She Loves Pablo returns with a brand new album, heavy and strong and biting the way stoners like it. It has been a while since Try Mandarin in 2016, if we’re not counting Mother of All last year reissue and I for one could not wait to get my hands on this beauty.
From the album artwork, deeply seeded in ancient mysticism, to every single tune on the album, “Death Threats from Future Self” entice you into its fold, pulling deep inside and transcend to a time and place you have not been to before.
Staying loyal to SLP sound but weering into more classical stoner waters, the band widens its appeal and confirms their rightful place amongst some of the most prominent artists of the groove stoner genre in the 21st century. And groove is the word my friends. And the opening track “Crumble” proves from the word go. Pacey, hard hitting, and crunchy at times, “Crumble” is a perfect numero uno, your own ticket to the rollercoaster ride that starts in a manic riff driven way, and carries thru “Operator” and “All Black”. Things then slow down with “You Were Born To Breath My Mind” but only in tempo as cannonball of riffs ensue, like an alchemist searching for that secret element, burning with desire and excitement and apprehension at the same time.
Vocals sang by frontman Domagoj come to the fore, especially evident in “When It Stacks, It Makes The Summer Black” that shows his potent and vibrant vocal abilities demonstrating a full and flawless spectre.
A real gem hides right in the album middle. Modest in title but so rich musically “I” is homage to everything great that came out of Seattle over the years, and I mean primarily Soundgarden here. Spirit of Cornel and Thayil is ever present in this beautiful and so powerful stoner hymn, it gets hair on your neck stand. My God. A true winner. And on a repeat constantly. Don’t get me wrong, this is She Loves Pablo tune thru and thru and they owned it but one cannot listen to this great piece without picturing Seattle in the nineties of the last century.
Lying down and gagging for more “No Modest Line Holds Your Belief” pulls you back on a straight and narrow that SLP does so well, and “Get To You” announces quite before the storms. Get ready, it screams as mighty “Houdini” follows straight after. First single from the album, and a video that paints a vivid picture of a broken society, life as it is, human decay and lack of understanding and willingness to listen and hear your fellow man. Truly prophetic.
Last but not least, “Death Threats From Future Self” as a closing song actually starts more than it is ending. Asking questions, to our present self, before it gets beyond our control. Screaming threat is here, and it is real, do we see it? Look and see, listen and hear. More to the point, will we act on it?
“…anyway you want
anyway you won’t…”
“Death Threats From Future Self” is a great stoner rock album, and delivers on many levels. Return of a founding member drummer, together with a new bass player definitely adds a new dimension, but importantly the band builds on and continues on a clear path to a bigger and better things
She Loves Pablo isn’t your next door stoner band, and considering they hail from Croatia (yep, you read it well) they most certainly ain’t next door. And that makes them even more interesting, never mind the quality material the band has been putting out for the past 12 years. So if you do anything this year, make yourself a promise to go and check them out live.
They will be coming to a city near you, no doubt. And they will blow your expectations right out. Scouts honest.