Release Date: July 04th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
High Tide - Tracklisting
1.Bloody Ground 06:33
2.Sign of the Times 04:59
3.High Tide 05:00
4.Erosion 04:51
5.Mass Production 06:36
6.Misanthromation 10:14
7.Hand of Fate 05:25
Members
Ben House - Vocals
Justin Morgan - Guitars
Jay Erbe - Drums
Dylan Wills - Bass
Review
High Tide is the second full length album from Doom/Grunge/Stoner Metallers SkullDozer who have expanded to a four piece with the addition of Dylan Wills on bass since their 2019 debut full length album. Their music has a lot more power with those extra bone-crunching bass lines being provided by Dylan adding a solid line of frenzied heaviness which adds a subtle Grunge sound starting to form.
Justin Morgan on Guitars and Jay Erbe on Drums return with a refreshing style of Groove, Thrash, Sludge and Fuzz being constructed and bounced around with supreme enthusiasm. Rounding the lineup is Ben House on vocal duties which has its roots in almost every corner of the Doom, Grunge and Stoner Metal stratosphere. There’s even a 1980’s Classic Hard Rock energy appearing when Ben reaches those grizzled high notes which he does spectacularly throughout the whole album.
The opening tracks of Bloody Ground and Sign Of The Times are highly influenced by the likes of Metallica, Crowbar, Pantera and Corrosion Of Conformity with that classic Portland, Oregon based Stoner Metal grit where the band are originally from. The sound is quite aggressive, distorted and ultimately melodic with the thrashy guitars working superbly well with the Psych Doomed Out moments that almost lead into areas of Prog Stoner Metal on the later stages of the album.
SkullDozer takes influence from the likes of DOZER, MASTODON, THE SWORD and BLACK SABBATH throughout this intense musical journey. The band do allow themselves the time to put their own highly confident and creative stamp with a sludge based DOWN-TUNED environment on tracks such as High Tide, Erosion, Mass Production and Misanthromation. The later stages of High Tide take elements of heavier sounds such as Prog Metal and Drone which gives this record quite an unforgiving atmosphere.
The production values are OFF THE SCALE with massive amounts of HEAVY VOLUME filling upto the brim as SkullDozer firmly move confidently over into the realm of LOW & SLOW and AMPLIFIER DISTORTION before the album closes on an exciting finish. High Tide have used their time away superbly well and have returned with a BIGGER, HEAVIER, AGGRESSIVE and more THREATENING sound that demolishes everything that’s put right in front of them.
High Tide is an absolute thrill ride with EPIC GROOVES to match. This is the type of album you play at the LOUDEST VOLUME possible and to piss off your family, friends and neighbours with. What more could you possibly want!!!
Words by Steve Howe
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