Release Date: March 24th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Mean Green - Self-Titled: Tracklisting
1.Law
2.Crow
3.Mean Green
4.Fiend
5.Last Bullet
6.Grease Monkey
7.The Deal
Members
Jake Helms - Guitar, Vocals
Alex Wierback - Bass
James Matthews - Drums
Review
Mean Green are inspired by bands such as Weedeater, Bongzilla, SLEEP and Acid King. Perhaps leaning more into the Bongzilla/Weedeater school of thinking on their debut self titled album. The album sees Mean Green play a LOW & SLOW approach with many elements of Psych Rock and AMPLIFIER DISTORTED sounds. Their music also benefits from a lush supply of Doom/Stoner melodies and harsh Sludge Metal tones for the main bulk of the album.
The band is not trying to reinvent the wheel or WEEDIAN way of life for this album but perhaps proving what a dominant creative force they genuinely are in their own right.
The vocals are powered by Jake Helms powerful growls which remain clean despite the harshness and grizzled sounds throughout the album. The guitars are constantly heavy with a brutal BLACK SABBATH and SLEEP inspired groove. Equally melodic and beautifully destructive with Mean Green proving early on they have what it takes to write and play a CLASSIC SOUNDING STONER based groove.
The songs are powered by the MIGHTY WEED with songs such as Low, Crow and Mean Green setting the scene early on. The music is quite dark in places with a sense of realism but one that also allows the band to add a blackly comedic feeling to their lyrics. The music is quite intense especially when Mean Green start playing a more stripped back approach to their music. The atmosphere can be quite forceful with James Matthew’s intelligent drumming being a constant threat with his precise and hard-hitting style of playing.
Alex Wierback’s bass guitar allows Mean Green to perhaps be spiritually connected to BLACK SABBATH on the later stages of the album. They live up to the classic Stoner Metal POWER TRIO formation when the more extended and progressive grooves appear on songs such as Fiend, Lost Bullet, Grease Monkey and the outstanding final track The Deal.
Listening to this album, Mean Green do sound and feel like they’re taking an OLD SCHOOL approach with their music especially with the more melodic parts of the album. The Sludgier moments perhaps allows Mean Green to play a heavier style of music that connects you more emotionally with the band with a WINDHAND and MONOLORD flow appearing when the band opt for a more hallucinogenic and psychedelic feel on the second half of the album.
The album also has a wonderfully claustrophobic environment which is perhaps down to the raw-sounding production values. The whole tone of the album is quite EERIE and DELICATE but offers a more engaging sound to engage listeners with.
Mean Green’s debut album is first rate entertainment and will hopefully see the band build a loyal following within the WEEDIAN Underground Scene. I expect this album to be listed quite highly on a few Album Of The Year lists when the year is over. However, until then, immerse yourself with the potentially classic grooves from the mighty MEAN GREEN.
Words by Steve Howe.
Thanks to Desert Bloom PR for the promo
Mean Green Self-Titled will be available to buy now on DD from March 24th 2023. Physical Media is planned for release at a later date.
Links
Official | Instagram | BandCamp
