Review Summary: A stoner soundtrack to your scorching summer...
Now that the temperatures here in Romania are approaching the 40 degree bar, I can safely continue my unofficial annual scorching summer stoner recommendations. July is usually a dead month for music releases, yet I am glad to be able to review an emerging band that I have just discovered.
Cuatro Cienegas is the eponymous debut of this Mexican stoner metal group, consisting of members from several local bands (Vinnum Sabathi, Bar De Monjas or Los Dealers). While the record doesn't stray from the usual paths the genre follows, it is a fun, half hour tour de force that's worth blasting as loud as possible on your stereo, without looking to criticize it every minute or so.
In my opinion, a good sound and a powerful performance can easily make you get away with using the same patterns. From the intriguing leads of 'Hiena', which make me imagine myself waking up early in the morning at some ranch in the desert right before the heat takes over, to the dirty, ramming riffs that continue through tracks like 'Damselfly' or 'Dobsonfly', 4 Cienegas deliver them with power and excitement. 'Ergot' and 'Salem Trials' offer no rest for the listener, bringing out the heaviest grooves here. The fat bass lines and dissonant, feedback-laden licks turn the former into a murky barn burner with pile-driving drums that also border on doom metal at times. On the other hand, 'Salem Trials' is slower, sharing some playful bass melodies in between some mid-tempo, straightforward fuzzy riffage. It's cool how the band suddenly pushes towards a pummeling finale, complete with guitar solos. It's nothing out of the ordinary, but the raw power of the instruments make the entire listen worthwhile.
This overall Kyuss/Karma To Burn sound is a common mixture in today's stoner rock/metal, however, few bands match that intensity (with pure redneck outings) and swagger to actually remark themselves. With such a solid LP, I have faith in 4 Cienegas as I am sure they will surpass expectations with future output. Say what you want to say, but the desert is a synesthetic influence to the entire genre and whenever they set their mind to it the Americans (be it Northern, Central or Southern) still bring that true, original sound that gave birth and popularized it. Dig it.
Previous recommendations:
Karma To Burn - Arch Stanton
Yawning Man - Nomadic Pursuits
Wo Fat - The Conjuring
Toner Low - III
Causa Sui - Euporie Tide
Los Natas - Delmar
