By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 07/04/2017
Label: Relapse
Records
Quite simply, I can't find anything on
this album I don't like. The best comeback of the year, without a doubt. This
record will be turning up in many year end lists, without a doubt. It could
even be the best album by The Obsessed, but only time will tell on that one. I
can't recommend this highly enough.
“Sacred” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1.Sodden Jackal
2.Punk Crusher
3.Sacred
4.Haywire
5.Perseverance of
Futility
6.It's Only Money
7.Cold Blood
8.Stranger Things
9.Razor Wire 03:32
10.My Daughter My Sons
11.Be the Night
12.Interlude
13.On So Long (Bonus
Track)
14.Crossroader (Bonus
Track)
The Review:
The Obsessed, or at least Wino and side men
(ever changing), return after a twenty three year hiatus from releasing albums.
While Saint Vitus is not Wino's band, so are
discounted here, of all Wino's bands- the ones he runs- The Obsessed
enjoy the greatest reputation. The rep is deserved. Their self titled, “Lunar
Womb” and “The Church Within” are all classics in their own right.
To
be fair, Spirit Caravan was a great band, The Hidden Hand was a great band, Wino's solo electric and
acoustic records... all great! “Sacred”, though, has something more.
From the moment I pressed play, I was hooked. This is a record that I find very
hard to fault. The production is great; thick guitar, lots of low end, punchy
drums, great mix. The songs are even better.
Kicking
off with the re-recording of “Sodden Jackal” is a solid move; it
sets out where the band is at these days and it also makes it clear that
business as usual has resumed. It's still a powerful and creepy track after all
these years. Wino's on great form vocally too. Henry Rollins once described The Obsessed as being the sound of someone getting really angry, really slowly.
Indeed.
The
rest of the record simply thunders by and keeps song lengths taught and toned.
Those who have looked out for advance tracks will know “Punk Crusher” already.
It's a great Motorhead-esque blast of rock 'n' roll. The title track is trippier in
sound and scope than you might expect and nods back, as much of the album does,
to 60's/70's psychedelic rock as well as Black Sabbath. The
record has some crossover with Victor Griffin/Place of
Skulls/Pentagram; it's doom, but doom rock as opposed to metal a lot
of the time. This sensibility makes “Sacred” a very listenable album
indeed. It is never heavy for heavy's sake. The song writing shines through.
There
are punkier moments on offer such as “Haywire”, too. It's a trait that
Wino shares with his compatriots in Saint Vitus; no one
tempo runs through the album and there is more variety than you might expect.
The grooves come thick and slow on “Perseverance of Futility”, with nice
organ and percussion flourishes along with the drums and guitars. There are
other quirks on the record too, Wino and the since departed Sherman trade lines
to great effect on Thin Lizzy's “It's
Only Money” and makes the song into an event (kind of like how “Step
Down” sits as a curio on “Bomber” by Motorhead).
As a big fan of Thin Lizzy, it's great to hear this turn up
mid album on a record by a band who (on paper) are quite different.
The
instrumental “Cold Blood” proves that Wino can riff with the absolute best of
them (Iommi, Griffin et al) and it is a real stand out and left field highlight
of the record. The solos are really good, too. There is more bluesy doom/rock
to be had on “Stranger Things”, which uses a weird acoustic guitar figure to
open and close and has some very strong riff passages and vocals. Another of
the preview tracks, “Razor Wire”, is absolutely badass
and an album highlight for me. When Wino sings “I'd rather get high, than pay the
rent” I absolutely believe him. “My Daughter My Sons” is a track
which is in some ways closer to Wino's acoustic output, both in lyrical content
and laid back vibe.
By
the time we get to “Be The Night”, dripping with biker attitude and some inspired
soloing, the album proper is nearly over. I have not heard an album which clips
by like this in a long while. Sweet is the sound of expectation being met,
that's for sure.
There
are two bonus tracks on offer here, “On So Long” is over nine minutes of
doomy goodness, while “Crossroader” is a very catchy nod to
Steppenwolf/Hendrix era rock. Quite simply, I can't find
anything on this album I don't like. The best comeback of the year, without a
doubt. This record will be turning up in many year end lists, without a doubt.
It could even be the best album by The Obsessed, but only
time will tell on that one. I can't recommend this highly enough.
“Sacred” is available here
