20 WATT TOMBSTONE
20 WATT TOMBSTONE "The Chosen Few"
By Dr. Abner Mality
This Wisconsin band is like a blast of fresh clean air in a house that's been locked up for 100 years. I haven't heard anything like this in a long time and that's a huge plus in my book. It comes across as raw, heavy, honest and tuneful....doom and stoner rock fans will probably dig it the most, but this is more primal than that. This goes all the way back to ROBERT JOHNSON and the dirtiest, swampiest blues you could imagine. There is power in the music that you won't find in standard heavy metal, death metal, grunge or just about any other sub-genre.
This is properly a mini-album, as it doesn't really last that long. One thing that hit me right from the very first seconds of "Prophet Man" is the awesome production. I haven't heard a greasier, thicker guitar tone in a month of Sundays. The guitar sounds lurches right out of a tar pit and the drums sound organic and natural. There are big, fat riffs in the world of 20 WATT TOMBSTONE that will get your head nodding. Clap ears on "Black Top Sorrow" and "Bomb That Saved The Day" for grooves thicker than concrete. Then we have the vocals of Tom Jordan, which have an abundance of something almost totally lacking in most heavy music....SOUL! This guy is a soulful singer with a clear, clean sound....don't look for screams or growls here. It mixes so well with that gritty guitar sound.
We get a couple of covers that show where the band gets it's influence from...CHRIS STAPLEDON's blues classic "Midnight Train To Memphis" and ZZ TOP's "Just Got Paid". Both of which are done proper honor. If you demand band comparisons in your reviews, well, then, imagine a car wreck between SAINT VITUS, ZZ TOP and KYUSS and you might have some idea of the power of 20 WATT TOMBSTONE. I'm glad I heard this record...it reminds me of what's missing from a lot of modern rock n roll.