Sweden's retro stroner/doom act Greenleaf now find themselves on Napalm Records with the release of their new platter of beefy sounds, titled Rise Above the Meadow. Now six albums in, Greenleaf have a history of constant line-up changes, but for Rise Above the Meadow they are configured with mainstay Tommi Holappa (guitar), Sebastian Olsson (drums), Hans Frohlich (bass), and Arvid Jonsson (vocals). Fans of Black Sabbath, Clutch, The Sword, Horisont, Queens of the Stone Age, Graveyard, and Witchcraft certainly will find this album instantly appealing with its heavy riffs, thunderous grooves, and psychedelic flair.
The two openers, "A Million Fireflies" and "Funeral Pyre" hit quite hard, as massive riffs from Holappa propel over pounding drums, all the while Jonsson's Ozzy-meets-Jim Morrison styled vocal delivery snarls and soars. "Golden Throne" is part ZZ Top bluesy boogie and part Pentagram influenced early doom, while the atmospheric "Carry Out the Ribbons" seems to have come out of a time capsule from 1972. The creepy "Levitate and Bow (Pt. 1 & 2)" sees psych & prog elements intermingle for a bit, giving off an eerie vibe, before the skull crushing finale attacks with plenty of ferocity. These guys also know how to craft upbeat, hard rock party anthems, such as "Tyrants Tongue" and "You're Gonna Be My Ruin", clear evidence that they listened to those early KISS albums at some point in their lives.
Rise Above the Meadow might not be the most eye popping throwback to the '70s you'll hear this year, but it's certainly a contender and worth your time. Plenty of crunchy riffs, memorable melodies, addicting grooves, and strong vocals permeate this very solid album, one that I can easily recommend.
Track Listing
1) A Million Fireflies
2) Funeral Pyre
3) Howl
4) Golden Throne
5) Carry Out the Ribbons
6) Levitate and Bow (Pt. 1 & 2 )
7) You're Gonna Be My Ruin
8) Tyrants Tongue
9) Pilgrims
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