The Eyes Are Set upon You

Now that's its time to creep out of ye old comfort zone, I wish to draw attention towards one of the latest and cool Inverse Records promos which, until recently, dwelled without ceremony or fanfare here at the thrown chair kingdom. The act in question consists of Helsinki's Zombie Rodeo, a five man manifestation of secular stoner rock grooves also imbued with originality prone tactics such as ghostly female chanting, growly throat expelled cookie fiend vocals and synthesized touches of culturally occultic accompaniment.

For starters, the brief, semi-eponymous introduction "Eyes Upon You" languidly begins to sound of chill guitar plucking soon cast in dour light thanks to waxing and waning womanly croons, distorted strum lulls and a midway sampling of the twin axe duo's crystal clear, bluesy soloing - a nice preamble to next, proper track "Mind Infestation". Much more "metal" and grim in nature, it's where the craggy and gruff front man's indecipherable harks intertwine with said sapphic enchantment to create a tense, mechanical ambience ahead of top speed line drive "Night Jackals Howl".

Comparisons to Heavy Sentence and Nitrovolt emanate from its hypnotically riffed momentum which nears full-on thrash territory combined with a punk-like undercurrent of nastiness and rebellion. Furthermore, hyperactive lead assaults sprout in a manner akin to fire jutting from a (c)rusty smoke spew muffler. Along its rampage, Zombie Rodeo crunches forth doom laden stomps and a wickedly Pentagram-ish, vertiginous lead at height of "Unspeakable Fathoms", succeeded by wah-wah twisted finishing lacquer of twilit gloom. Lest I forget (sans brain), the latter closes with a weighty bass flow, beneath which kooky keys lend atmosphere of witchy malevolence and mystery.

Gate closer "The Burning Wasteland" shifts and shuffles itself around, helter skelter, whilst as-of-yet-unheard front ghoul's wizardly whispers mesh with feminine wiles to a slower beat overall, cresting perhaps Lucifer's early level of cosmic void and dark terror. Aside from two other EPs from 2016, let's (not) stay clear of Zombie Rodeo's eventual full-length stampede!