KALEIDOBOLT "Bitter"

KALEIDOBOLT

"Bitter"

So much of the current stoner rock/retro 70's scene has become trite and predictable, consumed by endless cliche. Leave it to Finland and Svart Records to find relief for weary ears in the form of KALEIDOBOLT. This three man wrecking crew brings some unpredictability and high energy to their chosen genre.

The band claims their music sounds like it's about to fly apart at any minute and that is true on "Bitter". This album boasts some of the most insane, effects-drenched guitar playing you are going to hear, ranging from screaming Hendrix-isms to surf/rockabilly influenced hot licks to crazed noise that rivals the rebel alt-rock of the early 90's. You never really know what's coming at you next when listening to these jams, but they are all rooted in a late 60's/early 70's kind of vibe. "Another Toothpick" wails away with outrageous lead guitar playing from every angle, ladled over thick and soupy bass sounds and snappy drumming in the Ginger Baker mode.Vocals are pleasant and tuneful even as the songs unfold in unpredictable ways. "Big Sky Land" opens with twangy chord reminiscent of nothing so much as Ennio Morricone and spaghetti Westerns before turning into a sizzling desert rocker. "I Am The Seer" has bass and guitar pushed so far into the red zone that it cracks apart and pulses with heaviness."Deadpan Blues" features some of the most whacked out scratchy guitar noise you could imagine...it literally sounds like it is sizzling on a grill. "Interlude" is brief but has more energy than you would expect while "Coyote" is another twangy rocker with a desert sound.

That all leads up to the wild finale, the near 10 minute "Hydra", which changes directions several times and boasts some awesome throbbing bass work. It builds to a huge climax that takes your breath away. KALEIDOBOLT has put some danger back into retro rock and stoner metal, a quality that has been sadly missing. Guitar freaks have absolutely got to check these these guys out.

SVART RECORDS

KALEIDOBOLT