Saturday 25 January 2020

Fostermother - S/T (Album Review)


Release date: January 31st 2020. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Fostermother - S/T - Tracklisting

1.Destroyers 04:35
2.Dark Sun
3.Give 05:18
4.Lie in Wait
5.Fathoms
6.Blood on the Wall
7.In the Shadow

Members

Travis Weatherred
Stephen Griffin

Review

Fostermother self-titled debut album may run for thirty minutes but that’s more enough time for the band to impress you with their style of Heavy Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal riffs which draws influence from Monolord, Black Sabbath, Uncle Acid and Blue Oyster Cult. The band focus on a more melodic style of Doom/Stoner Metal with Heavy Psychedelic and Classic Rock influences.

Opening song – Destroyers – has a hazy seventies Doom Rock feel before adding a modern Stoner Rock/Metal riff with a slightly distorted Fuzz Rock sound. The vocals soon kick in and we’re instantly transported back to the heyday of Classic Doom/Hard Rock with echoes of Blue Oyster Cult appearing in the vocals. The lyrics portray a band who are willing to inject a bleaker atmosphere that you wouldn’t expect with the trippy distorted guitar riffs showing you that Fostermother mean business.

Second song – Dark Sun – opens with a heavy and almost laid-back Post-Doom groove before settling down for an upbeat Stoner Metal delivery with flashes of Desert Rock and Fuzz Rock appearing. The lyrical content maybe dark but the music tells a different story and this works to the band’s favour. As this song shows all the different sides that make up Fostermother. It’s addictive, soulful and enough trippy based heaviness for the listener to lose themselves in.

Third song – Give – is played at a slow pace as Fostermother gradually bring out their “Doom” based persona to the song and it’s quite progressive in places. The heavy distorted Fuzz Rock sounds appear and interact superbly well with the gloomier sounds currently being played on the song. The instrumental work is equally fascinating as the band play different strands of Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Rock.

Fourth song – Lie In Wait – is quite different of all of the songs on the album as the vocals and lyrics have an almost “Indie/Alternative Rock” vibe at the start of the song. Though the Doom/Stoner Metal vibe soon appears and takes centre-stage but the band has a deep appreciation for Eighties Alternative/Goth Rock. The Electronic Influence is another great touch and this allows the song to be my favourite on the album. Just showing how crazy and inventive Fostermother can actually be.

The final three songs: Fathoms, Blood On The Wall and In The Shadow sees Fostermother continuing their musical journey with dark and seedy lyrics matched against their own Psychedelic blend of Distorted Fuzz, Doom and Stoner Metal that has a gloomy seventies atmosphere holding everything together.

For an album with a short running time, Fostermother cover a lot of ground and truth be told the album could have done with a couple more songs. However, I’m willing to let that minor criticism go as the band have included a lot of different sounds on this album that I didn’t expect. This is an album that has Heart, Braun and Intelligence to match. Fostermother have crafted an undeniable slice of Doom/Stoner Metal heaven here.

These guys maybe new on the block but this album proves they have the talent and vision to go a long way in the Doom/Stoner Metal scene.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Travis for the promo. Fostermother self-titled debut album will be released digitally on Jan 31st 2020. CD/Vinyl will be released later in the year.

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