Fade to Black - G Street Panorama review

Genre : Classic Rock with a Psychedelic, Doom and Grunge tint
Label : Silver Maple Kill Records
Origin : United State
Release Date : 2013
Official site : > - here - <

You can't simultaneously gain knowledge of a track called "Aliens and Beer" and remain disinterested of it, and US based Fade to Black is doing all and THEN some in their considerable classic/doom/grunge rock charisma power to emphasize this point. The song is a clear initiatory representation of what this veteran formation is all about at first face value - massively guitar centered mid-range axe warfare that borders - JUST borders - on punk in its sonic volumetrics, backed up by a mean, and clearly audible bass presence and adept drum molestation skills that give any decent dope fiend drumma' a run for the next fix.

Luckily enough, the band delivers flamboyant variation in the context of intensity and general musical behavior. The ensemble has a legitimate punch and heft to it whenever they feel like showing off the obligatory granite balls, and they emerge competent/clear/thoughtful throughout the tamer compositions - "The Note", for example -, as well. Unhidden intentions are on persistent display that seek to compliment a psychedelic overtone, armed with an apt understanding of the related criteria systems. This fascination comes to you via a diverse set of various beneficiary and easily accessible iterations, too. The one you hear in "Aliens and Beer" is the Timothy Learian psyhedelia with a tint of doom, while the one you will find in "The Note" is more playful-, fanciful, showing reminiscences with Pink Floyd and a restless variant of Beatles, even. Nah, I'm only kidding with one of the references. Or am I? Read on to know more about the record.


Beside the psychedelic flavors the disc frequently is reliant on, the another major complimentary mood is that of - doom. Isn't it hilarious that "mood" reads "doom" in reverse? The album weighs in via its non-negotiable full value content paua' whenever it seeks to consort these two premiere motivators, and summons a shape of music that courts psychedelic classic rock with doomy overtones - track number 4, "Witch Puzzle" is as tight of a soul-swallower void-eater Black Sabbathian instant classic as you'll ever have a chance testamenting with a yet-sane (aaaaahhha, hahahaha) mind. Same goes out to the album-ender audio projectile, of which I will offer my opinion at a later point of this review. At the culmination point of said song, "Witch Puzzle", the band releases "'za lionnzzs" into the audience - fuck yeah! - without remorse, and my only qualm is the mere time period of the ensuing metaphoric massacre committed against stock-sanity. The formation shows an exceptionally adept command of Black Sabbathian moods/dooms and narrative musical sounds and tendencies, and, coming to think of it, it is respectable that they chose not to abuse these tools. (But - not even a little bit though??)

I already have expressed my percept regarding the tasteful structurization of this sonic declaration, a point solidified further by a decent bonfire classic "Waited So Long", that summons a tint of Unplugged-era Eddie Vedder. Have no doubt whatsoVedder - yes, kill me with death - that the renowned Pearl Jam fronter approves of this music, as it really sounds to be resonating from the tamer side of the grunge ethos of the early '90s.

"She Loves Me" summons a nod and two towards "Sex Pistols", hell, even a pale Appetite for Destruction-era Guns 'N Roses connotation comes to mind. (Then it apologizes.) The song itself is routine from top to bottom, and a safe opportunity to open a new roll of beer during with the hopes to form an excuse to deliver a line for someone on a concert about your favorite insecurities.

For Fade to Black, their piece "Terror Train" clearly is what "Territorial Pissing" is to Nirvana, though I must say that I particularly like the ultra-psychotic vocals. It sounds as if Tomahawk Mike Patton would have fucking LOST it, finally! For the purpose of fun, only, of course. Madness has no value outside the inspection room of the sane mind.

"So Lonely" is another bonfire-pill to counterpoint the intensity of its direct predecessor, and the grunge
fascination is taken to the extreme by Vedderian "vooo vooo vooo"s, and there really is nothing wrong with those "vooo vooo"s, because they have a tendency of working, you'll just have to look for the meaning, which kind of equates with the idea, Lionel.

The two remaining tracks are fitting into this colorful fabric with consistency, though culmination-projectile "Gonna Rise Up" demands separate mentioning as result of its particularly mean/ballsy verse and chorus structure : Motörhead meets (meats?) head-on the Black Sabbathian doom, and, the best thing is that it sounds just like it should - nor the guitars, nor the superb vocals are overblown, everything sounds intimate, legit, real, dandy, proper. "Gonna Rise Up" reigns easily amidst the most relevant doom tracks I have heard since Argus, and I'm not one to easily compliment ALL kinds of dooms. The doom music worths listening to, does not even attempt to deprive doom of its dignity, quite the contrary : it compliments it. Shitty doom music is sad of the fact that its dignity is no longer worth called one. Not to confuse this mini-rant with funeral doom!

Look, I'm rambling, and am happy about it, because this music makes me so. I'm going to listen to this record once again, and I'm pretty sure that you will, too. The disc is a relevant, ripe surprise, and these veteran sonic souljas certainly exhibit a superb, versatile command of their trade with exquisite peak moments characterizing the respective ingredients of the ethos they are committed to. Check out a documentary of the formation, then visit their official site here.

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