Thursday 23 February 2017

Cloud Catcher - Trails Of Kozmic Dust (Album Review)


Release date: March 11th 2017. Label: Totem Cat Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Trails Of Kozmic Dust – Tracklisting

Astral Warlord
Celestial Empress
Beyond The Electric Sun
Dimensional Interlude
Visions
Trails Of Kozmic Dust
Super Acid Magick
Righteous Ruler

Band Members

Rory Rummings
Kam Wentworth
Jared Soloman Handman

Review

Cloud Catcher return with a new album - Trails Of Kozmic Dust - and their first for their new label Totem Cat Records. The new album sees the band with an extra spring in their step as they bring more of heavy Sabbathain based sound compared to their debut album. With the band injecting a spaced out feel with a vintage Doom/Stoner Rock sound.

This album pulls you in from the start with heavy rhythms and cosmic based stoner riffs. The vocals are your normal Psych/Space/Stoner Rock sound with a dash of The Sword back when they were a lean mean doom making machine. 

Opening track - Astral Warlord - opens the album with seventies/eighties Doom Metal swagger set against a trippy Stoner modern sound. Lead vocalist - Rory - maybe singing about sci-fi related items but he pulls it off with huge style. The riffs have a more cosmic feel to their last album and it makes the album a more well-rounded experience. The production is first rate as the energy of the album is loud, clear and highly infectious.

Second track - Celestial Empress adds a more Blues Rock feel that allows them to play some jam-based riffs. The album veers in to Classic Rock/Heavy Metal territory for brief moments and it shows that Cloud Catcher isn’t afraid to play other elements of music. Trails Of Kozmic Dust is primarily a Space/Stoner Rock album but the band will change the tone and atmosphere of the album depending on how they see fit.

Third track - Beyond The Electric Sun has a certain Mothership influence to it but Cloud Catcher manages to play a more psychedelic blues/stoner vintage sound. The pounding bass make this one of the standout songs on the album. Cloud Catcher excels most on the lengthier tracks such as Beyond The Electric Sun, Trails Of Kozmic Dust and Righteous Ruler. As they have more time to fully explore their cosmic based sound. Lengthy riffs are backed up by superb vocals of Rory.

The excellent album cover and album title gives you an idea that science fiction plays a big part with Cloud Catcher's music. The album cover was designed by the always reliable Adam Burke. The second half of the album sees Cloud Catcher adding almost ambient noises into their music. Especially on the superb title track with the band adding moments of classic power-trio jamming setting the album for an exciting finish.

The album does change direction multiple times but that's a good thing. As Cloud Catcher don't play one set sound. They play many different elements of Hard Rock. It makes Tales Of Kozmic Dust a more rewarding experience. All in all, this is a fantastic album with Cloud Catcher on truly outstanding form.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Trails Of Kozmic Dust will be available to buy via Totem Cat Records on CD/DD/Vinyl from March 11th 2017.

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