Album Review: Godzilla Was Too Drunk To Destroy Tokyo - Sideral Voivod
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
If there was an award at the end of each year for the band with the name that made me laugh the most, then this one would certainly rank highly. It’s not one that rolls off the tongue, but I was intrigued enough to want to review it, as a band with that name surely must be packing something special, right?
Well, from the opening drum roll by Nicola Viola, on “Interstellar Greyhound” I was smiling a lot and from there on in, they are indeed bringing something special, as this is catchy as hell. The Italian trio from Calice Ligure formed the band in 2022 and are fronted by Sara de Luca who wields her mighty bass, with Alessandro “Camu” Camurati, adding the fuzz drenched riffs that adorn the album.
“Icarus” is a powerhouse of a song from start to finish, and will earn them lots more fans, as they combine elements of sludge, stoner and a sprinkling of psych. The bass sound from Viola, more affectionately known as The Evil Lord, is the true driving force and allows Camu to show his stuff, with an array of stunning riffs that will have your body shaking.
With album title track “Sideral Voivod” they add more noise to their composition, with the rhythm dominating over a more mysterious vocal. The build-up is superb and it’s one of those songs that you don’t want to end, as its controlled chaos and it leads into “Sasquatch’s Eyes” which once again demonstrates their love of the riff, with a slower mid-section that keeps you smiling throughout. “Ouija Witch” offers something different at the start, before it’s back to their now familiar raw sounding stoner grooves, that are laced in an acidic fuzz that works so well.
I’m loving the fact that the songs sound a bit unhinged yet are hypnotic and I feel that I’m being put under an Italian spell as they push their own boundaries as far as possible. They have great songs titles like “Telekinetic Thunder Yeti” but they back this up as the songs are wonderfully crafted kaleidoscopes of sonic booms. I would love to hear these live as I can only imagine that they are quite a force in a small club, and “King Bong” is the highlight for me. Just over two minutes of doom inspired manic madness, with fuzz-soaked riffs, huge drums, heavy bass that clash to make a song that people are going to love.
They’ve stuck a prelude in next, which to me, serves no purpose, as the songs speak for themselves, and thankfully we are back to more of their usual format with “Whale”. It sees the drums more prominent in parts, which is great to hear, and the rhythm section is on fire throughout “Space Leech” as the band build on their 70’s sci fi film narrative. The riff from Camu that kicks off “Worship the Middle” is a thing of beauty, but the song loses a bit in the middle before the power comes back to the rescue.
The penultimate song of the album is called “Stomp”, and the consistent beat will induce a sore neck as you nod along to it. The bass section from Viola in the middle, drips of evil intent and the trio have thrown many styles into a melting pot and managed to come up with a strong set of songs that are raw and crazy. The journey ends with “Summer in the Void” and is another one that will leave you with a sinister looking grin.
