Crank this to 9.6 of 11 - Editors' Pick
Released: 2018
Genre: Doom, Sludge
Sounds Like: Sleep, YOB, Bongzilla
Since 2015 the trio from Baku, Azerbaijan have flown well under our radar. Perhaps they fell victim to the ‘weed’ titled band pool that had become so saturated in the last decade and we sluffed them off. Boy were we fucking remiss. Behold Pyraweed and their sensational 38 minutes 3 song trip entitled Green Jinn.
All stars align here as sparkling production, bludgeoning bass rhythms, and intelligent melodies flow together to engulf fans of the heavy. Nijat’s vocals offer up a fair amount of diversity beyond the stoic monotone backbone that Sleep shaped for the sludge world. We are impressed by the catchiness of the album believe it or not. Impressive song structure make the 12-13 minute songs fly by as the jams weave so well back to the hooks and melodic undercurrents.
Track Listing:
1. Mist 12:13
2. Dusk 13:08
3. Dust 12:59
Standout Track:
"Dusk" absolutely floored us after the first listen. This is some of the most infectious sludge we’ve ever heard. The melody of this track is brilliant offering up some nice contrast cool vocals. It is so well positioned at the center and the core of this album. That being said the two other tracks are also fucking brilliant. The closer Dust brings things down brilliantly and offers up the most contrast on the album weaving some spacial sampling and keys.
Where the heck is Baku, Azerbaijan?
Located in the region of the southern Caucasus Mountains, Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea to the east, Georgia and Russia to the north, Iran to the south, and Armenia to the southwest and west. A small part of Nakhchivan also borders Turkey to the northwest.
Adult Beverage Pairing:
The Aviation is a classic cocktail made with gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, and lemon juice. Some recipes omit the crème de violette. It is served straight up, in a cocktail glass.
Ingredients: Crème de violette or Creme Yvette, 1/2 oz Maraschino liqueur, 1 1/2 oz Gin, Preparation: Add all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well.
ROTATION RECAP:
Weight of the Heavy
9.1 out of 11
Fretwork Prowess
9.7 out of 11
Captivation and Variety
10.2 out of 11
Vocal Performance
9.3 out of 11
Overall Album Flow
10.1 out of 11
Contrast
9.8 out of 11
Album Cover Aesthetics
9.2 out of 11
Production Value
9.8 out of 11
Final Thoughts:
It’s clear to us that Pyraweed immerse themselves in the product of their name. This altered state clearly heightens the creativity in developing this wonderful three track journey. While the homage to Sleep is clear, Pyraweed have crafted A sound and five they should be proud to call their own. Grab this one on Bandcamp, they have a full digital download of their entire library at an exceptional price. Give it a gander.
Band Members
Nijat Hasanzadeh - Bass Guitar / Vocals
Ramin Sadigov - Drums
Sadig Alizada - Effects/Sampling