Big Okie Doom - The Trail

Big Okie Doom

The Trail

by Jeff Legg at 08 May 2015, 4:42 PM

Like everything that’s controlled by the masses and celebrated by the pop culture media-controlled cliques, the popularity of musical genres is cyclical. While facing extinction because their brand of music is no longer selling, if an artist has the luxury of waiting out a decade long drought, the chances are great that the dying genre will come back around in popularity. But because the pursuit of fame and fortune is the main objective of most wannabe “Rock Stars”, the majority of them are left with a big decision to make; sell out and play the style of music that is trending now, play music as a weekend hobby, or find another career path. Of course, the rare  “lifer”, the real musicians that play from their soul, don’t care about the status quo and play what they feel, regardless of the lifestyle that it offers them.

For “lifer” Stoner/Doom Rock band, BIG OKIE DOOM, a transformation has never been an option, opting to stay the course rather than “selling out”. Hailing from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and consisting of Michael Albatross on guitar/vocals, Price Vernon on bass, and Paige Vernon on drums, this trio of veteran musicians bears a level of commitment and passion for their craft, generally reserved for the most proficient and authentic of artists. With one of the most original, genuine Stoner sounds I’ve heard in recent years, compromising their style to please anyone but themselves, would be an injustice to their musical values. B.O.D. possesses the “every-man”, street-level authentic qualities that should be required of any artist wanting to become a real “Rock Star”. It’s these types of bands, playing music with relative anonymity while expecting nothing in return, that usually end up being instrumental in the careers of the next generation, resulting in more gratification than anything fame and fortune might afford them. These are the real “Rock Stars”.

On their new full-length album, “The Trail”, B.O.D. display the full battery of Stoner Rock fundamentals; a stomping bottom end, groovy bass-heavy guitar riffs, and classic “in your face vocals”. Each of the nine tracks on the record bring you to a state of mood altering, ear intoxication, with “Ghost of Talulah” being the strongest dose. Although BIG OKIE DOOM has their own recognizably distinct sound, there are noticeable influences present of bands from which they draw inspiration. Beneath the thick layers of originality, there are shreds of TOOL’s haunting and heavy psychedelic vibe, blended together with the chunky guitar riffs and vocal patterns similar to CLUTCH. Working for Metal Temple and being a huge Stoner Rock fan, I listen to an obsessive amount of this brand of music, and “The Trail” is an infectious, instant classic. Plain and simple, BIG OKIE DOOM play Stoner Rock the way it should be played.

BIG OKIE DOOM was Stoner Rock, when Stoner Rock wasn’t cool. Now that this genre is starting to gain traction and become trendier, they should have no problem selling their brand. B.O.D. has the potential to become more of a “big name” than they’ve ever anticipated, and it’s not because they’ve changed their style to meet the trend; the trend is coming back to them. These guys are “lifers” and I’ve got a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot more from them in the near future.