Ophidian
07-04-2004, 11:19 PM
Kyuss –Blues For the Red Sun
http://users.easystreet.com/shawna/grilch/music/albumpics/kyuss.jpg
Label: Chameleon
Original Release Date: June 30, 1992
Tracklisting:
1.Thumb – 4:41
2.Green Machine – 3:38
3.Molten Universe – 2:49
4.50 Million Year Trip (Downside Up) – 5:52
5.Thong Song – 3:47
6.Apothecaries' Weight – 5:21
7.Caterpillar March – 1:56
8.Freedom Run – 7:37
9.800 – 1:34
10.Writhe – 3:42
11.Capsized - 0:55
12.Allen's Wrench - 2:44
13.Mondo Generator - 6:15
14.Yeah – 0:04
Lineup:
John Garcia – Vocals
Josh Homme – Guitars
Brant Bjork – Drums
Nick Oliveri - Bass
Background:
Four high school guys in Palm Desert, California, an arid town just outside of Los Angles formed Kyuss (pronounced “kai – us�) in 1990 after playing in various groups together. They took the name from an old charachter in the 'Dungeons and Dragons' game. They recorded their first CD called “Sons of Kyuss�, which was originally a self titled album, but they decided to shorten their name. Their influences include The Melvins, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, and they are all big fans of many old style punk bands like The Cramps and Bad Brains. They honed their skills playing live, but the area was lacking of any kind of music scene. So they played what came to be known as ‘generator parties’, in which they hauled all their instruments out to the surrounding desert and plugged into a portable generator. They became a local attraction and ended up declining an offer from MTV to record one of the events.
They were signed to the minor label Chameleon and released their first full-length album “Wretch�. “Wretch� failed to truly capture the truly monolithic sound of the band. It wasn’t until 1992’s landmark effort “Blues for the Red Sun� that it was harnessed and etched onto wax. With Chris Goss (Masters of Reality) on the production board, the band cut a 50 minute 39 second slab of down-tuned, thick-riffing, punk-influenced, psychedelic-euphoria that, fortunately, went rather undetected by the masses.
The list of stand-out tracks on the album is too large to review in detail. One of which would be ‘Green Machine’, voted the heaviest song of the year in ’92. The punk influence shines through on this one and Nick Oliveri’s bass solo is the raucous climax of this one. ‘50 Million Year Trip’ displays Brant Bjork’s excellent songwriting: downtuned fast riffing, but subtle enough to be trance-inducing, and Brant’s omnipotent presence behind the kit. The fan-favorite is probably ‘Freedom Run’ – a seven+ minute trip with a rather Floyd-esque touch to the long intro with a flanged-out bass and eerie, echoing vocals that switch from channel to channel. Their instrumental cuts are definitely impressive displays of musicianship, ‘Apothecarie’s Weight’, ‘Molten Universe’ and even the fifty-second acoustic ‘Capsized’ are all note-worthy tracks. Not to be forgotten is the original ‘Thong Song’ [that’s a solid six years Kyuss has on Sisqo…]. It is a tribute to the metal stereotype, and pays homage the sandal in an age where the butt floss of today wasn’t seen outside of strip clubs.
From the spacey opening licks of ‘Thumb’ to the last word of Josh’s‘ Yeah’ – this album is an awesome piece of rock history. The LP quickly gained them many fans, such as Dave Grohl (Nirvana) and James Hetfield (Metallica). The album is still considered by many to be the flagship album of the “Stoner Rock� scene, also referred to as Desert, Doom, Sludge…etc. in various sub-genres. Don’t know what stoner rock is? Check it out at stonerrock.com
For fans of: Soundgarden, Tool, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Fu Manchu, Blue Cheer, The Melvins and Black Flag
Discography [minus the singles]:
1990 – Sons of Kyuss (independent)
1991 – Wretch (Chameleon)
1992 – Blues for the Red Sun (Chameleon)
1994 – [Welcome to] Sky Valley (Elektra/Asylum)
1995 – …And the Circus Leaves Town (Elektra/Asylum)
1997 – Split EP with Queens of the Stone Age (Man’s Ruin)
2000 – Muchas Gracias: The Best of Kyuss (Elektra/Asylum)
[really just a collection of b-sides and rarities]
And of course the list of many other bands they have been/are in is impressive in it’s own right:
Queens of the Stone Age
Mondo Generator
The Screaming Trees
Katzenjammer
Unida
Hermano
Slo Burn
The Desert Sessions
Brant Bjork
DeCon
Fu Manchu
Nebula
The Dwarves
Eagles of Death Metal
Tool
Bottom Line: This is the heaviest band I have heard – period. Even after being a devout metalhead for four years now, these guys are the epitome of heavy to me. They prove that heavy is not a sound but an attitude. I won't give it a number rating here because I feel it does not suffice. Just know that this album is by far one of my favorites and will continue to be so for years to come. Don’t write them off if you’re not a fan of QOSTA, it’s like not liking The Beatles because you thought Paul McCartney’s Wings sucked or saying you don't like early Metallica because of 'Load'.
http://users.easystreet.com/shawna/grilch/music/albumpics/kyuss.jpg
Label: Chameleon
Original Release Date: June 30, 1992
Tracklisting:
1.Thumb – 4:41
2.Green Machine – 3:38
3.Molten Universe – 2:49
4.50 Million Year Trip (Downside Up) – 5:52
5.Thong Song – 3:47
6.Apothecaries' Weight – 5:21
7.Caterpillar March – 1:56
8.Freedom Run – 7:37
9.800 – 1:34
10.Writhe – 3:42
11.Capsized - 0:55
12.Allen's Wrench - 2:44
13.Mondo Generator - 6:15
14.Yeah – 0:04
Lineup:
John Garcia – Vocals
Josh Homme – Guitars
Brant Bjork – Drums
Nick Oliveri - Bass
Background:
Four high school guys in Palm Desert, California, an arid town just outside of Los Angles formed Kyuss (pronounced “kai – us�) in 1990 after playing in various groups together. They took the name from an old charachter in the 'Dungeons and Dragons' game. They recorded their first CD called “Sons of Kyuss�, which was originally a self titled album, but they decided to shorten their name. Their influences include The Melvins, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, and they are all big fans of many old style punk bands like The Cramps and Bad Brains. They honed their skills playing live, but the area was lacking of any kind of music scene. So they played what came to be known as ‘generator parties’, in which they hauled all their instruments out to the surrounding desert and plugged into a portable generator. They became a local attraction and ended up declining an offer from MTV to record one of the events.
They were signed to the minor label Chameleon and released their first full-length album “Wretch�. “Wretch� failed to truly capture the truly monolithic sound of the band. It wasn’t until 1992’s landmark effort “Blues for the Red Sun� that it was harnessed and etched onto wax. With Chris Goss (Masters of Reality) on the production board, the band cut a 50 minute 39 second slab of down-tuned, thick-riffing, punk-influenced, psychedelic-euphoria that, fortunately, went rather undetected by the masses.
The list of stand-out tracks on the album is too large to review in detail. One of which would be ‘Green Machine’, voted the heaviest song of the year in ’92. The punk influence shines through on this one and Nick Oliveri’s bass solo is the raucous climax of this one. ‘50 Million Year Trip’ displays Brant Bjork’s excellent songwriting: downtuned fast riffing, but subtle enough to be trance-inducing, and Brant’s omnipotent presence behind the kit. The fan-favorite is probably ‘Freedom Run’ – a seven+ minute trip with a rather Floyd-esque touch to the long intro with a flanged-out bass and eerie, echoing vocals that switch from channel to channel. Their instrumental cuts are definitely impressive displays of musicianship, ‘Apothecarie’s Weight’, ‘Molten Universe’ and even the fifty-second acoustic ‘Capsized’ are all note-worthy tracks. Not to be forgotten is the original ‘Thong Song’ [that’s a solid six years Kyuss has on Sisqo…]. It is a tribute to the metal stereotype, and pays homage the sandal in an age where the butt floss of today wasn’t seen outside of strip clubs.
From the spacey opening licks of ‘Thumb’ to the last word of Josh’s‘ Yeah’ – this album is an awesome piece of rock history. The LP quickly gained them many fans, such as Dave Grohl (Nirvana) and James Hetfield (Metallica). The album is still considered by many to be the flagship album of the “Stoner Rock� scene, also referred to as Desert, Doom, Sludge…etc. in various sub-genres. Don’t know what stoner rock is? Check it out at stonerrock.com
For fans of: Soundgarden, Tool, Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, Fu Manchu, Blue Cheer, The Melvins and Black Flag
Discography [minus the singles]:
1990 – Sons of Kyuss (independent)
1991 – Wretch (Chameleon)
1992 – Blues for the Red Sun (Chameleon)
1994 – [Welcome to] Sky Valley (Elektra/Asylum)
1995 – …And the Circus Leaves Town (Elektra/Asylum)
1997 – Split EP with Queens of the Stone Age (Man’s Ruin)
2000 – Muchas Gracias: The Best of Kyuss (Elektra/Asylum)
[really just a collection of b-sides and rarities]
And of course the list of many other bands they have been/are in is impressive in it’s own right:
Queens of the Stone Age
Mondo Generator
The Screaming Trees
Katzenjammer
Unida
Hermano
Slo Burn
The Desert Sessions
Brant Bjork
DeCon
Fu Manchu
Nebula
The Dwarves
Eagles of Death Metal
Tool
Bottom Line: This is the heaviest band I have heard – period. Even after being a devout metalhead for four years now, these guys are the epitome of heavy to me. They prove that heavy is not a sound but an attitude. I won't give it a number rating here because I feel it does not suffice. Just know that this album is by far one of my favorites and will continue to be so for years to come. Don’t write them off if you’re not a fan of QOSTA, it’s like not liking The Beatles because you thought Paul McCartney’s Wings sucked or saying you don't like early Metallica because of 'Load'.