Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 22/07/2016
Label: RidingEasy Records
…a
tripped out, fuzzy journey through the minds of these mysterious occult
rockers, but hidden behind their disguises, there is a band who are certainly
serious about making themselves heard and this release has all the necessary
ingredients for the cauldron. Overall, 'Pronounce This!' is definitely a
contender for one of the best releases of 2016
“Pronounce This!” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1). Tranny Takes A Trip
2). Just for Kicks
3). The Vampire Strikes Back
4). Coal Mind
5). So Gone, So Dead
6). Desire
2). Just for Kicks
3). The Vampire Strikes Back
4). Coal Mind
5). So Gone, So Dead
6). Desire
The Review:
Swedish
spooky psych outfit Salem's Pot are back with their latest release
on Riding
Easy Records. 'Pronounce
This!' is a tripped out, fuzzy journey through the minds of the mysterious
occult rockers. Hidden behind their disguises, there is a band who are
certainly serious about making themselves heard and this release has all the
necessary ingredients for the cauldron.
With
6 tracks resulting in around 50 minutes of eerie stoner bliss, 'Pronounce This!' delivers a huge
variety of sounds and atmospheres. Their vintage style and well-established
spooky vibe is something that people can appreciate and fans of this type of
music will certainly get behind this release. In a world dominated by stoner
rock/doom bands who are very similar, Salem's Pot stand out for taking a fresh twist
on the old approach. Their fascination with horror emanates throughout the
album and the freaky enigma is a great complement to the music.
The
first track 'Tranny Takes A Trip' is
a great opener as it sets the scene instantly with the creepy organ sounds and
traditional psychedelic rock style. The breakdown has a great rolling guitar
riff and the vocals soar overhead binding the lyrics to the sound. There are
elements of Hawkwind
present with the space-rock influences and some of the transitions are very
reminiscent of The
Doors. The last section of the song is a great jam with guitars and
organs fusing together creating a very similar vibe to New Orleans
'Just for Kicks' brings some other genres
into the mix as Salem’s
Pot seem to be able to work all angles into their craft. The track
maintains the catchy, fuzzed out guitar riffs but the addition of some slide
guitar brings some country/folk elements to the table. The organs hang nicely
in the background and keep the ominous tones rolling through their music. There
are some great transitions during the middle part of the track after the guitar
solo which show the seasoned musical capabilities of this group. Around the 4
minute mark the track dies down and some effects are used in creating a very
trippy backdrop to the slow guitar riff building up into a great doom section
and when the drums kick in it's a fucking solid groove. The outro has another
ferocious guitar riff and the rhythm section is on fire in delivering a great
finish to the track.
The
third track 'The Vampire Strikes Back'
has a more traditional stoner rock sound with some great riffs which remind me
a lot of Uncle
Acid and the Deadbeats and Greenleaf. One thing that Salem's Pot are very good at is
keeping your attention, there are no boring, never-ending passages. It is
constant barrage of great riffs, scary vibes and fluid transitions that never
slow down or get boring in any way. Another breakdown around the 5 minute mark
really emphasizes the horror themes as even the guitar licks sound haunting and
eerie as the track comes to a close.
The
longest track (12:47) 'Coal Mind'
begins with another great doom section which shows that this band has
everything to offer in this genre. They can quickly transcend from the upbeat
blues/country sound to an absolutely filthy piece of slow doom metal. This is
what makes Salem's
Pot really stand out for me as some bands want to stick to a
particular area and find their comfort zone whereas these guys are extremely
comfortable in all areas. Around the 5 minute mark, the effects come back into
play, fuzzing away and jousting with your sanity. Some delayed guitar creates
another ominous sound and you can't help think that these guys could've
provided a soundtrack to every horror movie ever. This track also leans heavily
on the harmony guitar styles of Thin Lizzy and the Celtic-sounding riffs are
definitely present. It winds down with that same gloomy doom section from the
start which I personally enjoyed thoroughly as that intro was too good to just
use once.
The
penultimate track 'So Gone, So Dead'
is a nice breath of fresh air after the sludgy ending to 'Coal Mind'. An acoustic country song might be entirely out of
place for most bands, but yet again, Salem's Pot have found their niche and it
works like a charm.
The
final track is 'Desire'. Probably my
favourite track from the entire release, it reminds me of a Black
Sabbath/Pink Floyd hybrid which is precisely what I set out to find
in life. The organ sounds and patient tempo of the track is highly reminiscent
of some of Floyd's
more psychedelic releases but the guitar tone and riff styling has Mr Iommi
written all over it. It makes me envision a desolate church in the desert with
spell-casting sorcerers flocking towards it slowly, their hexes permeating the
night sky. The track winds down and just as you think you've had your share of
unsettling, creepy organ... think again - the outro is more than enough to
raise some final goosebumps.
Overall,
'Pronounce This!' is definitely a
contender for one of the best releases of 2016. Salem's Pot have a very distinct
sound and have caught the attention of the stoner rock/doom world with their
remarkable interpretation of horror-laced, '70s psychedelic rock.
