Album Review: Sound Of Origin - The All Seeing Eye
Reviewed by Tim Finch
A sole bass note rings forth, raising from the darkness, a cymbal chimes. The note continues, gaining momentum, getting louder as a drum beat joins them. As the guitar kicks in the fuzzy instrumental introduction ‘Not Dead Yet’ reaches crescendo setting the stall out for the album to come.
For listeners new to Sound of Origin, this is how they are introduced to the bands new album ‘The All Seeing Eye’. The Huddersfield quartet formed in 2016 and have been a staple on the local stoner and fuzz scenes ever since. Following on from their 2017 E.P., ‘Seeds of the Past’ the band have now signed to legendary underground label APF Records and this new album is the first release in the partnership.
The bands style is interesting, throughout the album, the fuzzy heart of the band seeps through, that amazing bassline and wondrous guitar sound the driving force behind the group, Chris Foster keeping the band in line from the drum stool. But what stands out is the vocal performance. Joe Bulsara joined the outfit in 2018 and has forged his own path, his style not too dissimilar to that of Layne Staley of Alice in Chains. It’s unique, certainly for this genre of music, and helps the band stand out as something different from the norm.
Joe’s vocals shine on songs like ‘The All Seeing Eye’ and ‘Dim Carcosa’ the grunge fuelled style sitting nicely atop the fuzzy musical background. ‘Morning Bird’ is full of doomy licks, heavier than what has come before it, dark and dreary but keeping an element of fuzz there.
The album features heavy doses of Iommi worship, as you would expect from a band in the genre. However, a Black Sabbath clone they are not! With ‘The All Seeing Eye’, Sound of Origin deliver a unique dose of fuzzy, doomy stoner rock. Is it ground breaking? Probably not. But with Joe’s unique vocals it offers the listener something different from the norm, and that can only be a good thing!
'The All Seeing Eye' is released via APF Records on August 21st.
