Album Review: Wizard Rifle – Wizard Rifle (Svart Records)

Wizard Rifle emerged from the metal groundswell of Portland Oregon in 2009 bent on annihilating the complacency of genre pigeonholes and throwback tropes. Their elusive sound contorts and leaps from sludgy and psychedelic, to thrash, noise and beyond, accented by vocal harmonies and shouts.

They will release their self titled 3rd album on 30th August 2019 through Svart Records.

Eschewing traditional song structure, Wizard Rifle’s self titled release is chaotic and captivating music. A literal throwing of everything into a blender and churning it up into what we hear here. It’s gross to look at, about as appealing as a brick to the face but hold your nose, shut your eyes and drink deep because the tastiness of it will surprise. Enough so that one mouth full just won’t be enough.

Five tracks of varying length but each one passing the 7-minute mark. That does mean we get jammed packed listens with about as much order as a pack of starving dogs who have had a piece of steak thrown into their midst.

That’s sure to put some people off but they would be missing out as the hyperactivity of Rocket to Hell, the uber-catchiness of Caveman Waltz with its increasing tempo, the absorbing psychedelic post-like rhythms of Funeral for the Sun and the rocking fuzz of V.

It’s an album that demands your attention and repeated plays. Trust me, you’ll certainly give it.

Wizard Rifle – Wizard Rifle Full Track Listing:

1. Rocket to Hell
2. Caveman Waltz
3. Beneath the Spider
4. Funeral for the Sun
5. V

Links

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