In the 90s as metal bands scrambled to find where they belonged in the turning tide of alternative rock, there were some beautiful mistakes made, and bands were allowed to experiment with darker forms and more emotionally vulnerable corners of angst. This band sounds like they could have crawled from that period. This is the time when Kyuss and Monster Magnet emerged, both of whom are not far removed from the Sonic zip code from which these guys rock. There is an expansive drone to the riffs that carry a hypnotic pulse as the baritone croon muses amid the grunge-tinged passages.
Where bands who would later try to jump on the more anthemic radio ruling side of grunge, would try too hard and sell themselves out with the way they wrote overt choruses, these guys just cut themselves and allow the songs to bleed from it. It is heavy with mood rather than hammering at you. The more rockin' riff to "Never Saw it Coming" rides the line between Alice in Chains and Godsmack but with none of the beer-drinking bravado. This album is really well produced as it feels like they just plugged into their amps and played despite the overdubs haunting the tracks. "I See Through You" is the first song where things are not as hooky vocally and come from more of a pained bellow. The wall of sound even pounds on your ears in a manner that grows on you.
"New Suffer" finds the vocals having more purpose in their impassioned pleas. They are labeled stoner rock and sludge, while there is melancholy lumber, these feel more like dense grunge. 'I Got Mine" wanders a bit in introspection. It is still a powerful dynamic song. They are great at creating an atmosphere in the midst of rocking out. They do this more powerfully on "Cloud None". It broods in more shades than just flannel. The more Alice in Chains-like vocal intervals. The song moves, but not grooves instead flowing on the surreal current of riffs they love churning out. It builds in intensity with subtle grace. The twist ending is breaking down into a tribal pulse of drums. I will give this album a 9.5, it was not what I expected and exceeded any hopes I had for it, I can see it growing on me in the best ways possible, if you like grunge, but not the kind for jocks then this will be up your alley.
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