We've entered the era when the lines between stoner rock and grunge have become blurred beyond recognition. The drugged-out swagger the vocals croon to recalls Queens of the Stone Age, but there is also plenty of 90s Seattle in here. Screaming Trees being the most obvious link between the two, though Grohl did play drums briefly for Josh Homme and friends. It's not metal metal, though they can put some weight behind the chords as needed. As hoped, there is a downtrodden undertone to the mood. "Violent Son" has the darkness of looming dusk creeping in its brooding mood. It also steps away from what was coming across as their primary influence to allow you to hear who they are behind that.
Their identity is further revealed with the more grunge side of "Coat of Arms" .It finds them swinging for the fences with a mroe emoted chorus that finds the singer reaching up into his head regiter. Not the most refined set of pipes, but it puts a great deal of feeling in the notes he does sing that is worth something. Traditonally here this post-grunge revival sort of thing does fairly well, as bands like All Them Witches, Black Foxxes, and O Zorn were all warmly received here as they are dark and familiar enough. A song like "Narrows' shows some common ground with the more introspective side of a band like Soundgarden, along with some country influence sneaking in the back door. This is the band's third album, so they clearly have a handle on what they want to do, if not a better idea of how to get there. ey
They kick out a raw, gungey cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath" they vocals are more aggressive than they have been earlier in the album. I like how they layered the guitar here. The album begins to fade into background music by the time I get to "Good Faith," forcing me to go back and give another listen. It has a balance of hypnotic throb and jangling amble. Nailing the vibe of the 90s, but still relevant in 2026. While Crux" is more of a rocker, the Whishift to higher energy sacrifices some of the mood. If you are noticing that vibes and mood are being mentioned alot it's because that is the coolest thing this band has going, but that alone is worth a great deal.
There are a few instrumental interludes that I am ignoring for the purpose of this review. "Stranger, You Are" gets back to the meat of the matter and finds that their setting the tone for the trippy, brooding is their strength. "Odetta" is another song that shows mood is king for this album as the vocal melody is wonderfully surreal. The title track is a little more rock but a good balance of the vibes and dynamics that work best for them. I will round this album up to a 10 and see how it grows on me , as it sheds its Queens of the Stone Age influence a couple of songs in to hit some really fantastic moments that balance the album as a whole out. It drops September 4th .
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