Full Tone Generator – Refuge of Sinners

 

 

Full Tone Generator – Refuge of Sinners
Golden Robot Records / Iron Head Records / Hurricane Music – 2024
Rock, Stoner, Desert, Sludge, Hard, Punk
Rated: *****

As you few crazies that follow the HiVe probably know, we have a gigantic obsession with everything Rancho De La Luna. We even did a Rancho De La Luna Month early on in our little existence. And even though the main man behind Full Tone Generator hails from Melbourne, Australia, the band has close ties to everything Rancho. The first album Valley Of The Universe featured none other than Brant Bjork on drums, their Never To Return live-album had Nick Oliveri on bass and their new one, out since a week, is called Refuge of Sinners and was recorded in the fabled desert hideaway recording studio. Yes sir, a studio in the desert and a true Refuge of Sinners. Produced by the band and master chef Dave Catching, Refuge of Sinners sports nine tracks that all exhume that magical Rancho vibe, the desert punk attitude and that stoner rocking sound of yore. Indeed, the Kyuss low hanging groove here, Mondo Generator speediness there and a whole lotta love for the good and heavy stuff. This is what happens when you put four good ol’ boys from Australia with a penchant for the Palm Desert sound into their most longed for environment and studio. And we should leave them there, so they can produce more of this wild and wonderful ruckus. Kenny, starting the show with that dark and uncanny tone, languidly traversing through a noisy and overdriven landscape, the coyote like guitar howling. Take Me, pushing the needle down, that wild beginning, the rumbling drums, producing a smash and grab attitude, before the guitars kick in and those vocals bring it all home. With a spirit and attitude that hangs somewhere between Garcia and Oliveri, those vocals make this two-minutes-and-twenty-seconds-long rocker, that perfect ripper, that banging almost road rage inducing driving song. Single Juan Carlos has been your go to atavistic stonerrock tune since June 2023 right? It has been for me! For it gives you, out of this world pure and unadulterated generator party heaviness. Fourth track The Snake Charmer can perhaps best be seen as a one minute interlude with those atmospheric Rancho sounds. It does set the scene nicely for middle track and longest cut, Find Out. A mighty flow, that slowly builds through as much of the stoner and desert rock you experience before this track arrived; but also incorporating that seventies touch. Bluesy by default, this track will not bring you down, but will make you fly, soar through endless starry sky. Following Don’t Even Know You continues in that vein, Yeah Hey delivers fight music for the fight after which we come to Dark Eyes. A thoughtful song that sports more emotional singing, almost going off the rails even and a second line of female vocals. Would love to know who the guest vocalist on this track is, but for now, that’s still a mystery. They finish the album by reprising it for one and half minute, painting a deep and reflective atmosphere, which turns into a fitting ending for this beautiful little refuge of an album..

(Written by JK)

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