Oh. Hell. Yes!
This review has to start with that simple exclamation, for nothing else can adequately match the feeling you get, the sheer adrenalin kick, of pure old school rock ‘n’ goddam roll, and Greek outfit Potergeist deliver in spades. Hailing from Athens, Potergeist play self proclaimed swamp metal, a blues-inflected brand of metal that owes a great debt to the southern metal of Zakk Wylde and the hedonistic spirit of Lynyrd Skynyrd (with whom the band are playing) with a healthy dollop of doom thrown in for good measure (explaining the fact that the band have also secured a support slot with the legendary Saint Vitus), all of which would be nowhere near as impressive as it is if it wasn’t for the fact that Potergeist a) play their instruments like men possessed following a chance meeting at some abandoned crossroads and b) play with a passion and attitude that old Zakk himself would surely identify with and approve of.
‘Muddy Mermaids’ is the band’s second album and over the course of eight tracks and some forty minutes it comprehensively kicks your ass and bangs your head with a style and strength that places Potergeist up there with the very finest exponents of the hard rock genre – mark my words, this is a band whose name will be in the name of every metal-head’s lips damn soon and deservedly so.
Opening with a thunderclap (an apt metaphor indeed) and a voice calmly announcing “forgive me God, for I’m about to rock ‘n’ roll again!” ‘Forgiven’ is the best introduction into an album you could want with its forged-in-fire riffs, old-school rock ‘n’ roll worshipping harmonica and Alex S’ road-worn vocal all played with a mid-tempo groove that moves the parts of you that other rock ‘n’ roll bands just can’t reach (or something like that). It’s hard, it’s sexy, it’s got a groove and a grind to it that recalls the very best of Black Label Society and, more to the point, it just plain rocks… and the pace hardly slackens from here. ‘The next man’ kicks in with another riff straight from the gods of rock ‘n’ roll and gives guitarists Marinos and Stratal a chance to bother their fret-boards with some awesome soloing over the quiet bridge – fans of old school hard rock such as the mighty Sabbath will be beside themselves with delight and it’s clear that Potergeist are both talented and well-versed in their music history enough to reference the past whilst still successfully sounding forward-looking. ‘Rivers and oceans’ has a blistering main riff that is then stripped away so that Alex has an opportunity to truly shine, his vocals laid bare for all to see and showcasing just how damned good he is, even without a monumental wall of sound behind him. Then, when the riffs do come back in they are delivered with all the power of a tidal wave, simply destroying everything in sight in a storm of fizzing, overloaded amplification.
What a start – three songs in (and over fifteen minutes) and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed by the band’s sheer power. Potergeist demonstrate time after time a talent and flair, not to mention a love, for their craft that is utterly infectious and it instantly elevates this album to the upper echelons of hard rock royalty. The riffs are rock solid, and the production job (expertly handled by Chris Stamatopoulos) is absolutely spot on, every riff, solo and crushing beat rendered with utmost clarity throughout. ‘Beggar’ hits hard with its opening riff, but that belies a sultry inner core that sees the band step back a little, allowing the song to breathe and develop in a manner that recalls vintage STP or Velvet Revolver before kicking back into a rock solid chorus complete with pinch harmonics and thunderous percussion courtesy of Tolis Toleas. Another song with a blistering solo at its heart, there is no doubt that Potergeist have spent plenty of time out on the road honing their skills and it’s paid off handsomely with hints of the very best hard rock bands from Iron Maiden to Black Sabbath to Down shot through their wonderfully swampy sound. ‘Smokestack Lightnin’ is up next and it’s a bluesy stomp that sounds like Potergeist have been briefly co-opted as Robert Johnson’s hellish backing band for a swirling stroll on the dark side before ‘heal the sad’ kicks in with a storming riff that not only tears apart the more introspective blues mood but whcih also gives Pluto’s slapped bass a moment to shine. A rough-hewn moment of pure ass-kicking abandon, this is the sound of a band hopped-up to the eyeballs on moonshine and letting rip with a fire and fury that is only outdone by ‘Rbl’, as vicious, as vital and exciting as a track as you could possibly hope for in a rock album.
Having comprehensively grabbed hold of your extremities (whatever your gender), it is on the epic finale that the band make their grand statement. Over seven minutes long, the title track is the perfect closer for the album with its spacey atmosphere and stunning vocal contributions from Lina Halari whose sultry tones add real depth to an already brilliant track that showcases the versatility of which the band are capable. It is a quite brilliant closer and the sort of track that you desperately want to share with your music-loving mates as soon as you’ve heard it, although the same could be said of pretty much every track on this fine album.
Clearly adhering to a less-is-more philosophy not a moment on ‘muddy mermaids’ is wasted, with no track outstaying its welcome and no filler in sight at all. It is a damn-near-perfect hard rock album that will appeal as much to those who grew up on Sabbath, Purple and Priest as to those whose tastes run to the more modern end of the spectrum. As with all the best exponents of the genre this is truly timeless music that could easily have been recorded twenty years ago (pristine production notwithstanding) and, most importantly, it burns with passion, energy and a love of heavy music – a vitality that you can’t help but respond to as a listener – leaving you feeling slightly bereft when the album finishes. This is a non-stop rollercoaster ride of hard riffs, gutsy vocals and powerfully memorable hooks and in a just world it would be rightly revered by metal fans everywhere. This is an unequivocally brilliant record and you need it now!!!
Find out more about the excellent Potergeist here: http://www.potergeist.com/
