Gringo is a Psych/Doom/Space Rock/Classic Rock/Stoner Metal Band from Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, England
The members are:
Andy 'Bootsy' Baldwin - guitar/vocals
Gray Bryans - drums
Dave Reynolds - bass
Marc Temple - guitar/lead vocals
The UK Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal scene has been a revelation over the last few years throwing out some brilliant bands for everyone to check out. Desert Storm, Alunah, Conan, Diesel King, Sea Bastard and Steak to name but a few.
Now we have Gringo. A genre defying Rock Band playing their own blend of Rock/Metal music. Their debut album - The Cold Burn - is a very strange beast indeed. Psych, Doom, Stoner, Classic Rock and Space Rock combine for a brilliant wildly fucked up ride from start to finish.
The press bio said the following:
"The Cold Burn" is the debut album by Cleobury Mortimer (Shropshire, England) based band Gringo. The band describe themselves as the twisted end result of a combination of influences ranging from Iommi to Einstein, hangovers to horsepower, space cadets to space exploration; unhindered by genre cliches whilst remaining true to the heritage of Midlands heaviness.
So from that description we are expecting Black Sabbath with Brains venturing into Space. Well that's what I read from it. OK so lets get down to business. What you do get is a cosmic/space party that feels like an extended jam between Alice In Chains, Black Sabbath, Kyuss, Mastodon, Monster Magnet and Thin Lizzy.
So if you're a fan of those legendary bands then your going to love these riff-slaying astronauts as Gringo are not ashamed of where they have came from. The Cold Burn may not be the most original album but damn it is definitely one of the most wildest I have heard this year.
First track - Decaying The Orbit - gets straight down to business in laying down some epic riffs for you to rock out to. Co-Lead Vocalists - Andy and Mark have a great duelling competition going on to give this track such a great laid back affair. The 7 minutes flies by as your having too much fun to care. A great start to the album.
2nd track - Legalise It - is a 41 second sonic based track showcasing the bands Sci-fi ideas. There are a few track within the albums 14 tracks. Short based Sci-fi style noises and sounds before the epic riffs kick in once again.
Especially on 3rd track - Babylon. A fast paced affair over and done with inside 3:15 minutes. Though it still has plenty of great head-banging riffs for you to check out. Originality isn't the name of the game here folks but gigantic huge riffs are and this track has plenty.
Up next is - The Void - An almost 5 minute track showcasing once again the bands superior skills at writing highly infectious riffs and vocals to match. If you're a fan of 70's style Classic Rock then this track will speak intergalactic volumes to you. The song is dripping so much into 70s style Classic Rock territory that Darth Vader has this track on repeat listens on his iPod in a galaxy far, far away.
You may think 14 tracks is too much for an album like this and I would agree with you but Gringo have created an album with such an easy-going atmosphere that you will be head-banging right from the start. They have written some truly epic riffs with a sublime Space-Rock feel. I dare you not to rock out with devil horns or lightsabers in the air when 5th track Curiosity comes on to slay you with. As it has some of the albums finest riffs played at maximum level.
The Cold Burn carries on this insane blend of genre defying riffs that will entertain the hell out of you through out the albums 42 minute running time. Gringo have some crazy ideas up their sleeves to stand out from the crowd and The Cold Burn is the perfect album to show-off their brilliant talents.
Though Gringo do call on one of their famous friends to duet with on the excellent last track - No Way Out. Soph Day from rising UK Doom/Stoner Metallers - Alunah - lends her excellent sultry vocals to the albums best track. It has a slight Mastodon - Crack The Skye feel though Gringo make it sound so original. It ends the album on a great high.
Set your riffs to stun as Gringo have delivered an excellent debut album full of sonic riffs to impress you with. The Cold Burn is another winning entry from the UK Stoner Metal scene. Hunt it out when it's finally released.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Thanks to Catacomb Records for sending me a promo to review. The Cold Burn is available to buy from on November 11th 2013.
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