Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – Wasteland

[schema type=”review” name=”Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats – Wasteland” description=”Label: Rise Above Records” author=”Başak Günel” pubdate=”2018-10-12″ ]

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats is a name you have heard of by now if you are familiar with the modern stoner/psych bands. Hailing from the UK, the band was formed in 2009 and going strong with a few full-lengths and many many shows. It has been three years since the previous release “The Night Creeper” was released and so it is time to break the silence. “Wasteland” is out.

“Wasteland” has all of the elements that the typical Uncle Acid sound has to offer. The highlight, however, is the great development the band shows us with this release. The sound is quite diverse, comprising a great mixture of stoner, fuzz, psych, garage and doom… Now you might say “Well they all go hand in hand together anyway!”… Well, it takes a certain courage, a good production and vision to blend these altogether without sounding too generic and Uncle Acid has shown exactly that with “Wasteland”. In contrary to the Uncle Acid sound I am used to, this release shows us a rather dystopian and a dark universe… a turning point! Surely, there are some upbeat and ‘radio-friendly’ songs like “I See Through You” or “Stranger Tonight” but the highlights are definitely songs like “No Return” or “Wasteland”, which bring in this progress and diversity. That being said, one focus of this album soundwise is the horror-rock elements, which fit perfectly to that dystopian atmosphere. I am guessing this could also be a concept album from the beginning to the end. It flows so easily even though the rhythm and the style change their shape constantly but the consistency is solid and so is the band’s vision.

“Wasteland” is definitely one of my favorites of this year. Nothing to complain. Great production and great development in the band’s sound. Recommended to the lovers of this genre.

Highlights: I See Through You, Shockwave City, Wasteland

Tracklist: 1. I See Through You 2. Shockwave City 3. No Return 4. Blood Runner 5. Stranger Tonight 6. Wasteland 7. Bedouin 8. Exodus

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