Features
UK Stoners Of Concrete Gods Reveal Six Mammoth Tracks Inspiring Their Epic Sound
From the sludge of Down to the power of Alice In Chains, UK stoners Of Concrete Gods talk through some of their biggest influences.
Highly talented UK stoners Of Concrete Gods unleash their epic new debut single, “Obsidian”, today. Hailing from Luton and originally formed in 2018, Of Concrete Gods were kicked into action by their mutual desire to create real music that reflects their stoner roots.
With a collective affection for hard rockers Alice in Chains and Stone Stour, metal icons such as Black Sabbath and Metallica, and stoner bands like Down and Elephant Tree, Of Concrete Gods embrace a philosophy of: “if it sounds good in the garage, we go for it.” With all of this mind, we asked the emerging heavyweights to give us their top six tracks.
1. Alice in Chains – “Down in a Hole”
“This is AiC at the height of their powers. It’s not as riff-tastic as some of the other tracks off Dirt, but it still manages to drag you down with emotional weight, and the way Layne and Jerry play off each other vocally is beautiful. We’ve offered up the Unplugged performance as the best example, because it is amazing to see Layne sat there looking so broken, yet still capable of more power than anyone else.”
2. Down – “Stone the Crow”
“Heavy. Melodic. A wonderfully mind-blending solo that ties into the lead line so effortlessly. Phil’s intensity dialled back just five percent to show the underlying sensitivity. And then that breakdown that kicks in towards the end of the song just seals the deal.”
3. Elephant Tree – “Aphotic Blues”
“Just listen to that sludgy tone when the song kicks in, anyone who doesn’t want to find an instrument and figure out how to make that noise isn’t someone worth spending time with. The main thrust of the song is wonderfully laid back and lulls you into a false sense of security, the minute-long break of almost silence adds to that comfort level, and then the outro kicks in like a mule.”
4. Clutch – “50,000 Unstoppable Watts”
“Every good band needs a good beard front and centre. Just as long as it doesn’t distract from massive riffs and killer hooks. Clutch have all of these things in abundance, as well as an undeniable swagger that can only come from being so god damn manly.”
5. Orange Goblin – “Time Travelling Blues”
“You can’t be a stoner band in the UK and not have passed through a stage of getting lost in the haze at Orange Goblin gigs. They perfected the knack of doubling down on a good hook and making sure it carried you off into the stars on a bed of riffs.”
6. Black Sabbath – “Into the Void”
“That patented mixture of slow sludgy riffs and hard driving passages. Sabbath wrote the rulebook, and everyone else just plays along to it.”
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