Balero- After the End (Self Released)

The Pennsylvania band, Balero are back with another EP. This one clocks in at 27 mins and has 7 tracks of instrumental grooving stoner rock. I remember 1 or 2 years ago the band were looking for a singer but it seems that none has appeared as they are still instrumental. I had previously reviewed the bands other two short CD EPs, the last one from 2006 being called One Planet short of the Sun, which kicked ass, despite far to few guitar solos (this one has even fewer). This new one starts off with Mover, a short uptempo track with a great riff. Mountain Ride slows things a bit down and I like the groove on this one and the flanged out guitar. Sunshocked speeds things up again and goes with a real punchy riff back and forth to a more melodic riff and the mid section is a little spacey. Journeys slows things way down (still not a guitar solo), but only to start, before the heads down bang your head riff kicks in. A bit hypnotic but the riffs are still a bit too much like the rest. Warpath has a more evil doomy start to it and I like this track as it is a lot different from the others with some double tracked guitar and you can hear the bass lines a bit more distinctly in the slow section. They do come back to what I call their standard riff sound. Farewell, is the 2^nd to last track and with a name like that should be the last track on any album. Anyway, it has a bit more melodic riff but more of the same. Let it go starts off with acoustic guitar, which is a really nice change, as the band has worn me out a little here with songs that are a bit too much the same some how. I love the energy of this band “their riff” rock but I need some solos, some more variations to make the songs stand out a bit more.

            Anyway, this is a tough area to make something unique, instrumental stoner groove rock. Karma to Burn were starting this all off and Atomic Bitchwax raised the stakes with their instrumental tracks and Rotor, have their own unique style. There are others like 35007 and Monkey 3 as well but check out Balero if you like fast, hard rocking stuff with intense drumming.

http://www.balero.net