SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MAX BOOGIE OVERDRIVE – STONED AGAIN

MAX BOOGIE OVERDRIVE
STONED AGAIN
INDEPENDENT

Fresh out of Los Angeles, Max Boogie Overdrive’s debut album Stoned Again is sure to bring a slew of listeners to their community. The album is an impressive feat of complex guitar skills that truly resonate with the gutsy sound of the early 1970’s rock scene, as well as allowing for contemporary elements to influence their sound.

max boogie overdriveThe album contains many musical allusions to bands of the past such as Kiss and Dio, allowing for a sudden punch of reminiscence for current listeners. Songs such as “Demonaire” and “Suffer Sister” are where Drop Dee’s vocals shine in all their rock glory. Much of the vocal performance can also find its place throughout the late 90s metal scene, allowing for the contemporary influence throughout the album to really stand out.

A punch in the stomach from the first track, Stoned Again can only be described as thunderous and sonically bulky. Through this album, the listener can hear the band’s steadfast and unwavering “sludge metal” sound, which is sure to create a strong fanbase, however, this could possibly lead to future work from the band to become tedious.

The 8-song album is full of musically strong tracks that invite the listener to headbang along, but, how much headbanging can one do before their neck gets sore? As aforementioned, the album really stands on its consistent sound, but by around track three, the lack of dichotomy within the work unfortunately renders the album monotonous. To add to this, the average track length sits at 04:45, which unfortunately, allows the album to become distractingly long. Typically, there is nothing wrong with a lengthy album, although I have found that the tracks do not contain any substantial reason for them to be this long.

The album is well suited for those who enjoy strong guitar work as the lyrics on this album seem as if they are to only accompany the musical work and do not hold any substance on their own, not to say that they aren’t well written, but the written component isn’t entirely groundbreaking. Despite this, “Demonaire”, is able to provide the most stimulating lyrics on the record, as well as a continuously engaging instrumental, and a subtle nod to bands such as The Eagles and Mountain. It is able to give the listener something new to find upon re-listens and is undeniably the standout track on Stoned Again.

Ultimately, this album is a great starting point for the band, and a fantastic place to grow upon. In the future, the band should look to create a shorter set of songs for more impactful listening and develop lyrics that can not only accompany the music, but also bring the songs to the next level. As previously stated, the album is sure to be enjoyed by fans of powerful guitar technique and those who are looking to take a reminiscing journey back to the 1970s, this time with a “doom-sludge” twist.

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