Portland, Oregon's Danava is a new name for me, a psychedelic/hard rock/prog act led by guitarist Gregory Meleney, and Heavy Psych Sounds has recently released this cool little live set featuring recordings from both 2008 and 2023. From 2008 you get two tracks recorded at Whelan's in Dublin, with Meleney on vocals, guitar, and synth, joined by bassist Zachariah Dellorto-Blackwell, synth player Rockwell, and drummer Monte Mattsson. "Spinning Temple Shifting" is nearly 12-minutes of killer guitar riffs and acrobatic drums...this guy can play, and if you love lethal, psychedelic hard rock riffs and solos, there is plenty to enjoy. The vocals are all that great, but it's mostly instrumental. "Maudie Shook" also delivers the heavy lumber, as spooky synths float over some sledgehammer riffing...I'm reminded of Sir Lord Baltimore a bit here. Again, the vocals are kind of weak, but the guitar playing is outstanding. Over on the 2023 live material, recorded in Prague at the Strahov, "Shoot Straight With a Crooked Gun" stars things off with more fireworks, a fast-paced heavy rock song with some lethal riffs, as Meleney is joined by guitarist Kerby Strom, bassist Dominic Casciato, drummer Matt Oliver, and singer Levi Campbell. "Nothing But Nothing" has the intensity of classic Gillan, "Longdance" also brings to mind the NWOBHM, and "Let the Good Times Kill" is a complete bruiser, the riffs enormous and the drums pulverizing. "Last Goodbye" is a bonus track on the CD version, full of twin guitars and frantic drumming...awesome stuff.
The weak vocals aside, this is a killer set of live recordings from a band I know next to nothing about, but I absolutely want to hear more from this outfit. If you love crushing heavy metal guitars dripping with some psychedelia and prog, you should definitely seek this little gem out.
Track Listing
1.
Introduction/Spinning Temple Shifting 11:59
2.
Maudie Shook 08:41
3.
Shoot Straight With A Crooked Gun 05:57
4.
Nothing But Nothing 04:14
5.
Longdance 07:55
6.
Let The Good Times Kill 03:31
7.
Last Goodbye (CD bonus track) 04:10
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
