Release Date: August 30th 2024. Record Label: Argonauta Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Lighthouse: Tracklisting
1. God Damn
2. Wolf At The Dog Park
3. Lighthouse
4. Mesa Black
5. Shaman’s Vine
6. Drunken Hunting
7. Draconian
8. If An Axe Is An Arm
Members
Adam Farr - Everything
Review
Lighthouse is the new album from Sludge/Stoner Metal Studio Project DIONIZE who merges Grunge, Doom, Fuzz, Groove and Heavy Psychedelics within his arsenal of sublime music. DIONIZE is the brainchild of Adam Farr who describes his music as “LONER METAL”. Though, on the live circuit DIONIZE is a four piece band. Adam Farr is also the Vocal/Guitarist of New Zealand Heavy Metallers Black Alpine.
This record is quite an intriguing record to listen to. As the record was recorded over a four year timespan during the COVID era. As this record touches upon some outlandish and over the top themes that resonates with the classic Stoner Metal sound. DIONIZE uses harsh sludgy melodies with a sinister Grunge tone which branch out into other areas of Sludge/Stoner Metal with Adam’s vocals having a slight SHOCK ROCK energy to them. They remind me of Alice Cooper at times with Adam delivering wild multiple styles throughout the whole album.
Lighthouse can be quite progressive with a few of the tracks running near the six minutes to seven minutes mark. The mood is always engaging with subtle DOOMED OUT and DISTORTED melodic based rock. Some of the ideas that Adam uses within his lyrics remind me of the classic High On Fire album Luminiferous and I mean that as a compliment.
The music veers from one dangerous style of Sludge/Stoner Metal to a more classic era of Grunge, Fuzz and Alt Metal which leads into the most powerful and engaging albums of the whole record especially on tracks such as: God Damn, Wolf At The Dog Park, Lighthouse, Mesa Black and Draconian.
You’ll be surprised at the different styles of music that DIONIZE ventures into this record with the album taking a few deceptive routes along the way. There’s some wicked amounts of Psychedelic noises and overlapping sound effects which manifests into some classic HEAVY METAL passages that screams 1980’s EXCESS.
Argonauta Records are releasing this album and I can see why Gero signed them to his great label. As this is a kick-ass record that doesn’t stick to the conventional rules of Sludge/Stoner Metal with DIONIZE laying down his own rules of musical enjoyment for people to fully immerse themselves with.
Lighthouse can quite experimental with the added use of digital noises and trippy effects but DIONIZE always pulls out a classic sounding Sludge/Stoner Metal riff that soon expands into a heavier, aggressive and melodic style of music to keep everything sound genuinely exciting whilst leaving you wanting to hear more.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the promo.
Lighthouse will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Argonauta Records from Friday August 30th 2024.
Links
https://www.instagram.com/stankwizard
https://www.argonautarecords.com/
