Nightstalker ‘Dead Rock Commandos’ CD/DD 2012
Greece may well be on the bones of its arse financially but it seems like they have some serious rock collateral in the bank!!! Nightstalker as a band almost seem as old as the Acropolis by rock music standards having formed in the country as far back as 1989 and releasing several EPs and albums all contributing towards cementing their reputation as a damn fine rock and roll band. Now Small Stone have taken the band under their wing to present them to a wider audience.
So the band now drop “Dead Rock Commandos” and for many this will be their first introduction to their loose stoner rocking grooves. Opener “Go Get Some” pretty much nails the Nightstalker sound in one easy, bite sized lesson. These guys deal in big fat fuzzed up riffs, rolling grooves and languid vocals that bring to mind the ever expanding Dave Wyndorf. The groove continues on through “Soma” with its insistent vocal hook, the title track with its relentless stomp and on through the album.
For such a time served band it’s unsurprising that they wear their brand of rock and roll like a well worn in pair of jeans and sound like a real unit with vocalist Argy leading from the front with consummate ease sitting on the bedrock grooves of drummer Dinos Roulos and bassist Andreas Lagios. Guitarist Tolis Motsios delivers wave upon wave of top notch prime beef in the riff department and is no slouch in the lead department. It’s also clear that these guys have learned their chops when it comes to developing their song writing craft as each song benefits from towering hooks and an economy that makes the most out of quality rather than quantity…why use 20 riffs when 3 great ones will do. This contributes to the uninterrupted flow of the album as it rolls along as a seamless whole.
If I have one minor criticism it’s that Nightstalker don’t necessarily explore the outer reaches of their sound as much as they might with much of the album being delivered in a mid paced groove. It’s a great groove, don’t get me wrong but some variety in tempo throughout would improve the overall dynamic. “Children Of the Sun” does bring the pace down a touch and “Back To Dirt” is a nice semi psychedelic tune that brings prime Monster Magnet to mind but it still occupies that mid tempo area when I am bursting for the band to kick out the jams and hit the gas as I know that these guys could burn up the road if they put their mind to it.
Small Stone have come up with yet another high quality product that should do wonders to lift Nightstalker onto a higher plain in the stoner rock firmament but then this is a label that doesn’t deal in rubbish. Nightstalker sound like a Small Stone band through and through and do nothing to disgrace their paymasters.
Label: Small Stone Recordings
Website: www.nightstalkerband.com
Scribed by: Ollie Stygall
