Saturday 4 March 2023

Hosers In Space - Drunk In Orbit (Album Review)

Release Date: March 03rd 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Drunk In Orbit: Tracklisting

1.The Asteroid That Killed the Dinosaurs 07:24

2.This Is the Way 05:49

3.Scavenger 04:57

4.Funeral Dirge For a Satellite 06:14

5.You Are Here 07:26


Members


Will Brown

Mike Wiznuk

Spencer Scurr

Heidi Violette


Review


Drunk In Orbit is the debut album from Doom/Stoner Metallers Hosers In Space who bring a wealth of Progressive grooves to their Psychedelic and Spaced Out journey. The band take influence from bands such as Pink Floyd, RUSH and Fleetwood Mac but given a more experimental Doom/Stoner based makeover.


The album does start off in subdued fashion with the slowly pitched solitary Progressive and Psychedelic sounds that appear on the opening song The Asteroid That Killed The Dinosaurs. 


With a conceptual theme being written within the lyrics that allows the band to explore a more OUT THERE style of sound. The song  is quite cinematic but a sense of warped Psychedelic fun when the band bring a wicked style of Organs and synths against  the heavy sluggish and sludgy guitars. The vocals hark back to the days of 70’s Prog Rock/Metal with a more ferocious style appearing towards the later stages of the song. Expect layers of Psych and Trippy weirdness that embraces the rules of the underground Doom/Stoner Metal scene with a sense of Spaced Out Adventure.


Second track This is The Way is perhaps taken from The Mandalorian and that’s where the similarities lie. As Hosers In Space offer an 80’s Prog Rock cinematic style to the mix with the song having a Rock Ballad narrative that could easily see influences from the Power Metal scene but still retaining that Doom/Stoner edge. The leanings into Soft Rock can be a bit melodramatic but there’s more than enough subtle grooves to allow Hosers In Space fully explore doing their own blend of Psychedelic and Progressive fused sounds.


Third song Scavenger is a more “AMPED” up affair with Hosers In Space being firmly in the Psychedelic Doom Metal realm with harsh and clean sounding vocals being more “METALLIC” based. The organs and synths lead the band further down the Prog Rock rabbit hole. The song is quite jagged in places but it’s still a great song with many different sides to it all. The guitars can be way OVER THE TOP but it serves Hosers In Space love affair with 80’s based Electronica well for a more far out and bolder sound.


The final two songs of Funeral Dirge For A Satellite and You Are Here offer a more in-depth escapist route into PINK FLOYD world building territory with a heavier DOOMED OUT influence coming into play. The music can be quite dark and intense in places with the FANTASTICAL lyrics being one of the standout parts of the album.


Drunk In Orbit isn’t going to be for everyone and it may run out of steam towards the end of the album but it’s the musical complexities the band play here and the creative journey the band take the listener upon that makes it such a worthwhile listen. 


Hosers In Space have delivered a surreal and bold album that marches to a different beat to the other albums being released within the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene. 


Words by Steve Howe


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