Release Date: October 11th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Through A Mournful Song - Track Listing:
1.Wall Of Monsters 06:06
2.Can He See 05:33
3.Sad Song With No Name 06:27
4.Faint As The Stars 05:23
5.Under Red Skies 07:18
6.Wake Up 09:17
Line-up:
Terry Aubie: Bass, Vocals, Lyrics, Sound Effects
Dave Hubai: Guitars, Vocals & Lyrics on Track 5
Jim Kelley: Drums
Review
Through A Mournful Song is the debut album from Heavy Psych/Stoner Rockers November Fire is a record that takes some time to find it’s own creative groove with it’s diversion into Garage Rock and Punk Rock vocals that can be quite distracting when first listening to the album. However, the music is excellent with November Fire taking cues from bands such as Monster Magnet and FU MANCHU but with a dirty LO-FI twist. The record feels it was recorded live and in one take which gives the album a more vibrant and dangerous feeling especially on the superb opening tracks of Wall Of Monsters and Can He See.
Freaky feedback loops and Amplifier Distorted movements allows Through A Mournful Song to be quite schizophrenic and equally dangerous with the PROTO-METAL attitude that November Fire inject into the mix of their highly experimental sound. The vocals feel like they belong within a whole different genre altogether as they have a “PERFORMANCE ART” quality to them but it all makes sense after a few listens and it gives the band an OUTSIDER perspective within the realm of Stoner Rock.
Apparently November Fire have been going since 1991 where you can read what Terry Aubie says about the record:
"It is the first fully-realized release from the band since their inception in 1991. "We were really active in the 1990's through 2004, writing and performing over 40 original songs, but never got a chance to make a good sounding record. Nowadays, it's so much easier to take advantage of the technology, but we didn't want to record old songs", notes Hubai.
"So, we worked up these six new songs around riffs we came up with in the past few years." The project is 100% DIY, recorded, produced and mixed in the band's homes, basements, and even cars, in New Hampshire and Massachusetts."
That’s why the record has a classic 1990’s highly dominant Grunge, Doom and Stoner Rock attitude with other influences such as Soundgarden, The Melvins and TAD can be heard. There’s a deep reliance on sludgy guitars, heavy psychedelic sounds and trippy Desert Rock passages which goes into deep overdrive on tracks such as Sad Song With No Name, Under The Red Skies and Wake Up.
Through A Mournful Song is a deeply personal and highly reflective album with hard-hitting lyrics telling dark tales within each of the individual tracks. Though, it’s the music that’s the real “STAR” for me. As November Fire play a wild and eclectic mix of Doom, Sludge, Psych, Stoner and Grunge which is blended all together for quite a surreal and challenging record which offers high rewards within the RIFFS and GROOVES department.
If you like your Doom/Stoner Metal with extra added bite and are not afraid to take BIG and BOLD creative risks then November Fire is the band for you. Through A Mournful Song is an album you cannot pass by.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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