Thursday, May 5, 2011

[Review] Planet Of Zeus - Macho Libre

Goddamn! At last Planet Of Zeus' new release finally took its place in my player! Three years passed from their first album but it totally worth the time.

Put on your truck hat and boots, get some booze and tobacco and let these gents take you a trip to U.S. south.
Signed to a new label, their second album is heavier, tighter and more complex than their first one. These guys worked enough these years in order to build more well-structed tunes with a straight in your face attitude.

The songs are meant to play live and loud (actually you get this live feeling, listening to "Macho Libre"). They are made for partying. You know, couple of friends, a pack of beers, put some Planet of Zeus on and all your problems are gone.

Clear and heavy production, giving you a fat sound (the two guitars help in that in a major degree)  that lets you feel the band's fury and energy.
Babis has worked his vocals and took them a step further by making them more intense and harsh (I love his accent, his grandpa probably was born somewhere in NOLA). Using two guitars, Yog along with Babis, was one of the best choices the band made. And that's because the sound became thicker and it's like a total riff fest. Jay pumps up the heaviness with his thick bass vibes underneath and Syke's powerful and dynamic drumming punches you in the face.

Here we have an album full of great heavy groove-ridden tunes that blast your head, with some breaks like "Unicorn without a horn" and "Hazelnut" which are more acoustic and trippy just to let you take a breath. Personal favorites are "Dawn of the dead", "Leftovers", "Vanity suit"...Well, the whole disc is a personal favorite.

They don't fear to show their influences but they manage to incorporate them, make them part of their sound (and not the other way). They don't invent something new (who says they want to!) but they are having their own identity and manage to make something fresh, addictive and an absolutely awesome companion for this summer.

As a conclusion, Planet of Zeus proved that they lead Greece's stoner/heavy rock vanguard (as I have said, I personally put them in #1 at this point). They released a totally professional work which stands at the same level as many major bands' releases. And I believe that they are one from the few Greek bands which are capable to record an album, live at studio. Check them out and don't miss them if you have the chance to see them live! Macho Libre is here to take your head in a silver plate!

Tracklist:
1. Doteru
2. Dawn Of The Dead
3. Leftovers
4. Vanity Suit
5. Unicorn Without A Horn
6. Macho Libre
7. The Ballad Of Boston George
8. Apocalypse
9. The Game
10. Scream
11. Hazelnut (R.I.P)

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