By: Andre Almaraz
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 17/03/2017
Label: Sump Pump Records
All in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is
absolutely amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it
as a perfect 10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in
history as one of rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight
contenders to find their place at the top of the scene
“Abominable” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1.Abominable
2.Electronaut
3.Stoned and Feathered
4.Colossus
5.Lightbearer
6.Apophis
7.Beneath the Black Sun
8.Himalayan Hymn
The Review:
Telekinetic Yeti is a two piece stoner/doom
band from Dubuque, Iowa and their debut album, “Abominable,” has just
been released in March 2017. Quite frankly, this album is a fucking monster
from start to finish. Imagine a mash up between Bongzilla,
Pelican, Stinking Lizaveta, and Kadavar, and that will get you close to the same universe
as the one where Telekinetic Yeti’s musical mastery
is born. Album opener and title track, “Abominable,” starts the
recording off by lighting a mighty fuzz bomb in your ear. The song is like a
left hook to the face and tips you off to hang on tight for a wild ride to
come. The drummer means business and lets you know right away that he is
out to blow your mind. At just over three minutes in length, the song is
short, to the point, and punchy as all hell with vicious vocals to seal
the deal. Although the album is mostly instrumental, there are three songs
with vocals and this is one of them in a big way.
The
second song, “Electronaut,” is instrumental. It has the quintessential
stoner rock/doom groove with a nice touch of prog. This one is right out of the
acid soaked, psychedelic 60s scene and a perfect instrumental rocker. At just
about five minutes long and drenched with gargantuan riffs, the song keeps the
action going strong. Third track, “Stoned And Feathered,” answers
right back with the banshee vocals. This one has more of a 70s slam groove
going on. This baby is so bouncy and catchy that even the fillings in your
teeth will be rocking. The use of effects and melody within it are undeniable
as well as unforgettable. The band has also released a music video for the tune
which is really fun to watch.
The
fourth song, “Colossus,” is instrumental. This one begins with some hard
rocking riffs, which is the main theme of the entire album, but then gives way
to some dreamy passages adding some spacey mellowness and again, a tasteful
touch of prog. This is the longest track on the album, telling its epic story
with a haunting melody that will get inside your subconscious and never leave.
When “Lightbearer,”
kicks in, you are hearing the last song on the album with vocals. This one is a
bonafide jam from start to finish with a barrage of ferocity, harmony, and
melody. Sixth song, “Apophis,” is the heaviest song on the album in my opinion,
making it a personal favorite as I am a huge fan of the heavier stuff and
backbeat rhythms. At barely over ninety seconds in length, its untimely end is
truly my only slight disappointment of the album and I sincerely hope they
explore this slower, heavier, and more doomed out/sludge driven aspect of their
dynamics much further in future releases.
Seventh
song, “Beneath The Black Sun,” begins with that awesome mellow/spacey
trip that they are so good at creating. Some high register riffing makes the
bass guitar really stand out up front in this one. The album’s closing track, “Himalayan
Hymn,” again begins with the mellow dreamy stuff and then kicks into
become a full on chest pounder. In a nutshell, the yeti is a mystical beast. It
is not only telekinetic but also a space traveler, a time traveler, and
telepathic. One aspect of the album that I found particularly interesting is
how Telekinetic Yeti like to start the barrage
right away in their songs, and then end several of them with a relaxing outro
whereas most other bands do the opposite; they tend to start their songs with
long, drawn out intros, eventually building up to when the band kicks in. Telekinetic Yeti smashes you in the face right of the bat
and then cools down after the assault is over. I thought that was a cool twist
on the status quo of the genre which works well to their advantage. Another
notable aspect that makes the band interesting and unique to me is that while
three of the songs have vocals, the other five are instrumental, another cool
deviation from the norm.
All
in all, the recording has a huge sound and the production is absolutely
amazing. It has everything you could ever want and I would rate it as a perfect
10. The album is truly remarkable and is sure to go down in history as one of
rock’s greatest debuts. These guys are definitely heavyweight contenders to
find their place at the top of the scene. The drummer is an absolute beast
which is something that sets this band apart from the crowd, but the
songwriting and riffs are ridiculously strong as well, giving the album a
surefire winning combination. I think fans of any kind of stoner, doom, and
even just 70s hard rock/heavy metal in general could appreciate their music. As
the band’s name itself raises curiosity, I have a feeling that Telekinetic Yeti are on their way to becoming one of the
scene’s premiere acts in the near future. You should definitely give this album
a listen and check out the music video for the song “Stoned And Feathered.”
These guys definitely have their shit down and one listen gives you the feeling
that these men are destined for greatness. Judging by their Facebook page, they
seem to tour quite often. I hope to witness one of their live shows soon and I
suggest you do the same if you get the chance. This is simply outstanding
music.
“Abominable”
is available here
