Retro Futurist

Holy crap! Behold excellence! Are you still not feeling Mastodon’s evolution? The good news is that Lazer/Wulf is here to comfort you during this difficult time. Some Metallica, some Masto, some Kylesa (They are on Retro Futurist after all), and a little bit of the (melvins) on speed make for a very interesting musical concoction.

Set aside all the aspects of The Beast of Left and Right that make it technically great and go with this: if you like to rock the eff out then this is the only record you need to own this year.

Okay, now back to the brilliant parts.

Nothing about this record is conventional which makes it even more, ahem, brilliant (Sorry, it’s true!). In some spots there’s no song structure but it still works so freaking well. Take opener “Choose Again (Right Path)”. Sean Peiffer, Bryan Aiken, and Brad Rice just come at you full force with their bass, guitar, and drum attacks respectively. When you expect the song to “start” after such an epic intro, it doesn’t. But then there’s a breakdown around the minute and a half mark. Then it gets heavier and a little mellow and then there’s some vocals around the six and a half minute mark. Makes no sense but is pulled off spectacularly.

“Lagarto” is a thunderous three and a half minute sonic vortex of amped up goodness with a sick bass solo leading to an all out groovefest. “A Conflict of Memory” is a spacey little ditty with hints of Tool and staccato bursts of guitar fury. “Beast Reality (Center Piece)” brings in some familiar themes as does “Choose Again (Left Path)” making for a monstrous second half.

Some bands are just too smart for their own good. Gods among men? Maybe. Luckily, you don’t have to be a member of Mensa to enjoy The Beast of Left and Right. You just have to like good music.

The Beast of Left and Right is out on July 15th through Retro Futurist.

The debut release from Kylesa mainman Philip Cope’s Retro Futurist label is here and it is a glorious amalgamation of everything that can go right in the world of heavy rawk. The band is Sierra, the album is Pslip, and they deliver a down home-style rock album straight from the swamps of Ontario (Wait, what???).

“Pslip In” starts off with an almost Adam Jones-like riff leading into the epic “Little Smoke” which clocks in at just under seven minutes and introduces Jason Taylor’s COC meets COC vox (A little John Custer, a little Pepper Keenan, a whole lotta awesome).

“Control Folly” really displays what this band can do and lets drummer Ky Anto shine a little while Taylor lays some thick and crunchy riffs. Bringing up the low end is never an easy task in any band but bassist Robbie Carvalho does an excellent job especially during instrumental track “Psquigalogz” which brings to mind the vastly underrated Karma To Burn.

And as they say, the hits just keep on coming especially as you “Pslip In” more to the album. “Pseptember” is an unbridled riff session while “Smoke Filled Room” is quiet and introspective before giving way to an all out assault on your senses. Kylesa like Sierra already. Pslip is the evidence of why you should, too.

For more on Sierra, head on over here and please don’t forget to “like” us on our very own Facebook page!

Pslip is out on January 28th through Retro Futurist. Snag your copy here.

Lazer/Wulf bring some “thinking man’s metal” on The Beast of Left and Right

Sierra mixes old school Tool with COC-style swamp boogie on debut album Pslip!