Release Date: June 23rd 2023. Record Label: Argonauta Records. Formats: CD/DD
Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia: Tracklisting
The Day The Rats Came To Town
Verachte Diese Hure
A Wish In The Darkness
New Modern World
Conjured
Pulse
Self Inflicted
Stand With Me
All I Need Is One
Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia
Members
Dee Calhoun: voice, guitars & other various stringed instruments, harmonica, keyboards
“Iron” Louis Strachan: bass guitar
Rob “Little ‘Houn” Calhoun: lead vocals (tracks 4 & 8), backing vocals, percussion
Queen Nadia, Heiress of Dyscord: backing vocals (track 8)
Katharina Neuert: non-intro spoken word (track 2)
Dave Benzotti: backing vocals (track 9)
Old Nancy: intro (track 2)
Review:
Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia is the new album from Doom Metal Artist Dee Calhoun who has been part of bands such as Iron Man and Spiral Grave. Dee is also an accomplished solo artist with a string of acclaimed albums under his belt. This is his fourth full length album and the album is accompanied by a sublime novella. Dee Calhoun is also an established writer of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy novels. However, I'll only be focusing on the actual album from Dee Calhoun and this is a refreshing type of Americana, Country, Folk and Doom Rock but all told within an Acoustic style for the whole album.
The album does have it's fair share of Southern Gothic/Horror influences which evokes gloomy chills on the excellent opening track of The Day The Rats Come To Town which could be used as an analogy for Politicians in my mind taking over small town life anywhere across the world. However, the song draws upon Southern Rock grooves with that semi-acoustic sound allowing Dee Calhoun to fully speak his mind and he doesn't hold back with the lyrics he's written for this track. A lo-fi and dirty sounding Blues Rock vibe holds everything together.
Second song Verachte Diese Hure continues with the Gloomy soundscapes and bleak lyrical content that offers a slightly Grungy and Alt Country attitude with Dee offering heavy passionate vocals that can easily be drawn and compared to other Metal musicians' solo output such as Wino and Steve Von Till. The instrumental work has a dark Blues Rock essence with the acoustic grooves full of Southern Rock and even NOLA charm. There's also a few instances of almost Electronic sounding guitars starting to appear but my hearing could be playing tricks on me.
Third song A Wish In The Darkness offers a more American Western approach with subtle "soundtrack" elements being used with Dee Calhoun adopting a more Neil Young and Bob Dylan persona on this track. The song is quite a cautionary tale on both modern and historical era's of America. The "Americana" aspect shines the most here with the twangy guitar sounds offering a more solitary feel. There's some killer instrumental solos that remind me of Stadium Hard Rock bands from the 1970's with Dee Calhoun keeping everything real.
Fourth song New Modern World is a more up-to-date style of acoustic music with great vocals from Rob "Little Houn” Calhoun making a fleeting appearance. The song does have a more simplistic approach creatively speaking but remains one of my favourite tracks on the album. As this song takes you on a wicked journey of Americana/Blues Rock instrumental jams and trippy Psychedelic beats with a kick-ass HARMONICA being delivered on the later stages of the track.
Fifth song Conjured opens with a distorted and drone based sound before the semi-acoustic vibes appear. The song is the gloomiest track on the album and I'm wondering if this as a full blown Doom Metal track that Dee Calhoun changed into an acoustic track. As the song has a more dramatic flair with Dee's vocals becoming more DOOM based along the way. The instrumental work is quite intense with that Southern Gothic flavour becoming more Occult driven along the way. The lyrics are sinister and show a different side to Dee's creative journey for this album. The use of different styles of Instrumental Doomed Out Rock becomes slightly progressive but never takes anything away from the album.
The second half of Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia continues the gloomy Americana message of the first with that sinister approach that has appeared on the last few songs especially within Pulse, Self-Inflicted and Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia. The music has a consistent "OUTLAW" Quality and feel to it with appearances from folks such as Queen Nadia, Heiress Of Dyscord and Dave Benzotti lending their backing vocals along the way on tracks Stand With Me and All I Need Is One respectively.
Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia is a dark, mysterious and intense record which offers a few chills and spills along the way. The album is most definitely a DOOM album and easily qualifies under the "DOES THIS DOOM" category. Screaming Mad Dee should be proud of this album. As it's a superbly entertaining album and perhaps one of the best "semi-acoustic" albums you'll hear all year.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotions for the promo.
Old Scratch Comes To Appalachia is available to buy now on CD/DD via Argonauta Records
Links:
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