RoadKillSoda - MEPHOBIA (Album Review)

Release date: 4^th Quarter 2017. Label: Universal Music. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

MEPHOBIA – Tracklisting

1. Prometheus

2. Bipolar

3. Consequences

4. Easy

5. Casualty

6. Legless

7. Order

8. Dip

9. Backhander

10. Tonight

11. Trust

Members

Mircea Petrescu "Hotshot Eagle" - vox

Mihnea Ferezan "Panda Elixir" - gtrs

Victor "Vava" Ferezan - bass

Mihai Nicolau "Baby Jesus" - drums

Review

RoadKillSoda return with a new album called Mephobia and it's another winning round of high octane Stoner Rock/Metal. Don't let the racy and suggestive album cover fool you. This is RoadKillSoda back on inspired form after their last acoustic offering.

Opening track - Prometheus - opens with a frenzied Desert/Stoner Rock riff with the band creating a heavier Fuzz/Desert Rock sound. The vocals appear a few minutes into the song and they have a more punk based approach. The song also showcases RoadKillSoda new fascination with Blues Rock, as the song moves to a heavier blues rock sound towards the end.

Second song - Bipolar - has a more direct Stoner Metal approach with the band playing a more classic style of Stoner Metal that echoes the classic style of Kyuss. The song sees RoadKillSoda playing a more trippy psychedelic style of music compared to other songs on the album. This is the style of music where RoadKillSoda impress the most. As the psychedelic music allows the band to fully explore their Desert Rock/Stoner Metal sound.

Songs such as Consequences, Easy, Casualty, Order, Backhander and Trust all prove that RoadKillSoda have a real passion and drive for creating stoner metal sounds of their own. The vocals have a grungier feel compared to other RoadKillSoda albums of the past. The album maybe influenced by Kyuss, Monster Magnet and Fu Manchu to closely at times but which modern day Stoner Rock/Metal band isn't. At least RoadKillSoda inject their own identity into their music unlike some other bands within the Stoner Rock/Metal world. At least RoadKillSoda adopt a more Southern Rock approach on the later stages of the album. The lyrics whilst good for the most part do tend to drag on certain songs of the album.

The standout factors of the album is the music, vocals and the excellent production. As this is perhaps the best that RoadKillSoda have sounded so far. For their last studio album, the band released a double album which was quite an extensive and exhausting listen, even for a Stoner Rock/Metal album. This time, RoadKillSoda offer a more direct and manageable album for their established fan-base to worship from afar.

The standout song on the album has to be the nine minute epic psychedelic/stoner based jams of DIP. A song that sees the band playing different styles of Desert/Stoner Rock but with a more progressive edge. DIP has a more classic nineties sounding grunge feel with the band enjoying themselves more than any other song on the album.

RoadKillSoda are definitely aiming for bigger and better things with this album. As it's their biggest and boldest album to date. RoadKillSoda take a wide range of risks on Mephobia and overall it's a major success. This is an album that will no doubt appeal to their established fan-base the most. Though if you're a casual observer there is much to enjoy and admire here. Mephobia is another winning album from RoadKillSoda.

Words by Steve Howe

MEPHOBIA will be released within the 4^th Quarter of 2017. The album will be released on CD/DD/Vinyl via Universal Music.

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp

RoadKillSoda - Space Echo & Time (Album Review)

Release date: December 22nd 2016. Label: Self Released. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Space Echo & Time – Tracklisting

Made Of Stone

Wrong

Set You Free

Drove Away

Out Of Phase

Aura Lake

Can't Take Control

Freebird

Band Members

Mircea Petrescu "Hotshot Eagle" - vox;

Mihnea Ferezan "Panda Elixir" - gtrs;

Victor "Vava" Ferezan - bass;

Mihai Nicolau "Baby Jesus" - drums;

Review

Romanian Stoner Metallers – RoadKillSoda – have decided to release an acoustic album for their fourth album. It's a collection of old and new songs given an acoustic makeover. Acoustic albums can be a hard thing to pull off. As you think certain songs are not suited for an acoustic type setting. Though RoadKillSoda have chosen their songs wisely on Space Echo & Time.

RoadKillSoda released a double album for their last record. Whilst it was a great record, it was excessive in parts. So it's cool that this album only contains eight tracks. The album itself is very good indeed with the band showing a great talent in playing acoustic versions of some of their best known tracks such as Wrong, Drove Away and Can't Take Control. The band even offer new tracks such as Aura Lake and Made Of Stone.

The album has quite a dirty Southern Rock feel to it. As the sound can be very murky at times which only adds to the acoustic feel of the album. RoadKillSoda have a lot of soulful blues running through their music which may surprise long-time fans of the band. Obviously this being an acoustic album, you will miss the band's signature heavy thunderous sound which they utilized so well on their previous albums.

Space Echo & Time shows that the band can play their instruments beautifully well. It's perhaps RoadKillSoda's most grown up and assured recorded performance to date. It took me a few listens to actually enjoy the overall feel and atmosphere of the album. It's a superbly produced record and it shows that RoadKillSoda can play in an “UNPLUGGED” type environment.

It must have been daunting for “new” vocalist Mircea singing tracks that were originally sung by their previous vocalist Sebastian Stancu. Mircea brings his own style to RoadKillSoda. He's more one Grunge/Southern Rock compared to Sebastian. It's a very different contrast but it allows Mircea to confidently grow into the role.

Space Echo & Time is a very good album indeed. It's a daring album for RoadKillSoda to release and I can see why they released an acoustic album such as this. Check this out if you're a long-time fan of the band. As you'll be treated to a highly intriguing album.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links:

Facebook | BandCamp