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Thee Oh Sees, Smote Reverser

Thee Oh Sees, Smote Reverser
That cover’s going to tempt you to assume this a heavy metal album. Some of the vocals and lyrics might too, and there’s certainly a proto-metal vibe present here. It has some its just plain metal moments too, like the unrelentingly driving “Overthrown” but ultimately this is an experimental, multi-directional psychedelic rock record from a band that’s always stretching itself into new shapes. They go in quite a few directions here, and it’s all tied together by John Dwyer’s spellbinding guitars. While Sabbath is clearly the chief influence, the music rarely gets any harder than Zeppelin and it’s probably accessible to any lover of resplendent guitar riffs. Dwyer does both those bands proud. Highlights: “Last Peace,” “Abysmal Urn,” “Overthrown”

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