Once again, the folks at Svart Records impress with a new release from an unknown band that just reeks of potential. The Golden Grass are a power trio from Brooklyn, New York, that formed in 2013 and were immediately signed up by the label, their '70s heavy rock sound immediately appealing to the Svart team, and with good reason. These guys, drummer/vocalist Adam Kriney, guitarist/vocalist Michael Rafalowich, and bassist Joe Noval, have done a fantastic job here on their self-titled debut harnessing some of the classic sounds of bands like Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad, Black Sabbath, Humble Pie, The Move, Dust, and will instantly appeal to fans of modern acts like Graveyard, Witchcraft, and Horisont. Yes, this is riff rock, but with some pretty catchy vocal melodies to go along with it. "Please Man" and "One More Time" deliver plenty of muscular thump with meaty, blues based heavy rock riffs and pounding rhythms, while "Stuck on a Mountain" adds in some psych & pop elements giving a slight Beatles touch. The lengthy "Wheels" is just under 13-minutes of psychedelic/proto-metal madness, with some fabulous guitar sounds courtesy of Rafalowich, including a scorching wah-wah guitar solo, and the closer "Sugar N' Spice" is like a head-on collision between those classic US bands Cactus & Bang.
Though it's just 5 songs, this is a complete home run for The Golden Grass, roughly 35 minutes of '70s styled psych/heavy rock bliss. Make sure to seek this one out if you love those classic sounds, and check the band out on tour as they make their way around North America. Recommended!
Track Listing
1) Please Man
2) Stuck on a Mountain
3) One More Time
4) Wheels
5) Sugar N' Spice