ACID KING (III) CD
When I bought ACID KING's debut EP ten years ago, I can't say that I became a great fan of their fuzzed-out 70's-infected heavy rock, and it didn't change over the last years. There were only a few songs I really liked, but I had altered my point of view after "Busse Woods" and the split-CD with The Mystick Krewe Of Clearlight , both released by Man's Ruin Records. The band had a heavier sound and better songs, even though this repetitive riff building themes can sometimes bore me to death. It's not, that I don't like it when only two or three riffs will be repeated over a long time, but I missed some kind of energy and fire in their sound. At least, Lori S. isn't a great singer, and her monotonous style made me fall asleep for several times... But now, we write the year 2005, and here's the third album of ACID KING, simply entitled "III". This time, the group had joined the Small Stone roster, but this was a logical step, due to the re-release of "Busse Woods" through Small Stone Records in 2004. And, believe it or not - I start to dig this album more and more! What's the reason for it? Well, at first, suddenly here's all the fire and passion I missed before, and the band has developed a greater dynamic in playing.
One of the reasons for this positive change is, that bassist Guy Pinhas (ex-The Obsessed/ex-Goatsnake) teamed up with ACID KING a few years before, because his energetic heavy style adds a new depth to the sound, so that he's a real reinforcement for the band. Lori S. is still the high-priestess of fuzz, and she puts one super heavy crispy layer on another, while her improved laid-back singing is deep buried in the mix. At least, here's drummer Joey Osbourne, who never sounded so restless and inspiring as on this recordings. I never recognized on previous releases, that he's such a skillful player. And what about the songs? Well, I can't report anything bad about the here included seven cuts, and they will surely appeal to old fans of the band as well as new ones. ACID KING are comparable with a walk through the desert: after some hours you become inert and you slow down more and more.
Songs like "Heavy Load" or "Into The Ground" are giving a perfect musical description of this feeling, but I guess, they would also fit to a documentation about trucks or biker-gangs, especially if it was shot in the '70's. As we know it from "Busse Woods", ACID KING are spreading a doomy and sinister vibe, but I wouldn't describe them with the term 'doom', just because the 70's heavy rock influence is more dominant in their sound. The top-notch production from Billy Anderson (who else!) is the cream whip on "III", and so there's nothing more for me to say than: highly recommandable!
(KK)