For their fifth studio platter, German psychedelic/stoner/doom trio Kadavar deliver another stunning set of '70s drenched occult rock, nine new tracks of trippy vibes, heavy riffs, and goulish lyrics. Yet again, despite their influences peeking out from time to time, Kadavar bring to the table a unique sound, and this latest release takes them in some different directions from previous albums, yet the formula remains familiar and inviting. The steady line-up of the band remains Christoph "Lupus“ Lindemann (guitars, vocals), Simon "Dragon” Bouteloup (bass), and Christoph "Tiger” Bartelt (drums).
Sitting right around the 45-minute mark, For the Dead Travel Fast is the perfect length, kicking plenty of ass yet not overstaying its welcome. The creepy "The End" kicks things off in spooky fashion, haunting organ & vocals drift over a sparse arrangement, giving way to the more aggressive "The Devil's Master", lumbering stoner riffing and pounding drums allowing Lindemann's nasally vocals to soar over the top. "Evil Forces" is part fast paced Black Sabbath and a bit of Pentagram, dripping '70s biker rock splendor, while "Children of the Night" is pure psychedelic mayhem, layers of guitars, effects, and vocals conjuring up all sorts of creepy vibes, and the wah-wah guitars are especially satisfying. "Dancing With the Dead" is a deliciously trippy slice of late '60s styled occult pop, effects laden vocals and echoed guitars providing a wealth of hazy atmospherics, and "Poison" touches on psyche inflected doom, the guitars bluesy yet soaked in fuzz. The most exciting tune however is the rampaging "Demons in My Mind", the bulbous bass, pounding drums, wah-wah guitars, and spaced out vocals making for the perfect soundtrack to your next LSD trip...this is stoner rock the way it oughta be played folks! "Saturnales" features piano and haunting vocals for a doomy, psychedelic treat, and the album concludes with the lengthy dirge "Long Forgotten Song", the riffs crushing and menacing, sounding like a more doom laden Budgie, Lindemann also sending chills at the same time with his high pitched vocal wailing.
For the Dead Travel Fast is another one of those albums that keeps getting better with each listen, and it's no doubt going to be very popular with heavy rock lovers as we wind down 2019 and look at some of the years highlights. Long live the riff!
Track Listing
1 - The End 2:18
2 - The Devil's Master 5:07
3 - Evil Forces 4:43
4 - Children Of The Night 6:03
5 - Dancing With The Dead 5:11
6 - Poison 5:25
7 - Demons In My Mind 4:44
8 - Saturnales 4:03
9 - Long Forgotten Song 7:50