### Orange Goblin: A eulogy for the damned

#### 13/03/12 || gk

Orange Goblin has finally released the follow up to 2007’s superb “Healing Through Fire”. In the intervening years it almost seemed like there wouldn’t be a new album till word slowly trickled out of new songs being worked on. The band has been around for more than 15 years now and has slowly gone from a spaced out psychedelic stoner sound to a tight and catchy hard rock/ metal sound that just seems to get better and better.

Opener “Red Tide Rising” sets the tone for the album with its infectious riffing and catchy vocal lines. This is a common feature in every one of the ten songs here. Big, catchy riffs with a heavy bottom end, great sing-a-long vocal lines and a wonderful heavy metal attitude. Every one of the songs on this album has something going for it. Whether its the classic rock sound of the 70s in “Stand for Something”, the old fashioned biker metal feel of “The Filthy and the Few” or the Lovecraftian vibe of “The Fog” and its unbelievably kickass second half.

Elsewhere on the album, Ben Ward does a scary good impression of Dave Wyndorf on “Save Me From Myself” with even the lyrics sounding a bit Monster Magnet (“midnight assassins swooping down from the clouds of Venus, they steal my thunder but the lightnings what I need”). “Death of Aquarius” goes into a mid paced stomp with an incredibly catchy bottom heavy riff. “Bishop’s Wolf” is heavy, bluesy rock n roll held up by some superb bass playing and the album ends with the title song which over the course of its 7 odd minutes and with the judicious use of an organ ends up sounding like a modern Deep Purple and is a great finisher.

Guitarist Joe Hoare just pulls out these insanely catchy riffs and tasteful solos like its the easiest thing in the world but he’s helped immeasurably by what is probably the best bass guitar sound this band has ever had. Martyn Millard’s bass playing, whether following the guitar and giving it a boost during some songs or simply taking off on his own with some superbly thought out fills, is fantastic. Ben Ward sounds incredibly confident and relaxed. His delivery is immaculate and his vocal melodies are incredibly catchy.

There’s plenty of stuff to like here. Orange Goblin has taken all of its 70’s classic rock influences from Thin Lizzy and Wishbone Ash to Lynard Skynard and Molly Hatchet and incorporated it seamlessly into their own patented brand of stoner metal. The energy on these songs is infectious and the more you listen to this album, the more ingrained it will be in your head.

I’m tempted to call this the best Orange Goblin album yet but I miss that one moment of sheer brilliance like the female vocals on “Black Egg” or the blues harp jam on “A Beginners Guide to Suicide” so I’m going to hold off on that pronouncement just now. Still, this is some classy songwriting through and through and “A Eulogy for the Damned” is basically 10 really good songs. Orange Goblin are back and now it feels like they never left.

- Information
- Released: 2012
- Label: Candlelight
- Website: Orange Goblin MySpace
- Band
- Ben Ward: vocals
- Joe Hoare: guitars
- Martyn Millard: bass
- Chris Turner: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Red Tide Rising
- 02. Stand for Something
- 03. Acid Trial
- 04. The Filthy & the Few
- 05. Save Me from Myself
- 06. The Fog
- 07. Return to Mars
- 08. Death of Aquarius
- 09. The Bishops Wolf
- 10. A Eulogy for the Damned