Top Stoner
After the release of Orange Goblin's last album 'Thieving from the House of God,' the UK stoner outfit found themselves without a record contract, a precarious position for one of Britain's best underground bands. In 2006 the band celebrated their 10-year anniversary with a sold-out show at the Underworld in London and have recently complete a headlining tour in America. After signing a new recording contract with Sanctuary Records, the band are back with a new album 'Healing Through Fire' with the usual tour to support it.
Stoner metal is arguably the nearest incarnation to the original sound of heavy metal, if we are taking Black Sabbath's early work as a blueprint that is. The recording on 'Healing Through Fire' is simple and stripped down seeming unwilling to utilise the pro-tools, vocal enhancers and general production magic modern studios provide, or at least that's the feeling I get when the band chug straight into 'The Ballad of Solomon Eagle'. The whole sound is raw, alive and old fashioned without losing any of its potency reminding the listener that great music doesn't always need 2 years of studio work and a plethora of overdubs. The genre defining bottom end that enhances the huge groove driven riffs the stoner scene is renowned for, is very prevalent, and huge groove driven riffs are exactly what Orange Goblin have delivered on their new album. 'Healing Through Fire' is a head-bobbing delight from start to finish with upbeat tracks such as 'Vagrant Stomp,' 'The Ale House Braves' and 'Hounds Ditch'.
Vocalist Ben Ward must gargle razorblades to help him get that rough vocal rasp so suited to this form of music. He performs admirably but it's the mammoth riffs that win the day on this long player. Joe Hoare's guitar work is simple but effective with the odd solo thrown in that complements the bluesy driving music perfectly, just check out the final track 'Beginners Guide to Suicide' in which Joe pulls out the licks accompanied by an upbeat rhythm and harmonica. It's the sort of laid back/duelling idea you don't find very often in modern music, which is a shame.
Any Orange Goblin fan should be pleased with this release. It doesn't really venture into the realms of doom metal, although 'Cities of Frost' does come close, instead it sticks with its stoner label with excellent results. Those unfamiliar with Orange Goblin and even those unfamiliar with the whole stoner side of metal would do well to pick up 'Healing Through Fire' because it's a great introduction to both the band and the genre as a whole.