(Grindcore
Karaoke Records)
Review by Beert
Disclaimer: I was way
into this band prior to this album coming out. I had the privilege of playing a
show with them in a small venue in my hometown, and drooled incessantly for
this release to come out. The record will be 2 years old this year, but it is a
vital part of my collection.
Romero plays a heavy/doom/stoner
style of music, if it must be classified. Not only did I know I was going to
enjoy this record from hearing their previous 7-inch release Solitaire (Triceratrax Records),
but upon pulling the beautiful red vinyl from the album sleeve, it was encased
in a black
inner sleeve. This individuality was truly appreciated—no white inner sleeve
like everyone else. This was going to be something special. And I wasn’t
disappointed.
Right from the start of
“Compliments & Cocktails,” you can’t help but start to bang your head, and
feel butterflies in your stomach. The music starts a little fast and chaotic,
and settles into some super catchy riffage. The tribal drums only add to this.
And the vocals aren’t the typical guttural growling/screaming associated with
this style of music. Jeff Mundt can sing. And his voice fits so well over the
guitars and drums, it comes across as almost another instrument in the band.
Not to disappoint, drummer Ben Brooks adds a deeper, gruffer vocal style, which
fits together with Mundt’s singing.
The album continues on
with so many hooks and catches, you can’t help but to immerse yourself in it.
“Couch Lock,” the second song, starts off mellow, bringing your heart rate to a
reasonable pace. It slowly builds into a heavy fucking song. Both vocalists
screaming over each other, the music pummels you into loving this. “Couch Lock”
then brings a well-tempoed guitar barrage that leads into one of the biggest
hooks on the album.
Heavier and heavier as
it moves, without resorting to super sludginess or extreme repetitiveness, Take
The Potion should
have you fully embraced and unaware of anything other than the music.
“Wheeling Dervish,” on
side 2, has a nice psychedelic interlude, and then rebuilds into a monolith of
audio. Definitely not taking away from the break in the marching of the monster
that Romero brings, the slower and lighter breaks mid-song bring you back to
the surface of your senses for a moment before you are once again immersed into
heavy guitars and a rhythm section that drives you like a cruel boss heading up
a prison chain-gang…yet you still beg for it.
Finishing up with “In
The Heather” is brilliant. Again, heavy hooks abound. Like a rock ‘n’ roll meat
locker. The vocal “Whoas” belted out by Mundt add what you didn’t know was
missing. The song would be great without them, but once you hear them, “In The
Heather” cannot exist without it.
This album continues to
provide great songwriting and heart as it carries on. The layers that are
built, song to song, are incredible. All members of Romero are very talented
masters of their craft. I really cannot list one issue with this album to
complain about.
Upon completion of
Romero’s Take The Potion, I feel like taking a road trip in a fully loaded semi—a
modern day incarnation of Jerry Reed’s “Snowman” from Smokey & The
Bandit,
with a “come along for the ride or get the fuck out of my way” attitude. Romero
should be the theme music for Galactus, wherever he roams to devour planets.
If you weren’t a Romero
fan from the start, Take The Potion will lead you down the path of righteousness and
you will appreciate the heavy.
Merchandise, including the album reviewed, can be purchased at:
Great to see a review of Romero. Beert you introduced me to them a couple years ago. Have been loving the band ever since. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI picked up the vinyl with the free download, great listen. Buy this album.
ReplyDeleteThe CD arrived yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI was sold with the reference to Smokey & The Bandit. These guys could tour with Conan.
ReplyDelete