Soundcrawler - ‘The Dead-End Host’ (Album Review)

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 20/2/2015

Label: Klonosphere Records

‘The Dead-End Host’ CD//DD track listing:

1.Raiders

2.Burning Scales

3.A God to Feed

4.Long Coma Slow

5.Souls From the Trash

6.The Plastic Truth

7.Civil

8.Infinite Genocide

9.And All the Seconds Left

Soundcrawler is

Vocals | Rémy Pocquet

Guitar | Paul Parsat

Guitar | Clément Reviriego

Bass | Firouze Pirolley

Drums | Robin Cauchois

Review:

From Périgueux, France, comes the self-described Stoner Band Soundcrawler, with their album "The Dead-End Host".  It’s a little fuzzed, a little stoner-metal, but perhaps not of the ilk like you'd expect, it has sprinkling of grunge and prog in the mix too. Yes, it has heavy groove riffs, guitar solos through an effects pedal or two. Yup’ it’s all there, present and correct, but that’s not all, Soundcrawler give you all that, set against a nice haunting mood as well. There is some definite artistry here, it turns out, these guys aren’t quite the same stoner metal band you were expecting.  The songs range from driving, desperate riffing rockers to hauntingly sweet pieces such as "Long Coma Slow"

There is some real effort here to set a very dark sound, but with just the right amount of the groove riffs to stay within the stoner rock/metal category.  Truthfully, as I listen to this, I can hear elements of American early 90's grunge too, with the type of harmonies you'd hear in Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell songs.

What Soundcrawler do, is what any good band in any genre should do, refrain from writing the same song 7 to 10 times on your album. Show me some variation, and Soundcrawler do that in spades. Eclectic is good. Switch up the guitar and bass tones. Give me a little fuzz bass along with the heavy distortion on the guitars. Song 6, "The Plastic Truth" does just that, yet keeps the "haunting" quality in every song.

I liked this, and if you are into doom, fuzz, or stoner metal / rock then this is totally worth checking out.  I won't say this is the best album I’ve heard this year in similar genres, but this album is pretty damn strong.

Words by: Mike Borsum

You can pick up a copy here

For more information:

http://soundcrawler-band.com | https://www.facebook.com/SOUNDCRAWLER.band
http://soundcrawler.bandcamp.com/music | http://www.klonosphere.com