IV Monument, the fourth release from Sweden's Sideburn, is further proof that the retro juices are flowing in a big way throughout that country, and thankfully a lot of it is being discovered and presented to the world by Transubstans Records. Drinking at the well of all things Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Pentagram, Rainbow, UFO, Rush, and Scorpions, Sideburn have put together 9 songs here bursting with '70s bluesy hard rock & metal thunder, powerful vocals, the occasional tasty Hammond organ, and pounding, groove laden rhythms. The band is comprised of Morgan Zocek ( Lead Guitar, Vocals), Jani Kataja (Lead Vocals, Guitar, Bass), Martin Karlsson (Bass, Organ, Vocals), and Fredrik Haake (Drums), and the four musicians have created an album with memorable, heavy rockin' tunes that any lover of vintage hard rock should enjoy.
With albums like this, it all comes down to the riffs, and IV Monument has plenty of them. The shadow of Black Sabbath & Pentagram looms large on tracks such as "Diamonds" and "Fire and Water", as Morgan Zocek provides massive, bone crunching riffage and wild, searing solos that just scream 1974. "Tomorrow's Dream" takes a different turn, cranking up the tempo and adding soaring vocal melodies & keyboards for a take on the Rainbow/Deep Purple playbook, highlighed by the majestic vocals of Kataja, who really is a fine singer. The melancholy "Crossing the Lines" features lilting, doomy chords and organ, while the mammoth "The Last Day" is a crushing slice of progressive doom (vintage Rainbow meets Black Sabbath) complete with powerful vocals and huge guitar riffs. Other highlights include the brooding doom of "The Saviour" and the more complex "Bring Down the Rain", which shows the more progressive side of the band. The band even approaches Led Zeppelin styled folky, epic hard rock on the grand "Monument", a real majestic & melodic track to close out the CD.
Damn impressive from start to finish, IV Monument takes the listener through a journey of vintage and modern sounds from doom, hard rock, classic rock, blues, and progressive metal. It's a great listen, and another winner from the folks at Transubstans.
Track Listing
01. Diamonds
02. Fire And Water
03. Tomorrows Dream
04. Crossing The Lines
05. The Last Day
06. Silverwing
07. The Saviour
08. Bring Down The Rain
09. Monument
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