Groan – The Sleeping Wizard

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When a debut album contains tracks like the mind blowing “Ride Of The Antichrist” and the ‘groovy ‘n’ bitch-y’ “Witchy Woman” then it could not but to be considered as a total success. The quartet from the four corners of the UK seems to know how to handle the music time machine with performing skills on guitars’ riffage, laying down a mix of stoner rock/ doom tunes, peppering with 70s’ keyboards and leading by a sludgy bass line that reminds of the mighty SLEEP. There are so many bands out there, that have adopted this specific music style, trying to imitate the ‘BLACK SABBATH & co’ but, unfortunately, result in failure, being a cheap, indifferent imitation and nothing more. GROAN is one of the 3 or 4 exceptions in this rule nowadays, confirming what I just said.

“The Sleeping Wizard” is the debut effort of GROAN and the acoustic result is amazing! The main ingredients are heavy and catchy riffs in every song, a talented vocalist which took a header into some 70s hallucinogen blend (influencing his voice) and a lot of inspiration of course, that overcomes the hackneyed formula that we are used to listen to from many stoner/ doom Metal bands. Every single track serves a dual purpose in this album and the highlight is definitely the self-titled “The Sleeping Wizard” that is placed penultimate, leaving the scepters of dominion to “Ancient Space (Master Of Time)” that closes the album in total doom-ness, playing that killer, SABBATH-worshiping riff during the 4 minutes. “Alright now” a voice just said and the ghost of Ozzy Osbourne His Majesty just disappeared among the thick, English and purple (!) fog. The album’s 27 minutes belong to the past history. That’s too soon, you know. Or not? You see, there are no fillers here.

Which ancient myth just awakes the ‘Sleeping Wizard’? Or, he is still sleeping? Hmm, I don’t think so; witches, demons, kings and others apparitions of the misty forests are always out there and waiting to catch their helpless victims; a ‘groan’ in the woods’ twigs is enough for you to be caught. Especially, this GROAN and the spaced out medieval heavy power fuzz rock they play.