Out from Guadalajara (Mexico), this quatuor named TEMPTER recently released "The Summon"- their 5 songs debut... A blistering mid-paced Stoner/Metal/Sludge affair with a great variety of influences and promises for a progressive development towards (more) personnal moods and atmopsheres !
Although the opener "Barabarus" gives a good idea of the pretty raw and straight style of the band, at least basically, with fat metallic riffage, not too technical, I wouldn't be surprised if this song is their oldest from all present here. Despite a great piercing solo in its middle, to say the least - one could think about just another rough and unspectacular addition to the countless list of bands of the genre - trying to follow the steps of Baroness, High on Fire and other american heroes ! Just as the apparently limited sound ressources, vocals in Spanish certainly enhance the crude edge of their style on this song.
But there's more to expect from TEMPTER... is it related to the fact that there are lyrics in english too ? maybe partly ! in the moodiest parts, could they be hazy ("Dyonisus") or groovy ("Lady Stoner") those fit well with guitars who (consequently or not) get slightly catchier and inspired. More twisted and in tune with dynamic and rumbling rythmic, those songs are also crafted with more soul and deepness in intensity. The brilliant vocals on Lady Stoner definitely ratify that the band can sing easily in english (no offense to anyone but this is something not always obvious with bands from this country !); after a great take-off in harmonic psychedelia, it ends nicely in a furious trauma and prooves to be the best song of the release..
"D" and the last song "The Calling" are just a bit different, in the sense that they rather reveal some 90's connotations than psyched-out ones, not too thick but simple and angry riffage, like a downtuned metallic translation of bands like RATM, HELMET or KMFDM; The Calling being another good representative song of what the band wants and is capable to achieve with haunting melodies and demonic gnarliness !
Sure, this would need a bit more of homogeneity but reminding this is a first recording, I recommend to give TEMPTER a fair chance and follow attentively their progression...
This is really good!!! I recommend it too!! :D
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