Samán – II. Montaña Roja

 

 

Samán – II. Montaña Roja
Self released / Sylphorium Records / Vestigio Records – 2022
Rock, Stoner, Metal, Psych, Doom
Rated: *****

There’s evening redness in the west. The mountains the color of blood. In a dream I once had, I walked among those stones, till I saw the sun rise and the mountains shine in that morning light. Stumbling forward through the rocks, the next valley was nothing but a gateway into a savage land, where death danced upon the graves of many and many were dancing, claiming they would never die. When the July edition of the Doom Charts arrived; I did not die, but was saddened to see that one of the albums I loved so much and which feels so inspiring did not get high enough to receive a blurb. And as you already know from the title of this post, I’m referring to Samán’s new album II. Montaña Roja. The fourpiece hails from Bogota, Colombia and bring you an almost hour-long journey of stoner metal, which is either touched by doom and grunts or soaring with psychedelic warmth and atmospheric affection. I believe they’re named after one of the biggest trees in South America, the Colombian four give you an extremely natural flowing album that moves through all the different heavy landscapes effortlessly, seamlessly, and organically. For even though the album is oozing stoner metal and heavy trucking riffs, there are so many atmospheric and psychedelic elements in play to create the II. Montaña Roja universe, you often forget you just heard some intense grunts and doom-tinged stoner metal. Opener Montaña Roja Pt. 1 for instance, has some heavy riffs during the middle part, but for most of its five minutes, it sets its windswept scene with languid, dry guitars and rising rhythms. Following track El Sueño has the same build up, but a much heavier and thicker center part, thundering drums building up to a righteous storm, accompanied by breezing vocals that turn into a harsh blizzard of guttural knives, slashing away the reverie that was there. And that’s how Samán seems to roll for the entirety of the album, painting huge atmospheric soundscapes, where you can carefree enjoy the dreams and the virtuosity displayed, until you’re brutally, yet so full of smiles, jogged awake by the intensity that follows. You can feel the blood running warm, you can smell the sweat it took to create this… And judging from story the record tells, there might also have been a few tears… Samán’s II. Montaña Roja is an album you simply must hear… It is a starkly beautiful masterpiece…

(Written by JK)

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