound of the album.
However
I have no such problems with Gods Of Biomechanics as Mountain Of
Smoke have created an album that captures the dystopian tone of the
classic movie. The heavy industrial sounds and bleak lyrics may leave
you feel slightly down but the frantic punk based energy of Orion’s
Shoulder and Caesium Beams show a band not afraid to experiment with
their sound.
Maybe
the album is partially influenced by Nine Inch Nails and Author &
Punisher as the heavy industrial sounds start to overpower the
Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal vibes that appear on the early stages of the
album.
Mountain Of Smoke have included a high amount of samples from the movie and they appear throughout the album, including the legendary “Tears in Rain”
monologue. Mountain Of Smoke deserve credit for trying something
different with this album. it’s not the most easiest album to
listen to as there is a lot going on. The songwriting is good but
there are a few songs that don’t quite work as they possibly
should. However the heavy industrial music and mechanical stylised
vocals save the day.
The
real question that needs to be asked is: Who short first – Han or
Greedo. Damn, Sorry, wrong Harrison Ford Movie.
No,
the real question(s) I want to know is what version of Blade Runner
inspired Mountain Of Smoke to write this album to. We do have about 6
or 7 versions to choose from. My second question is -Will they
release an album based on the classic sequel Blade Runner 2049.
Anyway,
I digress. Gods Of Biomechanics is a thrilling and spectacular heavy
album.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
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