DOPETHRONE — Hochelaga (review)

DOPETHRONE — Hochelaga album cover Album · 2015 · Stoner Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Warthur
As a band heavily influenced by - if not outright cloning - the sound of an older, more established band, naming yourself after one of the earlier band's albums is a move which is on the one hand ballsy, on the other hand kind of respectful... but when it's an album on the level of the almighty Dopethrone by Electric Wizard, that's when the balance tips firmly to the "ballsy" side of the scales.

It's lucky, then, that Dopethrone are so adept at capturing the classic sound of early Electric Wizard on Hochelaga - right down to the choice of the cool archive sound samples they choose to slip into the mix. In fact, by sprinkling on a light dusting of sludge metal influences, I'd actually say they've developed the Electric Wizard sound in an interesting direction which, even if it's still under the shadow of the Wizard, at least isn't riding the Wizard's coat-tails.

If you flat-out hate Electric Wizard, there's pretty much no way Dopethrone is going to win you over - but if you do enjoy the Cornish demigods of doom, then Hochelaga offers enough of an interesting twist on their sound to qualify as an interesting and worthwhile attempt in its own right.
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