3/5 ‘North West grunge trio deliver with ripping new album’
Like your guitars fuzzy? Your bass and drums jam packed full of groove? And your vocals haunting? Then look no further, Deepshade have returned with a brand new gargantuan album released via Wormholedeath.
Comprising of ten tracks, Soul Divider is a well paced and sprawling album ranging from ambient Pink Floyd soundscapes “Lonely Man” through to apocalyptic riff fest “Sad Sun”.
The band take influence from a wide array of artists such as Queens of The Stone Age, Pearl Jam, and even Mastodon, with front man David Rybka perfectly capturing the vibe of Eddie Vedder and Mayfield Four era Myles Kennedy with his haunting melodies that never over step the mark. The driving rhythm section courtesy of Tom Doherty and Chris Oldfield pulls you forward and back depending on the dynamics of any given section. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey the album takes you on (listen to the full album in one sitting!) as the trio play with moods and tempos over the 40 ish minutes. Listen to the first three tracks and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Standout tracks for me include the Feeder-esqu City Burns, doomy Arches of Innocence, and the title track Soul Divider. However don’t be fooled, this is a very consistent album and absolutely deserves a full listen.Final mention goes to producer John Kettle who by this point has earned certified “legend” status in the North West as a producer (I should know, he recorded my horrific high school bands EP). Soul Divider captures the 90’s feel of an album that was recorded live in a shed somewhere but still feels fresh, it really breathes as an album and feels alive.
Deepshade are a band who have been actively and aggressively pushing themselves forward since their inception in late 2013. They’ve gathered the attention from BBC Introducing and The Guardian, they’re solidly alble to juggle influences like Kyuss, Led Zeppelin, and QOTSA, and should be hands down on your list as a band to check out live as soon as the chance arisies. Moody psychedelic rock bangers.
