Wednesday 20 November 2013

Chron Goblin - Life For The Living (Album Review)



Album Type : Full Length
Date Released : 13/09/2013
Label : Chron Goblin Entertainment

 

Life For The Living, album track listing
1). Deserter 04:22
2). Dry Summer 02:53
3). Lonely Prey 03:42
4). Big Baby 03:28
5). Give No More 05:23
6). Anesthetize 04:39
7). Life for the Living 04:59
8). Blood Flow 03:29
9). Control 04:32
10). Any Day

 

Bio :

"From the smoke-filled rooms of university to beer-stained stages across western Canada and abroad, Chron Goblin spread the stoke wherever they go. Filling bars and venues alike since their 2009 inception, the party hardened four-piece have amassed a loyal fanbase with their addictive on-stage energy as well as three intoxicating rock concoctions: a self-titled EP in 2010, 2011’s acclaimed full-length One Million from the top, and their sophomore LP released September 13th2013, Life for the Living.

Since then, the band has proven their well-earned notoriety by landing gigs with some of the biggest names in heavy music, including Vista Chino (ex-Kyuss), Orange Goblin, 3 Inches of Blood, Bison BC, and The Devin Townsend Project. In the spring of 2013, their talents won them the coveted contest spot at Desertfest UK, making them the first Canadians to grace the stage of the sought-after desert rock festival in Camden Town, London. This demand stems in no small part from Chron Goblin’s artful yet accessible blend of influences ranging from riff-rock to rockabilly, Black Sabbath to Stray Cats. With no style-boundaries to bind them, the group avoids self-imposed stagnancy and embrace musical evolution."

The Band :

Josh Sandulak | Vocals
Devin “Darty”Purdy | Guitar
Rich Hepp | Bass
Brett Whittingham | Drums

 Review :


There is a resonating sense of honesty with Life For The Living. With their website citing a rather euphemistic tale of their formation, stating how they started in ‘the smoke-filled rooms of University,’ what is clear is that Chron Goblin are simply four like-minded guys who love to make music together. There’s nothing more to it; it just so happens that what they love doing is getting them somewhere.

It was in 2009 that their collective smoke first enveloped University digs, since then it is venues across their Canadian homeland and America with names as big as Orange Goblin, Vista Chino and the Devin Townsend Project that their smoke has filled – an aura which has helped expand on their fan base. With this, their second full length record, very little seems to have changed in the band’s aesthetic make-up; and that is what makes it so enjoyable. Their influences are worn on their sleeves, for all to see.

With opening salvo Deserter bringing forth trippy, delayed guitars and a slow, plodding rhythm, newcomers to this band could be forgiven this band were simply another psychedelic outfit. But when swinging guitars takeover, it’s clear that there are plenty of strings to the bands collective bow.  

Across the record they adhere in letting these songs breathe with momentary pauses that break the tracks up. Brett Whittingham’s drumming is a constantly impressive seismic backdrop to the record that give the songs here a more vibrant life with technical flourishes and a notable ability of giving each track the feel it needs.

On Dry Summer for instance, a mid-paced rock song, centred on a grooving riff, it is Whittingham that gives the track its standout swaggering heartbeat.

Big Baby meanwhile is the love-child of a blues orientated Clutch rhythm, complete with bristling harmonica and the no-holds-barred chaos of Bon Scott era AC/DC, all the while having growling undertones of down-tuned Sabbath.

But the band keeps you guessing, remain unpredictable. Give No More for example lulls you into a relaxed, spaced-out mind set with its Planet Caravan-eqsue vibes, before unleashing a riff bordering on thrash and letting all hell break loose. 

In essence, this is a hard rock band. Search deep into the core of what makes this band tick and you’ll find elements of everything from Free to Deep Purple. It is this bands unique delivery that gives their texture a more psychedelic, stoner-friendly finish which helps give it a more commercial appeal. It is then, no wonder that so many respected bands have took them under their wing. This is a band to keep your eyes firmly locked upon.


Words by : Phil Weller

You can buy the DD here and vinyl here


 
For more information :

http://www.chrongoblin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/ChronGoblin
https://twitter.com/chrongoblin