Release
date: June
12th
2020.
Label: Desert
Records.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
The
Path To The Deathless – Tracklisting
1.Ghost
Bell 02:25
2.The
Path To The Deathless 06:51
3.Desert
Moon (Feat. Dave Sherman) 06:30
4.Death
I Am 04:57
5.Disharmonious
Unlife (Feat. Wino) 07:42
6.Revelation
02:31
7.Swallowed
By The Sea 09:04
Members
Brad
Frye: Guitars and Lead Vocals
Roman
Barham: Drums and Backing Vocals
Alex
Cantwell: Bass and Backing Vocals
Review
Red
Mesa aim big for their 3rd full length album The Path To
The Deathless and this conveys the dark and bleak times the world is
currently facing. As this is a bleak and dark album that channels the
more inner turmoil's of Desert/Stoner Metal that you initially would
expect. The album makes no apologies for it’s unyielding bleak
vision an Red Mesa draft in some bona-fide Doom Metal legends for
this album with guest appearances from WINO and Dave Sherman on two
of the albums standout songs.
Maybe
the band have drifted into heavier NOLA based territory compared to
their previous releases when you hear the excellent two opening songs
– Ghost Bell and The Path To The Deathless – which both convey a
brooding Desert/Stoner Metal groove which do take some time to get
used to. The Desert Rock sounds are more depressing to hear in places
and the vocals are directly bleak whilst telling an almost
apocalyptic story.
The
opening two songs prepare you for what type of music that Red Mesa
play for the whole album but there are some hidden surprises along
the way with harsh Psychedelic sounds adding a more cinematic feel to
the album. The songwriting is great for the most part. There’s a
couple rough moments where the lyrics feel out of place especially on Death I am. However, that’s
my only complaint about the album.
The
album really shines when the guest vocals from Dave Sherman on Desert
Moon and WINO providing Vocals and Lead Guitars on Disharmonious
Unlife. As everything builds up for a heavier progressive moment on
those two songs and perhaps the heaviest and standout riffs on the
albums appear. Red Mesa do feel heavily inspired by The Obsessed on
this album and that’s no bad thing. Red Mesa still create their own
unique brand of storytelling on this album and leave you wanting
more.
Red
Mesa adapt a heavier style of Sludge Metal on this album and this
allows a more world-weary Psychedelic feel to the whole experience of
the album which is perhaps bolstered top-notch work behind the
scenes. Red Mesa employed Matthew Tobias to record the album and John
McBain (ex-Monster Magnet) to master the album. So this album has
quality running through it’s DNA and that makes this such a quality
sounding album.
This
album is a concept album and Red Mesa have created a captivating
story to match the world-class music that’s played on the album.
Just expect a trippy and surreal nightmarish journey on the path of
Desert/Stoner Metal Righteousness.
Excellent
and Highly Recommended.
Words
by Steve Howe
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