Thursday 19 November 2020

THAMMUZ - Into The Great Unknown (Album Review)


Date Released: 18th November 2020. Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Into The Great Unknown - Tracklisting

Intro
Speed Machine
Into The Great Unknown
Memoirs
Slow
Good Behaviour
Thammuz
Absolution
Fake It
Wizard Sleeve

Review

Into The Great Unknown is the debut full length album from Dutch Psych Stoner Rockers THAMMUZ and it’s an album that sees the band bring a more gloomier approach to the Desert/Stoner Rock scene. With the band taking the familiar sounds and grooves made famous by Kyuss, Fu Manchu and Monster Magnet with an almost doom based atmosphere appearing on different parts of the album.

This is a deeply engaging and adventurous album with THAMMUZ relying heavily on the world of Psychedelic Rock to get their hard-hitting grooves across. The early songs such as Speed Machine, Into The Great Unknown and Memoirs are fast-paced with a Punk based energy with the free-flowing 90s Stoner Rock/Metal riffs superbly played and being quite direct. The vocals are good and what you expect for a cool sounding album such as this. The lyrics are excellent with THAMMUZ delivering their Stoner Rock credentials with true conviction.

The band aren’t afraid to change into a more darker type of Stoner Metal band that you initially expect especially on the creepy Memoirs which has a “Church Of Misery” influence to it all. You know when you hear the song for yourself, One of the best songs on the album being purely instrumental with a deeply disturbing confessional track. All I’m saying.

Into The Great Unknown returns the stylish realm of Hard Rock and Stoner Metal with a combination of slowly played riffs with a nice alternative feel on the track - “Slow”. THAMMUZ take their time on this song playing a Post-Stoner style of music before upping the ante and playing a heavier blend of Psych Stoner Rock/Metal.

The 2nd half of the album carries on the action-packed blend of high voltage sounds and if you’re in the mood for old-school riffs back from the mainstay of 90s Desert/Stoner Rock then THAMMUZ will have you firmly rooted to the spot with crisp sounding production bring a fine level of heaviness to the mix and flow of the album.

Standout songs on the 2nd half include: Good Behaviour, THAMMUZ and Wizard Sleeve.

Into The Great Unknown is a record that feels like THAMMUZ 3rd or 4th album instead of their debut. As it shows a band with big, bright and wonderfully bold ideas that you rarely hear on a debut album. So, Yeah. I dig this album a lot and I feel that the Stoner Rock community within time will enjoy the absolute hell out of this too.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to THAMMUZ for the promo. Into The Great Unknown is available to buy Digitally now.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp