Release
date: January 12th 2018. Label: Argonauta Records (CD) / Atypeek Music (Vinyl). Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Horsepower
– Tracklisting
The People's Temple
Horses
No Love
Spirit of the Bear
King of Xenophobia
Members
Clément
Thierry
Boubakar
Hugo
Review
Greyfell's
new album - Horsepower - is a very dark and brooding album with the
band creating an atmospheric take on the usual Doom/Stoner Metal
sound. The album does have an Alt Rock/Alt Metal feel to it.
The
first track - People's Temple - opens with a psychedelic drone sound
that's merged with a heavy underlying FUZZ sound. Greyfell start
playing a more aggressive Doom/Post-Rock/Stoner Metal style delivery
with eerie vocals from Hugo. His vocals has an uncannily resemblance
to Josh Homme at times but with a more demonic presence. The thumping
bass line allows the music to flow more freely and the psychedelic
overtones of the song are played throughout the whole album. The song
becomes increasingly heavier as Greyfell finally find the right
balance of LIGHT and DARK gloomy moments.
Second
track - Horses - is a loud distorted Drone/Stoner Rock opus that for
the most part works really well. However there are a few rough parts
where the whole feel of the album becomes bogged down by too many
unnecessary sound effects. Though when the band focus on the riffs,
the song becomes a more exciting song to listen to. The thing I
enjoyed most about this album is the gloomy and psychedelic aspects
of the album. As the whole tone and mood of the album becomes
bleaker.
Third
track - No Love is a gloomy post-metal offering that sees Greyfell
relishing in creating a heavy distorted psychedelic stoner metal
sound with creepy lyrics to match. The organs/keyboards being played
in the background offer a not so subtle Occult Rock/Doom Metal
atmosphere. This is perhaps the best song on the album with the song
building up to a heavy and loud finish that leaves you under
Greyfell's spell.
Fourth
track - Spirit Of The Bear - is a slow-burning song with the
intriguing bass line keep the mood sparse and fresh. The band takes
their time on this song as they have a lot of ground to cover with
the almost nine minute running time. Distorted psychedelic sounds are
the focus yet again. As Greyfell perhaps play the heaviest sounds on
the album with this song. The instrumental work is simply exquisite
with the band sounding more and more like a gloomier early-era Queens
Of The Stone Age. I mean that as a huge compliment. The organs offer
a more post-doom/post-rock with the band creating a more highly
atmospheric and apocalyptic mood compared to the other songs on the
album. The vocals become more Sludge based as the harsh growls from
Hugo have a slightly depressing feel to them.
The
final track - King Of Xenophobia - carries on the depressing
psychedelic doom based vibe. This is perhaps the angriest song on the
album as the dark lyrical content gives Greyfell licence to fully
unleash their anger with surprising results. Greyfell have delivered
the goods with Horsepower. It maybe too complex and dark for the
casual Doom/Stoner Metal listener. However for the more experienced
Doom/Stoner Metal fan, Horsepower is an album that will offer a high
amount of thrills and spills with a few hidden surprises along the
way.
Words
by Steve Howe
Thanks to Barbara at
NeeCee Agency and Magnus at Creative Eclipse PR for the promo. Horsepower will be available to buy on
CD via Argonauta Records and Vinyl via Atypeek Records from Jan 12th 2018.
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