GOLDEN SHROUD

Originally coming from the folk realms due to her parents Rose Kemp started to walk a higher path someday ... okay this may be controversial though, we can agree on another path at least. With a classic rock music lineup featuring Joe Garcia on bass and drummer James King she has recorded an album which consists of only three tracks ... ehhh ... only is relative of course, does not express anything about the length and the musical essence so much the more. Call it heavy psych, sludge, doom or whatever, her album is somewhat minimalistic, presents a hypnotic flow spiked with a bunch of stoner riffs. And speaking of her vocals there is a great bandwith to state, charming when it comes to the polyphonic vocal intros with a mysterious and sacral sentiment, but she also growls, roars, screams at times - the voice is often furious, aggressive.

Thus for a first summary this is completely different compared to those times when starting with Steelye Span. Black Medik II opens with puzzling lyrics ... 'How can we ever stop it' .. ??? ... wait, NO! You've just started! 'How can we ever comprehend - what we play until the end?' So many questions. Notoriously cryptic ... or she's simply kidding. Nonsense that? Artistically though the vocal arrangement is definitely valuable, lovely. But then her shredding guitar breaks the graceful atmosphere, appears to prepare for an incredible stoner groove. The other instruments are perfectly complementing on a very dynamic and intense excursion.

Make the Blood Run Red appears as a mantra, becomes branded on your mind after some rounds, you bet. This 17 minute doom epic shows scary growls, frightening moments, Rose torments her guitar again and again, but - you won't believe it probably - this is still very melodic too. Lead Coffin closes hypnotizing, ominously droning, surely the hardest to pigeonhole - I simply capitulate now ...

'Golden Shroud' is an album which brings something new to the table. It can drive you crazy, so take care. I find it a mesmerising effort, enchanting and excentric at once - surely not everyone's cup of tea. Rose's vocal acrobatics are such an unique thing, the riffs are shredding, the melodies are haunting - so this will meet the taste of fans ranging from heavy psych to sludge metal, I'm sure. The only thing is ... they should be informed about that.