Nashville's finest are back with the second
installment in their trilogy about The Pioneer and his quest to overcome the
evil Space Wizard and restore order in the realm of the Earth Goddess. And what
is there to say without sounding corny or like the biggest fanboy?
Well...buckle up, lean back in your most comfortable seat and let these guys
take you on a trip you never thought imaginable!
Largely instrumental, the only lyrics provided are
excerpts from Coleridge's 'Kubla Khan'. 'Henry Tate' is slowish, dark and
foreboding, yet trippy and is the natural extension from where '...Part 1' left
off. It gradually picks up the pace leading elegantly into 'The Pioneer'.
Portraying our hero's path to find his way aided by the wisdom of the Old Gods
from what was once Mother Earth. A heavily fuzzed bass guitar adds to The
Pioneer's plight. Spaced out, forlorn vocals enforces his despair and distress
as the song explodes. Doomy with hints of heavy 1970's rock, 'Visions' is
dreamy in it's approach as The Pioneer has an epiphany as the Old Gods are
speaking to him installing new-found power and strength to destroy the Space
Wizard. Basically, they have him reborn.
The beautiful and serene instrumental piece 'The
Forest Speaks' is a bridge between our hero being reborn and his escalating
search for the nemesis of the universe. Full onslaught in a wonderful trippy
spacey stoner rock kind of way, 'Circle Of Druids' is the coming of the Old
Earth's only saviour. Ascending to fight evil once and for all, the Old Gods
are urging The Pioneer to save their holy land, to save mankind. Ending
'...Part 2' is 'Earth Wizard', a fantastic mid-paced stoner rock-ish 70's
rocker musically. Lyrically it leaves a lot of things hanging. The Space Wizard
rises to spread his darkness while The Pioneer is getting ready to charge.
What happens? No one knows. We have to wait for '...Part 3' to find out
if the Space Wizard has taken over or if The Pioneer succeeded and peace can
finally descend on Mother Earth again.
Where '...Part 1' launched this amazing story and set
us on the road - spacey head-trippy road, at that - of our hero's misadventures
and valiant resistance, '...Part 2' opens up to reveal the rebirth of The
Pioneer as the saviour of our universe as we know it. The music continues
perfectly from '...Part 1', the only difference is it has become even better.
Messieurs Polzine, Marks and Wheeler belong to that rare group of musicians who
do whatever they want to, also, and equally important, they have the talent
and know-how to evolve with each release. This fearlessness might exist in more
bands than one would know, but very few know how to use it. Howling Giant does
and they are brilliant! The way they blend the heavy classic rock of the 1970's
with stoner rock, jam rock et al is one
of a kind. Like their peers, Elder, they are well on the way to create their
own line of music, a genre completely their own and that is greatness. Just
listen, let Howling Giant mesmerize you and allow yourself to be swept away
into the wondrous, sometimes frightening, world of these three gentlemen!
-Swedebeast
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