The first part of this (shared) release is performed by Karma To Burn..I think, there is I believe a 28 Page Booklet that I don’t have. The acts may be one and the same for all I know. The other one is Sons Of Alpha Centauri. They are likely alternating, the sleeve does not make anything clear. They certainly collaborate. They say this. Confused? Look lads, all I can do is write about this CD’s content and who did what and when is down to you….

Clattering drums introduce Fourteen. Legato guitar and Hawkwind bass abound. Filthy guitar figures sing through a Big Muff or similar, giving a very doomy rumbling vibe. I have long been entranced by The Beauty Of Distortion so I can listen to this stuff….this does sound like a bunch of heavy dudes jamming a tad aimlessly. Could be the soundtrack to, say, a documentary on BloodStock. Staccato passages pile on the tension. No singer appears.

65 is again fuzz-laden and solemn. A sort of chord progression evolves, sounding like a drawn-out intro. Stabbing passages cut through the mire. I picture dark beards, mucho tattoos, long hair, leather waistcoats. The band and audience look the same. No singer appears. But a bit of speech rolls in after the three-minute mark. Good players I reckon, but no song. I do love Alice In Chains, Screaming Blue Messiahs, The BeatUp..but I’m not getting this.

Fifty-Five arrives with a repetitive 11-note riff, then a sinister chug takes over. On to 71 and a slower pace, real stoner stuff. You can picture the grim faces. Band and audience. Next up is Six and slightly hesitant build from elemental tones and a drummer who sounds purposeful. No tune emerges. On to 66 has slabs of fuzz and an almost Rammstein urgency. But I bet they hate Rammstein.

Not sure about this numbers lark – any audience shouting requests are going to sound like a queue at the local Chinese….

Then we move on to the bit called ALPHA CAT – better than no cat, I guess…

The Flying Dutchman swings, it really does, in a grim and fuzzy kind of way. A great improvement but no song, just a metal jam. Suddenly a decently-played harp jumps out. Not bad at all. Then Five lurches into earshot, attempts a saturnine atmosphere and some listenable guitar riffing ensues. Finally, we have Last Day Of Summer all urgency and pacey drumming.

Hands up, I just don’t get this at all. Metal jams by obvious attuned players but some songs are needed if this is to get out of the Stoner Ghetto and be heard by more punters. Never build a fence around your art! It’s like locking paintings away.

Pete Sargeant