Fire Down Below - Low Desert Surf Club (Album Review)

Release Date: September 08th 2023. Record Label: Ripple Music. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Low Desert Surf Club: Tracklisting

1.Cocaine Hippo

2.California 

3.Airwolf 

4.Surf Queen

5.Dune Buggy

6.Here Comes the Flood

7.Hazy Snake

8.The Last Cowboy

9.Mantra

Members

Kevin Gernaey - lead guitar

Sam Nuytens - drums

Jeroen Van Troyen - vocals, guitar

Bert Wynsberghe - bass

Review:

Low Desert Surf Club is the new album from Heavy Psychedelic Stoner Rockers Fire Down Below who return after a five year absence. The album is a non-stop and exciting style of Alternative Rock, Grunge, Doom and Space Rock flourishes which proves why they’re currently signed to powerhouse label Ripple Music. 

Low Desert Surf Club has an epic Progressive feel and attitude which is heard on the stunning opening track of Cocaine Hippo which brings a classic Desert/Stoner Rock groove with a ferocious Psychedelic and Progressive sound with classic Heavy Metal vocals. With a thrilling sideline in sounds paying homage to bands such as Truckfighters, Fu Manchu, Kyuss and Monster Magnet but with Fire Down Below being in command of their own creative destiny. The music is also catchy and downright aggressive with its fast-paced style being played at a breakneck speed.

Second track California perfectly captures the classic Californian Desert/Stoner Rock scene with a thunderous 90’s attitude bringing a heavy slab of Grungy atmospherics along for the wild ride. The music is constantly melodic and has a slight modern sounding Post-Stoner attitude with subtle hints of FUZZ guitar reverb. 

Third track AIrwolf has a more “Red Fang” vibe to the track but with Fire Down Below fast paced attitude with sludgy guitars allowing the band to bring a heavier and doom based style to the album. Fire Down Below has a more free-flowing dynamic to the song especially with the lyrics and vocals allowing the band to think outside the box whilst the music retains that heavy WEEDIAN and DESERT ROCK flavour.

Fourth song Surf Queen opens with a fabulous “Surf Rock” guitar sound with hints of Monster Magnet energy with thunderous sludgy guitars allowing Fire Down Below even having a more duelling aspect between the guitars wonderfully played by Kevin and Jereon. The Surf Rock aspect breathes new heavy creative energy into Fire Down Below’s progressive instrumental jams. The vocals from Jereon feel more essential when they ultimately appear. One of the standout tracks without question.

Fire Down Below continue with their homage to the Californian way of Desert/Stoner Rock life on tracks such as Dune Buggy, Here Comes The Flood and The Last Cowboy. The band even adapts to a more Post-Rock sound when the music opts for a “less is more” way to deliver their heavy intense grooves. The swirling Space Rock themes is essentially what allows Low Desert Surf Club to be full of intense Post-Whatever sludgy passages on the later stages of the album.

Richly observed production values allows Low Desert Surf Club to perhaps become Fire Down Below breakthrough album and propelling them on to bigger and better things. The songwriting is bang on point and is another one of the albums main selling points to entice listeners with. 

Low Desert Surf Club is an Desert/Stoner Rock album for the ages and with Ripple Music helping the guys once more then the Stoner Rock/Metal world can thank their lucky stars that bands such as Fire Down Below are still around making sublime albums such as this.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.

Low Desert Surf Club will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Ripple Music from 08th September 2023.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | Twitter

Fire Down Below - Hymn Of The Cosmic Man (Album Review)

Release date: June 08th 2018. Label: Ripple Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Hymn Of The Cosmic Man – Tracklisting

1.Red Giant 02:10

2.Ignition/Space Cruiser 07:47

3.Saviour of Man 03:08

4.The Cosmic Pilgrim 09:16

5.Nebula 02:34

6.Ascension 07:46

7.Adrift in a Sea of Stars 11:08

Members

Sam Nuytens on the drums

Jeroen Van Troyen on rythym guitar and vocals

Kevin Gernaey on lead guitar

Bert Wynsberghe on the bass guitar

Review

Fire Down Below new album, Hymn Of The Cosmic Man is a major step forward for the band. As they have created a more cinematic and spaced out sound compared to their celebrated debut album. Newly signed to Ripple Music, the Belgian Spaced Out Rockers impress from the start with songs such as Red Giant and Ignition/Space Cruiser drawing the listener with heavy progressive stoner and trippy riffs.

The vocals from Jeroen adds real presence to the band’s music. The lyrics are gloriously OTT which is what you need for an album such as this. Taking influence from fellow Ripple Music artists – Los Disidentes Del Sucio Motel. As both bands play a similar kind of music even with Fire Down Below playing a more cosmic based sound.

The album and the band are at their best when the longer songs appear as they have more time to create heavier progressive and psychedelic sounds. The shorter songs are very good as well. However they pale in comparison to songs such as Ignition/Space Cruiser, The Cosmic Pilgrim and Ascension and the brilliant epic final song – Adrift In A Sea Of Stars.

Hymn Of The Cosmic Man has a very cool story and narrative behind the story and the album cover does give you a good indication of what to expect. Obviously the mysterious spaceman/astronaut cover has been done to death recently but I admire Fire Down Below’s take on this theme.

Hymn Of The Cosmic Man is a thrilling and superbly entertaining album that becomes a better album with each listen. As the album immerses you with a barrage of heavy different sounds and leaves you wanting more.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR for the promo. Hymn Of The Cosmic Man is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from Ripple Music now.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp