ALBUM REVIEW: 1968, "Ballads of the Godless"

By: Dominic Walsh

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 07/07/2018

Label: Independent

There is always demand for heritage and that retro rock and roll sound and 1968 are more than capable purveyors.

“Ballads of the Godless” DD//LP track listing:

1). Devilswine

2). Screaming Sun

3). Temple of the Acidwolf

4). S.J.D.

5). Chemtrail Blues

6). McQueen

7). The Hunted

8). Mother of God

The Review:

Formed in 2013 out of a chance meeting between Sam (Orr, guitars) and James (Coppack, vocals) 1968was created out of their love for many legendary albums created in the year that signalled the beginning of a darker, heavier movement in music and popular culture; a period in time characterized by an evolving socio-political environment, the end of the colourful ‘Summer of Love’ era and the dawn of a more cynical cultural landscape defined by the Manson murders and the Altamont tragedy.

1968’s previous EP’s may have been well received and they’re not shy of throwing their influences in the spotlight. The big difference between “Fortuna Havana” and their debut album is that the band have added a heavy level of grunge to their sound. So whilst Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy and Jimi Hendrix are all prevalent, there is also more than a heavy smattering of Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.

“Devilswine” opens up the album in scintillating fashion and pulls many styles into its glorious mix. Towering riffs blow you away more than once as you voyage through the track. Dan Amati’s drumming is brilliant throughout and it’s his range of tempos and styles that set off this exciting opener. Its abrupt ending gives way to the chug of “Screaming Sun” which sees strained vocals play off against more melodic backing vocals.

“Temple of the Acidwolf” is pure Alice In Chainsworship in the harmonic vocal delivery. The lead guitar work is tripped out as the vocals get gradually more psychedelic. The whole trip, literally and metaphorically, is quite sublime. The same can be said of one of the albums highlights, “McQueen”. Building gradually throughout its near 7 minute duration, the peak of the track is excellent and begs your attention.

As the title suggests, “Chemtrail Blues”is a bluesier affair – this is not tender though. Distorted guitars, rolling bass and more crashing drum work help elevate the track away from the standard blues fair. “The Hunted” plays with a more upbeat tempo and traditional feel akin to the more trad feel of “Fortuna Havana”. “Mother of God” closes out the album as a more jam laden instrumental. It fades out in the same way the album fades in; a swarming maelstrom of feedback.

1968 aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they’re playing with the motion of that wheel. Some of the production on the album dips here and there, maybe due to split responsibility but with that being said, “Ballads of the Godless”is a solid step in the right direction after some excellent EP’s. There is always demand for heritage and that retro rock and roll sound and 1968are more than capable purveyors.

“Ballads of the Godless” is available here

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook

ALBUM REVIEW: The Obsessed - "Sacred"

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 07/04/2017

Label: Relapse Records

Quite simply, I can't find anything on this album I don't like. The best comeback of the year, without a doubt. This record will be turning up in many year end lists, without a doubt. It could even be the best album by The Obsessed, but only time will tell on that one. I can't recommend this highly enough.

“Sacred” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1.Sodden Jackal

2.Punk Crusher

3.Sacred

4.Haywire

5.Perseverance of Futility

6.It's Only Money

7.Cold Blood

8.Stranger Things

9.Razor Wire 03:32

10.My Daughter My Sons

11.Be the Night

12.Interlude

13.On So Long (Bonus Track)

14.Crossroader (Bonus Track)

The Review:

The Obsessed, or at least Wino and side men (ever changing), return after a twenty three year hiatus from releasing albums. While Saint Vitus is not Wino's band, so are discounted here, of all Wino's bands- the ones he runs- The Obsessedenjoy the greatest reputation. The rep is deserved. Their self titled, “Lunar Womb” and “The Church Within” are all classics in their own right.

To be fair, Spirit Caravan was a great band, The Hidden Hand was a great band, Wino's solo electric and acoustic records... all great! “Sacred”, though, has something more. From the moment I pressed play, I was hooked. This is a record that I find very hard to fault. The production is great; thick guitar, lots of low end, punchy drums, great mix. The songs are even better.

Kicking off with the re-recording of “Sodden Jackal” is a solid move; it sets out where the band is at these days and it also makes it clear that business as usual has resumed. It's still a powerful and creepy track after all these years. Wino's on great form vocally too. Henry Rollins once described The Obsessed as being the sound of  someone getting really angry, really slowly. Indeed.

The rest of the record simply thunders by and keeps song lengths taught and toned. Those who have looked out for advance tracks will know “Punk Crusher” already. It's a great Motorhead-esque blast of  rock 'n' roll. The title track is trippier in sound and scope than you might expect and nods back, as much of the album does, to 60's/70's psychedelic rock as well as Black Sabbath. The record has some crossover with Victor Griffin/Place of Skulls/Pentagram; it's doom, but doom rock as opposed to metal a lot of the time. This sensibility makes “Sacred” a very listenable album indeed. It is never heavy for heavy's sake. The song writing shines through.

There are punkier moments on offer such as “Haywire”, too. It's a trait that Wino shares with his compatriots in Saint Vitus; no one tempo runs through the album and there is more variety than you might expect. The grooves come thick and slow on “Perseverance of Futility”, with nice organ and percussion flourishes along with the drums and guitars. There are other quirks on the record too, Wino and the since departed Sherman trade lines to great effect on Thin Lizzy's “It's Only Money” and makes the song into an event (kind of like how “Step Down” sits as a curio on “Bomber” by Motorhead). As a big fan of Thin Lizzy, it's great to hear this turn up mid album on a record by a band who (on paper) are quite different.

The instrumental “Cold Blood” proves that Wino can riff with the absolute best of them (Iommi, Griffin et al) and it is a real stand out and left field highlight of the record. The solos are really good, too. There is more bluesy doom/rock to be had on “Stranger Things”, which uses a weird acoustic guitar figure to open and close and has some very strong riff passages and vocals. Another of the preview tracks, “Razor Wire”, is absolutely badass and an album highlight for me. When Wino sings “I'd rather get high, than pay the rent” I absolutely believe him. “My Daughter My Sons” is a track which is in some ways closer to Wino's acoustic output, both in lyrical content and laid back vibe.

By the time we get to “Be The Night”, dripping with biker attitude and some inspired soloing, the album proper is nearly over. I have not heard an album which clips by like this in a long while. Sweet is the sound of expectation being met, that's for sure.

There are two bonus tracks on offer here, “On So Long” is over nine minutes of doomy goodness, while “Crossroader” is a very catchy nod to Steppenwolf/Hendrix era rock. Quite simply, I can't find anything on this album I don't like. The best comeback of the year, without a doubt. This record will be turning up in many year end lists, without a doubt. It could even be the best album by The Obsessed, but only time will tell on that one. I can't recommend this highly enough.

 “Sacred” is available here

Band info: Facebook || Bandcamp

11 IS ONE LOUDER: Frozen Planet….1969 guitarist Paul Attard picks his top 5 psychedelic releases

Although the band name suggests otherwise, Frozen Planet….1969 dates back to early 2012! It was then that a heavy-psych jam session between two Sydney-based musicians, Paul and Frank Attard, and Canberra-based Lachlan Paine, took place.

Luckily, this afternoon of improvisation at the home of Pepper Shaker Records, Frank Street Studio, was recorded. However, it wasn’t until over a year later that the three decided they should finally mix and release some of the material they had created that day.

They decided this album would be set out like a soundtrack to a film. That film would be called “Frozen Planet….1969”. It was a digital-only release on Pepper Shaker Records. Pretty soon this one-off release would become a band called Frozen Planet….1969. The emphasis would be on improvisation. No vocals, just straight-out instrumental jamming. This band would consist of Paul Attard- guitar, Lachlan Paine- bass and Frank Attard- drums. It was basically a side-project for the three of them. Paul and Frank had been playing in the stoner-doom band, Mother Mars. Lachlan was playing in the Canberra heavy rock trio, Looking Glass. After playing on numerous bills together over the years it seemed only natural there would be some sort of collaboration between the two bands at some point.

Frozen Planet….1969 played its first show in February 2014 and it was also around this time that the band recorded another mammoth jam session. From this jam session came the second and third releases for the band, “Lost Traveller Chronicles, Volume 1” (released 20th August 2014) and “Lost Traveller Chronicles, Volume 2” (released 6th May 2015). The concept this time would be a travel journal through the constellations, with each song being a chapter from the journal! Both volumes were released in digital and physical format on Pepper Shaker Records.

Fast forward then to 11/1/2017 and with Frozen Planet….1969 releasing their latest album “Electric Smokehouse” the chemistry between the players – Paul Attard on guitar, Lachlan Paine on bass and Frank Attard on drums is stronger than ever and can be heard in each one of these new cuts. In fact, it’s not only heard, its felt, and that’s what makes this record sound so great. The music is alive, it moves, it gels, and best of all, it’s both heavy and psychedelic.

Given that the album has left such an imprint upon us here at Sludgelordacres, we decided to hook us with the band and  get them to talk about influences. So here is guitarist Paul Attard to talk through his top 5 psych based records, as we take our weekly trip to the extreme, by cranking it to 11.  Why do we go to 11,  because “It’s one louder, isn’t it?”

Hi there.

It's Paul, the guitarist in Frozen Planet....1969 here.

I have a list here of five albums loosely in the psych genre that I absolutely love and have inspired and influenced me in some way with my own music.  I tried to aim mainly for heavy psych rock but there were certain albums I just couldn't look past and they still tie in with psychedelia in some way and they fit in with the spirit of what Frozen Planet....1969 is all about.

These are in no particular order!

Jimi Hendrix – “Band Of Gypsys”

A great example of a jam band and psych rock. This album was recorded live at the Fillmore East and featured Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums.  Everything Jimi Hendrix did was great but I've chosen this album because it features some amazing jamming and tonnes of soul! And it was a band that hardly had time to prepare before the show.  They just chose a few songs, got up on stage and then just jammed out.  'Machine Gun' is a stand-out if you want total heavy psych guitar. Hendrix, Cox and Miles on this album (known as the Band Of Gypsys) are just the ultimate psych-rock jam band.  Some seriously groovy bass and drums fill this album also. Only six songs were chosen for the album. These songs were taken from concerts over New Year's Eve and New Year's Day 1969/1970.  So much other great material was left out!

Hawkwind – “Hawkwind”

Hawkwind are known more for being a space-rock band but their first album has more of a psychedelic vibe to it.  It features not only some dark, trippy psych but also some acoustic, more folky, blues sounding material- Which is more where guitarist/vocalist Dave Brock was coming from.  Bottom line is, the range of sounds on this album- acoustic twelve-string guitar and harmonica, some shuffling beats to crazy, way-out sound effects and heavier, darker guitar sounds- covers a great deal of what I like to hear.

Captain Beefheart And His Magic Band – “Safe As Milk”

Certainly not a heavy psych rock album!  But this is just great.  Straight out psychedelia. And with just the right amount of blues which is what the Magic Band had been doing for a couple of years leading up to this album. And I guess it goes without saying that the blues element is a big part of the foundation of psychedelia and psych rock anyway!  Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet) put together a batch of psych (and blues) flavoured songs for this album and made them all even more unique with his amazing deep voice over the top. He was always experimenting with sound too and was always evolving.  The magic band (especially in the incarnation that followed this album) were no strangers to the extended jam as well.

Atomic Rooster - “Death Walks Behind You”

This is more of a heavy prog rock album but I think you could still call it a psych rock album. In 1970 most heavy music still seemed to have a psych or blues vibe to it anyway.  Some amazing energy in these tunes and some great musicianship.  They do stretch out at times and jam.  They managed just fine on this album without a bass player with Vincent Crane covering basslines on the organ.  Crane also used a piano on this album and used it to great effect.  Overall, this album is a great example of early heavy rock involving three musicians who could improvise really well together.

Monster Magnet – “25........Tab”

Also known as just "Tab". This recording is often recognised as an EP or mini-album but I think with an opening track that goes for about half-an-hour and a total playing time of over fifty minutes we can safely call this an album.  The opening track 'Tab' features some great psych guitars and tape delay sound effects as well as some great, solid, driving, yet laid back bass and drums. And later in the song if you zone in on what Wyndorf is saying it only adds to the trip!  A great example of psych rock from the early 90's.

Band info: bandcamp|| facebook