Ramblin' Roze - How Of The Coomb

 

Ramblin' Roze - How Of The Coomb
Self released - September 2020
Southern rock, retro, doom, stoner
Rated: ****

Rock and roll knows no borders, and China's Ramblin' Roze stake their undeniable claim to classic southern rock on debut album Howl Of The Coomb. Wearing their influences on their sleeves, Ramblin' Roze deal in the feel-good, raucous sounds of the 70s, channeling the likes of Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet with skill and attitude. The five piece wield an absolutely fiery twin guitar attack, combined with snappy, nimble drums, a growling bass, and soaring vocals for a full and vibrant sound. Opener "Endless Highway" gets straight to the point with a driving chug and shuffle, tailor made for burning rubber. There's even some tasteful cowbell and slide guitar added in for good measure, and dammit it sounds just right. The retro hip-shaking grooves pervade most of the album's nine tracks, and the band captures those classic sounds' atmosphere to a tee. But Ramblin' Roze have more than a couple tricks up their sleeves, and come out of left field with the excellent doom epic "Mountain of the Dead". The group lays down low and slow doom in the Sabbath vein, with rumbling bass and mournful guitar. The first half of the tune is a gloomy, evil stomp of Iommi worship, but somehow transitions, smooth as can be, back to up-tempo southern swagger and blazing twin guitars. This melding of heavy genres is glimpsed across the album, and closing track "Down by The River" brings it all home. A snaking riff with stoner crunch slams into a ridiculously catchy group chorus, belted out over Skynyrd licks and demanding an arena-sized sing-along. The classic rock vibes are captured so well it warranted a double check it wasn't covering some lost golden oldie. Ramblin' Roze are true believers in the genres they love, and bring Sabbath and the South together into a brilliant and authentic feel-good ride.

(Written by Shastabeast)

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