Winters
Black Clouds In Twin Galaxies
6.5
What’s lighter than a freshly fallen feather that's quietly resting on the tip of a kitten’s nose? The vocals on this record, that’s what’s lighter than a freshly fallen feather that's quietly resting on the tip of a kitten’s nose (who happens to be napping in a vibrant garden of daisies on a farm in Happytown during a lazy Sunday afternoon). Well, I’m here to say that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with thinking about kittens snoozing and knoodling and making a day fluffier, but I will say it’s not really a vision I’d like a hard rock/heavy metal album to conjure in my dome.
Okay, I’m being melodramatic. I can admit that. To be truthful, Black Clouds In Twin Galaxies has some really great music to grab hold of, and it’s a style that’s definitely fitting of Lee Dorrian’s Rise Above Records – big kickin’ guitars that hail the likes of Blue Cheer, Kiss, and even a semblance of early Nirvana at times; all swaddled in a healthy dose of Burning Saviours/Witchcraft-ish bell-bottomed doom for added pleasure. And the drummer really beats the hell outta the skins as well, which would make this a great record if it were simply instrumental…
But those vocals -- those ill-fitting vocals -- they really make Winters a difficult pill for me to swaller. Like Pentagram fronted by Elliot Smith. Like a hefty laser cannon that shoots tickle-bubbles. I just can’t get my arms around ‘em, so I guess I won’t be revisiting. If you're a fan of the style (and more forgiving than cranky ol' me), I'd say it's at least worth the time it takes to scoot over to the band's site and give their samples a listen. Just get ready to shnuggle-buggle with a kitten wrapped up in a ball of yarn.
