Album Type:Album
Date Released:
May 13th 2014
Label:
EasyRider Records
No Blood, No
Sympathy - track listing:
1. The Red Death
(4:26)
2. Troubled Rose
(2:01)
3. Maker Of The
Moons (3:00)
4. Heir To The
Pickle Throne
5. War Gods Of The
Deep (3:41)
6. Graceless And
Aged (1:50)
7. Ejaculation Of
Serpents (3:50)
8. Haunter of the
Dark (4:11)
9. Debreeding (2:15)
10. Arzach (3:02)
11. Below the Root
(2:20)
12. Vine Priest
(2:20
Bio:
Unlike
some who are content to adopt that desert sound, San Franciscan trio
HORNSS were born into it. Moulded by it from the very beginning in
the case of members Mike Moracha and Nick Nava, who originally got
their start in the Palm Springs band Solarfeast alongside
ex-Kyuss/Evolution’s End member Chris Cockrell.
Formed
in 2010 with a line-up completed by drummer Bil Bowman (formerly of
Zodiac Killers, blackQueen and Scrog) HORNSS have taken to the stage
in support of Fatso Jetson, Naam, Windhand, YOB and The Freeks and
are every inch the band you’d hope they would be given the
ancestry, influence and arid air that forged their formation.
Thanks
to the LA based label EasyRider Records, this May the trio will have
a debut album to call their own. Recorded at Earhammer Studios in
Oakland with Greg Wilkinson, if you were sold on the strutting doom
groove of their demo The Red Death then No Blood, No Sympathy is
going to blow your mind and then some. Drawing on influences such as
Hawkwind, St. Vitus and The Ramones HORNSS deliver devastating doom,
death punk fury (both Mike and Nick were also founding members of San
Fran punk band The Jack Saints), stoned out meanderings and crushing
desert progressions that will strike a chord no matter where your
allegiances lie.
The
band take to the road throughout August/September for a European tour
in support of their debut album No Blood, No Sympathy, which will be
released via EasyRider Records on 13th May.
The
Band Members:
Mike
Moracha – Guitar, Vocals
Nick
Nava – Bass, Vocals
Bil
Bowman – Drums
Review:
Hornss
are not your usual Stoner Metal band. This is a band with added bite
as they add elements of Thrash, Punk and Doom into the mix. Their
style of music lies between the depths of punk drenched darkness and
Californian Desert fuzz style Stoner Metal riffage.
Hornss
debut album – No Blood, No Sympathy – is one weird trippy ride
that embraces the crazier and schizophrenic side of rock music. First
track – The Red Deaf, perfectly shows what Hornns music is all
about. Jagged vocals combine with the sleazy riffs that Hornss play
with gutso and relish. It’s a twisted combination of Hard Rock,
Stoner Metal, Punk Rock with a hint of added Darkness that will soon
have you following the Hornss way of life.
The
dual vocals of Mike and Nick give Hornss a two-headed attack of added
menace that goes straight for the jugular. They prove what a deadly
duo they can be on the 2 minute on the darkly infectious punk blast
of Troubled Rose. Which pays homage to 70s Gothic/Horror Punk with
gutso though adding a few deft touches of Stoner Metal riffage here
and there.
Hornss
blast their way through a stunning collection of tracks that adds
elements of creepy noises and effects that verge into Doom
Metal/Occult Rock territory. Maker of the Moons proves that Hornss
love to experiment with their sound and prey on your fears, as
nothing is as straight forward as it should be.
Hornss
have quite a reputation within the Stoner/Hard Rock scene as they
have paid their dues in supporting some legendary bands over the last
few years. The band have outdone themselves on the album as they have
written a strong collection of spellbinding tracks with enough power
and magic to make you fall under their spell. Hornss have pulled no
punches with their unique take on Desert Rock/Stoner Metal. At its
heart, the album is built on classic based Desert/Stoner Metal riffs
though Hornns have taken it down a dark and twisted route, which
works wonders for their music.
However,
you still have some groovy psychedelic riffs to sing-along to on
Ejaculation of Serpents. It’s a groovy psych little rock number
that has huge monstrous Stoner Metal riffs that harks back to the
days when Fu Manchu, Kyuss and Monster Magnet ruled the Stoner Metal
world. This track feels like a love letter to those legendary bands
but with added psychedelic FUZZ to make your journey ever so sweeter
and trippier. Definitely, my fave track off the album.
Hornss
have created something special with this album here. Their music is
still very hard to describe even for me and I am well into double
figures listening to this album. Let’s just say that Hornss are one
of the very best Hard Rock/Stoner Metal bands starting to make a name
for themselves and with No Blood, No Sympathy they have created
something special indeed.
The
best way I can describe this album is the following. – Imagine if
Alice Cooper was ever given the chance to front Kyuss then this
would be the dark and delicious twisted result. If that doesn’t get
you interested then nothing will. Believe the hype folks as this
album has it all. End Of.
Kudos
to EasyRider Records for signing another quality band to their
roster.
Thanks
to Richard Jones at Sheltered Life PR and EasyRider Records for
sending us a promo to review. The album will be available to buy from
May 13th 2014 on Vinyl/CD/DD
Check
The Band from links below
Written
by Steve Howe
