Release Date: February 14th 2025. Record Label: Dark Skies Coming. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
The Traveler - Track Listing:
1.Jabba
2.Everyone I Know
3.The Traveler
4.Destruction Derby
5.Year of the Pig
6.The Bloody 9
7.Pod Racing
8.Broncola
9.Desert Sun
Members
Douwe de Wilde - Bass, Vocals
Eric Hazebroek - Guitars, Backing Vocals
Alexander de Goede - Drums, Backing Vocals
Review
Desert/Stoner Rockers Ditch new album The Traveler is a rip-roaring adventure through the strands of Desert Rock, Fuzz, Psych, Stoner based grooves. This is the band’s first album in over a decade and it’s a stark contrast to their 2014 debut album “Boca Do Inferno”. The band have supported and shared the stage with some of the biggest names the scene has to offer since then and has perhaps seen the band honed their creative craft at an alarming rate compared to their 2014 debut album and their 2021 EP “Coldfoot, Alaska”.
The Traveler is fuelled by the classic and trademark sounds of the Desert, Fuzz and Stoner Rock scene but Ditch go one better and write songs written around classic Science Fiction lore like Star Wars being a huge influence which you can hear within the outlandish opening track Jabba. This track has a seedy element which makes this a fun ride and one aspect you won’t see within the Disney Star Wars Universe and is more aligned to the original George Lucas universe. See if you can spot the camp classic Death Race 2000 influence on the later stages of the record.
The lyrics are quite outrageous in places but at least Ditch have done their homework for Star Wars for this track and for other parts of the album. Ditch are continuously aiming for quite a modern sound despite shades of classic elements of Garage Rock, Punk Rock and Doom Rock appearing. If you dig the sounds of Lowrider, Truckfighters, FU MANCNU and KYUSS but with a streetwise Psychedelic and Science Fiction attitude then DITCH are the band for you.
The Traveler is boosted by a collection of great tracks that get down to the gritty and seedy side of Desert/Stoner Rock whilst adding a distorted Psychedelic vibe to their music. With a free-flowing style of storytelling being applied, the band aren’t afraid to show their tender side especially on the excellent title track The Traveler but the lyrics give a more apocalyptic vibe. The vocals from Douwe, Eric and Alexander are superbly melodic despite the OTT themes they’ve written for this track.
This shows you how diverse and the excellent use of crazy creative energy Ditch brings to the table for this album. There’s something for everyone as it’s an album that never outstayed its welcome. Deep and meaningful distorted sludgy grooves become part of the album which builds upto epic instrumental passages which reminds me of LOWRIDER in so many ways.
Other standout tracks include: Destruction Derby, Year Of The Pig, Pod Racing and Desert Sun where Ditch conjures up sounds you don’t develop or go the way you expect. There’s a “leftfield” and “outsider” vibe to Ditch’s musical energy which they play with supreme enthusiasm and that is one of the albums main strengths in how it’s so familiar and downright original at times. You never know what to expect and Ditch plays that style of music to their advantage.
The production values are superbly handled with a distinctive “Garage Rock” and “DIY” flow allowing Ditch to make a true name for themselves within the underground scene with this record alone. The Traveler is an absolute joy and is sure to entertain the whole Desert/Stoner Rock scene with its charming grooves and thrilling slice of Science Fiction storytelling but with a massive COSMIC appetite.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to The Metallist PR for the promo.
The Traveler will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Dark Skies Coming from Friday 14th February 2025.
Links
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp
