Album Review: Syncolima - Move Mountains
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
Whenever you get an album that starts with one hell of a funky bass line like the beginning of opening track “Gluten Free Toast” then you know that you are in for a treat, a sweet one with some gluten in for those that like that!!
I saw the three-piece Nottinghamshire riff machine cause chaos at Smoke on Trent in April, and was immediately drawn to their stoner rock grooves, thunderous drums and moving melodies, so was intrigued to hear what this latest album would be like. And I ‘m happy to announce that it doesn’t disappoint. They play simple, heavy riffs, and play them damn well. Listen to the opening of “Mistakes Were Made” and the way they change tempos with ease yet have explosions of power all over the place.
“Shipwrecked” was the first single released to give you a sniff of what was to come, and it’s destined to become their anthem. It has a decadent guitar tone from Josh Morgan, cruising over the top of the rabble-rousing rhythm section created by Harry Redfern on drums and Stoff on bass, and the midway section is just sublime. They don’t give your head and body a moment’s rest with another corker of a track called “Black Dog and the Bleak Sky”. The bass line is on fire and drives the song, which has elements of prog bursting out all over the place, and will no doubts be a staple of their live performances.
Now I do remember hearing the next track live because of the symbolic title, “Kill All the Billionaires” and I thought then it was a brute of a track, that hits hard, both lyrically and musically. It has a sludgy undertone and killer riff, that allows Morgan to show more vocally. “Ouroboros” is next, and has a different feel to it, perhaps more alternative/indie in its approach, with a bit of shoegaze thrown in for good measure. It kind of shouldn’t fit in, but somehow does, as it has some nice heavier sounding grooves wrapped around a flowing bass sound.
The album title track is the penultimate song on the album, and it’s abundant in riffs that I adore, with a groove that makes you pull a mean face as you air guitar and scream along to the lyrics. It’s unbelievably catchy and from 3 mins onwards, it changes and leaves you smiling even more. “The House We Build” brings up the rear and adds a further touch of class to the album, with a slow brooding beginning, and moves effortlessly between the gears. It ebbs and flows beautifully, showcasing each member’s talents and completes one hell of an album that will impress many.
