Release Date: November 15th 2024. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD
High Desert Lows - Track Listing:
1.MARK THE GRAVE 03:27
2.If You Know the Deal 03:55
3.Left All Alone 05:24
4.Among the Pages 01:58
5.In the Shadow of a Mountain 03:35
6.High Desert Lows 04:20
7.Bonus Track: Left All Alone (Radio Cut) 04:36
Review
High Desert Lows is the second EP from Doom/Desert/Stoner/Alt Rock solo artist Doctor Nez who is perhaps influenced by the old school way of creative thinking from bands such as Black Sabbath, Uncle Acid and Green Lung. What makes Doctor Nez stand out from the crowd is their great use of Alt Rock, Desert Rock and Grunge vibes that’s transformed into a Doomed Out structure.
The sound isn’t the most original but it’s what Doctor Nez delivers with this EP that makes this such a great EP to fully discover. With emotionally charged lyrics and a grandiose style of classic Heavy Metal and Hard Rock to play with that comes into life on the excellent opening tracks of Mark The Grave and You Know The Deal. The vocals veer from a multitude of different styles that can be quite contemporary at times with the hard hitting lyrics that more than most hit the intended target.
The production quality is great but still allows Doctor Nez to add a sublime DIY attitude to the whole EP which is never overdone and allows Doctor Nez to create music which is perhaps more on the emotional side of Doomed Out Stoner Rock. With highly intricate melodies and excellent composition being played on the standout tracks of Left All Alone, In The Shadow Of A Mountain and High Desert Lows, Doctor Nez always finds new ways of playing different styles of music that shouldn’t really work but they really do.
It may take listeners a few listens to fully get on board with this EP but it’s a journey worth taking as Doctor Nez writes some damn good tunes along the way. There’s some rough around the edge moments that appear where the songs just suddenly end but maybe that’s the style of music that Doctor Nez ultimately wanted to create and I admire his brave use of Electronica, Country and Post-Rock themes for a more satisfactory journey.
High Desert Lows is a great EP that’s worth giving a damn about…
Words by Steve Howe
Links
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/2qh3sD6KDa9YcUyJ5FX3Bt?si=3ba8ef39bafd4b9e
Bandcamp: doctornez.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctor_nez/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doctornezmusic
