Lords of Bastard | Bandcamp | Facebook
Released through Bang Mountain Records
Lords of Bastard from Edinburgh play bass heavy quirky stoner rock. They are not a traditional stoner rock band by any means and their second full length Cuddles is full of an interesting mix of kick ass styles. There’s anything from noise rock to math like beats going on at times. There are also hints of Big Business, Lords, Kyuss and Jesus Lizard... what more could you possibly need?
The vocals are relaxed but distorted and there’s a keyboard thrown into the mix which hammers out anything from delicate tones to psychedelic madness, Lords of Bastard just do whatever the hell they want. ‘Ghost Time’ combines all aforementioned tantalising ingredients and is a blinding opener.
‘Bloody Hell’ is an absolute cracker, lightning quick drums and just like the entire album, pull off a fine balancing act between the heaviness and mellow vibes. Your brain can focus in on the almost chilled vocals but behind that there’s utter riff devastation pummelling away creating all kinds of carnage.
Lords of Bastard conjure up a consistent yet chaotic flow, if that makes any sense. Delivering fuzzy melodies throughout, but there is complexity and wizardry layered ion which keeps you on your toes. ‘I’m In My Walls’ is a perfect example of this and very much the high point. It boasts catchy yet sludgy riffs with overlaid swirling keys, reminiscent of Astrohenge, which can only be a good thing. The final track ‘Squirrel Mirror’ is an absolute riff monster and the perfect sign off.
As interesting as it is, there’s not quite enough substance or power to elevate Cuddles into a classic and probably won’t make many top 10s come the end of 2013 but it’s a valiant effort. It’s early days for the band with the creativity they possess, I’m looking forward to full on intercourse with Lords of Bastard and not just "Cuddles”.
