Release Date: September 01st 2023. Record Label: Interstellar Smoke Records. Formats: DD
Second Coming, Second Crucifixion: Tracklisting
01 - Disgusting & Mean - 3:42
02 - Dead People's Shit - 6:40
03 - Undertaker - 6:26
04 - Krokodil Blues - 3:11
05 - Damned Lovers of the Swampire - 9:17
06 - Acid Lobotomy -9:34
Members
Dima - Guitar/Vocals
Kriss - Bass/Backup Vocals
Smoku - Drums/Backup Vocals
Review:
Polish Doom/Stoner Metallers Weird Tales release their seedy and gloomy new offering Second Coming, Second Crucifixion. An album that takes a more rebellious and edgier approach with their classic blend of Doom/Stoner Metal. The lyrics are quite full-on in places and feel like they’ve been doused in Psychedelic Acid overtones. The sludgy guitars move between classic grooves of Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard and KYUSS but with Weird Tales being perhaps playing a more surreal Acid Rock style.
Opening song Disgusting & Mean has the harsh sounds of the Doom/Stoner Metal underground but with a vastly understated Garage Rock attitude which soon morphs into heavier areas of Psychedelic debauchery and seedy guitars working superbly well with Dima’s Proto-Doom or Proto-Punk based vocals. A strong start to this effortlessly and superbly entertaining album.
Second song Dead People’s Shit carries on with the down-tuned Sabbathian sound with perhaps a unique sounding Noise Rock element appearing. The vocals seem more accustomed to a Post-Punk track than a Doom Metal song. However, the lyrics and warped cinematic grooves allows Weird Tales to remain part of the Doom Metal fraternity with a song that oozes chaotic menace when the more Psychedelic parts of the album appear. The song does allow Weird Tales the opportunity to play a non-stop style of sludgy extended guitar jams which have a classic Stoner theme towards the later stages of the track.
Third song Undertaker opens with a gloomy Speed Punk riff that allows Weird Tales to play a more stripped back style of music. The lyrics have a gloomy, rebellious and menacing creative style which draws the band closer into the Noise Rock and Post-Punk circles yet again but still remain essential Doom Metal quality to their music. Weird Tales are natural born storytellers on this album and this track ultimately proves this with sublime lyrics allowing this track to be one of the bleakest tracks on the album. The instrumental work becomes more daring with its violent and bombastic sound allowing the rhythm section to really stand out.
Fourth song Krokodil Blues is a straight forward Doom/Stoner Metal number with that classic Punk-Rock attitude allowing the band to draw upon artists such as Alice Cooper and Church Of Misery. The song has echoes of Classic Hard Rock and screeching guitars which still sees Weird Tales still retain a small sense of Punk Rock and Noise Rock realism despite the DOOM & GLOOM theatrics of the whole album.
The final two tracks Damned Lovers Of The Swampfire and Acid Lobotomy is where Weird Tales venture into Prog Rock debauchery with the band playing a warped style of Acid Rock, Stoner Metal and what is perhaps is best described as LUCID FREE FLOWING DOOM Metal. The guitars have a more satanic quality to them especially on Damned Lovers Of The Swampfire. This is the bleakest, intense, heaviest, aggressive and most OUT THERE part of the album with Weird Tales becoming more comfortable with the demented and maddening style of first rate music they play here.
Second Coming, Second Crucifixion is quite a surreal and nightmarish album where Weird Tales also offer an album where the “RIFF IS KING” and this album has a high amount of sublime riffs, grooves and extended jams which prove why the Polish Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene is so highly thought of. The album may have a raw sounding Garage Rock and Punk Rock attitude but the production values are exquisite that allows this album to be beautifully violent and loud throughout.
Weird Tales have done themselves proud with this release. As Second Coming, Second Crucifixion deserves all the major praise and plaudits hopefully coming their way. This is an absolute joy to listen to.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Infecting Cells PR for the promo.
Second Coming, Second Crucifixion will be available to buy via Interstellar Smoke Records from Friday September 1st 2023.
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weirdtalesband
Bandcamp: https://weird.bandcamp.com/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1SeaeUUSKSO0J1Y0WGKt5b?si=Okpj8lO7TZus9c__TgrSvQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weirdtales2137/
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@weirdtales2137
