They say that wisdom comes with age, and this quintet of Toronto scene vets are moving further along the path of enlightenment with Temple, their second album. The record kicks off with “Subterfuge,” a mid-paced sludgy stomp with a couple shades of Crowbar, particularly in the vocal department. “Now I See You” injects some southern-style COC grooves into the mix, while “The Ghost Narrative” slows things down considerably, a downtrodden pace that continues onto the seven-and-a-half-minute title track.
That said, their sound is fairly consistent throughout. “Centrifugal Disaster” picks up the pace somewhat, but it’s still the same familiar tempos and tones, with some super-heavy breakdowns through in for good measure. The bluesy opening riff of “Maelstrom” reminds me of Sons of OTIS—the two bands share a drummer—but it’s also got a few sludge breaks as well, while “Castaway” is a bit more mellow, leading to sort of a post-sludge attack. Not that there’s anything wrong with that—in fact, there’s something to be said for a steadily solid listen. With age comes experience too, eh?
Check out OLDE live, Friday, July 21, at Club Absinthe in Hamilton ON:
OLDE/ Dragged IN/ Pale Mare/ the Doomed
