I'm sucker for great music surprises. Maybe that's stating the obvious but when an album comes my way, by a band I've never heard of and they immediately blow me to kingdom come, it's an amazing feeling. Even more so when said album sustains the greatness exposed at the first spin. This is exactly what happened when Canadian quartet Ol' Time Moonshine popped up on the radar. Sometimes that initial elation withers away but not so with these guys. 'The Apocalypse Trilogies' grows further with each spin and is a mood improver, if there ever was one.
As the title suggests, 'The Apocalypse Trilogies' is built up on three parts, three trilogies: ‘I – Spacewolf’, ‘II – Tales Of The Blind Seer’ and ‘III – Wizards Of War’. The world as we know it is coming to an end and Ol’ Time Moonshine tells the story of global collapse, chaos, war and terror, as well as the citizens of Earth trying to find a resolve. This means they are heading out into space to find a new unpolluted, peaceful planet. All this is done with a gleam in the eye because the band perform in a graphic book fashion.
The first half of this
Armageddon story is balls out, nutbusting, flame spewing rock’n’roll infused
with stoner rock, fronted by a demon-throated singer. Laying waste to anything
or anyone in their way, Ol’Time Moonshine are relentless in setting the world
on fire. A slight shift occurs during the second half. Shifting down gears
somewhat, a more trippy atmosphere rolls in. Smoked and spaced out, the guys
guides the apocalypse down a different path, less chaotic perhaps and more
mellow in approach, but still sinister. Maybe it’s simply because the survivors
of the apocalypse has found a way to cope with the chaos they currently live
in.
Prior to receiving this amazing album, I had never heard of Ol’Time Moonshine but that has obviously changed and I am very grateful. These guys are a badass band that shows people how things are done and with so much oomph, it leaves me breathless. Wish more bands could use the same approach and throw caution to the wind and simply do whatever they want to. The world of music would be so much better. In the meantime, tune in to these Canadians and let your hair hang down. Awesome stuff!
-Swedebeast
