Earth Messiah - Ouroboros
They do what they do with some style and their songwriting is a notch or two above most metal bands
Hailing from Gothenburg, Earth Messiah are described by their label as “your next favourite stoner rock band”. Well, I am not too sure of that. See, I am not sure that I would describe the power trio as stoner rock. There is more to the music made by vocalist/guitarist Mathias Helgesson (of Unhealth, Lawgiver), drummer Patrik Orrmén (Fuzztrated, Rhubarb Blues Band) and bassist Marcus Hedkvist (From Soil, Eskatologi) than the primordial sludge that I associate with the stoner tag.
Yes, there are hints of (Josh Homme’s pre-QOTSA band) Kyuss, Sleep and stoner touchstones Sabbath and they are named after a Cathedral song but, at times, they play at the pace of the early Bay Area thrash of Metallica and Megadeth, with the aggression and precision of classic Judas Priest. Add in the galloping bass lines of prime Maiden and a hint of Motörhead or the classic 70s hard rock of Thin Lizzy or Motörhead in the lead breaks and it is all a rather classy - if guttural - take on metal.
Earth Messiah don’t do anything new but that is not the point. They do what they do with some style and their songwriting is a notch or two above most metal bands. And I bet they are awesome live.
7/10
