The Hidden Hand
"Divine Propaganda" CD
MeteorCity
Records
Genres: stoner rock, doom rock, metal
MeteorCity
PO Box 40322
Albuquerque NM
87196
Dec 22 - 28 2003 |
Whoosh.
Divine Propaganda is heavy, heavy album. With stoner rock
legend Scott 'Wino' Weinrich at the helm, it's no wonder The
Hidden Hand kicks so much ass. Him, along with supporting
members Dave Hennessy and Bruce Falkinburg, have created
a suffocating, intense album that combines hard rock song structure
with punk-influenced political commentary. Environmentally-charged "Damyata" and media-conscious
"Tranquility Base" are perfect samples of the band's
sound. The lyrics deal with social issues, while the music
focuses on the rock. The latter, "Tranquility Base,"
is one of the best. Combining Sabbath-calibre riffs and
thought-provoking albeit relatively cliché lyrics ("Look at the moon and
don't forget/Outer space or a movie set?/Must be real if it's on
TV"), the track is an absolutely smothering affair that attacks
the listener's ears.
Other highlights include "The Hidden Hand [theme]" and
explosive rocker "For All The Wrong Reasons." These
tracks meld doom rock mayhem with pure melody. Each one is like
a whack on the head. With a brick. That's on fire.
All in all, this is an excellent stoner rock album that should be
enjoyed by any serious hard rock fan. Divine Propaganda
is one of the finest doom rock artifacts 2003 has produced.
86%
Matt Shimmer
[Vitals: 10 tracks, distributed by the
label, released 2003] |
