Monday 13 July 2020

Dee Calhoun - Godless (Album Review)


Release date: July 10th 2020. Label: Argonauta Records. Format: CD/DD

Godless – Tracklisting

1. Here Under Protest - 04:30
2. Godless - 05:52
3. The Moon Says Goodbye - 05:10
4. Hornswoggled - 04:20
5. To My Boy - 04:33
6. Spite Fuck - 05:50
7. No Justice - 03:49
8. Ebenezer - 05:41
9. Ride Away - 05:01
10. The Greater Evil - 05:41
11. The Day Salvation Went Away - 04:26

12. Prudes Puritanicals Puddles of Piss - 06:34

Review

Legendary Doom Metal Artist – Dee Calhoun – returns with his 3rd solo album Godless and it sees Dee on on fine form with an album that has 12 tracks to soothe your soul with. This is a deeply emotional and quite troubling album in places. As Dee lays his heart out here. Playing a more subdued acoustic style of American, Doom, Country and good old fashioned Outlaw Rock.

The album features Dee’s infinite wisdom which he’s built up with almost 40 years in the musical business and performing for great bands such as Spiral Grave and IRON MAN. This is Dee’s 3rd solo album and it’s good to see him continuing his excellent relationship with Argonauta Records yet again.

Godless is quite a spiritual album despite the name of GODLESS. As there’s a lot of deep meaningful lyrics that touch upon religious themes. The music is constantly captivating with Dee playing a wild style of Acoustic Rock that offers the perfect balance of different sounds and still keep the gloomy atmosphere thriving from start to finish.

Dee is joined by Iron Man and Spiral Grave bandmate, Louis Strachan, provided the bass tracks. Dee’s son Robert, “Little ‘Houn” Calhoun, appears on the record with percussion and backing vocals performances. So it’s good to see that Dee has made this a very close and personal affair and you can tell that on the lyrics for the majority of the songs.

Maybe 12 tracks is slightly too long for this album but it’s quite a powerful album that pulls no punches with the dark vocals and lyrical content that Dee has included on this album. The album is deeply soaked by the legendary Blues Rock scene as it’s steeped in a very cool and vibrant Blues Rock sound.


Standout songs on the album include – Here Under Protest, Godless, To My Boy, Spite Fuck, Ride Away, The Greater Evil and Prudes Puritanicals Puddles of Piss.

The “Outlaw” aspect of this album is perhaps the best part of GODLESS. As Dee writes and performs some of his best material when he’s in a more rebellious mood but though there are still plenty moments of emotionally charged acoustic rock to be impressed with.
GODLESS is wonderfully eerie and challenging in equal measure. So don’t expect an easy ride as this album offers no easy answers or solutions but a showcase for a Doom Metal Legend at the top of his game.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Mona at All Noir PR for the promo. Godless is available to buy on CD/DD via Argonauta Records now.

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