A debut from a stoner three-piece: “is this going to be another band that just want to emulate Motörhead?” is the first question that comes to my mind while I read through the PR blurb. First indications say no – the mentions are of Kyuss, Sabbath, Mastodon and more – so that fear seems to be allayed at least. So how do Icelandic trio Volcanova fare then – are they another band jumping on to the ever-growing stoner scene or worth checking out?
Well, let’s start off at (almost) the beginning. After a short instrumental ‘Welcome’ to the album, full of fuzz and fun, we quite quickly hit one of the singles out prior to the album launch in ‘Super Duper Van’ and I’m struck at quite how well the three-part melody vocals work, as they add an extra thick layer of something different on top of what is some genuinely well-worked musicianship.
Another single, ‘Sushi Sam’ tells the tale of Lucifer, cunningly disguised as a human, who goes all out to consume sushi from the dark markets of Reykjavik in order to maintain his human guise, which shows quite how good-natured and light-hearted the fun is in their songwriting, which is a further indication that the music runs in their blood and is not just a pass time for them, something I always like to give bands credit for if it applies. The talent lies not just in the impressive playing ability – there are some really neck-breakingly enthusiastic bass hooks throughout the album, as I find myself sat in my new recliner nodding along before I even realize it – but in their ability to craft more than the on sound, as later track ‘M.O.O.D.’ shows, as it comes across as a more Crowbar fuelled effort, slowing the pace down and focusing a bit more on the harsher approach they hint at a couple of points, with the vocal harmonies still worked in a couple of times to add further emphasis when required.
The music stays quite upbeat through most of the album, with some short bursts of the softer Kyuss-esque sounds creeping in various parts showing a level of depth to the songwriting beyond the all-out fuzzy aural assault on the sens that most of the album is and is maybe something they may revisit in more detail on future releases. Overall, it stands quite well on its own feet, being an enticing, enjoyable piece of work that the talented trio can be proud of. Almost non-stop fuzzy heavy rock that is enjoyable on both a superficial level and when you look at the tongue in cheek approach to the song lyrics. An album that will add something enjoyable into the collection of anyone into their stoner or heavy rock.
- ‘Radical Waves’ is released tomorrow (Friday 21 August). You can get your copy HERE.
- All content © Über Rock. Not to be reproduced in part or in whole without the express written permission of Über Rock.