Album Review: Kaiser - 2nd Sound
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
I’m assuming that like most people, my knowledge of the Finnish stoner rock scene isn’t really quite what it should be, but after listening to the second album from Kaiser, I’ll be busy scouring more websites for anything that grabs my attention because if this is the standard of music emanating from the country, then count me in!
Kaiser are a trio of musicians from Finland and are set to release “2nd Sound” a wonderful collection of songs that have that magical blend of stoner rock, fuzzy guitars and doomy delightfulness that with enhance any speakers when you play it loud. The journey begins with a stomping drum sound from RiQ on “Brotha” coming through loud and clear, ably assisted by the prominent bass line from Pex. It’s a rabble rouser of a track, that sets the tone for the rest of the album and it’s incredibly difficult not to get fully immersed in their world.
Power and intensity are on display once again with “1,5 Dozen” and the riff from vocalist/guitarist Otu, is a real stinger from the off, yet it’s controlled and that allows for a few tempo changes and the drums to dominate in certain sections. With a spoken word intro for “Meteorhead”, the rhythm is quieter and sees the vocal performance at the forefront of the track, without detracting from the composition. And then you get an impressive drum section in the middle before the power of the riff takes over. What a song this is!
The trio show their undoubtable chemistry on tracks such as “Oversized Load” which has an imposing bass sound pumping in and out of the song, matched by the quality of a raucous riff from Out, before you get the more ambient sounds of “Stood Still”. There’s a softer approach on “A Clockwork Green” that builds up to an explosive riff and drum segment before returning to the relative calm of a soothing, fuzzed out section, which feels in the right place on the track listing.
“Awaken Monsters” sees the return of their trademark grizzly and gritty Finnish sound, with the eruption just after the minute mark, reminiscent of a dormant volcano coming back to life, which will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. To complete the metaphor, you get the appropriately named “Aftershock” which is a 10-minute brute of a track, encapsulating all that it killer about Kaiser. From gnarly guitar solos to beastly bass lines and dramatic drumming, it will pummel you into submission, before dragging you in the frozen wastelands to disembowel your body. More of the same in the future please.
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