KING BONG AND FRIENDS- BEEKSE BERGEN CD-R (Self Released)

King Bong is an Italian sort of stoned jam band, who have made a number of releases. I have reviews quite a few of them and I met one of the guys at Roadburn and he gave me this new CD-R they have just released.  It is quite different from any of their other releases. 2017, saw the bands first vinyl release with Sand = Return (which I have not heard yet).  The band is a three piece but on this adventure they are joined by Chris Haskett (guitar) and Rosarita Crisafi (saxophone played from the European Music Orchestra).

“Beekse Bergen is an ongoing project inspired by a magic land beyond the Alps. Every iteration is a different route through the park, every stroll a different story. Mythical encounters abound in these adventurous expeditions and danger lures behind every corner. “  

The band camp site is up to Vol 5 and Jam XV. The CD features 3 of these, each represented by a symbol on the CD so I don’t know how they match up to the numbers on bandcamp. Anyway, the first track starts with a slow build up with some lazy saxophone, just slowly working the groove. A lot of exploring going on here. A bit like Sunburned hand of the Man at times. Several times the track nearly dies out and I thought it was over but the journey keeps going. Just before 20mins, it starts to get really funky and out there with intense playing by all and then the track nearly dies off. At 23mins, something is stirring again and around 25mins, it sounds a bit like a synth but it must be a guitar.  At 26mins, a riff starts up again, a dark distant, doomy sort of one, with an ominous nature to it. A bit of push and pull from the sax and guitar, bass, as the drums crash down every now and then.  By 30mins we are in yet another world as the jam moves on and finally ends. Symbol 2 starts uptempo straight away with some direction it seems but not really. It nearly dies out and then you get some back and forth with each person playing for a few seconds then stopping and making space for the next person. It ends a bit over 12mins and then track three starts with some nice bass playing and then the rest of the group start to add to jam but by 3 1/2 mins, we are back to just bass and drums. Around 6 mins they are playing about with some harmonic stuff. No sax on this jam until nearly the very end 

I have to say these are some strange jams.  Some people will get it and enjoy while I think others won’t have the patience or the commitment to hear them out.  Check it out.

http://kingbong.bandcamp.com

Aton Five- Solarstalgia (RAIG R107)

Aton Five is a fairly new Instrumental Russian quartet from Moscow. The have 3 releases on bandcamp but this is their first real studio album. It was recorded at Mars Records.  It features 7 tracks plus two bonus tracks, recorded live in the Mars Studio.  The Dreadnought starts with a sample, and a quite heavy riff and sound, some might call it heavy metal. The synths dominate the track a bit later on before another round of guitar solos. Very solid playing. Journey starts with some acoustic guitar and a totally different vibe and feeling from the opening intense track. The organ reminds me a bit of Kansas!  They get right into rocking after 30 seconds. The middle secton comes down and there is an Apollo space capsule sample (or something like it) as an new melodic part takes fold. Each track keeps getting longer and time is nearly 10mins long and takes all the dynamics of the previous track and throws in some nice longer guitar and keyboard solos, as the band is having a lot of new ideas in this track. A Chain of Events comes out of the gate very quick and is the most uptempo track on the record. Nice interplay between the melody of the guitar and organ. Milky Way Incident is really the highlight of the album with amazing drumming and a Child in Time like intense ending.  Death is a short 1.32 min track as an interlude to the epic Endless Desert, which you can hear below. This ends the normal record. The live tracks include Journey, the 2^nd track on this album (a bit shorter version) and a track called Woods made of Stone.  Great new Russian instrumental hard rocking prog…

http://atonfive.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/AtonFive/

http://mars-records.ru/MARS_Records/Glavnaa.html

Hoodoo Ritual- Hoodoo Ritual (Ozium Records OZIUM023)

Hoodoo Ritual is a new Swedish band from Malmö, Sweden.  The CD features 5 long tracks. Great album artwork by a local tattoo artist.  Anyway, this band plays some pretty cool stony music with influences from Mars Red Sky and Colour Haze to mention a few.  The CD starts off with Before I Go. Slow, heavy and stoney with some cool guitar and nice delays on the vocal to give it this psychedelic feel. The melodic guitar line, and texture is very much like Mars Red Sky!  In my time of Killing is more doomy and stoned. Lokomotion is a shorter track but a great groove, a bit like Goatess, if they were more psychedelic. 

Herbs, reminds me a bit of Colourhaze to start but then goes in another direction.  There is a long pause and then the best part of the CD takes off. Wow.. Cool stuff. Beta Ride (demo) is a track that you can find on their bandcamp site and the first music the band recorded in the rehearsal room.  A more raw production sound but the doomy stoned sound is intact!

You can hear the entire album at the link below. 

http://hoodooritual.bandcamp.com