[Review] Orotoro – Sumun

Lew Tyler and his Orotoro project, return just two months after the previous one, with a new record release in which old songs have been revamped. Entitled “Sumun,” it was released on December 28, 2024 and contains 6 tracks between 4 and 10 minutes in length in which Adrien Schiavone participates on drums. The opener “Equus” features a granitic rhythm section with powerful drumming and load-bearing bass lines. The guitar offers rough distorted riffs and blade-sharp solo inserts. The tempo changes are an added value to the structure of the piece, allowing this intense mix of Progressive and Heavy Psych to develop. The vocals are dynamic and expressive, intertwining with the fine guitar work, giving incisiveness to the piece. In the middle part, an intense instrumental section takes the sound into Prog-Psych territory with heavy traits and enveloping atmospheres, with refined lead guitar interventions. The album’s shortest track “Ixion,” in which Adrien participates on drums, shows a more Progressive facet of the project’s sound. the structure is elaborate and full of tempo changes, enhancing the guest’s technique and allowing a distinctly Heavy Prog sound to develop. The vocal is warm and expressive and fits well into the musical context of the piece, developed in a musical crescendo with rich instrumental textures. Heavy Psych sounds permeate “Mother Medulla,” intertwining with the solid Progressive that characterises the track. Alternating between heavier passages and softer openings, with an excellent vocal performance and engaging refrains. The guitar leads the sound with refined riffs and textures and solo interventions, which accompany us throughout the second half. with the return of the vocals, the song ends in a musical crescendo. “The Worm” shows a more Heavy Rock side of the band’s sound, characterised by massive guitar riffs and a granitic rhythm section. The vocals are warm and incisive, enriched by the effects that give it a retro touch, references to music of the past that are present in this track, managing to bring the atmosphere of the early 70s into a modern and personal context. In a continuous alternation of sung parts and intense instrumental sections with the guitar in evidence, these more than eight minutes flow pleasantly. The intensity increases as the minutes go by and the theme of the song develops, enriched by a solid rhythm section with a killer bassline and constantly evolving drumming. The album ends with the longest track “Elephante,” an epic exceeding 10 minutes in length. The track starts off immediately aggravating, with granitic guitar riffs and a hypnotic, load-bearing bass line that ties in with the solid drumming. The vocals are dynamic and expressive, while the bass in the verses drives the sound, to include rough guitar interventions in the choruses and instrumental sections. An energetic track, which develops with a prolonged instrumental section with Heavy Psych traits that accompanies us to the finale where the vocal returns and closes. A good listen, which breathes new life into the artist’s early compositions, in two of which his friend Adrien Schiavone participates on drums. The sound is Progressive Rock mixed with Heavy Rock and Psychedelia, with vocal and instrumental parts weaving through the long tracks that make up the album. A recommended listen for all lovers of the heavier sounds of Prog-Psych, with a fresh, modern and markedly personal touch.

Tracklist

01. Equus (08:37)
02. Ixion (04:30)
03. Mother Medulla (07:09)
04. The Worm (08:22)
05. Killig the Kaiser 0(6:32)
06. Elephante (10:40)

Lineup

Adrien Schiavone / Drums on “Elephante” and “Ixion
Lew / Everything

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Author: Jacopo Vigezzi

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