Not wanting to miss out on the '70s styled heavy rock/proto-metal craze that's going on lately, Prosthetic Records is working with Bad Omen Records to distrubute Hic Abundant Leones (strange title), the debut release from Swedish act The Tower. A few of the members have spent time in other notable bands, but their love for '70s hard rock, boogie, and psychedelia have brought them together to create this very enjoyable album. "Lucy" has a psych/doom feel to it, bringing to mind early Pentagram as well as vintage Black Sabbath, complete with heavy riffs and wah-wah guitar leads. The beefy riffs and shuffling rhythms of "Lions at the Gate" remind of Cream and Cactus, while "Pine Tree Mary" and "Adrenalawine" fall right in with what modern acts Graveyard and Witchcraft are doing. The lengthy "Moonstoned" packs plenty of drama with its heavy riffing, and "Wounds" chugs along like classic Black Sabbath or Budgie. The best is saved for last with the near 12-minute, herculean "The Tower", a psych/occult/doom drenched masterpiece, loaded with ominous riffs, spooky Jim Morrison influenced vocals, stabbing guitar solos, and menacing atmosphere.
If you want to be taken back to the 1968-1973 era, look no further. Hic Abundant Leones brings plenty of psychedelia, hard rock, proto-metal, and doom to the table, and signals the arrival of a band I'm sure we'll be hearing plenty of intriguing sounds from for years to come.
Track Listing
- Non Omnis Moriar
- Adrenalawine
- Exile
- Lucy
- Lions at the Gate
- Pine Tree Mary
- Moonstoned
- Wounds
- The Tower
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