Kind – Close Encounters
Kind – Close Encounters
Ripple Music
Release Date: 11/08/23
Running Time: 48:35
Review by Laura Barnes
8/10
Bloodstock weekend has been and gone, and the stride of time marches on. Soon, summer will be over, the clouds will coat the sun, and I’ll be inundated with one-man black metal releases with titles like “Winter’s Winter” and “The Frozen Frost Freezes”. I should enjoy summer while it lasts, and part of enjoying summer means getting in plenty of backyard beers while blasting as much desert road trip type hard rock as I can. Luckily, Kind’s “Close Enounters” scratches that itch pretty well.
There’s something quite retro about “Close Encounters”. The album’s production has a distinct old-school feel, like it’s blaring out of a 70s car radio, although the band’s sound itself is certainly more contemporary. Grunge sensibilities collide with a thick stoner heaviness here, and riffs are of immense importance. ‘Black Yesterday’ showcases the band at their absolute best, boasting a gnarly solo capable of making any Clutch fan drool. More of this, please! It is when the blues influences make their mark that this album is at its strongest, such as on ‘Massive’ and ‘What It Is To Be Free’ (a song that especially goes hard wearing headphones, as the guitars swirl from one ear to the other). Those who prefer their rock a bit more psychedelic will find ‘Favorite One’ and ‘Of The Ages’ particularly enjoyable, with the latter sounding like it was ripped straight out of the 90s in the best way possible. Much like Alice In Chains, Kind sharpen grunge into a jagged knife, creating something darker in the process. Musical experimentations are where the band really thrive, so much so that the punkier and catchier ‘Power Grab’ doesn’t pack as much of a punch compared to the longer, more eclectic tracks on the album. Album closer ‘Pacino’ has a tough-as-nails swagger, and at 7 minutes long it’s a bombastic and ambitous way to finish the album.
“Close Encounters” is the kind of album that you’d want blasting through your car speakers rather than static on your record player. It’s a bloody good 50 minutes worth of stoner rock, and if you’re a fan of bands like Clutch, Trevor’s Head, and Baroness then “Close Encounters” will definitely rock your boat.
TRACKLISTING:
01. Burn Scar
02. Favorite One
03. Black Yesterday
04. Snag
05. Massive
06. Power Grab
07. Of The Ages
08. What It Is To Be Free
09. Pacino
LINE-UP:
Matthew Couto – Drums
Tom Corino – Bass
Craig Riggs – Vocals
Darryl Shepard – Guitar
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Laura Barnes and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
