SOM has been deemed “Doom Pop” and why not, but to me, this band is heavy shoegaze all the way, and boy am I here for it on their third record, Let The Light In.
Swirling guitars, a wall of sound, impossibly high vocals, and some serious riffs to go along with everything else, SOM sure have perfected their recipe with the eight tracks on record number three.
Remember the band Mew? I do, they had a killer record, And the Glass Handed Kites, that came out in 2005 and incorporated some heavy with some shoegaze nicely, while applying their pop sensibilities to the songs.
Remember the band Mew? I do, they had a killer record, And the Glass Handed Kites, that came out in 2005 and incorporated some heavy with some shoegaze nicely, while applying their pop sensibilities to the songs.
SOM also has this skill, but turns up the heavy a bit more than Mew did. Take the title track, which shakes you while it mesmerizes at the same time. You get the usual suspects when you mention shoegaze, like MBV, Slowdive, Swervedriver, maybe even some Cocteau Twins.
Instrumental records can tend to be too long, but Desert'Smoke got the right balance on this one, with four songs in 35 minutes, which is perfect for this journey and the vibe this one gives off.
I also hear bands like Elliott, who were a sensitive yet heavy when they want to be emo band, and of course, some of the beauty The Smashing Pumpkins could bring on those early records.
Whatever you want to call it, the guitar wall of sound on Chemicals is awesome while being chunky as hell in parts too. There is not a bad track on Let The Light In, and the record flows effortlessly across the 38 minutes of heavy beauty.
SOM’s third album is their best, and I really enjoyed the previous one, The Shape Of Everything, so this is saying a lot. If you dig shoegaze but want just a bit more kick, and if you like beauty in your heavy, go listen to Let The Light In, you will not be disappointed. 8/10
Desert'Smoke - Desert Smoke (Raging Planet Records)
Lisbon, Portugal’s Desert'Smoke give us some really cool desert-y and smoky instrumental heaviness on their third, self-titled record. Heavy psych, stoner, desert, a little prog…all sorts of good stuff going on across the five tracks with no words.
The highlights include the absolute shredding on the track Fuzzy Txitxu, which may make the dual guitar players axe heroes, because boy does their work kick ass. I really dig how the heaviness of the first track melds into the atmosphere of the next one.
SOM’s third album is their best, and I really enjoyed the previous one, The Shape Of Everything, so this is saying a lot. If you dig shoegaze but want just a bit more kick, and if you like beauty in your heavy, go listen to Let The Light In, you will not be disappointed. 8/10
Desert'Smoke - Desert Smoke (Raging Planet Records)
Lisbon, Portugal’s Desert'Smoke give us some really cool desert-y and smoky instrumental heaviness on their third, self-titled record. Heavy psych, stoner, desert, a little prog…all sorts of good stuff going on across the five tracks with no words.
The highlights include the absolute shredding on the track Fuzzy Txitxu, which may make the dual guitar players axe heroes, because boy does their work kick ass. I really dig how the heaviness of the first track melds into the atmosphere of the next one.
Gravity Absence, which is way more chill and gives off Yawning Man vibes, until it gets all heavy on you with that killer guitar work. Blind Watcher starts like something out of Twin Peaks but Desert'Smoke have mastered the soft to loud dynamic and it works so well here too. The heavy psych leaning 49th Steam Box is a trippy way to end this romp though the desert.
Instrumental records can tend to be too long, but Desert'Smoke got the right balance on this one, with four songs in 35 minutes, which is perfect for this journey and the vibe this one gives off.
Some really good stuff here if you dig the instrumental bands like your Clouds Taste Satanic, Yawning Man, and the like, but with the guitars turned way up into the front and even more acid dropped. 8/10
Jesse Stilettö - Jesse Stilettö (Self Released)
Jesse Stilettö does not sound like the name of a hard rock band out of Minnesota, but that is exactly what they are, blending 70s hard rock with some psych leanings that give of serious Blue Öyster Cult vibes in multiple ways on their self-titled debut. The duo offers seven hard rocking tracks that are raw and almost garage rock, but garage rock played by a stoner band, and this is a good thing.
As The Portal Opens just does that with a killer riff, QOTSA vibe, echoey vocals, and spacy bridge that all works very well together. The psych-leaning middle is the best part of this great starting point for the record. A jangly guitar opens the more chill and very cool The Plaid Man, which is very, very 70s in an excellent way, but certainly get rocking as it gets going.
Jesse Stilettö - Jesse Stilettö (Self Released)
Jesse Stilettö does not sound like the name of a hard rock band out of Minnesota, but that is exactly what they are, blending 70s hard rock with some psych leanings that give of serious Blue Öyster Cult vibes in multiple ways on their self-titled debut. The duo offers seven hard rocking tracks that are raw and almost garage rock, but garage rock played by a stoner band, and this is a good thing.
As The Portal Opens just does that with a killer riff, QOTSA vibe, echoey vocals, and spacy bridge that all works very well together. The psych-leaning middle is the best part of this great starting point for the record. A jangly guitar opens the more chill and very cool The Plaid Man, which is very, very 70s in an excellent way, but certainly get rocking as it gets going.
Proto/BOC goodness all the way. There is some really great guitar and drums interaction on this record, especially on this track. NWOBHM vibes with layered guitars ring out on Devil's Lunch, but it also has this underlying blues vibe to it from the lyrics, while emanating some Thin Lizzy-like tendencies as well.
A lot going on, but all of it going on very well. I don’t mention The White Stripes in a lot of my reviews but that is what came into my head when Feed The Moon started, but then it gets all BOC and moody, which I am here for. Spectre just rips it up and is some very cool proto that probably would kill live.
I have mentioned BOC a few times, so it is only fitting the boys do a cover of one of their classics, Stairway To The Stars, and do it justice for sure in their own way. The closer, Dream Into The Future, actually has a 90s feel to it, perhaps a preview of what is to come in that future for the duo.
The only turn off to some for this record may be the sound, as it is raw and occasionally sounds like it may have been lab enhanced a bit too much, but you could also call that charming for a new band on their debut record.
The only turn off to some for this record may be the sound, as it is raw and occasionally sounds like it may have been lab enhanced a bit too much, but you could also call that charming for a new band on their debut record.
I personally think Jesse Stilettö put out a fun little ripper of a debut that touches on a lot of the music I love while giving the band room to grow on their next one. Good stuff. 7/10
Sykofant - Red Sun EP (Self Released)
Sykofant is a prog band from Oslo, Norway who bring us three songs to follow up their self-titled record from last year in the form of the Red Sun EP. Bands mentioned in the bio for these guys include Elder, and Pink Floyd and I can hear it on these three tracks that offer all sorts of direction and styles over the 23 minutes of music.
I am not the biggest Floyd fan but I am very familiar with their work, and the opener, Ashes, reminds me very much of the latest period of recorded Floyd, but with a bit more bite to the sound.
Sykofant - Red Sun EP (Self Released)
Sykofant is a prog band from Oslo, Norway who bring us three songs to follow up their self-titled record from last year in the form of the Red Sun EP. Bands mentioned in the bio for these guys include Elder, and Pink Floyd and I can hear it on these three tracks that offer all sorts of direction and styles over the 23 minutes of music.
I am not the biggest Floyd fan but I am very familiar with their work, and the opener, Ashes, reminds me very much of the latest period of recorded Floyd, but with a bit more bite to the sound.
There is a funky prog thing going on here too, and it is very cool, but leads us into a very familiar Floyd sound on song two, Red Sun, which is a bit too on the nose for me, but I am sure people who like that stuff will be fine with this. The closer, Embers, has a bit of a bite to it, and is my favourite of the three songs. It is the proggiest song of the three and is also the most adventurous and unique of the three on the EP.
I dig the atmosphere and the playing is strong on the three songs on Red Sun. I wish all three tracks were more like the last one, as I think the band excels when they go their own way and open up their writing and playing to unique tempos and styles, rather than trying to sound like Pink Floyd. 6/10
I dig the atmosphere and the playing is strong on the three songs on Red Sun. I wish all three tracks were more like the last one, as I think the band excels when they go their own way and open up their writing and playing to unique tempos and styles, rather than trying to sound like Pink Floyd. 6/10
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