Wednesday 15 August 2018

Z/28 - Nobody Rides For Free (Album Review)


Release date: August 10th 2018. Label: Fuzzdoom Records. Format: CD/DD

Nobody Rides For Free – Tracklisting

1.Intro 01:08
2.Wandering 04:37
3.Angst 04:09
4.Angst II (Electric Boogaloo) 06:17
5.Spirit Elk (Lord of the Hunt) 07:05
6.Touch of Evil 04:42
7.Keep on Rockin' in (The Invisible World) 03:20
8.Night Mysteries 04:30
9.Angst III (I Don't Want to Die) 08:57

Members

Jeff Hayward - Vox/Guitars
Breaux - Drums
Jay Negro - Vox/Bass

Review

Z/28 is a Fuzzed Up/Stoner Metal Band that also has adds a Classic Hard Rock/Heavy Metal sound into their music. The band comprises of Grief member Jeff Hayward in their ranks. As Z/28 take influence from bands such as Kyuss, Fu-Manchu and KISS. Though their debut album, Nobody Rides For Free, has a lo-fi and dirty sounding psychedelic garage vibe. This may not be a modern sounding album as such but the band does have a rather "hip" appeal to their music.

Opening track - Intro - is exactly that. A dirty sounding instrumental song with the band playing heavy loud guitars.

Second track - Wandering - is when Z/28 start impressing the listener with a punk based sound with elements of Classic Rock and that familiar Kyuss Desert/Stoner Rock sound. However Z/28 manages to stand on their own ideas and passionate riffs. The vocals from Jeff do take time becoming accustomed to. However that soon passes and all the member of Z/28 are fully in sync with each other. Doomier riffs appear every so often.

The band becomes more comfortable with their musical surroundings and start being more adventurous with their music. The main focus of the album is the epic song Angst which is split into three individual chapters. A mini-concept story buried within other cool songs on the album. As Z/28 carries on playing their distorted and raw psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal sound.

The three part song - Angst - are perhaps the best part of the album. As the band play fast and loose with their music and create some of the heaviest moments on the album. Though the band have included a few other good songs along the way such as: Spirit Elk (Lord Of The Hunt), Touch Of Evil, Keep On Rockin In (The Invisible World) and Night Mysteries. The later stages of the album feels influenced by The Blue Oyster Cult and Black Sabbath in places as Z/28 add a more gloomy atmosphere to the music. The vocals from Jeff are still intense and raw. Though it's the music that holds your attention. As the music moves from one highlight to the next.

Nobody Rides For Free is one of those albums that you're not quite sure what to make of when you first listen to the album. it's only with subsequent listens that you fully understand everything and begin to admire the cool creative choices that the band has taken with this album.

Maybe it's the progressive psychedelic doomed out riffs or perhaps the classic sounding Fuzz/Stoner Metal parts that's spliced throughout the album. That question is hard to answer. Though I can state that Nobody Rides For Free is an superbly entertaining album that will appeal to everyone who is a fan of good old-fashioned Rock and Roll.

The production of the album is handled superbly well. As the whole feel and sound of the album is constantly engaging from the start. Nobody Rides For Free is an album that has a lot to say and on this form you will listen to every word that Z/28 have to say.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Fuzzdoom Records for the promo. Nobody Rides For Free is available to buy on CD/DD now.

Links:

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