Bloodnut - St. Ranga (Album Review)

Release date: August 1st 2017. Label: Self Released Music. Format: CD/DD

St Ranga – Tracklisting

Space Orangutan

Mark Of The Outcast

That Fire Inside

Burning Boosh

Red Dead Riders

Song Of Fire And Ice

Band Members

Doug McFarlane- Bass/Vox

Ty Boniface - Drums

Doug Robertson - Guitar

Review

New Zealand band of ginger ruffians - Bloodnut - return almost twelve months after their superb debut album with St. Ranga. Another cool take on a well-known Metal album. Though this time with Metallica's derided album - St. Anger. Last time they took a shot at Kyuss seminal classic album - Blues For The Red Sun. Bloodnut play a bombastic kind of Punk driven Sludge/Stoner Metal sound with the band having a subtle tongue and cheek approach to their music.

Nothing has much changed here with the band carrying on their modern sounding Sludge/Stoner riffs. Though this album does have a more spaced out feel especially with the opening track - Space Orangutan. It has a Kyuss/Red Fang approach but the distorted punk sounds make the band have a harder edge. The lyrics do have a very humorous feel but Bloodnut make it counts where it matters most and that's with the music. 

They have written some fantastic classic sounding heavy metal riffs merged with familiar psychedelic sounds. That's the longest track on the album clocking in at almost nine minutes. It's a good job that the song keeps you entertained throughout.

The next three songs Mark Of The Outcast, That Fire Inside and Burning Boosh are shorter songs that allow Bloodnut to get straight to the point in playing more direct sludge riffs. Mark Of The Outcast and Burning Boosh are perhaps some of the standout songs on the album as you can hear moments of vintage sounding sludge/stoner metal ringing through your speaks at a loud volume.

The production has improved immensely since their debut album. Everything is clearer and has more focus.

The final two songs on the album Red Dead Riders and Song Of Fire And Ice sees Bloodnut return to play familiar epic riffs first heard on the opening track. The songs can be quite deafening at times with the band excelling once again with the lyrics. Who knew that you can write such fantastical heavy songs about being "ginger"? I thought they were over-stretching the idea on their debut album. 

Nope. They've found more weird and wonderful tales to sing about being ginger. I'm not complaining as I'm a fellow ginger myself.

I applaud the guys for writing something so simple and dear to their hearts that they can create songs and album after album of the perils of being ginger. Sure it's all very tongue in cheek but I wouldn't tell these heavyweight sludge/stoner metal bruisers to stop. I would tell them to carry on as long as they can. The album is a violent powder-keg of Punk/Sludge/Stoner Metal fury that should enhance Bloodnut's appeal and popularity to the masses even more.

I still prefer their debut album compared to St. Ranga but that's not to say this is any less entertaining than their debut album. Far from it, St. Ranga has the power and intelligence to stand on its own merits and be classed as a brutally heavy and supremely entertaining album.

With Beastwars taking a sabbatical at the moment, Bloodnut have the potential to take over the position of New Zealand's premier Sludge/Stoner Metal band.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

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Bloodnut - Blues From The Red Sons (Album Review)

Release date: September 10^th 2016. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD

Blues From The Red Sons – Tracklisting

1. Agent Orange (in the Eyes of Thine Enemies)

2. Drop Dead Redhead

3. Vitamin D

4. The Amber Reign Remains

5. Witches Mountain

6. Subtlety in the Street

7. Fire Giant

8. The Red Face Blues

9. The Battle of Bannockburn Part I: Valhalla

10. The Battle of Bannockburn Part II: Send in the Berzerkers

11. The Battle of Bannockburn Part III: Beneath the Kilt

Band Members who recorded this album:

Doug McFarlane: bass Vocals.

Nick Smith: Guitars.

Ty Boniface: Drums.

Review:

Bloodnut are a self-proclaimed Band Of Gingers from New Zealand. Their music combines – Sludge, Doom, Stoner, Punk and a whole lot of violent attitude to match. The guys have a deep love for Kyuss and it shows with their debut album – Blues From The Red Sons. Even look at the album cover for more evidence for this. Don’t worry though; these guys are not a parody band as they create their own great music to standout from the crowd.

Blues From The Red Sons is packed full of heavy sludge/stoner riffs that’s merged with a catchy almost violent pop based melody. These guys pay homage to bands such as Valient Thorr, Red Fang, Beastwars and also Kyuss. Though their sound still has an identity of their own and that’s down to the excellent lyrics the band have written throughout the album. The vocals will take time for some people to get used to. It did for me but after a few songs I was sold.

Opening track- Agent Orange (In The Eyes Of Thine Enemies) – perfectly captures the mood of the entire album with heavy bombastic riffs and angry pitch-perfect vocals. The mood of the album has a volatile and sludge based feel that allows the band to create heavy psych based grooves. Once the vocals arrive you know Bloodnut mean business.

The concept of the album is from what I can tell is how it feels like being ginger and all the lovely experiences the band have personally witnessed or experienced. Bloodnut take a more surreal Red Fang approach to their music. Catchy riffs and great lyrics will go down well with the Sludge/Stoner Metal crowd.

Second track – Drop Dead Redhead – carries on the ginger theme with ease and hard-hitting confidence as the mood even though fun and playful still shows the band laying down heavy sludge/stoner metal riffs. The vocals could have done with more work on this song as they feel slightly disjointed at times.

Third track – Vitamin D – is more of a punk driven song compared to the opening two tracks. It allows Bloodnut to create a faster style of music whilst having fun at the same time. The song runs for about two minutes but it still packs quite a punch.

Fourth track – The Amber Reign Remains – sees Bloodnut finally become comfortable with their musical surroundings and the listener should now be used to the crazy ramblings coming from the band. The riffs become heavier and more exciting as a result.

The rest of the album carries on the same theme as the opening tracks with Bloodnut showing a flair for humour and originality with the lyrics. The music on the other hand is stuff we’ve heard before but Bloodnut still excel in the riffs department as they keep you entertained with some fine epic solos.

The best part of the album has to be the mammoth three part song – The Battle Of Bannockburn Parts One to Three. Bloodnut cover every aspect of the Doom/Sludge/Stoner Metal realm. If you’re not intrigued by the lyrics then the riffs will no doubt keep you entertained. Bloodnut show their creative side on part three with Scottish Bagpipes making an appearance and playing an important role. It’s an intriguing sound especailly merged with the heavy stoner/sludge riffs.

Bloodnut’s debut album has an interesting concept and it’s an album that will go down a storm the Sludge/Stoner Metal crowd. My final thoughts is that Blues From The Red Sons is an absolute blast from start to finish. Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Bloodnut for the promo. Blues From The Red Sons will be available to buy on CD/DD from Sept 10^th 2016.

Links:

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