Monday 13 April 2015

Holy Serpent - S/T (Album Review)

Shroom Doom cover art

Holy Serpent
S/T

Riding Easy
12 May 2015

The band:

Scott Penberthy - guitar/vocals
Nick Donoughue - guitar
Michael Macfie - bass guitar
Richard Orr - drums

The songs:

1. Holy Serpent
2. Shroom Doom
3. Fools Gold
4. The Plague
5. The Wind

Review:

Daaamn! Where have these guys been hiding? A brand new acquaintance to me, Holy Serpent from Melbourne, Australia are phenomenal! Not knowing what to expect when I pressed play, The album blew me away completely. Fuzzed out, trippy and low end heaviness emantes from the speakers, engulfing me in a wonderful trance. Going slow and for emotions, Holy Serpent can add another disciple in their physchedelic quest for world domination. Each spin bring out more and more, leaving me flabbergasted at how they can put so many angles into their songs without suffocating the music. Because the music flows so naturally and with such ease that I'm left speechless....and that's a damned good thing!

Breaking free from the tonguetiedness, 'Holy Serpent' starts the proceedings of annihilating yours truly. Brilliant Iommi-esque riffs flies at me before guitarist Scott's reverbed voice begin to soar above the music. Everything flows elegantly between jam sessions and full onslaught and you can't ask for more...especially not with an album opener. The title follows next and certainly lives up to it's name. Slow, punishing and trippy, it's just like you have ingested handfulls of magic caps. The visions man, the visions. Eerie and forlorn at first, 'Fools Gold' becomes led-heavy after about a minute where the bass guitar and drums keeps the beat perfectly. Despite the gradually increased heaviness the song never gets fast and that's great. To me it would be weird if Holy Serpent hit warp speed, they should remain slow and goddamned heavy, you hear!

'The Plague' is up next and man, it's like a young Black Sabbath has re-emerged in 2015. Don't get me wrong, this is no copycat thing at all. On the contrary, it's the perfect homage to the doomfathers. Bottom-heavy, psyched out and absolutely amazing, this song is a one-of-a-kind indeed...and it's my favourite tune on the album. Oh, did I forget to tell you that it's trippy as hell! Reverb and riffs launches the album-closer 'The Wind'. Let your hair hang down, hit the bong and loose yourself in this colourful space journey. I'm there already floating through some amazing visions and unheard of worlds.

Musically 2015 has been fantastic so far and Holy Serpent keeps that trend going. Regardless what music we're talking about, if a new album is this damned good just keep it going. We, musicians and fans alike, need inspirations like this album because they push the limit in a way few can. So everybody, take heed of these Australians....they are my new favourites!

Håkan Nyman

Thanks to Richard at Sheltered Life PR. Holy Serpent- S/T will be available on CD/DD/Vinyl from RidingEasy Records.

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