WHALES AT THE CROSSROADS — Sea Turns to Red (review)

WHALES AT THE CROSSROADS — Sea Turns to Red album cover Album · 2017 · Stoner Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
siLLy puPPy
WHALES AT THE CROSSROADS is a heavy stoner rock band from the town of Epinal, France. The band that consists of Nico (guitar, vocals), Mitch (guitar, backing vocals), Ben (bass) and Lieven (drums) was formed in 2015 and features members of various other bands such as The Early Grave, Diego Pallavas, Doomsisters, Major Cooper, Steptocok and Toxic Kiss.

So far this band has released only this one EP in 2017 titled SEA TURNS TO RED. The EP features only five tracks that totals a running time of just shy of 18 minutes. No physical copies have been pressed yet and the only way to find this band is on its Bandcamp site where it labels itself as an alternative heavy stoner rock band.

Honestly this reminds me a lot of early Soundgarden. Vocalist Nico sounds a lot like Chris Cornell on the heavier parts of the EP. On the stoner doom metal parts not so much. There is also a slight sludge metal thing going on here to but the band never really ventures into sludge metal extremes. This is the kind of release that will have many arguing weather its hard rock or metal since it takes heavy rock to its limits but some of it does sound just heavy enough to qualify as stoner metal however most of it is heavy rock as heard in bands like Clutch or Queens of the Stone Age.

You couldn’t have a doomy stoner vibe without some of the riffs sounding like Black Sabbath and there are moments such as towards the end of “You Rock Sysiphus” that do evoke early Sabbath, especially the first album. The production is raw but good enough that it suits this raw sound much like Soundgarden’s earliest albums such as “Ultamega OK” and “Louder Than Love” and yes it does evoke the spirt of grunge at times.

The guitarist ekes out some interesting tones and feedback fuzz which makes some good stoner vibes. Overall this is decent little release that sounds better and is more original than a lot of stoner rock / metal that’s out there these days. The tracks differentiate enough to be of interest while the overall band sound remains constant. Slower passages mixed with heavy roughness makes for a compelling classic early 90s sounding album. Very retro in that respect but done quite well. Another band i wish would continue to release albums since it shows promise.
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