Review: Redscale ‘The Old Colossus’
The universe was determined for me to listen to Redscale. There is so much music out there it’s impossible to listen to everything, but in the case of Redscale, I saw their name pop up at least five times in all different places as if the universe was saying ‘Hey, you’re going to love this! Pay Attention!’. I’m glad I did and happy I was able to do this review because the universe was right.
The first sound through my speakers is a single string octave fuzz tone that immediately reminds me of Dango of Truckfighters classic sound. On the Run increases in intensity and softens into a groovy drum beat thanks to Martin Stabler. As the vocals chime in I get a Clutch vibe. I didn’t know how badly I needed a Truckfighters/Clutch combination until I heard Redscale and they already have me hooked one song in.
Two songs in and I may be a lifelong fan. The introductory riff is perfectly fuzzed out with enough clarity to hear every note played. The guitar and bass, ambient leads, distant vocals, and echoing drums draw you to the edge of your seat, allowing you to really focus on what you’re hearing. A fading chord rings out as you’re launched into the back of your seat with the explosive energy that follows. The Old Colossus is a fast-paced powerful song that is sure to get a mosh pit going.
I hope your endurance is high because if you’re in that pit, you’re not going to want to stop anytime soon. It’s A Death Cult, Baby takes that energy and multiplies it. Now, it may only be two seconds long but when the band stops, and Grant Price’s bass is front and center, it’s amazing. I find it hard to hear the bass at times (I’m getting better – haha) but that brief moment allowed me to focus on it for the rest of the song.
Tabula Rasa scales things back and the clean delayed intro is a pleasant surprise. I again particularly like this track because of the outstanding build in energy from start to finish. The guitar gets a nasty tone by the end, the bass is rumbling with a heavy rhythm and the drums are pounding as if it’s the last time they will be used.
The guitar and bass, ambient leads, distant vocals, and echoing drums draw you to the edge of your seat…
Clutch is probably the band to credit for me getting heavily involved in this genre. To this day I’m still as much of a fan as back in 2011 when I first saw them live (I know late bloomer in the ‘stoner’ scene), so it’s no surprise that I enjoy the next three tracks: Hard To Believe, Wall Of Bricks and especially Of Wealth And Taste. While the music itself varies a bit, I feel the structure, and most notably Henning Claussen’s voice draws similarities in a good way.
At The End is an acoustic track and is perfectly placed second to last. We’ve had a wild ride so far with this riff-oriented album and taking a step back to relax with this track is vital to set up a powerful conclusion. Acoustic tracks always intrigue me because they can show off the range and vocal power of the singer. Claussen starts the song with a barely raspy voice but comes alive at the three-minute mark, where he reaches down deep and howls out some amazing notes, showing the sheer power in his voice, it gives me chills every listen.
At seven minutes and thirty-four seconds, The Lathe Of Heaven brings this album to a close. It’s the ideal closer because it sums up what was done earlier and pushes their limits for a satisfying conclusion. I’m particularly fond of the solo around the five-minute mark where Christian Reuter has dialed in an exquisite, almost spacey tone, that makes me want to buy all of his gear!
You can feel the energy of the band through the speakers and I can only imagine the live experience. I would love to see that one day and playing this album start to finish would be a mind-blowing experience. Redscale has put out a fantastic follow-up to 2019s Feed Them To The Lions. Their future is promising.
Label: Majestic Mountain Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Josh Schneider
