Serpent Throne – White Summer-Black Winter

Releasedate: 30-11-2010; Label: Translation Loss
By: Sabine van Gameren

Formed in 2005 the stoner band Serpent Throne has been releasing albums for a while. The Americans are up for their very third release “White Summer-Black Winter”.

Instrumental pleasure as if it is taken from the psychedelic 70’s, an album that will keep many in sentiments while listening. Though all this instrumental violence strikes longer than useful, songs last too long and it is not exactly refreshing original. At some point there seems to be a need for more than just dominant guitars playing as if they play a solo of nine tracks. Drums stay far away in their sound and somehow the lack of vocals start to be killing. Another track with the same vibes comes and the thought runs through your head to just simply take out the disc and toss it in the corner. A pity, cause actually the band has skills. If only they could manage to keep it a bit more interesting, perhaps a vocalist, perhaps a more balanced way of letting the instruments get into the spotlights. Whatever it will be, there is more that they could get out of their sound.
Last words about this release must be about the artwork. It matches the 70’s vibe perfectly, which gives a few bonus points. As if the music as it is, is too much to listen to, you at least have nice artwork in your collection.

Line Up
Demian Fenton – guitar
Don Argott – guitar
Colin Smith – bass
Sean-Paul Fenton – drums

Tracklist: 01. Headed For An Unmarked Grave 02. White Summer – Black Winter 03. Controlled By Lunar Forces 04. March Of The Druids 05. Riff Forest 06. Pagan Eclipse 07. Four Winds 08. Mushroom Cloud 09. Last Spark Of The Sun

Links:
Serpent Throne MySpace