Release Date: December 08th 2023. Record Label: Desert Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Western Death- Tracklisting
1.Crosses 04:49
2.Sleazy Tapestry 03:45
3.Failure 08:46
4.Kneecap 03:48
5.Side By Side 03:37
6.Tell No One 04:59
7.Western Death 04:18
Members
Corey Quintana - Guitar/Vocals
Stephen Varns - Drums
Garrett Gallagher - Bass
Review
Western Death is the new album Psych Fuzz/Space/Stoner Rockers Nebula Drag who return with a sound that’s fresh, buoyant and vital for today’s modern scene. With a throwback style of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal allowing Nebula Drag to bring a heavier Fuzzed Up sound of Psychedelic Spaced Out Stoner Grooves with flashes of Speed Metal momentum which is used early on within the thrilling opening track Crosses.
Crosses feels like a mixture of Motorhead aggressive speedy hooks and the classic doomed out heaviness of Black Sabbath with the 1980’s Hard Rock swagger which lends itself to a mighty fine display of catchy guitar solos which builds into heavier areas of Psychedelic/Fuzz Rock strands of Doom/Stoner Metal. Nebula Drag play a pitch perfect style of Old-School sounds with that aggressive modern day attitude which allows the album to be adventurous within the heaviest parts of the track.
Second song Sleazy Tapestry combines the opening track creative themes with a more Punk Rock attitude with a thunderous Space Rock attitude with Corey’s vocals being more restrained in places with a playful Blues Rock attitude. The song does have eerie tones of early-era Monster Magnet but with that Sleaze Rock attitude allowing Nebula Drag to play their own intense blend of Punk fuelled Spaced Out Stoner Rock with a throwback MC5 attitude within the stop-start moments of the later stages of the song.
Third song Failure sees Nebula Drag drift into Progressive territory and more reliance on Psychedelic grooves and Sonic trickery with moments of classic Spaced Out elements which comes mostly within the exquisite rhythm section handled by Stephen and Garrett on Drums and Bass respectively. Corey’s vocals have a more shamanic performance to them which works superbly well for this track alone. The guitar solos fly at you from every angle with distorted effects, trippy pedals and ambient sounds makes this the standout track of the album.
Nebula Drag play a more sinister style of Psychedelic Stoner Metal for the second half of the album which allows their music to become more groovier, seedier and more outrageous whilst retaining a classical hard rock and WEEDIAN edge on tracks such as Kneecap, Tell No One and Western Death.
These songs capture Nebula Drag playing a more dramatic style of music with rich storytelling that instantly draws you with its kaleidoscopic freakout Psychedelic and Spaced Out Sounds where the mood can be slightly distorted and very DOOMED OUT. However, the RIFFS are plentiful with Nebula Drag playing these with purpose and paying homage to the legendary Doom/Stoner Metal bands past and present whilst forging their own formidable reputation.
Western Death is the type of album that can offer Nebula Drag exciting opportunities to play on the bigger and better stages within the Doom/Stoner Metal underground scene. This album is the real deal and another late release that deserves to be included on the inevitable and incoming ALBUM OF THE YEAR articles. It’s already gained a place on mine.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Desert Bloom PR for the promo.
Western Death is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Desert Records.
Links
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