Who knew that Portugal would produce one of the finest desert rock albums since the days of “generator parties” in Palm Desert? Miss Lava is their name and rocking with an unbridled intensity is their game by combining Kyuss’ wall of sound with Monster Magnet’s psychedelia and a little of COC’s Southern-fried jam sensibility just for shits.
On their latest, Sonic Debris, the quartet take rawking to enlightening new levels. From the moment “Another Beast Is Born” crash lands on Planet Earth, listeners will be transported to a new realm of sonic, fuzzed out excellence. If that one didn’t grab ya then full on rocker “The Silent Ghost Of Doom” most certainly will led by the furious charge of K. Raffah’s guitars and J. Garcia’s thunderous crashes.
Saying Miss Lava could be the next Kyuss is a bold statement. I know this. That band was the one that set me on the path to my musical awakening when I was just a wee lad. If Kyuss followed up Blues… with another album (And not the Sky Valley concept) then they’d be lucky to have it sound as good as Sonic Debris.
Yep, I said it. But back to the album…
“In A Sonic We Shall Burn” is all acoustic and twangy and spaced out and weird with echoed vox from Johnny Lee (Who, for me, is reminiscent of Sugartooth’s Marc Hutner at times) that’ll send a chill down your spine. In contrast “I’m The Asteroid”, which precedes that track, is a banger and a half endlessly slamming listeners over the head with classic riffage.
“In The Arms Of The Freaks”, meanwhile, is your new favorite stoner anthem while “Symptomatic” comes at you like a freight train. Ending with the dichotomy of slow burn “Pilgrims Of Decay” paired alongside headbanger “Planet Darkness” which shimmies and sways like nothing else on the album you’ll be left with just one question: “How can one band be this good?”
Sonic Debris is out through Small Stone records on May 20th. Yours can be attained right here.