It’s a no-brainer that a stoner/desert rock revolution is brewing in Greece for some time now. And the latest musical offering to come out of the Hellenic Republic is Coast of Immortals, the fifth LP by Hazy Sea, a three-piece instrumental ensemble based out of Kavala, a city in Northern part of the country.
These stoner sailors, who have been a part of the burgeoning Greek stoner rock scene since 2015, have cut five albums in the last three years. And their latest outing has beautifully wrapped up their influences to deliver ten guitar-driven solid tracks that are steeped in nostalgia without being pretentious or clichéd and trust me, are exploding with refreshing originality and flavour. While the album has its share of spacey, oceanic feels, it also rocks hard with tons of stinging guitar lines, Southern rock-fried grooves and raucous bluesy slides. Straight up, this album is a guitarist’s delight, boasting of juicy solos that should become fodder for all aspiring bedroom guitarists to bite into.
The album begins with the title track loaded with a strident swing swirling in tightly constructed melodies and conjuring up images of the sea vistas. The second track, Atlantis, is an honest-to-God Southern rock anthem filled with an infectious holding riff and spacy guitar sonic experiments. Next is The West Side of East, which starts off with Greek instrumentation perpetuated by a haunting middle-Eastern guitar riff that veers off into prog-rock territory and then swiftly flows into bluesy Southern rock. Waves of Eternity is awash with riffs bursting with hope and kind of imparts a message – always look at the brighter side of life! The palm-muted guitars meeting slide licks played out over a loopy beat makes this one a sure hit.
Black Seagull is my favourite track in this LP. Bursting with some great hooks and bluesy licks, this one will make you turn up your volume for sure. The next numbers - Mermaid, Mud, Seahorse Rider and Mojo River - are all great arrangements. While the sub-2-minute Mud showed some Zeppelin-ish tones, Mojo River goes back into swampy territory with some smouldering slide and resonator guitars. End of Days, the aptly titled last track, brings a soft, mellow and almost melancholy closure to an engaging instrumental journey.
What is striking about this album is the art of cohesive songcraft. It's a rich gamut of well-written, well-arranged songs that twist and turn, explode with creativity and musicianship, yet hold a listener’s attention without losing direction. However, it’s the bass section where this album lacks a punch. By adding a dash of rumble and heaviness in the said section and a dirtier production could have done this LP a world of good. Also, for a stoner rock band, this album distinctly lacks a psychedelic feel, which I found a little surprising.
The writer is an opinionated geezer with love for music, beer, pot, art, tattoos and explorations. He believes life wouldn't be the same without Led Zeppelin or the warmth of sunshine, people and tube amps.
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