Album Review: Sonic Taboo - Sonic Taboo
Reviewed by Neil Bolton
This debut album, from New York instrumental rockers Sonic Taboo, was originally digitally released in June 2020. Heavily influenced by the motorcycle / skate board culture, this self titled album began to gather traction from the press and fans alike. Now teamed up with label Interstellar Smoke Records two physical copies, one standard black and the other Clear/Orange splatter, are on the horizon.
A cover illustration, from English artist Matt Wilkins, gives you some insight into the world you are about to dive into.
This world is built on the foundations of a slow brief opening track in a stoner doom kind of vibe. This then leads into 'The Valley of the Dolls'; this wonderfully groovy, happy little number glides along in confident style. The tempo quietens and then builds once more with cool guitar work and sounds. 'Emotional Haze' continues the swagger with a guitar howl leading into a more raw style riff, harping back to the doom atmosphere created earlier, interspersed with calmer sections before the metal groove seeps in once more. Tracks such as 'Planet Terror' shine out as extremely well crafted songs.
The band must know that their music has to be good and skilled enough to hold a listener without the focal point of a vocalist. In fact at no point during this album has the thought of a singer entered my head. The songs are just so well written and performed. The fleeting beauty of 'Fogbow' is a wonderful example of skill it takes to write a bewitching, short instrumental track, in-between ten other instrumental metal tracks and not be boring or repetitive. This is to be applauded.
The groovy riff laden sound of 'Black Chopper' conjures up images of a smokey rock bar where used uncollected beer glasses sit along side dirty shot glasses gathering dust and flies. Not one person in this scenario is complaining as they are all concentrating on the band on stage performing their varied instrumental numbers; and, of course, the lady on the the cover art is waiting outside, guarding her bike.
Enjoyable fuzzy riffs permeate through the core of this album from its start to finish, it show-cases the band’s talent with their respective instruments, along side their song writing skills. It certainly keeps me as a listener entertained and interested in more.
