10% Reptile - Holographic Fuzz

 

10% Reptile - Holographic Fuzz
Playgroundz Records - 2023
Stoner, Grunge, Punk
Rated: ****

New York's own 10% Reptile follow up their genre-melding debut with "Holographic Fuzz", and succeed in crafting another set of unique anthems, this time leaning more to the grunge and punk ends of the spectrum than stoner. The sound's a bit more stripped down and jangly, creating an affecting atmosphere somewhere between grunge and heavy folk, with nods to Alice in Chains in the vocals but with an upbeat stomp in the rhythm. Highlight cut "Unfamiliar Hazard" showcases that stomp beautifully, a barn-burner of a track with cutting, howled lyrics and a physical urgency to the hard-hitting beat. Things are dialed back on "Don't Let a Good Thing Go to Waste", with southern gothic vibes joining bluesy licks and bright guitar that would've absolutely killed on 90's MTV Unplugged. Final track "Nothing's What It Seems to Be" brings some stoner fuzz and winding, chugging riffs to close the album out with extra oomph, and the quartet once again prove they're of a space and sound in the heavy underground that belongs only to 10% Reptile.

(Written by Kyle SB / Shastabeast)

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