Stoned Turtle is an alternative rock band featuring “powerful guitars, pounding drums, and gritty bass for a real 90s-inspired sound.” I was expecting them to be from Seattle, but they're actually from Genoa, Italy! Anyway, the boys have just released a new CD titled Blackout.
Stoned Turtle was formed when two previous bands (Hydra and Blank) broke up, and some of the remaining members joined together for a five-piece group, allowing for more refined vocal harmonies and intricate guitar arrangements. The members are Alessandro Vito (vocals), Alessio Lai (guitars), Stefano Arecco (guitars/backing vocals), Nicolo Cavazzoni (bass/backing vocals), and Fabrizio Ferro (drums). Their original sound was noise rock à la Sonic Youth, but they evolved to show influences from Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Metallica, System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, and Smashing Pumpkins. Their songs deal with the human state of mind in different situations, including difficult ones: the pandemic, the fallout from war, and the inability to see the future are some examples. Recording and mixing took place at Blackwave Studio by Fabio Palombi, with mastering by "Bernie" De Bernardi at Eleven Mastering (PFM, Nanowar). “Sweet” incinerated my speakers right out of the gate with a track that actually dates back to the band’s “Blank Period.” Structurally, it has that Nirvana quiet-loud dynamic with vocals similar to Greg Lake (for those who remember). The riffs are not particularly complex, but the whole works quite well, along with a classic wah-wah solo. And for a song that starts with “We are flies inside a glass / waiting for our day to die,” it actually gets pretty hopeful toward the end! The band says “Blackout” is about “the blindness towards the future, in an increasingly complex society.” However, they also admit it was written and recorded during the pandemic, which is clear from the lyrics: “You open up the door, there’s just silence outside.” However it got here, this is an upbeat hard rocker with another great wah-wah solo and some interesting mix choices. “What Are You Waitin’ For?” brings some of the more distant Metallica influences to the fore, though even at their most depressed, these guys seem to be having more fun than those other guys. The different gradations of fuzz guitars are subtle but reward close listening on headphones. “Crazy For You” starts the track acoustically but soon returns to full-bore rock. Given the intimate opening, I was expecting this to be the obligatory love ballad, but that love appears to be for someone who is NOT the narrator. The boys have devised a clever countdown motif for the choruses (“One, two, three, you’ll be falling apart / And in four, five, six I’ll be breaking your heart”). The lead solo is straight (no wah pedal), and I think I prefer it that way. The “Doors Of Perception” was a book from which The Doors band borrowed their name, so I was interested to see if there would be any Doors sound in this song. The answer is no, though the lyrical ideas are not far from Jim Morrison's. Musically, it’s a rollicking, tumbling rock fest with 60s-style harmony vocal choruses. “Killing For The Master” was the first song specifically composed for this album and is said to deal with the theme of war and refugees. It alternates between frantic Brian May-like riffs and chiming guitar choruses. Wherever it comes from, the energy and forward momentum are unstoppable. “Beyond The Truth” starts the final track with acoustic guitars and muted electrics. The boys increase the volume judiciously, then add a guitar effect that sounds like it was beamed to Mars and back. Vito’s soulful vocals are center stage, and I’m sorry but he really does sound like Greg Lake. Since we no longer have Greg in person, that’s fine with me. Interestingly, this is one of the most accessible tracks: quite heavy but with an extra sweet mix that should appeal to most anyone. A great set of killer rock songs with a classic edge. Highly recommended!
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