Website: The Beast presents: Invaders
The Inside Pulse:
It’s a stoner metal haven on Invaders, a compilation of eighteen bands spanning metal genres from psychedelic to straight-ahead hard rock. Established names like High On Fire and Pelican ride alongside many other names which may be unfamiliar. The common thread is a vibe, a groove that screams “tribute to Black Sabbath.”
Kicking off with Saviours’ “Circle of Servants Bodies,” the production is so consistent throughout the disc that one may have to glance twice to really see that this is a compilation. Truly unique in that respect, it’s a quality rare in a world of thrown-together collaborations.
Positives: The biggest positive is its consistency; if you are a stoner metal fan, the atmosphere will keep you going without skipping a track. Tracks like Dungen’s “Christopher” incorporate a Tull-esque flute intro, and Diamond Nights’ “Twelve Walls” brings the (predictable) King Diamond element to the mix. The best track of the disc is likely Wolfmother’s “Love Train,” a song which stands out pretty clearly above the others; not surprising, as the band is doing well on their own.
Negatives: Sludge. So many of these bands work so hard to capture the Sabbath sound that they completely forget to bring their own personality to the mix. Pelican’s “Ran Amber” is a coma mid-disc, and Comets On Fire’s “Wolf Eyes (Middle Version)” is just a mess of distortion. While not entirely disappointing, there’s a reason why some of these bands are unknowns. There’s just so little variation that one may as well buy the albums of the one or two bands on this compilation that they already know they like.
Cross-breed: Your county fair Black Sabbath cover band mixed with Monster Magnet’s less exciting fare.
Reason To Buy: If you absolutely love stoner metal, it’s worth picking up for the unreleased tracks. If you’re looking for a Sabbath throwback, this might be your album, too. But the rest of the world isn’t going to be impressed.
