Italian Desert Rockers Mr Bison like Clutch and Monster Magnet. Who doesn’t? Luckily these three Cecina blokes have taken their fandom and translated it into a pretty fine album in its own right. Asteroid is full of catchy upbeat stoner songs that conjure up long drives down windy roads with a hot breeze blowing.
Black Crow is a straight up Monster Magnet rocker opening with big stoner riffs before the whole thing gets put into gear and roars off stinking of grease and patchouli oil. This three piece make a mighty racket and have a hell of a lot of fun doing so.
“Wisker Jack” brings the groove with a side order of cowbell. MOAR COWBELL goes the cry. There is a tip of the hat to Mr Fallon and Co here though the vocals lack the Clutch frontman’s punchy gravitas. The track gets a little messy once the groove is relinquished in favour of a staccato segment but the trio bring it back round in time for the end.
“Full Moon” adds some horns for a 70’s vibe which adds to the Sabsy riff that permeates this number. The track builds and builds in a bubbling yet ominous way, though to a full blown horntastic wig out more reminiscent of the Stones or Primal Scream than your usual stoner rock act.
“Hangover” and “Burn the Road” are denim clad flag bearers of the desert rock community offering up anthems to motorcycles and one too many the night before respectively. “Russian Roulette” speeds things up a little and adds a bit of punk to the spunk before “Resist” and “Cannibal” takes things back to the peyote fields before “Prison” drops another big slab of Dave Wyndorf and Co. with some slick guitar licks behind the verses.
Forming the tail of this Asteroid is “Hell” , a psyche tinged funky rock n roll tune with a hint of space rock thrown in.
Asteroid is a solid rock album. Derivative it may be, owing a lot to the artists that do it bigger and better, but these guys know how to plant a hook and get the groove going. Definitely worth a listen.
(6/10 Matt Mason)
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