Released by: THE OBSESSED
Release Date: April 7, 2017
Genre: Doom Metal
Links : https://www.facebook.com/TheObsessedOfficial/
Lineup:
Guitar/ Vocals: Scott “Wino” Weinrich
Bass: Reid Raley
Drums: Brian Costantino
Tracklist:
- Sacred
- Razor Wire
- Sodden Jackal
- Punk Crusher
- Haywire
- Perseverance of Futility
- It’s Only Money
- Cold Blood
- Stranger Things
- My Daughter My Sons
- Be The Night
- Interlude
- On So Long (Bonus Track)
- Crossroader (Bonus Track)
The Godfathers of Stoner/Doom THE OBSESSED have returned with their first studio album in over 20 years with ‘Sacred’. Led by legendary frontman Scott “Wino” Weinrich (Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan, The Hidden Hand, Shrinebuilder, Premonition 13, Place Of Skulls, Probot, etc.), THE OBSESSED originally formed in 1976 and released three seminal stoner / doom albums in the early 90’s, including ‘The Church Within’, which has been hailed as one of the most important records in the genre’s history. The Obsessed reformed in 2016, with Dave Sherman (Spirit Caravan, Earthride, Weed Is Weed) on bass and Brian Costantino (Spirit Caravan) on drums. And after a tour, they went into the studio and recorded ‘Sacred’, and the band has returned sounding heavier, and more relevant than ever before.
The first song ‘Sacred’ has that classic THE OBSESSED sound. Fuzzy guitar, Wino’s throaty vocals, and the low end sound tight as hell. This is a killer opening track. ‘Razor Wire’ has a great riff that goes with the same great vocal style Wino is known for.
‘Sodden Jackal’ was originally released on a seven-inch EP in 1983. This re-recorded beast is more sludgy and a bit heavier than the original version. ‘Punk Crusher’ may be the title of the next song, but it’s an ear crusher for sure. Brians drums stand out on this kick ass track. ‘Haywire’ is a scorcher that has some of the best guitar work on the album.
‘Perseverance Of Futility’ has a great, catchy riff that will get stuck in your head for days. ‘It’s Only Money’ is another song great song that is catchy and you’ll have a hard time forgetting this one. Brians drumming is fantastic on it, and it has a great beat. ‘Cold Blood’ comes next, and after letting up on the throttle a little bit on the last one, this one kicks back into high gear. An instrumental tune with a great groove that keeps you rockin’.
‘Stranger Things’ starts off with a great acoustic intro then kicks in with heavy riffing love this song a lot. ‘My Daughter My Sons’ has another great riff, which is pretty much what you could say for every song on this album. The next song is ‘Be The Night’, which we first heard live at the Maryland Doom Fest last year. It was a first glimpse of what fans could expect on the new album in the works. And is a great heavy riff filled song. The album finishes up with ‘Interlude’, which is just that, a thirty-second guitar riff, and the only way you could end this amazing album. There are two bonus tracks that come with the deluxe version called ‘On So Long’ and ‘Crossroader’. ‘On So Long’ is a nine-minute jam, filled with the fuzzy goodness you would expect from The Obsessed. Love the guitar solo’s throughout this track. ‘Crossroader’ is a very catchy, hook-filled, bluesy song that finishes off the album.
This is a must have album for the heavy music fan. ‘Sacred’ proves again why Wino is so highly regarded and respected as one of the most important champions for this genre of music, with his unmistakable vocals style and signature guitar sound. Sacred was well worth the wait. This album is a dark ride through Wino’s mind, and that’s never a bad place to be. THE OBSESSED has once again staked their claim on the top of doom mountain, as one of the best there. It took twenty plus years for a new THE OBSESSED album, but the wait was well worth it and exceeds expectations. This record holds up note for note with anything Wino has ever done in his long career. And this record is heavy from the first song to the last. Our guess is it won’t take another twenty years for another album from THE OBSESSED .
Tour dates just came out for THE OBSESSED , and as we always say, we’ve seen these guys play live before and it’s a must see show. Wino becomes something from another dimension while onstage. Don’t miss your chance to see THE OBSESSED live, you will not regret it.
Written by: Pam and Mark Schaff
Ratings: 10/10
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