Strauss - Luia EP (2015)
Crossing stoner metal with the toasty tones of desert rock, the British quintet of Strauss have arrived after two years with the follow-up to their self-titled debut EP, and over the course of the five tracks on Luia, the group digs deep into the sandy grooves of that crossing. "Mud At You" slings the listener off into the music with a rattling ride of crunchy chords and indomitable percussion while the vocals let rip.
The middle tracks are all big and atmospheric, with undeniable power shown in the massive sound pulled together by the instruments. "For All The Wrong Reasons", in particular, finds the band pushing their deep-groove plowing to the hilt, with hard bars of riffage clocking listeners right upside the head.
While the vocals do drift into hardcore mode occasionally, they don't detract too much from the experience, and generally match the rough energy of the music. The EP hits a good pacing, though the drop-off from the end of the last track does feel abrupt, and Strauss show a willingness to challenge themselves that should serve them well on further releases. Give it a listen if you like some punky crustiness to your desert-dried metal.
~ Gabriel
The middle tracks are all big and atmospheric, with undeniable power shown in the massive sound pulled together by the instruments. "For All The Wrong Reasons", in particular, finds the band pushing their deep-groove plowing to the hilt, with hard bars of riffage clocking listeners right upside the head.
While the vocals do drift into hardcore mode occasionally, they don't detract too much from the experience, and generally match the rough energy of the music. The EP hits a good pacing, though the drop-off from the end of the last track does feel abrupt, and Strauss show a willingness to challenge themselves that should serve them well on further releases. Give it a listen if you like some punky crustiness to your desert-dried metal.
~ Gabriel
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