Album Review: Duskwood - The Last Voyage
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
Being the untalented person that I am, I will never get that feeling of excitement that musicians must get as they are set to release new material to the world, even more so when it’s on legendary label Ripple Music, but this is what heavy rockers Duskwood, are about to experience, and with influences from Kyuss to Wolfmother, Clutch to QOTSA, it’s a highly anticipated record.
And judging from the opening song 'Vagrant', this is an album that is screaming for attention, with some heavy sun-baked grooves being supplied from guitarist Greg Watts, superbly complimented by the vocals of Liam Tinsley. It’s a fast and hard hitting start from the Somerset four piece, and I’m intrigued to see what comes next.
With the release of 'The Last Voyage' it will pose as the final piece in the epic saga of a time-travelling space cowboy that the band started telling on their debut, and these hard riffs are set to take you out of this world. 'Gammon Lord' begins with the bass from Aaron Tinsley and drums from Hugh Landon, taking centre stage, before the guitar come exploding in, rocketing the song forward, it is both fearless and relentless. And this continues with 'She Calls', a true heavy rock n` roll song, with powerful vocals once again propelling the song. The rhythm is controlled and will certainly become a crowd favourite.
Throughout the album, you can tell who their main influences are they have tried to create songs that will immerse the listener, and with 'Blackhand', this is demonstrated perfectly, the slow build up, hypnotic drums and bass shining through, as you are being transported to another dimension. It’s a soft, well-constructed song, bit nonetheless packing a powerful punch.
'Iliad' gives off all sorts of crazy vibes, but keeps the head rocking and the feet tapping, with another strong vocal performance really dominating the song. And then you come to my favourite track of the album, 'Skyriders'. It's one of those songs that you could listen to over and over again, which I have done, as its exquisite, and takes you on a journey all of its own. With highs and lows, peaks and troughs throughout, it gives the song great balance, and is superbly crafted and performed.
The final two songs, 'Deathproof' and 'Legacy' provide more of the same razor sharp riffs with gritty vocals, adding great depth to the album, and proving that Duskwood could be ready to embark on a journey all of their own with this breakthrough release.
