 Solace
"13" CD
MeteorCity
Records
Genres: stoner rock, doom rock, heavy metal
MeteorCity
PO Box 40322
Albuquerque, NM
87196
Feb 24 - Mar 2 2003 |
Whoa
Nelly! Stoner rock has always been out there, but Solace
is taking it to a whole new galaxy with 13! Explosive
solos, absolutely monstrous riffs, and even a bit of harmonica
characterize the band's incredible style, and their ravaging vocals
and destructive drumming further propel them into stoner rock
greatness.
"King Alcohol" sums up their style nicely.
Obviously dedicated Sabbath-heads, the four guys responsible
for Solace
get the track done perfectly; over the course of nearly six minutes,
the listener is dropped into a savage world of raucous guitars and
throat-busting vocals. Vile, perhaps - demented, probably - but
relentless... definitely. When Solace are playing, they
don't offer any remorse. The closest you get to a break from the
noise is a creepy little movie sample at the start of "Once
Around The Sun (Deep Through Time)," which only helps to build
the mood before it is blown out of the water by the obligatory
onslaught of guitars that follows.
At times, Solace gets a bit more accessible with their
style. "Rice Burner" is a fine example of this - they
start off in a dark, mysterious mood, and then add in the guitars, all
the while keeping things very catchy so as to enthrall listeners of all
musical persuasions. Though they still retain a vile, powerful
spirit, there's a certain tunefulness present that will get you
humming along. As well, its jerky, spasmodic sound is sure to
get just about anyone head banging. Shit yeah.
But, I'd have to say my favourite piece is "Loving Sickness /
Burning Fuel". Even more accessible than "Rice
Burner," the piece starts off in a dense sludge of riffs and
wicked choruses. But it reaches its best part once the
harmonica is added to the mix. Joyous yet creepy, the harmonica
melds perfectly with the monster riffs accompanying it - the result is
a wicked solo that's just as good as anything an axe could pull off.
To put it simply, I highly recommend Solace's 13 to
both stoner rock fans and those just interested in getting a taste of
the genre. They've got one of the freshest sounds the metal
scene has ever cultivated, and missing out on it would be doing
yourself a great disservice.
90%
Fun Fact: Metal fans will be delighted
to find a cover of Pentagram's "Forever My Queen" on
this disc, a nice hint as to where Solace's influences
lie.
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
12 songs + 1 bonus, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
