Out Now
Australian heavy stoner rock outfit Dark Blues Project recently released their five-track EP Howl At Her Light, and after listening to one of the singles Ballad From The Void I felt strangely compelled to take a listen so let’s go!
Opening track Ancient One Arises starts with the tender sounds of a woodwind instrument before the trees are viciously torn down from the forest, exposing a sludge-heavy bottom layer that makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over.
The one simple riff embeds itself in your head before the rest of the band offer themselves to the sacrificial party and Dark Blues Project are underway.
Definitely reminiscent of the 70s and 80s psychedelic wave of metal, this track elevates itself above and beyond with a densely dark undertone that is uplifting despite the darkness.
Rather than try and figure out if Dark Blues Project have based these songs around sort of theme, I cheat a little by taking a glance at the EP notes and found this.
“Howl at Her Light was recorded over a year-long period in conversation with the Red Queen. Through intensive and ongoing rituals, she has woven herself all through this one! The result is a solid set of heavy, and darkly groovy tunes, full of energy from Alpha to Omega. Hope you enjoy the vibes, and dig the tunes”.
And now I don’t think I am any better off than before cheating…
Who the fuck is this Red Queen, and why has she never taken me to dinner? Trying to push those thoughts from my head I move onto the next song, named after the EP itself.
It eases to life on the back of a whistling breeze before a female voice – presumably the Red Queen – urges us to “let yourself go”, which Dark Blues Project take immediately on board as they once more bring the heavy riffs and booming, yet controlled, vocals.
So far this EP is raw and uncompromising. Raw in that it doesn’t feel like the band have utilized any of the plethora of technological weapons and enhancements at their disposal, instead focusing on their natural ability and passion for music to be their guide.
And what a welcome fucken change that is!
Some nice guitar solos transcend Howl At Her Light into a more spiritual realm and I find my mind again wandering to the Queen in Red and what she has in store for the remaining three tracks.
Lost In The Dream is where I spend most of my life, but this dream is much more surreal than anything I can conjure. It is a measured, somewhat tempered next step on the journey, with fuzz-fueled and clean guitars overlapping to create an almost visual musical landscape.
Then the vocals kick in with more urgency than on any of the tracks before and the guitars start chugging in turn and once more we are swept into a metal-plagued world of discontent that has danger and foreboding lurking around every note.
Another well placed guitar solo proves Dark Blues Project aren’t fucking around here. All of the songs are meatier than an Aussie Pie and drenched with enough depraved heaviness to sink a battleship.
Ballad From The Void – the song that started it all for me – takes centre stage and contrary to the title doesn’t start like a ballad. Instead, it is a blues and guitar-driven tune that is possibly my first time hearing stoner rock and blues mixed together, but I quite like it.
Stoner Blues perhaps? Fuck genres. This is just great music, pure and simple.
Part rock, part blues, part sludge, Ballad From The Void is full awesomeness. Still my pick of the bunch.
See Her In The Stars closes the EP and maybe that’s why I haven’t yet come across the Red Queen. Because I have been looking in the wrong places. Up not down. Point taken.
This starts off in an almost whimsical manner before the guitars crush any suggestion Dark Blues Project plan to fade slowly from the speakers. Instead, they offer up a frenetic and almost punk-like number that shows the boys still have plenty of fuel left in the tank.
Although their music draws obvious parallels with the great blues/rock bands from the classic period of rock, they also embrace elements of the best of the best from each decade that follows (and notice I am not naming bands?) That’s because to do so would be an injustice to Dark Blues Project.
They don’t need any help from the greats. Judging by this release they are well on track for notoriety solely by their own volition.
