Calgary’s Chron Goblin are new to me. Straight up, I’m pretty impressed. Their third album, “Backwater” has got me very interested. The current crop of good old fashioned, riff-fuelled groove rockers is strong. There’s plenty in the music press highlighting bands like Clutch, who are delivering fresh, funk laden takes on heavy metal and this can certainly be said of Chron Goblin; it’s no nonsense heaviness but has a vitality and freshness to it that doesn’t lend itself to mere imitation.
Opening track, “Fuller” blasts out of the blocks. Think Clutch meets Orange Goblin. This has grooves that are guaranteed to get you a speeding ticket and there’s a real crunch in the delivery. From the smack-you-around-the-head riffing to the wailing solo, this is the way to start an album.
“Seattle” is a more sinister affair. There’s a big intro before the sleazy, boozy, bluesy, hooks grab you. Some desperation and anger creeps into the vocals that create a moody atmosphere. This is a really pummelling track that just builds and builds to a proper head banging, beer guzzling, smoking piece of heavy metal. Cool twists are in abundance giving it a nice loose feel.
Absolutely furious from the get go, “Give Way” has whiplash turns that don’t ease up. This is stuff to lose your voice to. Driving bass lines, a predatory and strutting mid-section develop before a return to the storm with barking riffs and a real live vibe. This could be the stand out track for me. All urgency and sweat, it’s circle pit starting material.
Title track, “Backwater” is soaked with attitude and furious percussion; it’s a killer track before Chron Goblin change course, leading into “The Wailing Sound” which is the quiet track with lonely, sorrowful vocals over a foggy backdrop a little reminiscent of Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan”. The bleeding, emotional and heartfelt delivery closes the album’s first half; and “Backwater” feels a little like an album of two parts. Up to this point the tracks have felt somewhat purposeful. What follows has more the feel of a nice loose jam with something for everyone.
From Frank Zappa-esque prog musings to biting riffs with plenty of boogie, Chron Goblin take us on a twisting, winding highway through “End Time and “Hard Living”. There’s some nice guitar work from Devin Purdy and Josh Sandulak’s vocals have that cool, understated John Garcia-like snarl.
This is a good, honest slab of grooving, punching heavy metal that’s worth listening to. More to the point, it definitely makes me want to catch them live where I get the impression they’d tear the joint apart and many beers would be consumed. That’s a hint gents. I live in London – please visit again soon.
(7/10 Johnny Zed)
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