Norwegian stoner rock power trio titans El Caco are back! After their 2016 release ‘7’, we have had to wait 7 years for their follow up effort. Clever marketing strategy? Sheer coincidence? who knows… All we can say for certain is that El Caco are back and they certainly mean business. Known for their hard-working approach, having toured with bands ranging from Megadeth to Red Fang over the years; Øyvind, Fredrik and Anders have always delivered a high intensity sound which despite coming from Lillestrøm, sounds more at home out of the Palm Springs Desert region. Whilst their fellow countrymen Audrey Horne have gone the more Thin Lizzy heavy metal route, El Caco have kept to their groove laden stoner sound and this latest offering is sure to be something to celebrate despite the album’s title.
A little catchy melodic riff opens the album before a massive burst of energy crashes through and “The Taste Of Wine” comes alive. Fast paced and loaded with an infectious energy, it is nearly impossible to resist the urge to headbang along to the fast-paced chords of the verse and by the time the chorus lands, the big sing along hook snags you and the song will be circling round your head for days after hearing it. Even in the slower paced sections towards the back end of the track, it’s still got a huge hook with its descending slide riffs before it swings back into the full tilt delivery once more. A great opening track and no doubt it’ll go down quite well in the live settings.
“All In Favour” brings in the chunky groove driven approach with its thick guitar tone and massive low-end presence. The riffs and arrangements sound like a stoner rock version of Prong with how tight the delivery is, and the vocals go between rough shouts and big clean bursts to help with the catchy sing along hooks the band are known for. “The Contortionist” has a darker edge to the sound, bringing in some moody atmospherics. With a hazy droning guitar melody over a punchy bass/drum verse with vocals packing a subtle hint of pain in their delivery, it builds a sense of anticipation as the verse slowly proceeds to the chorus. Said chorus is a massive wall of sound. The guitar layers unfold to reveal big chords and the vocals get their full-bodied delivery as the bass and drums drive it on. Much like ‘Ambivalent’, from the last album, this track is one of the high points on the record!
“Inventor” brings out the desert style sounds. With the rich filter fx laden guitar riff opening things up you can draw similarities with Swedish stoner royalty Truckfighters (most notably Desert Cruiser). The steady bass and drums thump under the pseudo-pedal tone riff of the verse before the big delivery shifts in for the chorus. The vocals have a lower register delivery which has its own kind of hook, fitting nicely with the instrument work and in all it is another strong track. “Pockets” has a moody atmosphere once again. With the melodic bass and pained vocals to start, it quickly picks up as the guitars join and the massive chorus quickly appears. With its numerous layers adding plenty of rich melodies and giving it a massive presence, the track quickly picks up steam. With intricate fills on both guitar and bass lending their touch to the expressive vocals, “Pockets” is El Caco at their best!
“Oxygen Loss” brings back the haunting atmosphere. The hazy guitar drone over a hypnotic bass/drum combo combined with the semi-spoken vocal line draws you in before the transition section slowly releases the tightly coiled growing tension ever so slightly. A second verse seems slightly more alive in how it has more of a presence but only when the brief chorus kicks in do we get the full release. Massive vocals, pounding rhythm work and massive guitars once again drive it on and its impact is noticeable. Like getting the proverbial genie out of the bottle, you cannot put it back, and with that tension release in the chorus, the follow up verse is brief, once again leading to a huge chorus and more animated track. “Losing It All” brings back the groove with its driving drums and bass. The guitar flits in and out of riffs and nicely timed chords to help give the fast paced feel and the vocals have more of a kick to them. It’s straight up Fu Manchu styled stoner rock and in my book, that is never a bad thing. The driving feel of the groove and high energy atmosphere just makes this such a fun track to listen to.
Penultimate and almost titular track “Uncelebrate” manages to combine the moody atmospheric style of previous tracks with the hard hitting stoner grooves El Caco have a knack for knocking out. The darker edge to the bass acts as a solid counterbalance to the more animated guitar riffs in the verses and the massive chorus has a stinging bite to its delivery. The break in the middle of the track leads to a hypnotic and exotic sounding riff section which sustains the momentum before it delves into a huge sounding, heavy section with hammering riffs and drums. The melodic layer of frantic guitar over the huge riffs just adds that extra edge and once it rolls back into the main riff for the final verse run which features more animated guitar work wraps it up nicely. Closing track “In Pieces” is a significant departure from the style of the rest of the album. A slower paced ballad of sorts if you were to compare it stylistically to the rest of the tracks, it is a sorrowful number painting a story of love and loss, driven on by the vocals, bass and drums carrying the lions share of the music, the guitars present to add flavour to the sound and help sculpt the sound. It’s a poignant track which everyone can relate to in some form or another and despite not seeming to fit alongside the other 8 tracks on paper, it fits quite well and manages to round the album off nicely and does a fine job of closing the release.
“Uncelebration” has been a long time coming and in all honesty, it was worth the wait! El Caco have done a fantastic job on this and the only thing I have to add is next time, don’t take so long between releases!
(9/10 Fraggle)
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