SAHG - I

Sahg
Sahg I
Candlelight USA
9/10





What do you get when you combine highly talented musicians from bands such as Audrey Horne, Gorgoroth and Manngard? Norway’s doom metal monolith Sahg, a blissfully dark, grooving group that expands the perceptions of dismal tones on their Candlelight debut, “Sahg I.” Following a theme setting intro, “Repent” kicks in hard and heavy with a mixture of the tunefulness of Trouble and the weighty riffery of “Ultramega OK” era Soundgarden. As the group’s frontman, Olav Iversen offers ethereal, flanged out vox that flow extraordinarily well with the band’s thick rhythms. As Iversen teams up with axeman Thomas Tofthagen on “The Executioner Undead,” the guitars form a buzzing sound similar to a hornet hive that’s been split open wide, and the song’s ear-striking chorus brings back the days of classic doom, without mimicking any band in particular. As bassist Tom Cato Visnes and drummer Einar Selvik lock into a taut beat, Iversen’s tuneful vox soar atop the bludgeoning foray, bringing a ‘70s style up to date in fine fashion.

Sahg refrains from conformity, avoiding abbreviated songwriting for full, complete musical subjugations. Allowing plenty of time for envelopes to reverberate, the band’s tracks have plenty of room to breathe. Check the bridge section of “The Alchemist” for an excellent example of the foursome’s ability to turn a song around on its ear, and achieve thunderous beauty in doing so. As the ringing, acoustic tones of the brief interlude “Whisper of Abbaddon” segue into the saturated sustain of “Godless Faith,” it’s plain to see that Sahg have the ability to produce inspired, varied emotion that gives the album a distinct continuity. Iversen does an excellent Dave Wyndorf-style vocal that makes the sludgy, substantially thick riff of the latter come alive and fuzzy, flanged delay merely adds to the trip-out factor here. A smooth interlude featuring nylon-stringed guitars recalls the type of vibe that Tony Iommi produced during the mellower tracks created during the early Sabbath days, with a certain twist that gives Sahg a flowing yet powerful sound. “Soul Exile” revels with a badass sonic attitude that never once sacrifices power for melody, making it one of the definite sleeper tracks of the record.

Kick back, pull out a fat lid and drop out to this fine, burly beast of a record, a rocking affair that catapults the listener into a vortex where space and time collide to form a sound that is retro in nature, but highly relevant amongst the bloodshot, evil-loving scene of rebel rockers in 2006.


Written By: Obee Spicoli

Stonegard - Arrows

STONEGARD
Arrows
Candlelight USA
8.5/10




Now for a fresh perspective from Stonegard, a group which incorporates blasting and thrash overtones into stoner rock formulas. What’s best is, they make it work. So all this talk that constantly circulates about there being no original bands out there today is turned to rubbish with a few burly power chords, a handful of smoke-filled hazy vocal melodies and a set filled with varied rhythmic fluctuations.

Singer Torgrim Torve has a very distinctive voice, with a touch of southern drawl and a pinch of Danzig blues for good measure. In fact, had Kyuss frontman John Garcia been smitten with that wolfish Danzig howl, the result would be quite similar to Torve’s presence as a vocalist. The Stonegard voice is especially convincing on cuts like “At Arms Length,” where he issues a weed demon croon and the southern rock-tinged “Resistance.”

One of the most interesting things about this Norwegian quartet is they refuse to adhere to formulas. Instead, they display diversity without imitation – always a hallmark of a great group. “The White Shaded Lie” bleeds thrash but speaks the language of stoner rock, while the title-track offers crunch and fury without going completely over the top. A weighty verse gives way to an intense chorus. Pay attention to the dynamic structure of the arrangement on this particular tune. Stonegard sure as hell knows what they’re doing. Displaying an affinity for tension building and overall dramatics, their execution during such cuts is highly formidable to say the least.

I’d much rather hear a band such as this hit the radio than listen to another overplayed Metallica track or another dull attempt at saving face from Audioslave. It’s bands like Stonegard that, given proper support and direction, will pave the way for the next wave of rock we’ll all be sick of in twenty years. Bring it on, baby – we’re ready for the new shit.


Written By: Obee Spicoli