Dunsmuir

For the unapologetic metal ideologue, which includes yours truly, the advent of a darling of the alternative music scene seeking to dabble in heavier territory is usually marked by an annoying blend of amateur mistakes and intentional/unintentional condescension. Case and point, former Nirvana drummer turned Foo Fighters helmsman David Grohl's one-off foray into a murky blend of various metal sub-genres with an extensive cast of metal scene heavy-hitters dubbed Probot, which proved unworthy of the iconic voices it employed and an unmitigated mess of unfocused ideas that was, nevertheless, heralded as a mainstream darling showing the underground how it's done by various clowns in the music media. However, this does not preclude others of a similar persuasion from bringing something far more substantial to the table, and Clutch front man Neil Fallon managed to do that via a stand-alone project dubbed Dunsmuir.

Those who have followed Fallon's various ventures since the mainstream success of Clutch will note that his musical pallet is fairly eclectic, and his ventures alongside his band mates has been exclusively of an independent nature. As such, a foray into old school heavy metal with a stoner/doom vibe seems a logical step, especially given that along with fellow travelers via The Company Band Dave Bone and Brad Davis on guitar and bass respectively, the services of former Black Sabbath and Dio drummer Vinnie Appice have been tapped to round out this project. The resulting blend of 70s and 80s rock and metal tropes is sure to draw comparisons to the likes of Orange Goblin and Kyuss, with occasional flourishes of Corrosion Of Conformity when things get a bit nastier, and Black Sabbath when things lean into more orthodox territory. It's largely a straightforward presentation that sees Fallon's bellowing baritone ruling the roost while Appice's jam-happy kit work is also a key feature, while the songwriting approach is otherwise mostly streamlined and primed for rock radio.

While maybe not the most virtuosic presentation of old school metallic thunder to come down the pike, there is a rock solid blend of infectious riff work and a fuzz-driven, heavy edge that compensates for the lack of technical high-jinks with a much needed gusto factor. The quick-paced grooves of obvious bangers like "Hung On The Rocks", "The Bats (Are Hungry Tonight)" and "Orb Of Empire" definitely want for little in the power department, and though Bone's lead chops are sparsely employed and often consigned to recurring melodic hooks with a bluesy edge, the fierceness of his rhythm guitar work would definitely make Tony Iommi proud. Likewise, Davis' bass work often finds itself imitating Geezer Butler's signature tone and wandering character to a lesser degree, being most prominent on the more laid-back, Vol. 4-inspired fodder like "What Manner Of Bliss?" and especially the closest thing to an extended jam on this album "Church Of The Tooth", which could all but have been recorded in 1972 by the original Brummie quartet themselves.

A skeptical attitude from those who like to keep their metal free of interlopers looking to turn the art into another fleeting hipster fad may be inevitable, but this album fits so comfortably into the metal template that it doesn't sound like a one-off experiment by an alternative rock icon. This is a cohesive emulation of a defined style that could just as easily have been composed by a band of young upstarts looking to dedicate their subsequent efforts to the genre, and though it has been nearly 8 years since there was any activity from this fold, it's the type of project that has plenty of potential for additional studio entries should Fallon find the time between his three other active projects, one of them still likely filling arenas and giving all their aging post-grunge contemporaries a run for their money. Not quite a game-changer that might have shook up the doom scene in the mid-2010s, but far from a slouch to be sure.

I will admit that this review may be biased due to an unparalleled admiration for Clutch frontman and overall lyrical genius Neil Fallon, but even with my starry eyes, I felt that I could write up a fair review.

For those who were unaware, each song on this album relays a different point of view from crewmen stranded on an island by an unfortunate shipwreck. Some points of view are more easily discernible than others, but its quite a unique method to piece an album together, giving it a concept album feel without the necessity of having a straightforward order to the songs.

Musically, this is no prog rock pinnacle, nor hard hitting gut-puncher in any sense. It is instead a very back-to-the-basics rock and roll album, focusing more on simple riffs and a rock-solid rhythm foundation to grab the listener. There is a notable lack of flairs from the bass and guitar, but that winds up giving the drums more room to shine. Vinny Appice not only lays down a mean, straightforward rhythm, but gives us many memorable flourishes throughout the album.

Lyrically, it sounds like a less-emotional version of doom metal. Due both in part by Neil's signature gravel-road feeling voice and his incredibly lyrical ability, the album paints an entire story with each song. His ability to put listeners into whatever perspective the song needs is not amiss on this album. The last song (Crawling Chaos!) is a song written almost like a list, naming off countless mythical gods and figures inter-wound with the obligatory Lovecraft reference.

While the whole album is an incredibly sound and well-composed work of music, there are highlights to be had: 'What Manner Of Bliss' is a moody and melodic song that always seems to grip me harder with each listen. The riff change around the minute-thirty mark in 'Our Only Master' is filthily good, and there are countless small lines and vocal nuances that you'll have to listen to yourself. Trust me, it's worth it.

All that being said, no album is perfect. The Lovecraft references are almost too abundant, and the album can sound repetitive if you're only using it as background music. But these are small nits to pick over what is a truly underrated album.

I'm a Clutch junkie. I'll be the first to admit that, so anything that involves one of the members of this band will pique my interest, especially a band involving their mighty and distinct singer, Neil Fallon, who provides the band with a lot of its signature strange ideas and macho charisma. The addition of former Black Sabbath/Dio drummer Vinnie Appice is a strange addition, but a welcome one considering what he's put out over the course of his life. The lineup of Dunsmuir is finalized with Brad Davis of Fu Manchu on bass and Dave Bone from The Company Band on the guitar. The music contained within sounds a lot like Clutch, if only due to the fact that Fallon's vocals are so dominant and distinct that almost anything he's on sounds like Clutch. And yes, this is heavy metal with a stoner-ish bent to it (like Clutch) so of course it's going to sound similar. But the riffs on hand resemble a mixture of Sabbath-isms and traditional metal rather than Clutch's groovier music that ranges from borderline stoner metal (Pure Rock Fury) to bizarre blues rock (Beale Street to Oblivion). Dunsmuir is firmly rooted in crunchy old-school metal and stays true to that style.

Dunsmuir follows the old metal ethos well, and the strange stories Fallon tells have a strong Lovecraftian and turn-of-the-century circa 1900 bent. I don't need to go further into his vocals as his performance is mighty as usual, the verses are interesting, and the choruses are catchy and sharp, allowing him to really shine. The riffs on here have much more of a gallop to them and much more rising and activity than expected. There are some songs that do feel very regular if serviceable, but there are some great standout pieces like "Hung on the Rocks", "The Bats (Are Hungry Tonight)", and "What Matter of Bliss?". The whole album is filled with these Black Sabbath-meets-Judas Priest guitar passages with Clutch vocals that pack a lot of punch, even if what you get is extremely straightforward. No need to reinvent the wheel when you can hack it like the best of 'em did back in the day and the songs are still full of energy. If you have a hankering for some beefy-ass metal like the old ones used to make, Dunsmuir will scratch your itch. Fellow Clutch junkies will find a lot to grow on with this, though I can see some people labeling this as strong, but basic.

A lot of what happens on here can be chalked up to an appreciation for old hard rock and using that to create some music with a lot of muscle and some good riffing. Fans of Black Sabbath or Trouble, and of course, Clutch will get a lot out of this with all the familiar sounds of the bands mentioned channeled through Dunsmuir's music. The songs are all hard rockin' with an impassioned vocal performance that feels explosive in its intensity, but many of them feel similar, even though there are many good ones and a few that stick. This is a fun album, if a bit average ,but the chorus to "The Bats (Are Hungry Tonight)" and the melody to "What Matter of Bliss?" are definitely high points that are memorable and will occasionally drag me back to this. I guess the songs on here will tend to be growers, but for something with a bit more kick, I'd just go after the nearest Clutch album I can find. A lot of the music on here feels regular, but still, this is a decent piece of old-school metal from some of my favorite rockers.