Release
date: March
06th
2020.
Label: Daredevil
Records/Electric Valley Records.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Aphasia
- Tracklisting
1.Intro
2.Awake
3.Aphasia
4.Mania
06:35
5.Nadir
6.Dead
End
7.Ghost
Town
Members
Vocals:
Kyriacos Frangoulis
Lead
Guitar: Pavlos Demetriou
Rythm
Guitar: Nicky Ray
Bass:
Andreas Aristides
Drums:
Kotsios Demetriades
Review
Aphasia
is the hard-rocking and turbo-charged debut album from London based
Greek Psych Stoner Rockers – Stonus. This album has been on
constant rotation ever since I received a copy late last year. Stonus
try their hand at many different sounds within the Psych Rock/Stoner
Metal genres adding traces of Doom Rock and Desert Rock into their
music.
Stonus
operate in the same world as KYUSS, Fu Manchu, Monster Magnet and
early QOTSA. If that gets your appetite or engine running then
Aphasia is the album you need to listen to.
The
opening song – Intro – is just that. A 50 second intro of
different sounds that is just continuous loops and noises before a
long drawn-out flat-line fades away into the background before the
excitement really starts with the next song.
Second
song – Awake – has a classic Kyuss/QOTSA feel to it and Stonus
don’t waste any time in playing a heavier and doomier blend of
Stoner Rock/Metal with a raw sounding atmosphere and turbo-charged
riffs allowing the band to add a more soulful “Cosmic” style of
music into the mix. The drumming and guitars are drive the music
along with Kyriacos vocals having a more “Punk” based energy. The
song is quite progressive with the song running past the 7 minutes
mark.
Third
song – Aphasia – with being the title track is perhaps also the
strongest song on the album with Stonus adding a world-weary
voice-over at the start. Repeated callings of “CAN YOU HANDLE IT”
play in the background before the riffs gently appear and you can
feel that classic “KYUSS” influence shining through yet again and
that is no bad thing. The song moves at a blistering pace and Stonus
lay down some of the best Psych Rock/Stoner Metal riffs on this song.
The atmosphere is fused with a heavy dose of Blues Rock that also
gives the song a classic sounding feel.
Fourth
song – Mania – carries on the fast-paced action with more of the
same highly energetic sound that Stonus play superbly well. This has
a more “FUZZIER” attitude and is another one of the standout
songs on the album. The vocals are perhaps the best thing about this
album as Kyriacos excels on this song and makes his presence feel
known amongst the heavy sounds the band play on this album.
The
other 3 songs on the album continue with the Desert/Fuzz/Stoner Metal
grooves that Stonus play so superbly well. Maybe the music isn’t
the most original but Stonus play to their musical strengths on this
album and it’s the more better for it. Especially on the final two
songs – Dead End and Ghost Town – which had me nodding and
singing in agreement.
The
production and overall sound of the album is excellent and allows
Aphasia to be quite a load and action-packed album indeed. Aphasia
has a cool and addictive warm glow to it and feels more like an album
you would listen to in the summer with your buddies along with a few
beers as well.
Overall,
Stonus have released a superbly entertaining record that will
hopefully enhance their reputation within the Stoner Rock/Metal
community.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks
to Stonus,
Qabar PR and Daredevil Records for the
promo. Aphasia
will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Daredevil Records / Electric Valley Records from
March 06th
2020.
Links:
