Review Summary: Massive Riff Assault vs. Human Sensory System
There's a track on this album called
Space Orchid vs. Massive Drumkit, and that gives a damn good idea as to what this album's about - insanely big riffs and drums and a great deal of fun.
The Grand Astoria have been quietly banging out their unique brand of stoner/psychedelic rock/metal sometimes fused with punk-like vocals since 2009, and with their fourth album,
Punkadelia Supreme, they're flexing their muscles and showing us just how far that's brought them.
After a nice little intro song, their first of
many epics,
Slave of Two Masters kicks in and we're hit by Kamille Sharapodinov's signature killer riffs and Alexander Chebotarev's always outstanding drumming, which doesn't let up for the whole song, the manic solo building and building until you think your brain's gonna explode... or maybe you've headbanged it out of place.
This mind-numbing fuzz is splayed all over the album, from the impressive middle section of
Punkadelia Supreme &
Street Credit's to
The King Has Left the Building's retro raga approach, this is a raving worship of The Metal and all things heavy and groovy.
But like the guy who keeps screaming for the band after they've left the stage for good, it does slightly wear out its welcome. At just over 75 minutes long, the final monstrous 13 minute
Score feels slightly unnecessary, especially just after the album's best track
Visualize, which lulls you into a tranquil mood with an acoustic version of its main, astounding riff.
Score basically riffs you to death, particularly after the band has already used most of its musical palette in the previous tracks so there is pretty much nothing new to hear here.
To make up for this there is no lack of variation in the rest of the album, standout track
I Know offering an interesting chilled out, Eastern-influenced style which is carried on by the first song I mentioned, a 5-minute crescendoing instrumental that slides into the middle of the album. Other blazes of greatness include
Dropping Aitches' piano-featuring second half and the staggering, explosive instrumental
To Cross the Rubicon. This just proves that The Grand Astoria have acquired great virtuosity and if they can create something truly original, as well as improving their vocals (which occasionally grate with the music though not nearly as badly as previous records), then we'll have a truly mind-blowing album on our hands.
Nevertheless, with its infinite foot-stomping credibility, Punkadelia is certainly an album worth a seasoned-stoner's time and hard not to enjoy when the artwork's a dude in a superman outfit with a cow-skull for a head saving John Lennon from an exploding city of bacon.
