”Invisible empire” is the second album from US rockers Riotgod. Riotgod was formed by Monster Magnet members Bob Pantella and Jim Baglino who then recruited Garret Sweeney and Mark Sunshine.
The music is described variously as stoner rock, hard rock or stoner metal. Having listened to the album a good few times I’d describe it as 70s hard rock with some stoner rock and metal influences – its good hard rock with plenty of groove.
”Gas station roses” is a nice change of pace with its acoustic guitars and allows Mark Sunshine to display another aspect to his vocals, and which sounds to be quite Led Zeppelin influenced.
”Saving it up” picks the pace up a bit and is a great track – one of my favourites on the album.
”Looseley bound” is another great track with some great singing, a great tune
”Lost” has a heavy Black Sabbath feel to it as soon as it starts off, and this feel remains throughout the song. Definitely a good solid metal track.
The only track I’m not keen on is ”Hollow mirror” – almost 9 minutes in length it starts out well but fades out to silence two thirds of the way through before coming back with what I can best describe as psychadelia meets metal – over two minutes of what feels like self indulgent instrumental rubbish. Sorry, but chopping this last part of the song out of the album would have made it much better in my opinion.
”Rebirth” is the last track on the album and really does sound like a modern Led Zeppelin song, with Mark Sunshine’s vocals sounding very like Robert Plant. A really good track and a nice change of pace to end the album on – this is another of my favourites on the album.
This is a great album with a nice blend of hard rock and stoner rock, and some great songs. Well worth a listen.
”Invisible empires” is out now on Metalville records.
Track listing:
1. Breed
2. Fool
3. Crossfade
4. Slow death
5. Firebrand
6. Gas station roses
7. Tomorrow’s today
8. Saving it up
9. Loosely bound
10. Lost
11. Hollow mirror
12. Rebirth
