Release
date: September 28th
2018. Label: Self
Released.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Rice
Paddy Rodeo
– Tracklisting
The
Pack
Savages
In The Wild
Bodycount
On You
Behind
The Red Curtain
Desert
Queen
Members
Omar
Larabi: Guitar/vocals
Romke
de Vries: Bass/samples
Tom
Bak: Drums
Review
Chief
Of Smoke new album – Rice Paddy Rodeo - is an epic mix of
Psychedelic Rock, Doom, Stoner Rock and some heavy Sludge based
grooves along the way. The album is firmly rooted from seventies
classic hard rock to the more modern sounding psychedelic stoner
rock. The band feel heavily influenced by Black Sabbath and WO FAT in
places. That's no bad thing as Chief Of Smoke creates an exciting
album that has a cool down-tempo swamp based atmosphere.
The
album is kind of a concept album as the band state: “Rice
Paddy Rodeo is a record full of heavy riffs, taking bluesy
sidetracks, and overcoming groovy obstacles. The LP title refers to
the battlegrounds – the rice fields – of Vietnam, where a fierce
war was fought in the sixties and seventies. These historical events
are the inspiration and main theme of the album.”
Opening
song - The Pack - takes the Psychedelic Doom Rock aspect of their
music and gives it a more theatrical Fuzz Rock approach but with a
dirtier element to their music as well. The vocals from Omar are good
and what you expect for an album such as this. The production of the
album can be too low at times but it allows the band to have a
distinctive DIY feel to their music. Some people may not like the
production of the album but I advise to stay the course. As Chief Of
Smoke have delivered some epic riffs amongst the five songs contained
on the album.
Second
song - Savages In The Wild - runs for almost thirteen minutes and the
band create a more disturbing sinister and heavy doomier sound. The
bass guitar is especially heavy with the drums and guitars playing a
standard Sabbathian sound at the start. However Chief Of Smoke shift
things around and decide to offer the listener a more blues rock kind
of sound especially with the vocals. The sludgy grooves remind me of
WO FAT in so many ways. The lyrics are not the most original but they
get the job done. As it's the music that's the main strength for
Chief Of Smoke to impress listeners with.
Third
song – Bodycount On You - is the standout track on the album.
Swirling noises combine with a more hard-edged Fuzz/Stoner Rock sound
from Chief Of Smoke. The heavy psychedelic noises work best when the
band turns the volume all the way up. The song can be very trippy at
times and I'm still deciding if that's down to the heavy guitars
playing epic distorted riffs or the overall theme and sound of the
song itself.
The
next song - Behind The Red Curtain - sees the band play a more
chilled out spaced out sound though still undeniably heavy. The Doom
based guitars are the main focus for the first few minutes until the
crushing drums from Tom takes a more commanding presence.
The
final song - Desert Queen - is a more straightforward
Desert/Fuzz/Stoner Rock song and Chief Of Smoke will no doubt leave
you wanting more on their debut album.
I
will admit the raw-sounding production and lyrics both could have
done with more work. However don't let that stop you enjoying this
trippy wonderful slice of Doom/Fuzz/Stoner Rock.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Chief Of Smoke for the promo. Rice Paddy Rodeo will be available
to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from September 28th
2018.
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