Wizard Smoke - Live Rock In Hell ( free demo download )

Wizard Smoke"s "Live Rock In Hell" is a pure demo in every possible but in a high quality Mp3 format which is a nice change. So many bands are putting up promotional demo's for free these days but sometimes the quality is not happening at all. This one however sounds real good and you get both the front cover and rear cover artwork. Their name is not what you would call original and neither is the music but it is still a very listenable demo from a band that could become a favorite with doomsters if they get the songwriting a little more advanced. Wizard Smoke band members include guys from Maserati and Dust Rabbit and the tunes on here sound like Sleep or Eyehategod after smoking a little too much weed. There is also a slight reference point to mid 80's Punk/Metal crossover bands especially in some of the arrangements of the songs, maybe its just me though but that is something I hear a lot in the Sludgy tunes on this free release. The song line-up is unique as all the tracks are in roman numerals and not even in order, the first track is II for example which gets the smoke-filled atmosphere started in a typical Sleep style. Nothing original here but its a good tune just the same, sludgy and with a sense of good old amplifier worship. The production lets things down a bit though, its not real bad or anything but lacking in every department which leaves the tunes sounding flat and a bit lifeless. Best track here could be "III" that has a start/stop Stoner Doom vibe and is delivered with more energy than the other songs like "II" that simply plod's along at a controlled pace. Not a bad track at all but not something that will have you reaching for the repeat button but the real turn off on this demo is the bonus track "IVIIIIIII" which is simply the entire demo played backwards. This doesn't work at all and is virtually impossible to listen to but I guess its a novel idea if anything. Negative comments aside, most of this is still worth listening to as there is some real Stoner magic within the grooves and the potential to be a force with the Doom scene is already there. I feel that maybe this was just thrown together for the sake of getting their name out there but a full-length album could bring out the best in the band if they spend some quality time getting it together. They are already showing they have the ability to put up some great riffs so its only a matter of time before they blow you away with sheer heavy sounds. This demo is free to download so you have no excuse but to grab a copy, smoke a bit and Doom On. 7/10

Download Wizard Smoke’s Live Rock in Hell

www.myspace.com/wizardsmoking