Music like this always conjures up memories of metal shows where everything goes right; the music just soars, carrying me away from all my troubles. And it does so with a simple combination of fuzz, groove, and intensity. The vocals, heard just slightly below the guitars, are clear if uncanny, a nice blend of early-70s Ozzy and studio blurring. Despite my comparison, Faerie Ring isn’t simply doing the Black Sabbath thing. No, this band is taking a different angle, one that is a mixture of doom metal, desert rock, and psychedelic strangeness. Some listeners will hear elements of Sleep and Kyuss; others will hear Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. I hear a little bit of Mastodon, Red Fang, and early Queens of the Stone Age. But whoever lurks behind this band’s groove, nothing matters as much as the music. And this album has nearly 40 minutes of high-quality fuzz rock. For fans of the band’s faster pace, be sure check out “Bite the Ash, The Ring,” and “Heavy Trip.” The latter is especially good. If you want to hear things a bit slower and a bit more meditative, check out “Lost Wind.” Finally, if you want to hear this band get a little bit sludgy, listen to “Miracle,” one of the best tracks on the album. I’m not sure how much attention this album received when it came out, but if you haven’t heard it, give it a shot. It should not go ignored.
Track Listing:
1. Bite the Ash
2. Lost Wind
3. The Ring
4. Somnium
5. Miracle
6. Heavy Trip
7. Heaven’s End
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