Release Date: May 19th 2023. Record Label: Olde Magick Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Cosmic Trigger: Tracklisting
Frater Achad
Street Needles
Temple Of Eris I
Temple Of Eris II
Dark Star
Lynx
Review
Cosmic Trigger is the new album from Doom/Stoner Metallers Bridge Farmers and this my first foray into the band's FUZZED and DOOMED OUT world. I thought these guys were a new entity but they've been going since 2006 and this is their third full length album. Bridge Farmers sounds fall between the Classic Doomed Out sounds of Black Sabbath, Saint Vitus and Electric Wizard. Though, they play elements of KrautRock, Shoegaze and Stoner Metal for their new album.
Cosmic Trigger is perhaps classified as Warped Psych Metal than full on Space Rock but there's traces of that as well. The music is quite progressive with Bridge Farmers playing a style of music embracing the dirty heavy classic tone of Electric Wizard and bleak seedy lyrical themes of Uncle Acid or even Church Of Misery at times. That's the impression I'm given when listening to the excellent opening song of Frater Achad.
Frater Achad offers bombastic vocals and classic down-tuned FUZZ based heavy grooves with the Amplifier Feedback and Guitar Reverb delivery that Bridge Farmers use for the majority of the album. The sound is seedy and downright demonic in places but there's a modern Psych Stoner Metal flavour that gives way to a more StonerGaze or Doomgaze sound.
Second track Street Needles continues with that creative style but Bridge Farmers bring in a more warped style of Distorted Drone Metal to the mix. The grooves are more NOISE based with a CHAOTIC rhythm allowing the band to play a more surreal and disturbing blend of WEEDIAN and DOOMED OUT heaviness. The vocals become more threatening when the clean vocals change to a louder and aggressive style that has its roots in Hardcore Punk of modern day Doom Metal. With the swirling and manic Monster Magnet inspired guitar solos, Bridge Farmers easily offer the standout track on the album right here.
Up next is the two part combo of Temple Of Eris I and Temple Of Eris II. There's more sonic experimentation here with traces of Surf Rock and Space Rock before merging into a Noise Rock flavour on Temple Of Eris I. Screeching guitars and trippy Progressive sounds offer a darker style of 1970's based Psych Rock with subtle hints of Experimental Stoner Rock which build upto dark grooves that made me feel quite Paranoid in places but all done in the best possible way.
Temple Of Eris sounds like EARTHLESS coming down from a bad ACID TRIP with the hazy Psychedelic Instrumental Jams moving between the darker levels of Psych Rock, Doom Metal and Stoner Metal, The FUZZIER elements are what make this song with Bridge Farmers laying down their own wickedly entertaining sounds. Screeching guitars allow the band to play a more focused and surreal style of Acid Rock with that Doomgaze feeling being quite uncomfortable to hear at times. However, this remains another one of the album's standout tracks.
Fifth song Dark Star is a more direct, catchy and Sludge based offering with Bridge Farmers offering perhaps a Punk Rock aesthetic to the mix. The song is quite violent to hear especially with the vocals and the almost Speed Metal delivery the band use for this song. The gloomy FUZZ sounds expands into a Psychedelic and Aggressive style that can be quite messy to hear at times. However, there's still demented and wicked fun to be had with this track.
The final song Lynx follows the same creative and doomed out path of Street Needles but with a more Progressive feeling. As this track runs past the twelve minutes mark. The sound is quite BLUES based in places and Bridge Farmers take their time bringing the HEAVIEST moments we now expect from them. This part of the album is perhaps more reflective, melodic and less adventurous. Well, for the first half of the track. As Bridge Farmers have a more relaxing "Post-Stoner" attitude even with the heavy moments of Psychedelic Fuzzed Up beats the track ultimately holds. Everything becomes more daring within the second half with Bridge Farmers playing the heaviest and dirtiest grooves on the album that allows the album to finish in wholly exciting fashion.
Cosmic Trigger offers a refreshing change of style and direction for a Psychedelic Doom/Stoner Metal album such as this. The band could have easily lost control with the many different sounds they've used to make this album with. However, Bridge Farmers have released an album that is full of sublime Doomedelic Fuzzed Up WEEDIAN Grooves that you'll find very hard to beat. The album also offers a refreshing and daring style of music that perfectly bridges the gap between the Classic and Modern day Doom/Stoner Metal scenes.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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