Friday, February 16, 2018

Smoke - Stoned to Death (2018)


With a name like Smoke, you can only imagine what this band sounds like. Hailing from the deep swamps of Louisiana, Smoke is heavy on the Stoner vibes while also mixing in some Sludge Doom for good measure. If you mixed Iron Monkey, Weedeater, and maybe a little QOTSA together, you would most likely get Smoke. The band has that warm and fuzzy sound to it, while also managing to hit hard like a left hook to the jaw. Scratch that, make it a shovel to the head. These guys definitely love their stoner riffage, but you can definite catch a whiff of that NOLA Sludge/Doom heritage in there as well. These dudes sound nasty as fuck though.
Like I said they have that warm and fuzzy sound and that comes mostly from the guitars on this. It's definitely laid on thick like Robitussin to a sore throat. Speaking of which, the vocals on this are fucking killer, and I couldn't imagine them using anything else. It really gives them that edge and contributes to their overall dank and dirty sound. There's a really good bass tone on this album, that is really punchy and cuts through. A lot of times I often associate the sludge sound with the guitars, but if I were to pin a "Sludge Sound" for bass, this would probably be it. The drums on this are fucking amazing. There are moments where you wouldn't expect it and this dude throws in some double kick that really adds a heavy layer to this. It's also used sparingly, which gives it even more of impact when it does happen.
Overall I really dug this. It's not the most original stuff out there right now, but it's definitely the type of music I'm into that's for sure. If you're looking for something that has a stoner groove, but want something that's harsher than your typical heavy psych, then Smoke is definitely your shit. This gets my stamp of approval! Cheers! -Samir


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