Release
date: June
26th
2020.
Label: Ripple
Music.
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Forever
Gone – Tracklisting
1.Forever
Gone
2.Taken
3.The
Song's At The Bottom Of The Bottle 04:42
4.No
Wrong
5.Dark
Ravine
6.Dead
Yesterday
7.So
Fine
8.Crystal
Madonna
9.Lavender
and Sage
10.Was,
Is, and Shall Be
11.Isolation
04:12
Review
I
was surprised when Ripple Music announced they had signed Doom Metal
Legend WINO to their ranks and will be releasing his first solo album
in a decade. This announcement shows you how far that Ripple Music
have come since starting way back in 2010.
Forever
Gone is the name of the album and this classic WINO through and
through with the album dealing with personal issues such as loss and
darkness set against a backdrop of acoustic songs that bring a Doom
based atmosphere that feature the legendary sound that WINO is known
for. There are 11 songs on the album and you will hear some of the
best songs to date that WINO has written for his solo career.
The
album starts with the excellent sounding title-track and it sees WINO
in a heartfelt mood with a gloomy guitar only for company and the
music has echoes of Americana and Psychedelic Rock. WINO is in master
storyteller mode on this song and for the majority of the album. The
lyrics have extra personal weight to them and you feel the struggles
that WINO deals with on this song.
Second
song – Taken – opens with a slight Americana/Country groove with
a twinge of Psych Rock with the classical style of lyrics that is
full of pain and emotion. The blues based guitars are superbly played
but it’s WINO vocal delivery that makes song truly standout.
Third
song – The Song’s At The Bottom Of The Bottle – is classic WINO
through and through with the lyrics once again showing a dark world
that WINO has no doubt lived and explaining his experiences touring
across the globe. The music is beautifully played with the
Blues/Doomed Out riffs making this one of the standout songs on the
album.
Fourth
song – No Wrong – carries on the emotionally driven style of
music with great vocals from everyone concerned. WINO does show his
anger and frustration on this song but offers a more reflective
outlook as well. There is some epic psychedelic acoustic guitars held
on this song and it’s a welcome addition to an already superb
sounding and inventive album.
Forever
Gone has seven more songs for WINO to impress you with. The album
does take darker turns with other songs on the album but WINO still
manages to find the time to offer a more hopeful experience as well.
That’s always been one of WINO greatest strengths on whatever
project he’s involved with over the past 44 years or so.
Other
great songs to check out are: Dead Yesterday, You’re So Fine,
Crystal Madonna and a cover of Joy Division classic – Isolation. I
know that WINO has performed Isolation a number of times over the
years with most memorably Conny Ochs. Though, it’s good to hear a
proper studio version and WINO brings his own spin to an already
classic song.
Forever
Gone is an expertly produced album with something for everyone to
enjoy and admire. The album also proves why WINO is considered The
Godfather Of Doom Metal. He’s been going as a musician for almost
45 years now and that’s the stuff of legend in my book.
There’s
a few solo albums being released this year from artists who are part
of famous Doom/Sludge Metal bands with Kirk Windstein already
releasing his solo album earlier this year. Thomas V Jäger of
Monolord fame will be releasing his solo album very soon.
However,
Forever Gone is perhaps the best solo album I’ve heard this year and is an
album of the year contender and even a future classic album in the
making.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage
PR for the promo. Forever Gone will be available to buy on
CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from June 26th 2020.
Links:
