Release Date: March 07th 2025. Record Label: SixteenTimes Music. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) - Track Listing:
1.Planet Drifter
2.Voodoo Hoodoo Space Machine
3.Mammoth Roams
4.Witch of the Mountain
5.Lodestone
6.Endless
7.Riding Waves of Karma
8.Revenge of the Buffalo
9.The Last Smoke
Members
Timo Dinter - Vocals
Manuel Ciofalo - Guitar
Janek Huschke - Guitar
Tobias Rickli - Bass
Alexander Streit - Drums
Review
Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) is the new album from Swiss Psych/Stoner Rockers GENTLE BEAST who conjure up a mighty COSMIC GROOVE with this record. Inspired by the likes of FU MANCHU, Truckfighters, Monster Magnet and KYUSS, the band standout with their own sound that is powered with raw Garage Rock intensity which appears within lead vocalist Timo Dinter’s sublime vocals.
The sound is quite raw and highly unapologetic with a heavy FUZZ ROCK sound that sees GENTLE BEAST more concerned with AMPLIFIER and DESERT ROCK heaviness which is seen throughout the excellent batch of opening tracks of Planet Drifter, Voodoo Hoodoo Space Machine and Mammoth Roams.
There’s an element of Post-Stoner, Psych Rock and Post-Doom trippy sounds and vocal imagery which is quite familiar to fans of HOWLING GIANT and KING BUFFALO. The album is expertly fantastical where you can tell by the names of the songs and the album itself. That’s one of the albums main strengths with GENTLE BEAST aiming high for FANTASY THEMES but still offering a highly realistic Stoner Rock/Metal sound.
GENTLE BEAST are at their best when they weave melodic Post-Doom sounds and subtle Prog Rock changes to create an uplifting style of monolithic grooves which have a deft Post-Rock vibe to them. Tracks such as Witch Of The Mountain, Lodestone and Endless continues with the musical backdrop of Stoner Rock, Doom, Prog and Space Rock interludes with nonstop and flawless instrumental passages courtesy of Manuel Ciofalo (Guitar), Janek Huschke (Guitar), Tobias Rickli (Bass) and Alexander Streit (Drums) bringing a sense of Psychedelic wonder to the album.
Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...from outer space) is spectacular and thrilling entertainment that plays out like a psychedelic and kaleidoscopic soundtrack to a long forgotten science fiction “B Movie” from the 1960’s and 1970’s. I mean that as a huge compliment and Timo Dinter’s vocals perfectly captures that sentiment with his vocal delivery moving between Hard Rock, Alt Metal and Stoner Rock which have a certain “chameleon” like effect to them.
The final tracks of the album are the heaviest and most far out moments of the record especially with Riding Waves Of Karma and The Last Smoke having enough creative instrumental power to destroy all Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier within this dimension and beyond.
Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) is not your standard Stoner Rock album from a narrative view but it scores high by delivering HUGE SOUNDING RIFFS and having quite a serious sound despite the fantastical energy that GENTLE BEAST have created here. This is an undeniably “EPIC” STONER ROCK/METAL album in every sense of the term.
Outstanding. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to The Metallist PR for the promo.
Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier (...From Outer Space) will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via SixteenTimes Music from Friday 07th March 2025.
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