Italian blues and psych trio, Mr. Bison, follow up 2018’s Holy Oak release with 7 tracks of heavyweight rock based around the story of Aphrodite breaking her pearl necklace (not that kind!) and losing seven pearls to the sea which came to form the islands of the Tuscan archipelago: a grand premise which the album called Seaward, addresses in a suitably fuzzed-out manner.
The title and opening tracks belie the trio format with an almost orchestral, moody intro before the true essence of the band shines through with a riff that Iommi would be proud of. Their love of Captain Beyond also shows once they hit the psych accelerator with bass and drums laying down a fine background for guitar and vocals. ‘From The Abyss’ is more “regular rock” with overdubbed guitar providing a heavy intro before it calms into a melodic vocal section..the feel to me is of Golden Earring at their Moontan best with a slice of Rocka Rolla thrown in: regardless it as all very lovely on the ear. As are all the tracks, with ‘I’m The Storm’ adding tasty slide; ‘The Sacrifice’ brings Hendrix influences into play behind the Heepiness of the whole. The final track, ‘The Curse’ is a suitably dramatic song to end the “mythtery” (I invented that word to try and encompass similar swathes of time and music the band achieves) of the concept with time changes, light and heavy but chockfull of great melodies.
This may not break any new ground but if you like heavy psych with a lump of blues and a slice of prog, then it is well worth seeking out. I enjoyed all of the songs and, as a mark of respect, I have called the sink I’m my bathroom after the band…Mr (wash) Bison.
