Wanna hear about grunge revival? Hell no. To us, “revival” is a word for low-grade and poorly inspired copycats, and this is certainly not what DISASTROID is about. Let’s rather talk about a time capsule that, as soon as their new album “Garden Creatures” was released, sent us back to mid-90s Seattle. Put your lumberjack flannels and used jeans back on, grab a cheap beer, and follow us in this trip back to the golden era of rock.
Formed in 2011, the Californian trio offers their fifth record “Garden Creatures” — and second on Heavy Psych Sound Records, a major purveyor of quality-stamped releases. Following on from the impressive “Mortal Fools”, we’re treated to an even greater album. The formula may seem unchanged, but it has been honed like a jeweler to chisel out eight musical gems of unrivaled power. The Bay Area outfit’s grunge heritage is a force to be reckoned with: the vocals carry the melodies, the noisy riffs are surprising and addictive, the drums are so brutalized that you wonder how they hold up, and the bass, damn it, has been on a high-protein diet and has put on muscle (or far) but the result is that it’s gotten even thicker, even monstrous!
While the voice remains the common thread running through songs of surprisingly varied structures, the lyrics have always evoked everyday matters that make life worse rather than better, and the ferocity of the music is perfectly suited to these dark moods. Disastroid are the worthy heirs of Soundgarden, minus the despair and with a healthy dose of humor to sweeten the pill. The perfect combination of their disquieting lyrics and their Am-Rep-worthy energy has given rise to these strange creatures who just won’t let go. So much so that we wonder how this band has gone under the radar for so long: from the very beginning, it was there in front of us, waiting for the world to stumble across it like a hidden treasure.
Now that you know, beware: Disastroid isn’t riding any wave. Disastroid is the wave of a sonic tsunami that will shake you up and down, turn your senses inside out, and leave you breathless.
Last modified: 26 February 2024
