V.A. (Stone Deaf Forever) CD:
This is the first record from the new Italian RED SUN label. It's a compilation with 14 Bands and 14 tracks,most of them are unreleased. The well-known songs are from SPIRIT CARAVAN ("Dreamwheel"), UNIDA ("Red") and BEAVER with an alternate version of "Tarnac" (from the "Lodge" EP). The opener is SOLACE ("King Alcohol"), nice song but not really interesting with all the typical trademarks of this Stoner-thing. Next song is from ATOMIC BITCHWAX ("Marching on the Skulls of the Dead"), a groovy 70's track but they got better ones, I think. ACAJOU is the next band with"Arkanoid", very very heavy but thats all. To be heavy as shit isn't the only important thing. UFOMAMMUT comes up with "Snake", one of the best songs from this compilation. Urlo and Poia (MALLEUS) from UFOMAMMUT have done the artwork for "Stone Deaf Forever", too. HOGWASH are very boring. The track is called"Hide", and nothing to talk about.
The fantastic M-SQUAD (former BLOODFARMERS!!!) rules with a great Heavy Rock song in the vein of SIR LORD BALTIMORE. It's named "Steps Away (Steamroller)" and one of the strongest songs . KAI'CKUL are more in a progressive HardRock way.Nice tune, titled "Ghostriding" and it's an interesting one. The great CHURCH OF MISERY, a well known Japanese Heavy Doom Rock trio, is here with "Sick of Living (Zodiac)", a song that is comparable to SLEEP or BLUE CHEER.
RED GIANT ("No Name Maddox") starts noisy and gets heavier, but I don't like this song much.This band has better songs to offer . My personal highlight are LAS CRUCES, one of the best bands, not only on this compilation. The track is "Farewell" and its a burner! Fantastic vocals and hard riffs in a groovy rhythm- section are making this song to an outstanding one. The last band on "Stone Deaf Forever" are CORE with "The Godfather" and its an instrumental. This track is a nice fusion between Jazz, Funk and Blues and it sounds like a session.So,all in all this compilation gives you a good insight in todays Blues-based Psychedelic Heavy Doom Rock music and its a very good one, not only one of these major products.
(KK)