Originally written by Brady Humbert.
Marijuana.
Sourvein is one of those bands that I root for. Every release gets gradually better and the band’s style morphs, while simultaneously becoming more of their own. Ghetto Angel is the 2nd installment in an alleged three EP trilogy based on…something someone who does a lot of drugs would understand. As a total nerd, I totally appreciate ‘trilogies’ and ‘collector sets’, so this band is doing all the right things to keep me, and hopefully you, interested. Included in this intrigue, is how fucking good this band is sounding right now. They definitely upped the ante on the production this time around as Ghetto Angel is stupid heavy. Top to bottom, they’re a hot stoner/doom ticket right now.
Sourvein, sonically, is not anything you haven’t heard before if you’ve ever patroned an Electric Wizard or Sleep type band. Not unlike those bands, Sourvein keeps you stoned, but also brings the heavy, speaker crushing doom that most of us salivate over. To my glee, Ghetto Angel keeps a bit of a Grief or Eyehategod manic sensibility to their version of doom. It’s not as much of a trip as Sleep and it’s not as ‘psychedelically satanic’ as newer Electric Wizard. It’s very crusty this time around and very destitute. I must re-iterate, I like the direction a lot.
“Dol Drums” is an absolute doom masterpiece. Slow groovy tempos and total speaker annihilation to boot, this is probably my favorite song on the release. It shows the direction the band is taking and wears that Grief influence on its sleeve with pride. “Dill.i.g.a.f.” is a somehwat faster tune and stands out from the plodding drone of the first three tracks. “Septic Werewolf” sounds like Trouble on copious amounts of crack and qualuudes, while opener “Nightwing”, is a song I need to see performed live before I die.
Ghetto Angel delivers on every level but one, it’s obnoxiously short. Waiting three years for a sixteen minute EP, isn’t quite enough to chap my ass, but it’s close. It starts and ends before you can get through your first bowl and it’s kind’ve a drag (no pun alert). I suppose if you have a disc changer you can preface it with a bit of Emerald Vulture, if you’re feeling that motivated. But, outside of the unfortunate short length, Sourvein delivers another doom masterpiece. Anyone who likes Grief, Eyehategod, Graves at Sea, Electric Wizard, Sleep, or anything in that realm would do well to check this out at full volume. Hopefully, Sourvein will bring it with a full length next time, and we won’t have to wait three years for it.
