Release
date: November
11th
2019.
Label: Raging
Planet.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Karakum
- Tracklisting
1.Smoke
One 00:39
2.Darvaz
07:31
3.Solar
Jam 12:07
4.Mystic
Lunar Ship 06:28
5.Gate
of Karakum 09:51
Members
André
Pedroso Rocha (Guitar)
Cláudio
Aurélio (Drums)
João
Nogueira (Bass)
João
Romão (Guitar)
Review
Karakum
is the 2nd album from Psychedelic Stoner Instrumentalists
– Desert Smoke – and these guys offer a heavier and dirtier blend
of Psychedelic Stoner Rock. The album has quite a rich and
experimental progressive sound that allows the band to drift into
many different strands of Psychedelic/Stoner Rock weirdness.
The
band are quite daring in places but there are parts of the album
where I wanted Desert Smoke to delve even further into the dark
musical odyssey they have released here. As sometimes you expect that
“killer blow” but the band change musical styles for certain
parts of the album. That’s my only complaint about this album.
Other than that Desert Smoke bring the goods to the party with this
album. The songs are long and offer many different styles of music
that should keep you entertained.
Taking
influence from KYUSS, Karma To Burn, Earthless, Yawning Man, Hawkwind
and Black Sabbath with the trippy and epic cinematic Space Rock vibes
allowing both Desert Smoke and the listener to go on all-out Spaced
Out journey into the cosmos. The other thing that surprised me about
this album is how HEAVY the band actually are. You can hear some epic
Sludge grooves along the way with Darvaz, Solar Jam and
Gate Of Karakum impressing the most.
Desert
Smoke may seem they’re doing nothing groundbreaking with the
standard Stoner Rock sound but appearances can be deceiving in this
case. As the band have many tricks up their sleeve to make their
album sound quite different to other Instrument Rock albums currently
out there. The trippy and psychedelic vibes hide a dark and dangerous
style of Desert Rock that feels like it has been corrupted by an
unknown evil force.
The
instrumental work between all 4 band members is nothing short of
spectacular with the band playing a wide array of epic jams that have
depth and meaning to them. The drumming from Cláudio Aurélio is one
my favourite parts about the album. As Cláudio is a force of nature
on this album and you can feel every precise hit of the drums coming
at you from all directions. Though he’s superbly backed up by the
other members of the band who create beautifully vivid guitar riffs
that demand your full attention.
Karakum
is a bold, daring and exciting album that demands many repeated
listens to get the many different messages hidden within Desert
Smoke’s dark vast world.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
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