Review Summary: Stellar, mighty and totally engrossing throughout, this is the hard rock album that many similar artists can only dream of.
Sasquatch are one of these several bands that totally negate the conviction that hard rock is dead. Heading from Los Angeles this powerhouse trio of Keith Gibbs (vocals/guitar), Clayton Charles (bass), and Rick Ferrante (drums) never ceases to be dependable and consistent. Released early this year on Small Stone Recordings "III" marks yet another step in the act's progress as both musicians and songwriters. In case of these guys the lack of originality that is ingrained in the classic heavy rock genre comes as an insiginficant quibble. This is easy to realize in the process of being exposed to the trio's knock-out performance on their third release.
"III" can be best described as a collection of twelve hard rock anthems heavily influenced by classic rock juggernauts Led Zeppelin, stoner pioneers Kyuss and "Badmotorfinger"-era Soundgarden to name a few. Sasquatch couple these inclinations with anti-monotonous, varied song structures that ranges from dynamic, rampant hard rocking ("Get Out Of Here") to slow-burning doom metal-oriented passages ("Queen") and everything in-between. They also raise the bar in terms of bigger-than-life, infectious melodies and sing-along choruses that populate the disc. Keith Gibbs possesses an amazing strong voice that helps to pull out even the most dynamic and risky vocal lines in an impressive manner. He appears to be an equally skilled guitarist as well sporting some admirably heavy, yet groovy riffs along with entirely captivating old-school soloing. This is effectively enriched with always audible, pulsating bass lines as well as thundering drum fills.
With such a consistent album, it's not easy to select standout tracks. All of them share the same anthemic, magma-laden quality that constitutes a trademark feature of the band. "Complicated" might be the most accessible song on the record with its smooth transitions, while "Soul Shaker" stoods out as arguably the ballsiest, most representative anthem they've ever recorded. On the other hand, the blues influences are all-over-the-place in the furious stoner rock of "Walkin' Shoes" and acoustic guitar-driven "New Disguise" that works as an amazing counterpiece to Monster Magnet's "Space Lord." In addition, way more psychedelic, mellower side of Sasquatch finds its representation in masterful "Pull Me Under."
It's believed that the third record of the band is the definitive one. "III" couldn't be more accurate in proving that this conviction is legitimate. Stellar, mighty and totally engrossing throughout, this is the hard rock album that many similar artists can only dream of. Sasquatch have just confirmed that they can do absolutely no wrong.
