The Same River – Weight Of The World
Electric Talon Records / Sliptrick Records - 2022
Rock, Stoner, Psych
Rated: *****
Ever since hearing Weight Of The World by Greek formation The Same River I felt the urgent need to sit down to write a few words of love and praise for the album. But as usual, time eluded me and it took weeks, nay, months to finally get to it. And all that even after Ioannis Valiakos, from the Desert Vulture site already wrote some fine words for the Doom Charts Peroration of May and The Ripple Effect’s Pat Whitaker on the May Doom Charts, where they were featured proudly on the Number 19 spot. But it felt wrong to keep postponing the sit down. Slowly the weight was growing bigger, and my shoulders started to buckle. And then when the news came All Them Witches had to cancel their Krach Am Bach festival gig in Germany, it needed to be done quickly. For The Same River would fit snugly in that spot. Sure, The Same River formed in 2019 is only just now starting out, but the sound, the tones and the voice will surely remind everyone of All Them Witches. And that is not a bad thing! Weight Of The World has some bluer touches, some more metal thunders and perhaps more pounding than All Them Witches ever had. I might even be hearing a few; much heavier Madrugada touches, but that might just be me. Overall, The Same River seems to embody heavy psychedelic rock to the very core. Lyrically the album covey’s the band's “philosophical concerns about the decadence of human society filtered through the fears of an unknown world after this pandemic ends. Heraclitus, Albert Camus, Sigmund Freud and many mythological aspects of our heritage (with a deeper meaning), such as Sisyphus and Prometheus, blend in a way and fulfills in rhymes what their vision for this world is about; solidarity, peace and understanding.” Which is perfect ground to produce an album that is worth to stand next to all that ancient knowledge. It calls for honesty and pure of heart; something the nine tracks seem to thrive on. There are no masks in The Same River. Recorded during the pandemic in three different studios, the album fits together perfectly and sounds like a grand piece of art. That moves and projects images and emotions on a blank canvas and for you to do with what you like. For me it becomes this huge and in-depth adventure into every universal aspect you might be able to think of. But whatever it turns out to be for the rest of the world, the fact remains that this is an amazingly strong, brilliant and awe-inspiring album…
(Written by JK)
