Article By: Damon “Gravitoyd” Caraway, Staff Writer ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway, Owner/Chief Editor

---

Greenbeard‘s latest release – ‘Lödarödböl‘ – lights up a mountain of THC infused, desert influenced, low rumble groove, tinged with just enough psychedelic flair to get your stoner lovin’ ass off! Released just today via Sailor Records.

Greenbeard are three-piece outfit from Austin, Texas, who are more impressive every time I see them… and I was impressed the first time. This is their third and most multi-layered effort to date, into the realm of vinyl. Bassist Dan Alvarez joined drummer Buddy Hachar and guitarist/vocalist Chance Parker just after the release of their ‘Stoned at the Throne‘ album a couple of years ago. Make no mistake, these three musicians are the reason this album will be burned into your mind, heart, and ears after a couple of listens.

However, having Matt Bayles of Red Room Recording (Mastodon, Murder City Devils, Botch, Russian Circles, Isis, Minus The Bear, The Sword) engineer, mix, and produce ‘Lödarödböl‘, along with mastering by Ed Brooks at Resonant Mastering, was not a bad idea… at all. Have a listen on the Bandcamp stream below as I take you through the tracks:

 

 

‘Lödarödböl’ kicks the door open with a straight-forward, hard-rocking ditty called “Swing.” This is a great song to lead off with, because of its hard-driving rhythm, but even before the song ends, there’s a tempo drop that starts the downward spiral into the essence of the album. Slow droning at times, melodic at others, but perfectly constructed to tell its story.

“Lanesplitter” is the next stop on this Dantean trek to the ninth level of Hell. This slow groove really allows Parker to cut loose on some damned respectable soloing that fills the low hollows between the vicious riffs. “Young Concussion” is a slight deviation from the low-end heaviness of the last song. Nevertheless, its heavy-hitting melody offers a more hard-rocking layer to the album.

“Battleweed.”  Damn! This is the epicenter of the album’s low-end, and lyrical soul. “Battleweed” is the song that stays in my mind all of the time!

“Love Has Passed Me By” is already streaming in video on YouTube below, and rightly so. It showcases Parker’s Morrison/Ocasek inspired vocals, which drive the song nicely. “Wyrm” is the final cut at the bottom of the void, and what a grinding ten minute epic! This one crushes in its mind-altering ability to pierce your soul!

Buy this album (digital stream/download and vinyl pressing are available on Greenbeard‘s Bandcamp page), then go back and grab ‘Stoned at the Throne,’ a remarkable album in its own right. Then catch them live. You will not regret any bit of it!

Tracklist:

01. Swing
02. Lanesplitter
03. Young Concussion
04. Battleweed
05. Love Has Passed By Me
06. Wyrm
07. Battleweed (teaser)

 

2017, Album Review, Bandcamp, Desert Rock, Greenbeard, Heavy Rock, Psych Rock, Red Room Recording, Resonant Mastering, Stoner Rock, Texas