Monday 15 November 2021

Aiwass - Wayward Gods (Album Review)

Release Date: November 05th 2021. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD/Vinyl

Wayward Gods - Tracklisting

1.Titan 06:02

2.From Chains (Feat. Vinny Taubner) 10:24

3.Man As God 05:16

4.Call of the Siren 08:50

5.Mythos 11:20


Members


Blake Carrera – Guitar, Vocals

Ben “Benriz” Ivey – Guitar

Michael “Opie” Cakebread – Drums


Review


Wayward Gods is the debut album from Cosmic Spaced Out Doom/Stoner Metal Unit - Aiwass and it was originally recorded by Blake Correra before relocating I believe and getting new members to join his band. The debut album does have a wide variety of different sounds of the Blues Rock, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal and Psych Metal banners of Heavy Grooves.


Inspired by bands such as SLEEP, Black Sabbath, Monolord and even some Space Rock artists for a trippy experience that is influenced by one of Aleistair Crowley’s many different voices. So the Psychedelic and Doomed Out influence comes mostly from that aspect and Aiwass has massive fun bringing a wide assortment of different noises and sounds to keep everything moving along. The music is constantly moving from one era of music to the next with the “LOW & SLOW” and “AMPLIFIER RIFF WORSHIP” styles of music bringing different levels of heaviness from the excellent two opening songs of Titan and From Chains. 


The album is quite seedy in all the right places with a hollow Psychedelic/Spaced Out edge bringing a “Monolord” style musical passage heard throughout the album. The vocals are hazily inspired by Ozzy and even a distinctive vocal style from SLEEP’s seminal comeback album The Sciences.


There is still plenty of opportunity for Aiwass to go completely off the rails and get lost with the wild ideas of the heavy progressive creative ideas on this record but Blake does a wonderful job here by keeping things modern and superbly fresh. Not everything works though. The production is great for the most part but some of the later stages are way TOO LOUD than it should be but maybe that is my own personal listening experiences. 


The lyrics do have a certain “WEEDIAN/LSD” feel and effect to them with all things leading into Space or further dimensional realms.


The standout songs are the final two songs of Call Of The Sirens and Mythos. Yeah, production or volume issues aside, this album has spectacular vocals, grooves and plenty of “FAR OUT” moments to fully get on board with the trippy message that Aiwass is trying to bring to the Doom/Stoner Metal masses.


With Blake adding more members, the future for Aiwass could be very interesting indeed especially if he lets other like minded creative folks join him on his weird as hell journey. 


Wayward Gods is a blast from start to finish. There’s a few hiccups along the way but Aiwass more than make this up with brilliantly wild ideas and thunderous grooves to appeal to all fans of Black Sabbath, SLEEP and Monolord.


Excellent and Highly Recommended.


Words by Steve Howe


Links


Facebook | BandCamp