Sonic Prayer

About

It’s tough to write a review for a two song album without diving into the minutia of each track. And a minute-by-minute recap is about as interesting as instructions on how to make ice, even if the album is incredible. So the basic details of Earthless’ Sonic Prayer are thus: “Flower Travelin’ Man” is an extended acid rock jam with a drumbeat that’s similar to Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song,” a bass line like Maiden’s “Wrathchild,” and guitar playing that channels Hendrix. It’s goes on and on, getting better and better. “Lost in the Cold Sun” takes on a more Middle Eastern vibe, yet still maintains the lost in space vibe of the previous track. In both case, it’s all about the slow evolution of the music. Shifts are subtle, making this as soothing as it is engrossing (and heavy). They’ve got their contemporarie, but it’s not worth naming name. Take my advice and get this fucker. It’s a doozy. – AllThatIsHeavy.com -- The San Diego-based stoner rock trio Earthless feature the talents of Nebula guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, Electric Nazarene bass player Mike Eginton, and Hot Snakes/Clikitat Ikatowi drummer Mario Rubalcaba (who also played with Rocket from the Crypt under the alias Ruby Mars). The band’s debut, a collection of jam-heavy instrumentals titled Sonic Prayer, was released on the Gravity label in 2005. It was followed in 2007 by Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky, which marked the band’s first release for Tee Pee Record. Live at Roadburn appeared the following year, showcasing the band’s strength as a live act. -- by James Christopher Monger (Allmusic) -- _________________________________________________________________________________ Review by Thom Jurek (Allmusic) Stoner rock heroes Earthless are from San Diego. The bandmembers are drummer Mario Rubalcaba from Clikitat Ikatowi and Kawabata Makoto’s Hot Snake, bassist Mike Eginton from Electric Nazarene, and guitarist Isaiah Mitchell from Nebula. The trio plays a brand of slow, prodding, jam-heavy guitar freakout and bass throb echoing everyone in this scene. The difference, however, is that Mitchell can actually play the hell out of his guitar. Droning, thudding space jams are Earthless’ trip du jour, and they do it shockingly well. There are two tracks here, “Flower Travelin’ Man” (an obvious tribute to Flower Travelling Band, though they sound nothing like them) and “Lost in the Cold Sun.” The first cut reaches deep into riff territory, with Rubalcaba’s constant beat-heavy atmospherics providing a leaping-off point for Mitchell, who does his best Hendrixian psych-blues wail. Eginton is the somnambulist laying down a repetitive, hypnotic line for over 20 minutes as the guitar overload carries the day. What’s different about “Lost in the Cold Sun” is the obvious Sabbath influence in the riff, but what Mitchell does with it is stellar– pulling out all the stop, bending note, squalling them, and pulling the volume knobs off his amp while spiraling down, down, down into the netherword of ecstatic darkne, alternately playing half-speed and triple-timing the rhythm section for 21 minute. This stuff isn’t for everybody, but when it comes to stoner rock, these guys have a niche all their own and this record is one of the very best of the genre. .

via Last.fm

The Clerk says

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