Sun Baked Treats...

Groggy - ...in the Land of Sunshine (2018)

The last time we covered my favorite Russian band here on TBB was back at the start of 2016, to review Groggy's release of the Turtle LP. Though they've had a couple of releases since then, this EP makes for a nice point at which new-comers to the group's heavy stoner metal can jump in and check out what they're about, or just some extra enjoyment for existing fans. Opening track “IFLNTS” throws some wild, almost punkish intensity into that metal base, bashing hard and riding a fast-rolling groove through to the end. “TAAB” kicks in with a clear and savory riff, leading to funky string warbling and deeper rocking that keeps sinking further into heaviness. Lastly, “DSOTWE” leads the way out with a crunchy cook-up of chords, cymbals, and crashing drums, slowing fading out into a sizzling psychedelic wash. Tasty stuff from start to finish, and just as fun as it is heavy.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Bomg, Hot Knives, The Munsens, Weedeater, Wounded Giant

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Groggy - TAAB (320 kbps)

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Heady Blues Cruise...

Groggy - Turtle (2015)

The arrival of this album is one which I've been anticipating for quite a while, as Groggy have been on my 'personal favorites' list since the first time I heard their WooDoo EP (if you missed it the first time, you can find our review of that right here, and the one for their Deep Siberian Session here).  Happily, Groggy do not disappoint with this LP, and the near-hour of bluesy stoner heaviness finds them taking a wide range of approaches to their essential style.
From the off-beat start of "Hurricane" all the way to the 11-minute-plus closer "Electric Chair of Doom", Groggy fight against falling into a rut, throwing out curve-balls and unpredictable twists of sound without breaking flow.  Taking swings at metal hardness and more relaxed blues cruising, the duo of Max and Vitalii (and a few musical guests) keep things lively without stripping the real bluesiness out of the music.
If you haven't heard Groggy before, this is a hell of a place to begin (in a good way), and if you're already a fan of the band, Turtle will have you grinning wide.  You'll get to hear several different sides to their style, get a few tunes hooked in your ears, and get introduced to what is almost certainly the best Siberian stoner blues group there is (and if you've got a challenger for that title, by all means, let me know).  If you can pour a glass of vodka to complement the experience, all the better; just do yourself a favor and listen to these guys already.
~ Gabriel

For Fans Of;    Bomg, Danzig, Goya, The Munsens, Weedeater

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Groggy - Devil's Letter (320 kbps)

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Isolated For Safety...

Groggy - Deep Siberian Session (2015)

The Siberian duo of Groggy have been turning out top-quality stoner blues rock for a good few years now, and if you haven't already heard them (and that combo gets your ears at attention), their latest release is a prime option for digging into their catalog, though the blues get mostly drowned out by the other elements this time around.  Consisting of two tracks, with 45 minutes or so of jammy improv between them, Deep Siberian Session shows Groggy firing themselves up for a long-burning go of it, playing off of each other's creative heaviness with a sense of real pleasure to the live crafting as they let the low-end psychedelia toss them about.  Maxim Ryabikov handles guitar, Vitaly Dorofeichik is on drums, but they generate enough noise for a band with three times the personnel, and while the guitar dives down into territory usually staked out just for bass (doing some very cool double-up effects at times to provide extra hallucinatory kick), the drums are keeping right up with the experimentation, going hard-edged or chill as the mood moves them.
Separating the two tracks from each other can be more than a little difficult, given the jumbo assortment of changes and mutations each one packs into its time, but there's a little more grounding to the opening grooves of the second one, which provides a nice 'back to Earth' moment after the spacy explorations reached in the later part of the first round, and that style of reaching out to grab the listener and pull them along with clear riffs persists through the rest of it, instrumental freak-outs included.  As said before, it's a great introduction to the band for those who haven't heard them before, and a fine continuation of previous work for the fans.  Whichever camp you fall into, as long as you like heavy psychedelic music, this one's for you.
~ Gabriel

For Fans Of;    Bomg, Celophys, Acid King, Weedpecker, Fatso Jetson

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Groggy - Round Two (320 kbps)

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Dazed And Hard Blues...

Groggy - WooDoo EP (2013)

On their latest EP, Groggy (a two-piece from Siberia!) provide three tracks to tide over fans of psychedelic & stoned blues rock. They begin with “Dead Duck” (a possible “Aqualung” reference?), which kicks things off in high gear with a hard and hearty riff, perfectly-snappy drums, and vocals that growl without being indecipherable. It's a hell of a start, and by the time the two have reached “Dead Duck”'s end, there's no doubt that they can deliver all that they promise. The second track, “Never Know”, starts out at a more leisurely pace, sharp-picking at the guitar chords until the drums arrive to take over the aggressive end while the guitar shifts into a more classically-bluesy mode, showing off their melodic chops while keeping the energy high and lively. The last track “Zombie/Ride With The Devil” (hey, that's a familiar name!) finishes off the EP with aplomb, beginning with some ghostly background drones before shifting into a hard-swinging groove that builds and builds, getting wild and hellacious, until they throw out the throttle with a minute to spare and begin grinding asphalt to drop their speed.

Damn good stuff. Let me repeat that, because it's going to be said quite a few times; damn good stuff. These two have talent, energy, inventiveness, respect for the most whiskey-and-reefer-crazed of delta blues, and a fantastic sense of how to build songs. Just excellent work, through and through, and I for one can't wait until their next full-length LP.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Wicked Lady, Necronomicon (Brazil), Eternal Elysium, Iron Butterfly, Morphine

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Groggy - Dead Duck (320 kbps)

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