VIBRAVOID

— First review of this album —

German band VIBRAVOID have been around for more than 20 years, and is a name recognized by most people with an interest in psychedelic rock. They have been fairly regular contributors to the output of UK label Fruits de Mer Records over the years, and this time around they have taken on Vibravoid's classic anthem In-a-Gadda-da-Vida, released as a 7 inch vinyl single with one half of the song on each side.

In-a-Gadda-da-Vida is one of those songs there's really no reason to release a cover version of. Just about anyone with an interest in rock music know the song, or at least selected parts of it, by heart, and it's not like it's hard to track it down either. Still, if one artist was going to do it then Vibravoid is a good choice. I understand that this track has been a part of their live set for quite some time by now, and due to that they will at least have fans interested in their take on this classic composition as a studio recording as well.

Their take on this classic track is one that, as I experience it, appears as controlled. Rather more so than the original but also controlled on a general level. The steady beats suits the landscapes perfectly, the circulating bass is nice and visible in the mix, and the organ and guitars are given fairly even roles here, which was a tad surprising. The vocals are rather calm and controlled as well, and unless my memory fails me a notch or two better in quality than on Iron Butterfly's original in terms of tone and pitch control. As the song is split into a first and second half, the obvious manner in which to do so is by doing it in a drum solo, which is the case here. Nicely and creatively done, and in a fairly entertaining drum solo too, even if perhaps a bit on the long side for some.

While there's really no reason to get a cover version of this song, if you do have the desire to get one then Vibravoid' stake on this classic is a finely executed specimen. Solid and controlled through and through, and perhaps rather less bombastic than what you'd expect a take on this classic track might sound like at that.

German band VIBRAVOID celebrate their 25th anniversary this year I understand, at least they have a banner on their Facebook page proclaiming that these days, and while they didn't make their debut as recording artists until 2001 they have been a popular entity in the psychedelic rock scene ever since that year. They have been regular contributors to UK niche label Fruits de Mer Records for a number of years now, as providers of newly recorded versions of classic psychedelic rock tracks released as a part of specific projects as well as ordinary releases issued without a defining context of one sort or the other. The single "Stepping Stone" belongs to the latter category, and was released in the fall of 2015.

On this 7 inch vinyl Vibravoid has a go at three classics from way back when, giving each of them the Vibravoid treatment: Creating material that has a contemporary nature to it in arrangements, performance and production, crafted by using distinct and dominating layers of psychedelic instrument details of various kinds.

The Monkees Stepping Stone is thus transformed into a fuzz and echoing guitar driven enterprise, with a gentler fuzz guitar and organ driven employed for the verse sequences and a noisier, edgy arrangement for the interludes, and with a gentler echoing guitar detail and voice effect combination for the solo section midways. Traffic's Hole In My Shoe is given a more diverse treatment, with raga-tinged plucked strings and flute details alternating with gentler plucked guitars and organ interludes, with some cosmic sounding effects thrown in here and there and atmospheric laden lead vocals alternating with a darker, effects treated lead vocal presence. Both of these are well made and strong performances, and as usual they come across as sounding very much like Vibravoid and not quite as much as material originally written and performed by another band.

The B side of this single features Vibravoid's take on HP Lovecraft's The White Ship, a slower paced affair where the song comes across as a slow journey over psych-filled landscapes, with fuzzy and echoing guitar details, some raga-tinged plucked string details and more or less subtle cosmic effects arranged as the sea for this ship to sail upon, with a chaotic crescendo midways as a possibly allegorical storm. Extremely well made, but at least for my ears and my brain this one becomes just a bit too overpowering, a constant array of sounds and effects in a psychedelic wild sea that is just a bit too rough for my tastes, although I suspect those with a taste for the more edgy and challenging aspects of psychedelic rock should find this one a most welcome excursion indeed.

At the end of the day I do regard this single is a strong one though, but it's qualities depends very much on how much you enjoy Vibravoid's take on psychedelic rock. Their contemporary take on the style is somewhat overpowering, with a loud and in your face attitude that is a bit removed from the warmer, organic and often more delicate touch generally applied by the artists of yesteryear. If you don't enjoy the band or their general approach chances are that this single won't convince you otherwise, but if you do you'll most likely find this single to be an enticing one.

German band VIBRAVOID have been around for more than a decade by now, and probably well deserve the description often given them as Germany's leading progressive rock band. They have recorded their fair share of material for UK label Fruits de Mer Records over the years, and their most recent take for this vinyl specialist label is this three track single.

The A side is taken up by Colour Your Mind, originally made by a band called Tyrnaround, and in Vibravoid's take on it this one alternates between a sickly organ and guitar motif supported by sparse but effective bass and drums with a more majestic but still sickly sounding organ and dark toned guitar riff arrangement, with two nice runs of psych dripping guitar solo sequences and a concluding freaked out psych-dripping finale.

The B side kicks off with La Poupee Qui Fait Non, originally by Michel Polnareff. This one isn't quite as compelling, but a nice enough albeit somewhat monotone affair with distant, lightly effects treated vocals, careful surging effects and a dominant light toned organ combining in a 60's sounding, naive psychedelic rock oriented direction.

The second track on the B side is more impressive however. Optical Sounds, originally by Human Expression, is a much more tension filled affair. Echoing, reverberating dark toned twisted sounds that may or may not be produced by guitars in a triple layer with plucked guitar details and a psych dripping light toned guitar solo for the additional layers, with spoken like vocals and effective rhythms backdrop. A compelling arrangement that produce a suitably haunting atmosphere, with recurring instrumental inserts that sports a richer and overall more intense atmosphere further enriching the experience. A brilliant track showcasing Vibravoid at their best as far as I'm concerned, and easily the most striking piece of music on this single.

If you tend to enjoy intense psychedelic rock with a vintage sound Vibravoid is probably known to you already. If not then this single is a suitable introduction to their turf in the psychedelic rock universe, and if you like them already I suspect that this single easily merits a should buy notification.