Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 21/121/2017
Label: Kapa Records
This album is a fine piece of Stoner Metal, and is as well
executed and produced, as any other great and famous band on the scene. Grab a
smoke, sit down and listen to it. You will see what I mean.
“Miss
Universe” CD//DD track listing:
1). New Shoes of Mine
2). Seven
3). Moon Shuffle
4). Round Nose Cat
5). Bluebird
6). Space Bar
7). Silver Starlight
8). Rocket
9). Burning Sun
The Review:
The Slovenians of Carnaval have history. They’ve been around
since 2004, and "2" (2009), "1"
(2010) and "Tennis Football Basketball" (2012), their previous albums,
are strongly recommended Stoner jewels. Listen to “1”, as a warm up and you
will see that these guys don’t fuck around: by that time they already were a
solid and impressive band.
Now,
four years after the last full length, they overwhelm us with this “Miss
Universe” (2016, Kapa records). It is an impressive album.
During its nine tracks, everything works perfectly. I would say that it is
everything you can expect from a good Stoner band, with some extra hand of
personality and care. On the track “Seven” (track 2), for instance, it
is amazing how the drums are executed, followed by some well-placed percussion
work and acid bass lines, fat guitars and beautiful vocal work, with the vocals
playing an important and central role throughout the album. It makes an
interesting contrast with the other instruments, balancing the formula with some
delicacy. During the tracks, the right-placed guitar solos are like a
relentless dope binge for ears, and the drums are very creative, brilliantly
followed by the bass in these moments.
Sometimes,
like in the opening track “New shoes of mine”, maybe because of
the dense guitar tones, or the connection with the Blues, it reminds me of Goatsnake,
and I cannot think of a better band to reference. The studio / production work
also deserves a lot of recognition. It sounds fat and greasy, and it pleases me
a lot.
As
I mentioned before, Carnaval is a mature band firing on all
cylinders and on this “Miss Universe”,
there are no loose ties, and all songs are great. “Bluebird” is one of my
favorites, with its hypnotic riff that echoes for days. It is that kind of
music that can last for an hour, and that’s all our stoned minds could ask for.
The next one, “Space bar”, is also catchy, beautifully executed and reminded
me a lot of Red Fang.
This
album is a fine piece of Stoner Metal, and is as well executed and produced, as
any other great and famous band on the scene. Grab a smoke, sit down and listen
to it. You will see what I mean.
“Miss Universe” is available here
