Release Date: March 01st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Apparatus - Tracklisting
1.Hermit 05:41
2.Feel me up 03:57
3.Vanity 06:35
4.Prixie house on the wax 03:58
5.Sweet cherries hang low 04:13
6.Three eyed fox 07:24
7.Interlude 01:24
8.Black-out 05:31
9.Come forth 07:32
Review
Desert Rock/Stoner Metallers Desert Colossus are in truly magnificent form for their fourth album Apparatus that once again sees the band play gritty melodies influenced by the likes of FU MANCHU, Truckfighters, KYUSS and Monster Magnet. This time round the band have added a Heavy Psych, Post-Stoner and Occult swagger into their music which gives this a more polished sound compared to their previous albums.
There are traces of acts such as Alice In Chains lurking behind the Desert/Stoner Rock environment with Desert Colossus adding a dramatic OZZY based influence into the vocals. The record has a sudden influx of Progressive surroundings that allows the FUZZ ROCK interior to blend classic HEAVY METAL styles throughout the album. This highly dramatic style builds up very early on from the batch of opening tracks: Hermit, Feel Me Up and Vanity. There’s a never-ending supply of huge sounding instrumental passages that feel quite modern and classical at the same time.
Desert Colossus expand their musical knowledge into Punk Rock along the way which gives the record a very snarling and no fucks given attitude from time to time. As the record moves through its collection of nine individual tracks, the record feels like a Grunge/Proto-Doom hybrid with still huge flashes of Desert Rock aggression especially on tracks such as Vanity, Sweet Cherries Hang Low, Three Eyed Fox and Come Forth. Those are my favourite tracks on the record as Desert Colossus really feel they fully come into their own great sound and creative vision on this album.
Apparatus does have a great “RETRO” feel and certain “PSYCHEDELIC” intensity which moves Desert Colossus closer to the likes of King Buffalo and ELDER at times especially when the music is a mixture of Post-Stoner and Space Rock based movements. This is just a great record FULL STOP with Desert Colossus impressing on every aspect they fully deliver from start to finish.
The band have been away from the scene for six years but it’s been well worth the wait as Apparatus is one of their best records to date that’s going to provide plenty of thrills and spills for the underground community to fully get behind. This is a HUGE SOUNDING record in every best way possible.
Words by Steve Howe
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