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Band: New Keepers Of The Water Towers
Album title: Cosmic Child
Release date: 11 March 2013
Label: Listenable Records
Tracklisting:
01. The Great Leveller
02. Visions Of Death
03. Pyre For The Red Sage
04. Cosmosis
05. Lapse
06. The Cosmic Child
Everything regarding this release, the third studio album from Swedes New Keepers Of The Water Towers, smells of vintage stoner rock or doom metal. Just think about the bands name, album title, artwork and you'll get my point. At some points that would be the right description of this sounds, but it offers a lot more, really a lot more of enjoyable music. New Keepers Of The Water Towers main inspiration must be hard rock and psychedelic sounds done in the early 70's, of course Black Sabbath come in mind, but imagine now that Roger Waters and David Gilmour joins them on some rehearsals and even Steve Harris and Dave Murray want to take their part here. Do you get a picture? No, then try to listen to Cosmic Child.
Six songs on this album just draws you into some kind of magical hallucination world and it doesn't let you go into reality that easy. The band is making a very nice experiment here, combining the best elements from early era of above mentioned artists, but still adding their own note. Believe me that they've found a right formula for doing that and made an extremely captivating sonic experience. Even in songs that exceed ten minutes in lenght the band can keep the listener focused, there is a lot going on, just listen to, for example the third track "Pyre For The Red Sage", where typical doom metal, mixed with unworldly progressive psychedelic Pink Floydian atmosphere era Meddle or Dark Side Of The Moon converge somewhere in the middle into a riffage that even Iron Maiden should be proud of, impressive and epic. Vocal job fits the whole musical spectrum very well, although the vocalist and guitarist Rasmus Booberg shows his real power only after the second track. His voice sounds at moments like a mix between Ozzy and David Gilmour. If the first two tracks are more in typical doom metal vein, still fascinating, with great harmonic melodies, strong drumming, unbeliveable bass lines, some unpretentious, but very effective guitar leads, nice acoustic insertions and great guitar riffs, the real fun starts with before mentioned "Pyre For The Red Sage". There is time also for some relaxation with typical Pink Floyd influenced spacey "Cosmosis" and the same feeling is transferred into another epic masterpiece "Lapse", maybe you'll find there some resemblances with Pink Floyds album from 1987 A Momentary Lapse Of Reason, in the title. The ending of this one on the other hand is the fastest part up here, othervise the whole album is mostly slow to mid tempo paced. Everything ends with nice melodic acoustic instrumental album titled "The Cosmic Child", and even if album is more than 45 minutes long it ends too soon and just calls for more. The instruments are tuned down a little bit, but not as much as expected on similar works. Even the production and the whole concept is making a bit of favour to this band. And yes, Cosmic Child is surprisingly filled with very dark atmosphere, there is no that flowery scent as on many stoner psychedelic releases, even the lyrics are talking about dark matters in life and death.
I believe that the right subtitle for this album should be "Dark Side Of The Doom". What to say more about Cosmic Child than to highly recommend it to everyone who's searching for some sonic extravaganza. The main vibe is of course settled within the 70's progressive rock sounds and modern approach in creating doom metal is what makes this album very contemporary. Great musical talent which shines on this release make this album one of the highlights of the first quarter of 2013.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 9/10
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