Kingcrimsonprog
Sheavy are Stoner Rock/Metal band from Canada who have been going since the early Nineties, producing a string of enjoyable and well made Sabbath inspired albums with a personality all of their own. Sometimes, as is the case on this particular album's artwork, their name is typeset as `sHeavy,' to emphasise the word `heavy.'
Sheavy have never become as successful as some of their American peers and are extremely underrated, but are still a very interesting proposition to check out should you happen to enjoy this type of music. When judged on their actual musical merits its pretty difficult to imagine why this bands aren't as well known as the most famous bands in the Stoner subgenre.
Synchronized was their fourth full-length studio album and was released in 2002. It features the classic line-up of Steve Hennessey, Dan Moore, Keith Foley and Ren Squires and the eleven track, forty-eight minute record is a vastly enjoyable collection of interesting and well written material, full of killer guitar solos, good riffs and of course the band's trademark and oft talked about Ozzy-a-like vocal stylings.
Steve Hennessey's vocals sometimes specifically mimic Ozzy Osbourne's exact and specific vocal nuances, so much so that Black Sabbath themselves allegedly considered hiring him just before Ozzy agreed to a reunion.
If you like creative and interesting Desert/Stoner/Slightly Retro Rock and Metal bands bands like Fu Manchu, Dozer, Kyuss, Karma To Burn, Clutch, Five Horse Johnson or even C.O.C then Sheavy are definitely a prospect that you may wish to discover and explore. The production style, tonal choices, mix and overall attitude and feel of the album is perfect suited to fans of the connecting link between the aforementioned bands.
Synchronized is pretty much business as usual for Sheavy; gone are the slightly more Psychedelic leanings of their earliest work, but otherwise the record is a prime example of the band's style and finds them making another album of what they do best. Big Tony Iommi style riffs one minute, slightly skateboards-in-the-music-video 1990s riffs another minute, copious provision of lead guitar and memorable vocal patterns.
Highlights include `Set Phasers To Stun,' `Last Of The V8 Interceptors,' and the particularly strong and characterful album closer `The Time Machine,' but that being said, the whole album is very strong and consistent throughout.
Overall Synchronized is another enjoyable collection of warm, analogue sounding Stoner Rock/Metal tracks from Sheavy, which is all a fan could realistically ask for. If you like the band then you will like this album, as simple as that! I highly recommend the album and by extension the band to fans of the aforementioned list of bands and indeed of the subgenre as a whole.