A band’s development can be a fascinating thing, and OGRE do their best to avoid stagnation. Their unique type of doom-soaked 70‘s Hardrock has won them a place in the hearts of many, and the band is also a creative force. This time OGRE pay tribute to the days when concept albums were the hottest shit in the world of rock, and simultaneously it’s their most progressive album until now. ‘Plague Of The Planet‘ consists of only one 37 minutes long song, that is subdivided into eleven chapters. Before I listen to this album I know that this song wouldn’t be an endless repetition of riffs, because this is OGRE and not a bunch of Melvins wanna-be‘s. This three guys, reinforced by hammond organ player Ian Ramsey, have managed to write a memorable song with different episodes, and they move effortlessly between moods and elements taken from 70‘s Hardrock, NWOBHM and Psychedelic Rock. A slight dose of doom has also found its way into the epic structure of ‘Plague Of The Planet‘, but this influence is less obvious than on the previous release ’Seven Hells‘. The story is build around the characters Queen of Gasoline, Colossus, and The Dog-King, who are fighting a battle to control the resources of oil. Although OGRE tells this story with slight humorous tendencies, it’s also an intelligent and serious metaphor for the current situation of this earth and the war in the middle-east. I also have to mention the great artistic booklet brought to you by drummer Will Broadbent and the exclusive live footage on the disc, which was filmed during a show in 2007. ‘Plague Of The Planet‘ is an impressive offering and shows a band underlining their place as a hardrock institution at the top of their game. Essential!
(KK)
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