THE PROSELYTE’S SUNSHINE STANDS OUT FROM THE STONER METAL PACK
In each scene — and I’d wager that this is the case spanning from Boston to Bejing and beyond — there are at least a small handful of bands you’ve heard of time after time, but, for whatever reaso,n never really gave a listen to. Maybe you kept meaning to but never got around to it. Or maybe you missed one of their shows and subsequently/subconsciously dismissed their existence. The Proselyte has been one such band for me up until recently, I’m sorry to say, and, no, there is no viable excuse I can give. There is, however, a lesson to be learned here: get the fuck out there and engross yourself in all that your local metal scene has to offer, because you could be missing out on a potential new favorite.
Likened to bands such as Queens of the Stone Age, Torche, and The Melvins, The Proselyte have a sound both familiar and entirely different from anything that’s come out in recent years. The composition of each song on their forthcoming album, Sunshine, could be considered (dare I say it?) more accessible than what you’re maybe used to on a stoner metal release. Don’t let this put you off – the almost welcoming feel to each track seems to be due in large part to one of the bands many strong points: boisterous and multi-faceted vocal harmonies. Even for those who generally can’t get into such techniques, the prominence is not merely tolerable. In fact, the marriage between clean vocals and the vicious growls it often leads up to help create the vibrant energy befitting of an album titled Sunshine. That’s not so say this release is all lollipops and rainbows – the dynamic intensity lent by massive guitar and bass riffs is just as likely to call to mind a cruel and oppressive summer sun as a day partying at the beach.
It’s no secret that stoner, doom, and sludge metal have been blowing up in recent years, making it even more difficult for bands to stand out in an already ample scene. So, unless you’re already familiar with The Proselyte, you may not comprehend how hard I’ve been kicking my own ass for not checking out these guys years ago when they first started out. Really, though, the timing couldn’t have been better. With Sunshine‘s release in October and a full US tour immediately thereafter, we’ll all have the chance to really get to know these guys, geography be damned.
(4 out of 5 horns)
-Kellhammer
