Album Review: "New Waste" by Black Wizard

New Waste

I can remember a time sitting on the side of a lake fishing with my late cousin and a couple friends.

We all grew up pretty metal, but at that point they were moving onto more metal place in the world than I was. Still rooted in the past at that point, I was listening to lots of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin.

At least as much as I could with no income aside from the paltry allowance I was afforded with which to purchase candy.

I spoke about how much I loved Black Sabbath and how dark and evil they were. Jamie said something though...and it never really clicked with me...

Sabbath is more Acid Rock than Heavy Metal. You have to remember back then we only had Heavy Metal. Speed Metal hadn't even made it into the lexicon yet. That was the first time I had ever heard that term and it would be years and years before I ever understood it.

New Waste

I have listened to what feels like thousands of psychedelic bands and loved many of them.

I think their genesis is somewhat lost to the sands of time. I mean, who hears Eric Clapton or Robbie Krieger in Black Sabbath?

Well, the influence is there and strong if you know what to listen for.

Well, let's turn around and look forward and not behind.

Wah wah riffs? Check. Rockin' vocals featuring a bit of strain? Check.

Galloping riffs that ensnare the mind and encircle the spirit? That's a big check, but Black Wizard isn't just a sum of the parts that create psychedelic music.

It's moody and dark. There are large changes in dynamics. It's more than variable speeds, of which they have many, but full on changes to the sound. Their gritty, overdriven amps yield to melodic acoustics.

The solos and the hooks are inspired from the masters. Full of melody and eschewing any semblance of shred. There's no technical ecstasy here.

Just pure rock'n'roll groove that's been attacked a bit more than most of us are used to.

Release: 2/12/16
Genre: Stoner Metal
Label: Listenable Records
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