Saturday 2 March 2019

SKRAECKOEDLAN - Earth (Album Review)


Release date: February 15th 2019. Label: Fuzzorama Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

EARTH – Tracklisting

1.Guld Åldern 05:27
2.Kung Mammut 07:40
3.Creature of Doggerland 08:13
4.Angelica 04:37
5.Mammutkungens Barn 06:31
6.Elfenbenssalarna 10:10
7.Tentakler & Betar 03:55
8.Angra Mainyu 03:46

Members

Henrik Grüttner
Martin Larsson
Robert Lamu

Review

Earth is the new album from Swedish Fuzz/Stoner Rockers – SKRAECKOEDLAN – and sees the band adapt a more Progressive Rock approach to their music whilst still offering brief glimpses of their past musical glories. Earth isn’t your standard Fuzz/Stoner Rock album as the band take many risks with this album. Most of these risks pay off handsomely for a thrilling and entertaining album.

The band have adapted the same heavy Progressive Rock/Stoner Metal style that Truckfighters used for their last couple albums. Even more ironic is that the band are currently signed to the record label that Truckfighters members Mr Ozo and Mr Django formed. The excellent – Fuzzorama Records.

Earth is a concept album with the band telling the following story through the power of music and lyrics if you fully understand the Swedish Language which the album is fully sung in. I don’t speak Swedish and I can’t comment on the lyrical content but the music is more than a reward and the engaging vocal performances never outstay their welcome.

The outline below gives you a concept about the entire album:

Eorþe (Translated; ‘Earth’).

In collaboration with sci-fi author Nils Håkansson who wrote the story behind the album specifically for Skraeckoedlan, Eorþe is set in the 1920s amid a mystery heavy with Lovecraftian influence and philosophical nuances. As the band explains, “This is by far our most ambitious work of art yet. It’s been a real challenge to do someone else’s story justice whilst making the songs cohesive as well as standing strong on their own. It took a lot of effort, but we’ve done just that.”

The band adapt a more Mastodon/Baroness influence to their music especially on the song King Mammut. The song starts slowly but soon gathers pace with a haunting Post-Doom theme and Eighties Style Prog Rock atmosphere. This song shows you how daring the band can actually be with their music. The early Truckfighters vibe sure does allow SKRAECKOEDLAN to settle early nerves and play a riveting style of Fuzz/Stoner Metal music.

The band create an air of mystery throughout the entire album which sees the whole sound and mood of the album change too many times that I care to mention. However I can’t deny how addictive and wonderfully creative the music actually is. As Earth is full to the brim with gloriously heavy and over the top moments that leave you questioning what have you just listened to. The only way to find out is to PRESS PLAY and relive the experience over and over again.

Earth is without a doubt SKRAECKOEDLAN best album to date and could see them only enhance their reputation even more within the global Fuzz/Stoner Rock scene.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Fuzzorama Records and Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Earth is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Fuzzorama Records

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