“…an epic collection…”

03/30/2016     / / / / /

Opening with a meaty bass riff that could be found on a Nine Inch nails album, “Juju” is a collection of tunes that rely on repetition to create their power with Samael” getting right to the point as it drives forward with chanted lyrics and noisy guitar, the bass line glueing it all together before “We Spit On yer grave” takes over, more melodic than its title suggests, a shimmering slice of dream pop with a dark lyrical heart and some great guitar. With a drifting, psychedelic feel “Stars and Sea” slows things down, a beautiful cloud of sound that is easy to get lost in until the track revs up at the end with some space rock guitar riffery. To end the first side “Dance With the Fish” has delicate piano notes laced with strange sounds and strings sounding like the soundtrack to a bizarre black and white movie.

Driven by a sprightly guitar riff, “Sunrise Ocean” has a magnificent groove that will get you moving although the lyrics are again much darker than the tune suggests, with lines like “I’m gonna burn your city and let the fucking sun die” displaying an anger that is missing from the music. Starting quietly with some lyrical piano, “Lost” slowly builds in intensity, the drums creating a hypnotic beat around the piano riff, the lyrics whispered, chanted and repeated, a guitar taking the song into deep space to dance with ancient constellations. With percussion and a throbbing bass, “Bring Em War” closes the album in style, chanted lyrics, heavy guitar and a lysergic cloak of sound, seemingly summing up everything that has gone before, hypnotic, psychedelic and damn good.

Created by Gioele Valenti, this is an epic collection that takes a few listens to fully appreciate as good music generally does.

Simon Lewis, The Terrascope

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