Review Summary: Riffs that would make Lovecraft proud
There are not many album titles that fit the music behind them quite as well as
Stereolithic Riffalocalypse does. Unsurprisingly,
Riffalocalypse is a deadly concoction of heavy doom riffs and deep fuzz that destroys everything in its path. Slow echoes and powerful grooves command the listener's attention as songs like the opener "Spite Pit" plod over everything in their way, only for each subsequent song to be better than the previous.
Shepherd is a band from India, which is probably the last place from where a stoner-doom band of its kind would be expetced. The country isn't well known for being a part of the rock scene in general, and most of the music that gets popular is so far from the style that Shepherd plays it’s a surprise to see the band exist to begin with(think Bollywood and folk music). However, this trio of guitarist Namit Chauhan, bassist Abhishek Michael, and drummer Deepak Raghu has grown a considerable fanbase since they started out in 2012 and have made quite a name for themselves through their various live albums and EPs, displaying a raw attitude that separated them from other groups in their genre.
In an interview with 'The Sludgelord', Namit stated that the band came to be out of its members' "mutual love of Mastodon". The influence isn't subtle; as all eight tracks on
Riffalocalypse have similar vocal arrangements to that of Mastodon, what with all three members sharing vocal duties and carrying a gruff vocal delivery not far from Mastodon territory. In addition, many of the faster moments on the album bear the furious pace characteristic of the group. With the guitars distorted to ugly proportions and the fuzz pedals are mercilessly pressed upon, it creates a dense atmosphere that presses down on its listeners much like the mythological Titan Atlas's burdensome job of holding the celestial spheres for all eternity.
While Shepherd's musicianship is fine, there are a couple minor issues within the band's debut which could prove off-putting for some. The first being the band's relatively incomplete sense of the English language. While lyrics like
"Stranger rides into ghost town
stirring dirt beneath his feet
lying there the sheriff bleeds
his starry eyes the buzzards feed"
get the point across, the incomplete syntax is rather noticeable, and can prove problematic for the pickier of listeners. Another big issue is the band's intentionally vulgar song titles in the first half, while it's nice for the band to have a sense of humor what with titles like "Turdspeak" and "Black Cock of Armageddon", there are people who aren't going to be comfortable with the titles alone, so it's best if those who are sensitive to skip those two tracks mentioned before. While vulgar album titles and incomplete English skills can prove alienating for some people, neither of the two are major issues and can be fixed as time goes by.
Above all, what makes
Sterolithic Riffalocalypse a worthwhile listen is its commanding presence. From the powerful grooves which easily get the listener's attention, to the satisfyingly crushing riffage that is present throughout, to the grizzled yet aggressive vocals, Shepherd show themselves to be anything but forgettable. With aggressive, in-your-face vocal deliveries, guitars roaring like a lion declaring his territory and an engaging atmospheric sound that keeps people listening, Shepherd ensure their music to be worthy of at least one listen from beginning to end.
