The Psychedelic/Krautrock band with forays into Punk from Los Angeles are back with their seventh album. Titled “Data Doom,” it was released on September 01, 2023 via The Reverberation Appreciation Society/Greenway Records and contains 9 tracks. The opener “Empire” is the longest in duration, clocking in at over seven minutes, immediately immersing us in the sounds of the album. Fuzz guitars permeate the track, a solid and energetic rhythm section, enriched by tempo changes that allow the band to mix the different genres and styles. The vocals are dynamic and expressive, fitting into the musical context with precision, and the band is able to bring a modern and personal touch to the retro Psyche/Prog sounds with a touch of 70s Punk. The following track “Burn Me Down” shows the more Punk side of the band, with a structure that takes us back to the early days of the genre. The band finds the perfect point of union between Psychedelia and Proto-Punk, taking us back to the atmospheres of the past but with a fresh and modern touch. “Electricide” is a burst of energy, between scratchy guitars, an accelerated rhythm section and dynamic, expressive vocals. Dirty Rock, with well-constructed guitar riffs and that dose of retro Punk that characterises their style, mixed with a Psychedelic/Garage touch. Engaging guitar riffs characterise “Syster System,” a more Rock track, with references in Psychedelia between the past and present of the genre. Winding instrumental textures alternate with intense and penetrating vocals, in a musical crescendo of tempo changes and accelerations. The interesting mixture of different genres enhances the band’s compositional and performance technique. A distinctly funk rhythm section characterises the structure of “Weird Dog,” an energetic and engaging track. The vocal parts also fit into the context of the song, which evolves between tempo changes and the intertwining of instrumental and vocal parts. The intensity increases as the minutes go by with a pleasant interweaving of distorted chitare in the final part. Percussion and synths embellish “Doom Boom,” where female vocals provide a softer touch. An interesting blend of Psychedelia and Funky, with an enveloping mood that creates a very pleasant atmosphere. Enriched by continuous tempo changes and intense, well-constructed instrumental parts, it shows a softer facet of the band’s sound. A hypnotic synth melody intertwined with distorted, scratchy guitar characterises “Futurephobic.” An energetic track, showing a Post-Punk side of the band, where even the vocal parts are modulated by effects and perfectly themed to the context of the track. Interesting is the use of keyboards and the mixture with the Psychedelic sound, giving the track a personal imprint. A more psychedelic sound with forays into modern Krautrock characterises “Mild Davis.” An ever-evolving track, between tempo changes, intertwining male and female vocals and fine synth and guitar phrasing that also offers some usual cues. Electronic sounds are complemented by fuzz guitars and a solid, elaborate rhythm section with deep, driving bass lines. The vocals are enriched by effects and the blend of Psychedelia, Krautrock allows the band to enhance their technique. The album ends with “Political Cannibalism” where Funky traits mix with Psychedelic Rock. The rhythm section is made up of solid, tree-like drumming and a killer bassline, between tempo changes that allow the central theme of the song to develop with technique and quality. An enthralling and intense closing for this work, leaving us wanting to listen to it again in the future. A band that manages to mix different genres between Psychedelic Rock, Prog, Krautrock, Funk and in some passages Punk and Post-Punk. One of the main characteristics is the band’s personal and original style, which is fresh and modern, making it an engaging and intense listen from start to finish.
Tracklist
01. Empire (07:28)
02. Burn Me Down (03:08)
03. Electricide (03:35)
04. Syster System (06:17)
05. Weird Dog (03:57)
06. Doom Boom (04:10)
07. Futurephobic (03:38)
08. Mild Davis (04:46)
09. Political Cannibalism (04:25)
Lineup
Dylan Sizemore / Vocals and Guitar
Josh Menashe / Guitar, Vocals and Synth
Nicole “Pickle” Smith / Bass
Nick Aguilar / Drums
