Tuesday 11 December 2018

Klandestin - Green Acid Of Last Century (Album Review)


Release date: April 20th 2018. Label: Hellas Records. Format: CD/DD

Green Acid Of Last Century - Tracklisting

1. Green Acid
2. Halusinasi
3. Socotra Land
4. Doomsday
5. Hell In The World
6. Black Smoke
7. The Green Aurora
8. Last Century

Members

Puguh Pangeksi - bass guitar, vocals
Rizky Anngriawan - drums
Combohell - guitars

Review

Damn, I don't like it when I'm late to the show but better late than ever, right? That's the case with Indonesia's bong masters, Klandestin. Their fantastic debut album, 'Green Acid Of Last Century' came out back in April 2018 already, and here we are in December 2018! Oh well. A trio of tripped out miscreants bring a whole new take on smoky stoner rock with a serious Iommi-worship coupled with a big love for Sleep. And that alone makes me happy. Why? Well, the band moves within a sphere that's gone stale, repetitive and rather unimaginative, at least to my ears it is this way. So with Klandestin busting the gates wide open while breathing fresh smoke out of from the speakers is so refreshing.

Can't say that the difference from other bands playing this kind of music is drastic. it's just that Klandestin's approach is so unrestrained which subsequently allows the trio to take wider turns. And to escape the shackles of the sandbox rules of any genre generates damned good music!

Instrumental opener ‘Green Acid’ is slow and meandering leading into a tripped out state of being. Hypnotic and transcendent it sets the perfect mood right off the bat. ‘Halusinasi’ speeds up a little bit and brings some nice Sleep vibes. Fuzzed and vibrant, Klandestin leads the listener through an amazing psilocybe world while riffing the hell out of you. Keeping the same kind of vibe but taking wider turns, Socotra Land’ is one of those wonderfully complete compositions that are so rare. Ethereal and spellbinding you’re quickly and painlessly pulled into the band’s delicate web of previously unknown worlds. 

Slowing down in pace ‘Doomsday’ is more doomy in approach, well perhaps doom mixed with heavy psych with Matt Pike on vocals and Tony Iommi on guitar is a better description. Regardless, it’s a great song which puts you in a wonderful cathartic trance leaving you wanting more and more and more.

Hell In The World’ starts out trippy and psychedelic for a short while until it unleashes the fury for a minute. Then it’s back to luring, mesmerizing tones, keeping you on your toes while not knowing when and how they are going to strike again. Oh yeah, ‘Black Smoke’ is probably the heaviest song on here. Still not particularly fast, Klandestin knows to crush anyway. And with Combohell’s fantastic guitar playing back by the lead-heavy rhythm section of Puguh and Risky, the band can’t go wrong, pure and simple. 

‘The Green Aurora’ is beautiful, yet creepy in all its trippiness. Psychedelic in approach until the latter half when the band throws down the gauntlet and rocks out. Love it! Closer ‘Last Century’ is the perfect way to end this brilliant debut. Everything that Klandestin are is represented within this song. They leave the door open elegantly for part two in their journey through amazing tripped out worlds and I can’t wait.

To tie back to the beginning, I know I’m late to the show with Klandestin but man, I am so happy I got introduced to them. They are something else and are so refreshing to listen to and I can’t keep from hitting repeat when I play ‘Green Acid Of Last Century’. I strongly advice everyone to listen to these guys cause they should not be ignored. Great stuff, indeed!

Words by Håkan Nyman

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