Review Summary: Scooby-Doo chase music
There’s no denying that Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats is one of the most influential bands to come out of the doom scene since the 2010s. Their signature Beatles meets Sabbath style has been nigh impossible to fully capture, even with all the occult rock bands that have since followed in their footsteps. And for all the jokes about “Scooby-Doo chase music” that have been directed at Ghost over the years, I’d argue that this band is just worthy of that term, if not a little more so.
While the band had the foundation of their unique approach established on the obscure Vol. 1 in 2010, 2011's Blood Lust is where it truly came together. The production is polished compared to the debut’s rehearsal room quality while still maintaining a certain distant, mysterious aura that goes with the ominously hazy yet peppy performances. The vocals have an almost effeminate pitch to the point that I thought it was a woman singing
at first while the riffs maintain a certain sexiness to their slinky struts, both factors likely contributing factors to the band’s traction. There’s no other way around it, Uncle Acid ***s.
When looking at the songwriting on Blood Lust, I do find it amusing how about half of the songs essentially take the rhythm to Scorpions’ “The Zoo” and apply it to slightly different tempos. The opening “I’ll Cut You Down” and “13 Candles” may be the most iconic instances of this trope in action with their particularly memorable choruses. Elsewhere, “Death’s Door” and the closing “Withered Hand of Evil” slow their shuffles down to an almost comical extent while “Over and Over” puts in the most speedy pounding.
Thankfully there are enough other tracks to mix things up. “I’m Here To Kill You” and “Ritual Knife” are particularly quirky numbers that drive themselves on more repetitive rhythms, the latter having an almost tribal slant. Not all the experiments land, but there’s enough variety to keep things from getting too one-dimensional. “Down to the Fire” is also worth noting; while it is technically a bonus track, its dark acoustic approach could be just as effective of a closer as “Withered Hand of Evil.”
Overall, Blood Lust is an incredibly strong album that shows the scope of Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats’ influence in the modern occult doom scene. There are a couple minor flaws that keep it from being a perfect release, but it consistently offers a blend of influences that is familiar but ultimately unique and does so with catchy, appropriately atmospheric songs. The subsequent albums that Uncle Acid released in its wake have maintained a consistent quality and further fleshed out the psychedelic aesthetic, but this album remains the most ideal entry point.
Highlights:
“I’ll Cut You Down”
“Death’s Door”
“13 Candles”
“Withered Hand of Evil”
