WIDOWS

www.facebook.com/widows666

Prior to 'Oh Deer God', Nottingham stoner crew Widows only had one full-length release to their name - 2012's 'Death Valley Duchess'. But now, five years on, the East Midlands quartet are back, doubling their discography, and claiming this new one is "heavier and dirtier than a lot of our previous stuff." A lot of their previous stuff? One album and a 2010 EP is all they've previously released, so I'm not sure there's all that much to compare the 'Oh Deer God' material to... and certainly not "a lot". Still, judged on its own terms, this is dirty(ish) and bass-biased, groove-infused heavy(ish) sludge/stoner rock/metal... and, I hasten to add, is drastically unimaginative, distinctly average, with some truly terrible, two-dimensional vocals that are entirely devoid of any emotion. Where's the passion? To name the likes of Electric Wizard, Kyuss, Down, Clutch and Entombed in a "for fans of" list in the press blurb that accompanies this promo is not only plain misleading, but insulting to the musical tastes of people who do actually like any or all of those bands. The production, mix and mastering are not all that great, either, so they can't even give some average songs a bit of a push through, at the very least, a decent sound. One of the best qualities of 'Oh Deer God' is that it's all over in under half an hour. Still, due to the sonic bilge and mediocrity on offer, it's thirty minutes that seem to drag... albeit closing track, 'Germanium Buzz', is a relative highlight. Bottom-line - some badly produced, average songs, sunk by dire vocals. Unless your expectations of music are incredibly low and you've never ever heard any Clutch, Kyuss, Electric Wizard, Orange Goblin, etc... then perhaps you might just find something here to enjoy.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

UMC Recordings

Album

OH DEER GOD

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

29:18

RELEASE DATE:

14th April 2017

TRACK LISTING

1) Oh Deer God
2) Caffeine and Hatred
3) Heresy and Venom
4) Ride to the Realm of Coitus
5) Blue Tina
6) Baron Greenback Blues
7) Germanium Buzz

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

UK

"One of the best qualities of 'Oh Deer God' is that it's all over in under half an hour. Still, due to the sonic bilge and mediocrity on offer, it's thirty minutes that seem to drag..."