Wizard Rifle – Here in the Deadlights

Can I just say I’ve partaken in a few too many Facebook discussions about how there are far too many doom bands nowadays with Wizard in their moniker? Wizard Rifle is a pretty blatant example; do wizards actually carry guns in Portland, or something?

Alas, their silly name combined with some, erm, creative song titles and a bizarre band photo suggest this isn’t an outfit to be taken too seriously.  “Crystal Witch” (there’s another overused word!) starts off all feedbacky ‘n shit, before a rollicking drum beat brings us into Big Business territory.  I’d definitely list the Seattle duo/trio as a major influence on these guys.

“Buzzsaw Babes” is shorter and speedier, a brief burst of frenzied garage rock with just a touch of Harvey Milk or Killdozer.  “Paul the Sky Tyrant” is about as intimidating as your typical tyrant named Paul, with a bit of a black-metal behind him, while “Psychodynamo” is much more mellow than expected initially, with kind of a trip-hop thing going on, though they eventually add some nice, crunchy riffs to the mix before things get a little too frantic for my taste.

I dunno guy, but I guess I can’t get past the band photo with the armless man in the brown pants.

Comments

4 responses to “Wizard Rifle – Here in the Deadlights”

  1. MetalMatt_KofN Avatar
    MetalMatt_KofN

    Oh Greg. I gave this a 9! In my top 5 for the year. Sometimes we are so similar and sometimes so different.

    1. Gruesome Greg Avatar
      Gruesome Greg

      Wow, this one just didn’t grab me at all. I think the only 9s I gave all year were for Orange Goblin and Eyehategod… Wizard Rifle is definitely not on that level, IMO.

      1. MetalMatt_KofN Avatar
        MetalMatt_KofN

        I gave out a handful across various sites. Even a 10 for Pallbearer!

        1. Gruesome Greg Avatar
          Gruesome Greg

          Nothing wrong with that Pallbearer record…even if I didn’t love it as much as you did. 😛

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