Band: Kadavar
Album: Rough Times
Year: 2017
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
For some time, one of my favorite trends in heavy music has been the resurgence of a psychedelic-infused, bluesy rock n’ roll sound resembling the lovechild of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, among others, if such a lovechild were to exist. Tried and tested time again, it takes a special type of band to nail this without the product sounding rehashed and stale. Berlin’s Kadavar is, for all intents and purposes, a prime example of a modern band who has found the ideal balance necessary to keep the style both fresh and relevant. The band’s jumbled mess of fuzzy doom is apparent once again on their latest release, Rough Times, and boy is it tasty.
KadavarRough Times opens strong right from the get-go, as the title track practically smacks listeners in the face with an unforgiving, brute force. Following a straightforward structure, which remains the theme for the album’s duration, “Rough Times” does an excellent job of preparing you for what is to come thereafter. Frontman Christoph “Lupus” Lindemann’s vocal performance truly shines on the track, soaring high above the fuzz that chugs below. Equally noteworthy is his performance on tracks such as “Vampires,” “Skeleton Blues,” and, well, just about everywhere else, if we’re being honest. In addition, the frontman’s flawlessly arranged riffs, accompanied by a warm, dry guitar tone, sound like they were plucked right out of the late 1970s in the best way possible. Brought together by fantastic low-end provided by bassist Simon “Dragon” Bouteloup and drummer Christoph “Tiger” Bartelt, the trio is nothing short of unstoppable.
On Rough Times, Kadavar has successfully crafted an incredible balance between both dark and gritty, as seen on cuts such as “Into the Wormhole,” and upbeat delight, allá “Die Baby Die” and “Words of Evil.” As a newcomer to the band, I am both thoroughly impressed with this release and looking forward to seeing where their retro-inspired sound will go moving forward. For now, if you enjoy indulging in new-school takes on old-school rock n’ roll, Rough Times has your name written all over it. Pick up your copy now via Nuclear Blast!
