Review For The Down Under Band, Dark Blues Project:

Review for the Australian based, Dark Blues Project, for their latest release, Howl At Her Light, out now! (bandcamp and all streaming platforms)

Alright, so some of you may recognize this band, and I'm happy about that, that means you're either already a fan, or you've read our previous review of the song, Howl At Her Grace awhile ago. Well, now the full release is out, and the other tracks on this EP are pretty fantastic so let's dive in!

Mixing elements of 70s fuzz rock, prog rock, doom metal, sludge, even some funky elements with some very groovy, yet heavy riffs, this release seems to encapsulate their overall vision of their musical craft quite well here without being too much to take in. Some bands seem to beat you over the head with specific styles and drone on and on within these genres of music, but these guys seem to tease you just enough so you don't get burnt out on a riff.

First off, let's go over Ancient One Arises. The opening track starts off with some mystical, mysterious woodwind instrumentation before crushing you with that thick bottom heavy tone of theirs. The vocals are just as I remembered them, reminds me of The Sword, which already puts a smile on my face. Solid guitar work with some killer solos, tribal drums and skull shattering bass licks are strewn about this slow tempo, stomp-fest of an opening track. Makes me imagine witches or pagans dancing around a pyre in the middle of the woods under the pale moonlight.

The title track, Howl At Her Light is up next and it's just as good as I remember the demo version of it being. This more polished version still retains its rough around the edges sound but is pulled all together with this release. Hats off for not messing up a good thing because this song truly does kick ass. The solo work in this song is simply phenomenal. It still gave me those same goosebumps that the demo version did. You really have to listen to this song, it's a serious shred fest! And that ending riff, A+++ gentleman. Rock the absolute fuck on!

Lost In The Dream follows and as odd as it sounds, this track gives me old school Metallica vibes mixed with old Black Sabbath. This is a banger that's upbeat and gets you moving. Even the vocals here remind me of a young Hetfield on the mic. The guitar solos in this track seem to really lend to the overall feel of this song which feels like it's taking you on some sort of journey. Wherever it's taking us, I'm all about the ride with it, this track is another solid banger.

Moving along nicely on our musical journey finds us staring into the depths with Ballad Of The Void. An almost emotional feeling song that I feel captures this bands full potential here. Poweful, heavy, groovy and catchy as hell. This might barely surpass Howl At Her Light, but only slightly just because the song structure here is fantastic.

Closing out this rather wonderful listening experience is See Her In The Stars, an almost power metal meets traditional American metal sounding track which seems to also harken back to bands like The Who or Cheap Trick. A very interesting mix on this track but they pull it off well. A exquisitely fitting and driving end to a very solid release.

These guys are definitely worth your attention here. These songs are very well thought out and this was simply put, a EP that was fun as hell to listen to. I enjoyed every headbanging moment of this release and I give it a solid 9 out of 10. Do yourselves a favor and give them a follow on their social media pages and grab a copy of this album on their bandcamp. I look forward to hearing where these guys go and just how deep into the void they take us.

Review by Joshuah Jones, bassist of The Obsidian Resurrection

- Per Musicam Unitum Stamus, In Music We Stand United -