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I received this promo from the band at one of their live shows a couple weeks back. I’d never heard of them but really liked their set. Sounding at times like Black Sabbath and at other times like Neurosis, Faces of the Bog impressed me right away. This 4-song disc clocks in at a little over 21 minutes and is pure joy to listen to. The guitar sound is abrasive and perfectly delivers the crushingly heavy riffs that make you want to headbang til the morning. There’s some sweet solo work, which fits in rather nicely amongst all the dread; just flashy enough to draw attention but tasty enough to add a bit of spice without taking away from the song itself. The bass playing is competent, not much else to say but you don’t need a Steve Harris or an Alex Webster in this group. It’s all about the groove, not the speed. The drums act as a steady carriage of doom, always chugging along, but coming to the forefront when necessary to accentuate. There aren’t too many vocals in these songs and I like that because it leaves the spotlight on the music. In this case, that’s great because Faces of the Bog knows how to carry a groove and take you with it. One thing I really like about this promo is there is a live song included, but you would never know it because the sound is as crisp and clean as the studio tracks. That never, ever happens! For a band to be able to reproduce their recorded material in a live setting is flat-out awesome. And it goes the other way, too. Part of the enjoyment for me in listening to this was hearing the riffs I’d heard live because it triggered that memory of their live show and it sounded pretty much just like what I’d remembered. Not many bands can manage to sound awesome both in the studio and on stage, but Faces of the Bog does just that.
In searching for words to describe Faces of the Bog’s sound, I have to defer to the band’s description of themselves, because it’s right on: “…a tasteful mix of doom, stoner, sludge, and metal. Heavy, Groove, Trip, Repeat.” That really sums it up and what more do you need?
Tracks on this disc:
1. Halo
2. Slow Burn (live from Elbo Room)
3. The Hanged Man
4. Bootlicker - The Offering webzine
Discography
Aug 2012 demo
Photos
Bio
Formed in spring 2012, and hailing from Humboldt Park on Chicago's west side, Faces of the Bog offer up a tasteful mix of doom, stoner, sludge and metal. Their philosophy was simple… get the four of them in a room together and see what happens. As time progresses, so does their music. Part of what makes FotB what it is, and what it will become, is each members' dedication to push harder and refine the compositions as well as their own personal talent levels. The devil is in the details. Their Aug 2012 demo seems fairly straight forward. But, upon closer examination, you can almost see the evolution just in those three songs. New, more dynamic, more cohesive and complex songs are already being written for an EP, expected to begin production in 2013. The only way to catch a preview of what's to come on the new disc is to see them live. Once you do, you'll know what what this project is all about.
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