Release Date: May 10th 2024. Record Label: Electric Desert Records. Formats: DD
Excursion - Tracklisting
1.Planet 332b
2.No One Remembers But You
3.These Signs
4.Menticidal Betrayal
5.Year Of The Reaper
6.Sultane Of Sand
7.Moon Cruiser
8.Aroya
9.Fatal Blow
10.A Means To An End
Band Members
Patrick - Guitar/vocals
Jordan - Drums
Cooley - Bass
Review
Excursion is the debut full length album Doom/Stoner Metallers CLEEN and the band have been building up a fearsome reputation within the underground scene especially within their home area of Flint, Michigan. CLEEN who express their WEEDIAN philosophy through tales of mind-altering grooves and a few encounters with ALIEN lifeforms along the way.
Inspired by the likes of SLEEP, KYUSS, Melvins, Soundgarden and Progressive Sludge Riffsters such as Baroness and Mastodon whilst performing in their own vivid and psychedelic way. The album is quite raw-sounding and pulls no punches with the production techniques used for Excursion which gives their album a real “underground” sound and feel whilst still sounding superb for a debut album such as this.
CLEEN get straight down to business by performing a Garage Rock or Street-Doom style of Stoner Metal with tales of paranoia and weed induced states on tracks such as Planet 332b, No One Remembers But You and These Signs. The music is evolved from the classic grooves and influential sounds the STONER or WEEDIAN scene has provided since the early 90’s but CLEEN bring a level of Punk Rock stubbornness and down-tuned seedy vibes where their music evokes memories of early-era SLEEP fused with the legendary Black Sabbath amplifier sound.
However, CLEEN throw in a musical intro, sound effect and heavy pounding grooves that takes the music into darker waters with a never-ending array of ferocious Noise Rock fuelled jams when merged with the drug-induced lyrics cause a deep sense of paranoia that maybe influenced by Philip K. Dick in parts.
The record is kind of reckless and this mentality allows CLEEN to develop their own sound with feedback loops, glitchy noises and a thrilling Psychedelic Rock movement developing into areas of Post-Doom surrounding which appear throughout the rest of the album on tracks such as Menticidial Betrayal, Year Of The Reaper, Sultane Of Sand, Fatal Blow and A Means To An End.
Excursion takes a major turn into Melvins based creative territory where CLEEN wreck havoc with the rules of Doom/Stoner Metal as melodies become more complex and noise rock induced with a cracking Grunge after thought catching upto the WEEDIAN atmospherics. The record is superbly inventive with a devilish charm heard within Patrick’s vocals and guitar playing. Jordan on Drums and Cooley on Bass provide the monolithic and progressive fuel that makes this Power Trio really tick and jump right into action.
CLEEN have provided a different sounding Doom/Stoner Metal album with freakish sounds throughout and trippy hallucinogenic moments that will take the listener into the far vast reaches of this dimension and into the next. Excursion is a must have album from CLEEN and one that may propel them onto the biggest support slots and festival stages the scene has to offer sooner than expected.
Words by Steve Howe
Excursion will be available to buy on Digital Download via Electric Desert Records from Friday May 10th 2024.
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