Friday 19 May 2023

WyndRider - WyndRider (Album Review)

Release Date: March 31st 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

WyndRider: WyndRider Tracklisting


Pit WItch

Snake Children

Creator

Strangled By Smoke

Mother In Horns

Electrophilia

Sleeping Wizard

Space Paper / Acid Saloon


Members


Joshuwah Herald

Josh Brock

Robbie Willis

Chloe Gould


Review


WyndRider's new self-titled album is a LOUD and AGGRESSIVE assortment of pounding Doom/Stoner grooves with a soulful Blues Rock flow which works surprisingly well with the Desert Rock and Psych Rock lurking in the background. The album contains eight tracks for WyndRider to play their addictive blend of WEEDIAN magic with lead vocalist Chloe Gould providing the sublime sounding vocals. Chloe has an "World Weary'' attitude to her performance that gives the album a more realistic feeling. 


The music is KILLER throughout with WyndRider portraying a wide range of different styles within the Doom/Stoner Metal realm they employ here. The grooves are wonderfully creative with the sound not being confined to one certain genre of music as WyndRider merges different styles with a Psychedelic and Fuzzed Out attitude allowing the band to play some epic sounds along the way.


Taking influences from the classic era of 90's Stoner Metal but with that modern day Post-Doom, Fuzz Rock and Psych Rock attitudes showing up early on the album and lasting to the very end of the album. The devilish Sabbathian based sounds can be heard on the excellent two opening tracks of Pit Witch and Snake Children which both have a Devilish and Occult theme to them. Classic sounding lyrics allow Chloe to perform a bewitching and soulful style of vocals. The grooves are fantastically engaging with the LOUD and FUZZED up attitude drawing upon bands such as KYUSS, Fu Manchu, Black Sabbath and even a bit of Electric Wizard style Doom leading the way.


The mood does become slightly creepier on songs such as Creator and Strangled By Smoke with the seedy blend of Doom Rock and Stoner Metal going backwards and forwards with hazy Psychedelic moments allowing WyndRider to offer a more heavier and vintage style of music. The Blues Rock element is there once again and Chloe revels in her eerie surroundings. 


The later stages of the album can be more daring and progressive with WyndRider moving from the different eras of Heavy Rock music on tracks such as: Mother In Horns, Electrophilia and Space Paper / Acid Saloon which are perhaps my favourite parts of the album. WyndRider feels more at home on these tracks and offer some of the heaviest and most interesting grooves on the album.


Another thing that impressed me about the album is the production values. The album can be quite LOW KEY in places but this draws the listener into more of the heavier atmospheric parts of the record. This becomes more evident on the longest tracks on the album such as Strangled By Smoke, Mother In Horns and Space Piper / Acid Saloon. 


WyndRider's self-titled album is a thrilling spectacle from the Doom/Stoner Metal Underground scene which has already received rave reviews from both fans and critics alike. It's not hard to see why as this is a quality sounding album that demands your full attention with the sublime sounds contained throughout the album.


Excellent and Highly Recommended.


Words by Steve Howe


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