Thursday 12 June 2014

MONOBROW, Big Sky, Black Horse - Album Review

Big Sky, Black Horse cover art

Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: June 12th 2014
Label: Self Released

Big Sky, Black Horse - track listing:

1.Cicada 06:20
2. These Mountains Don't Want Us Here 08:26
3.Ancient Arctic Wanderer 08:16
4.Old Man Mouthbreather 04:47
5.The Surveillance 04:20
6.Hamartia 01:20
7.Big Sky, Black Horse 11:43
8. Immortal Dwarf (Bonus) 04:29

Bio

Alchemy can be defined as a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination. In the vast frozen fortress that is Canada, Monobrow are true riff wizards of alchemy. This mammoth trio is set to release their third album in the spring of 2014. Not unlike a wizard’s spell book, Big Sky, Black Horse is filled with mind altering, time shifting casts of pure magic. Staying with their constant mix of tempo change, groove, and all-out rhythm madness, Monobrow continue to progress with each outing, once again making waves in the sea that is the stoner/doom genre.

Sharing the stage with Blizaro, Witch Mountain, KEN Mode, Iron Man, and Blood Ceremony, to name a few, Monobrow continue to scorch their mark wherever they perform. Apparently, one recent performance may have even summoned spacecraft from another realm, where apparent abductions took place. This amount of riff wizardry can make even the strongest mind see the unimaginable. Do yourself a favor and see this band as often as possible.

Riff wizards from Canada, who from within their frozen fortress, forge some of the finest stoner psych-rock. Beware the controlling powers of their soaring guitar solos, melodic groove, and dynamic arrangements, for even you will have no choice but to pledge allegiance to these true wizards of rock alchemy – Monobrow.

Band Members

Brian Ahopelto, Paul Slater, Sam Beydoun.

Review:

Psychedelic Instrumental Stoner Rockers - Monobrow – return with their eagerly awaited 3rd album – Big Sky, Black Horse. Another winning entry from this highly regarded band whose style of Psych based Instrumental Rock has won them a loyal fan base within Stoner Rock community.

The album sees the band explore into progressive rock territory as their sound has a classic progressive rock feel to it. It shows the bands have taken a different step with their music. Opening Track – Cicada – starts with a dreamy and hazy Stoner riff before the band start adding progressive rock vibes with sublime drumming coming to the forefront of everything. Monobrow match modern Stoner Rock grooves with 70s style Progressive Rock undertones to give this album the perfect start. Plus it’s a wildly hypnotic psychedelic ride that we have came to admire from Monobrow.

The album kicks into overdrive with the 8:26 minute epic – These Mountains Don’t Want Us Here – which sees the band lay down some of the heaviest riffs of their career. It is a thundering tale of Humanity against Nature. A topical issue no matter what timeframe you match the music against. It has a lush based Stoner/Jazzy influence going on when the band play some epic Jam-based riffs.

You are probably thinking does the world need another Instrumental Stoner Rock band. Well on this evidence. All I can say on this evidence and two tracks into this excellent album. Yeah We Do!!! – As Monobrow have created their finest album to date. It instantly draws you in with the band on fine form through out. The instrumental work is flawless but it truly comes alive when the band throws caution to the wind and plays their jam-based riffs, which they have become known for. Fans of Earthless are going to be in Stoner Rock heaven. There is no escaping the huge and heavy vibes that Monobrow have on the remainder for the album.

Monobrow add elements of Space Rock and Doom Metal on Ancient Arctic Wanderer and Old Man Mouthbreather. You can tell the band have put some crazy as heck imagination and effort into the song-titles as much as the music themselves. It is a truly hypnotic combination that will hopefully propel Monobrow to the forefront of Instrumental Stoner Rock as they are one of the best bands the scene has to offer.

The album is brilliantly played from start to finish and the production work is just flawless. The sound is very atmospheric as you can hear every note played with crunching conviction. Big Sky, Black Horse is a powerful, trippy and cosmic tale of spacey riffs that is a strong contender for one of the best Instrumental Stoner Rock Albums of 2014. It is seriously that good.

Excellent. End Of.

Big Sky, Black Horse  is now available to download on BandCamp Buy Now Download. Vinyl will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from July 2014. Thanks to the band for sending me a promo to review.

Check The Band From Links Below


Written by Steve Howe