Friday 21 December 2018

Thunderbird Divine - Magnasonic (Album Review)


Release date: Jan 11th 2019. Label: Salt Of The Earth Records. Format: CD/DD

Magnasonic – Tracklisting

1.Qualified
2.'Til Shiloh
3.Bummer Bridge
4.The Devil's Hatband

Members

Erik Caplan: Lead vocals; 6-string, 12-string, and tenor resonator electric guitars; bass guitar; acoustic guitars; bouzouki; marxolin; mandolin; theremin; noise box

Flynn Lawrence: Six-string, baritone and tenor resonator electric guitars; electric sitar; acoustic guitars

Adam Scott: Electric bass guitars; acoustic guitar

Mike Stuart: Drums; percussion; backing vocals

Review

Thunderbird Divine is the new band that features ex-Wizard Eye member Erik Caplan in their ranks. The band is named after the song that appeared on Wizard Eye’s last album. This is a different beast to Wizard Eye. As Thunderbird Divine play a heavier style of Psychedelic Spaced Out Doom/Stoner Rock. Though the band aren’t afraid to lay down some thundering Sludge Metal grooves.

Thunderbird Divine debut album Magnasonic is perfectly named. As the band explore the many different sounds of levels of Psychedelic Stoner/Sludge Rock. The band add a real progressive groove to their music as they fully take flight on the album. The album contains a vintage sounding Fuzz Rock vibe with elements of classic Doom Rock/Metal.

The production has quite a raw and vintage feel to it with opening song – Qualified – almost seeing the band having an identity crisis with the different musical genres held on this song and that is a good thing. As the band play a different style of Psychedelic Stoner Rock. Lead vocalist Erik has a classic Hard Rock approach to his vocals and the results are excellent. The final stages of the song sees the band play a more Jam based sound where a high amount of epic spaced out riffs appear.

Second song – ‘Til Shilo – has a gloomier feel to it compared to the opening song and intense vocals as well. The song is still very psychedelic but more influenced by bands such as Black Sabbath. Thunderbird Divine still impress with the high voltage riffs and bombastic dual vocals the band have included here. This is one of the standout songs on the album.

Third song – Bummer Bridge – is a Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Rock number and one that has a more direct sound compared to the other songs on the album. The gloomy Blues Rock atmosphere is quite soulful and the band sure have fun on this song.

Fourth song – The Devil’s Hatband – is perhaps the centrepiece of the entire album with the band playing an epic eleven minute song that throws everything at you and leaves you within the realm of Psychedelic Spaced Out Rock. The song opens rather quietly before expanding into a heavier sound. The heavier riffs take time to appear but this is where Thunderbird Divine prove why they’re such a great band in their own right. The mixture of classic rock sounds against the modern heavier progressive grooves keeps you entertained from the start.

Overall, Magnasonic is a thrilling and brilliantly loud album that entertains from start to finish. This is a great album to open the new year of heavy music with.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Leanne at Mettle Media PR for the promo. Magnasonic will be available to buy on CD/DD via Salt Of The Earth Records from Jan 11th 2019.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp