Soon to be releasing a debut album, Aluna sent us a tasty snapshot of the promise they show in the form of the ‘Fall to earth’ EP, a bass-heavy, groove laden EP that combines the spirit of Black Sabbath, Kyuss and Reverend Bizarre into a satisfyingly fuzz-laden whole but with the slightly unusual step of employing a female vocalist in what is probably one of the most male-dominated sub genres of rock.
Opening with ‘Spend my time’ the band strike up a dirty little groove that sees simple, yet powerful drumming backing up a guitar that sounds as if all the treble pick-ups have been removed. It sounds awesome and the vocals work really well, although it would be nice to hear a bit more force behind them on the upcoming album. Soph can definitely sing, but her voice sometimes comes across as being a little bit weaker than it should be – hardly a major criticism – but an area in which the band could develop. Track 2, ‘Son et luminaire’ is my favourite track on this three-track disc. Opening with a bass riff that the Devil would cheerfully use to announce his appearance on earth and getting progressively heavier from there it recalls Slo Burn’s evil groove and sounds like ti was recorded in a swamp. Easily the best track here, if this is a sign of what this band are capable then expect amazing things from their forthcoming full-length release.
Final track ‘show me how’ returns to the slightly speedier vibe of Reverend Bizarre-esque doom (think ‘Doom all over the world’) and also offers up the best vocal from Soph on display here – a minor key excursion that augments the music perfectly, particularly on the reverb-laden chorus.
Overall Aluna offer a new spin on the whole stoner/doom genre without actually re-inventing the wheel. They are clearly all proficient musicians and they possess an evil groove that is impossible to ignore once it gets under your skin. With more time and greater confidence they could easily produce a masterpiece but in the meantime check out this gem from one of Britain’s up-and-coming bands – they deserve your support and you certainly won’t regret your purchase.
