Sheev is a metal band from Germany that blends stoner rock, progressive metal, doom, and a touch of psychedelia on their brand new release for Ripple Music, Ate's Alchemist.
Opening instrumental "The Alchemist" gets things going, and that leads into
"Martef", a heavy track, with some massive riffs that remind me of And Justice for All era Metallica as well as vintage Mastodon. Grooves that never end, riffs that keep on pummeling. Outstanding.
Next up is "King Mustard II", a chugging gem, with vocals that remind me of Mastodon, but man, there's some serious bottom end here.
The moody and piledriving "Elephant Trunk" follows, with tasty lead guitar work over a steadfast riff and intricate drumming. The haunting vocals again remind me of Mastodon. This is a good one, nearly 8 minutes long, and I like the little psychedelic touches as well.
For more Metallica-influenced metal, check out "Henry", a song with massive riffing, a chilling doomy vibe, and a crushing middle breakdown section.
That moves into "Cul De Sac", and I dig the Middle Eastern opening, and then the booming heavy riffs to follow. There are some Alice in Chains-styled vocals, and this one clocks in at nearly 9 minutes, and it's one of my favorites here.
"Tudelut" has an opening drum blast that gives way to complex riffery which recalls Gojira in spots. This one bumps and grinds quite nicely , more Alice in Chains styled vocal harmonies, bass player is clear in the mix and doing some cool stuff. Another highlight here.
The album closes with "Sabress", which is close to 9 minutes long, labyrinth style riffing, totally dig the vibe of this one, and the drumming is off the charts, with more of those haunting Alice in Chains meets Mastodon styled vocals, and the riffs are killer.
Quality stuff here, and I think this will appeal to a wide variety of metal listeners. Perhaps the album is a tad on the longish side, but that's a minor gripe really, as there are so many great headbanging moments, and I like the blend of styles throughout.
Track Listing
1.
The Alchemist 01:24
2.
Martef 06:48
3.
King Mustard II 06:09
4.
Elephant Trunk 07:45
5.
Henry 05:33
6.
Cul De Suc 08:25
7.
Tüdelüt 05:01
8.
Sabress 08:54
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