ALBUM REVIEW: Carnaval - "Miss Universe"

By: Luciano Penelu

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 21/121/2017
Label: Kapa Records

This album is a fine piece of Stoner Metal, and is as well executed and produced, as any other great and famous band on the scene. Grab a smoke, sit down and listen to it. You will see what I mean.

“Miss Universe” CD//DD track listing:

1). New Shoes of Mine

2). Seven

3). Moon Shuffle

4). Round Nose Cat

5). Bluebird

6). Space Bar

7). Silver Starlight

8). Rocket

9). Burning Sun

The Review:

The Slovenians of Carnaval have history. They’ve been around since 2004, and "2" (2009), "1"(2010) and "Tennis Football Basketball" (2012), their previous albums, are strongly recommended Stoner jewels. Listen to “1”, as a warm up and you will see that these guys don’t fuck around: by that time they already were a solid and impressive band.

Now, four years after the last full length, they overwhelm us with this “Miss Universe” (2016, Kapa records). It is an impressive album. During its nine tracks, everything works perfectly. I would say that it is everything you can expect from a good Stoner band, with some extra hand of personality and care. On the track “Seven” (track 2), for instance, it is amazing how the drums are executed, followed by some well-placed percussion work and acid bass lines, fat guitars and beautiful vocal work, with the vocals playing an important and central role throughout the album. It makes an interesting contrast with the other instruments, balancing the formula with some delicacy. During the tracks, the right-placed guitar solos are like a relentless dope binge for ears, and the drums are very creative, brilliantly followed by the bass in these moments.

Sometimes, like in the opening track “New shoes of mine”, maybe because of the dense guitar tones, or the connection with the Blues, it reminds me of Goatsnake, and I cannot think of a better band to reference. The studio / production work also deserves a lot of recognition. It sounds fat and greasy, and it pleases me a lot.

As I mentioned before, Carnaval is a mature band firing on all cylinders and on this “Miss Universe”, there are no loose ties, and all songs are great. “Bluebird” is one of my favorites, with its hypnotic riff that echoes for days. It is that kind of music that can last for an hour, and that’s all our stoned minds could ask for. The next one, “Space bar”, is also catchy, beautifully executed and reminded me a lot of Red Fang.

This album is a fine piece of Stoner Metal, and is as well executed and produced, as any other great and famous band on the scene. Grab a smoke, sit down and listen to it. You will see what I mean. 

“Miss Universe” is available here

Band info: facebook || bandcamp