Sometimes it’s unbelievable how good Small Stone Record’s taste in good music is. This time it’s the debut album from IOTA, a heavy psych three piece from the USA., which has been released in 2008. ‘Tales‘ consists of five cuts with a different running time between three and almost twenty-four minutes, and it‘s a killer album of super-heavy psychedelic mayhem. An explosive energy rides through jam-like themes which comes on like a maniac Jimi Hendrix at times, yet the songs are still catchy and focused. The hot, liquid, and sweating metal-soaked blues riffs of Joey Toscano, who’s a charismatic singer, too, will make your brain melt for sure. Drummer Andy Patterson and bassist Oz are building the groove-ridden base for J. Toscano‘s mindblowing effect-laden guitar attacks, and their playing is so incredible marvelous as everything else from this band. ‘Dimensional Orbiter‘ explores progressive psych territory in a very varied manner, and although it’s 22:56 minutes long it never becomes boring. IOTA’s sound can be aggressive, mellow, but it’s always tasteful and honest. ‘Opiate Blues‘ features some excellent blues harp playing by Bad Brad Wheeler, and this last track is the perfect ending for an outstanding album. The production is so thick so you can cut it with a knife. Containing a wealth of atmospheric, powerful sounds you can’t really go wrong, if you decide to purchase it. This album is a monster that will grow with every further spin, and I imagine that IOTA must be a killer live band, too. A cosmic album.
(KK)
www.iotaslc.com
www.smallstone.com