2023-04-21 07:00:50
(c) Mats Ek
In fact, they still exist. Or once more. The last studio album by Dozer is almost 15 years old. Since then they have occasionally appeared live, Frederik Nordin caught up with his Masters and Tommi Holappa devoted himself mainly to Greenleaf. But all that is now passé, because with „Drifting In The Endless Void“ the Swedish stoner kings return at their best as if they’ve never really been away.
The opener lasts seven and a half minutes, which, however, fly by: “Mutation/Transformation” brings the riff-driven individuality of the quartet to a fine point, rears up leisurely and at the same time shines damn brightly. Nordin packs more power than ever into his vocal cords , occasional prog-like to spacy undertones underline what’s happening and give it that certain something. Repeated molting, skilfully used loops and soulful soul-searching in the instrumental nowhere take you into new worlds, accompanied by a no less expansive guitar solo. The bouncy bass line and the thundering drum fills don’t want to go unmentioned.
Another, albeit very different, treat is “No Quarter Expected, No Quarter Given”. Here the mystical and at the same time springy start is a bit deceptive, because behind this nervous, jittery energy hides a rough powerhouse, which sometimes squints into metallic realms, flexes its muscles and shoots the convolutions of the brain with the constant alternation between rhythmic hopping and wild broadside . Injecting some stoner wanderlust, Dust For Blood takes in wide open country and seeks answers to unasked questions. The sporadically used falsetto provides a welcome bitter sweetness.
Every single one of these seven tracks is a hit and turns the clock back a little. In fact, Dozer easily build on their exploits and level off at an extremely high level. “Drifting In The Endless Void” once more offers advanced stoner, strives for complex constructions and loves the difficult, the complicated, the unexpected. Prog, fuzz and space rock inserts ensure that certain something. You want to listen once more and once more, to deal with the demanding arrangements, the powerful riffs and the powerful vocal melodies. Dozer remain absolute stoner grandmasters with one of the best records of the year already.
Rating: 9/10
Available from: 04/21/2023
Available through: Blues Funeral Recordings (Cargo Records)
Website: www.dozermusic.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dozerband
Slider-Pic (c) Mats Ek
Category: Magazin, Reviews
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#Drifting #Endless #Void
