Although June is quickly approaching, here in my hometown weather is really fucked up. For the last couple of days it's rainy, gloomy and the cold is just so unnatural for late May... But this is the perfect time to dig Aquanaut. Coming from Vancouver, Canada this four-piece act released their debut album - "Sunken Ark" - a month ago, featuring four tracks.
The first thing I noticed is that beside guitar, drums and bass, organ is used as a basic instrument which is a plus right from the beginning since I love its sound.
Aquanaut manage to create a Stygian atmosphere right from the first minutes of "Sunken Ark" (which is album's first track too). Their music would be described as a tenebrous, slow-crushing mix of doom, sludge and a ritual kind of heavy psych. Of course the lo-fi production (reminds me a lot of Ice Dragon's) plays a major role in amplifying sound's claustrophobic feeling.
Monster Magnet's early works, Electric Wizard and Sleep are definitely three of their main influences. I believe that Kenneth Anger's and Bobby Beausoleil's audio-visual combo, helped them a lot in exploring and finally giving form in their "destructive" ambience which is stronger especially in two tracks, "Flying Fortress" and "Galaxy Rider".
"Galaxy Rider" is by far the most epic song (including a lot of space rock references), building up slowly and leading in a quite majestic crescendo. "Bong Water River" is closing the album and I think its title says it all. A brilliant heavy as hell tune!
Most of their music is instrumental but when vocals make their appearance is definitely a plus. Desperate cries of pain, enforcing the gloominess. "Sunken Ark" is undoubtedly a not miss. These orphic Canadian knights have just created a modern-day round table for all you Ḥashshāshīns out there. Gather round and listen to Sabbah's guidance...
Written by Thanos
Tracklist:
01. Sunken Ark
02. Flying Fortress
03. Galaxy Rider
04. Bong Water River
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