When you’ve got a split album called “Interstellar Cosmic Blues & The Riffalicious Stoner Dudes” – it probably doesn’t need much reviewing.
And here’s one you can judge by its title.
Four from Geezer, three from Isaac, both of whom are ace, and both of whom have had reviews on MV before.
A natural fit together, the New Yorkers kick off with the idea that “I left home with Acid Veins” on the song of the same name and to be honest, you wouldn’t be surprised if that was Pat Harrington every morning.
His guitar soloing is sensational, and the riffs they create have more than a touch of Orange Goblin about them. The slower, trippy ones like “Mercury Rising” are just as good, two sides to the same coin. “Oneirophrenia” (and you know you’re deep in stoner territory when you’re googling what song titles mean!) is a real journey.
It is, too, the perfect bridge to what the Italian half of the split do.
Because there’s a lot of furious energy about “The Whale” and Isaak are one of those bands where nothing seems to match, but it all seems to work.
The Genoa mob swagger on “Crisis” and the last of their trio, “Flat Earth” packs a lot into its five and a half minutes, from metal to dry as dust desert rock.
Like Geezer said: “Dig it!”. You’d struggle not to.
Rating 8.5/10
