So, my job has me driving all over the place, up to 3 hours at a shot. Usually, I just put on an Audio Book and let it play, but it’s also a chance to listen to some new stuff off Bandcamp and Tidal, my streaming source of choice.
This week was kinda blah. I put n a couple that were, like ‘meh’, not in the mood for that. Seriously, harsh vocals can get to me with a quickness, so I had to pass on a couple highly rated releases. Not the right time.
And then I put this on…
This is some skull-crushing, head-banging Stoner/Doom that had be from the opening track. There’s something about Europe these days that is cranking some extremely heavy blues-based riffage: think Birdstone and Plainride for example. Stuff so dirty, bluesy and balls -to-the-wall that it just has to be American. ‘Cept it’s not: the European scene is kicking our collective asses when it comes to this stuff.
Add Scorched Oak from Germany to the list. Except they take it up a notch or 10.
I predict high placement in the Doom Charts with this one. The songs are long, with a mix of raw male and haunting female vocals. The bass tone is as gnarly and brutal as any I’ve heard over the past few years, and synchs with the drummer in ways that remind me of Sabbath on way too much coffee (clean and sober: coffee is the exception.) They also have their doom/drone technique down: just when you think it’s getting boring, they WHAM you with an intense change of direction.
Give this a serious spin. And buy it: SUPPORT THE SCENE, PEOPLE!!!!
