FDF Volume 4 Issue 371 - The Melvins - Stoner Witch

Album – Stone Witch
Artist – The Melvins
Key Players –  Dale C (Dale Crover) – drums, guitars and backing vocals.  Mark D (Mark Deutrom) – bass, guitar and backing vocals. King B (Buzz Osborne) – vocals, guitar and bass.
Produced By – The Melvins and Garth Richardson

Release Date – October 18, 1994

Overview – This was the seventh album released by the Melvins.  Formed in 1983 in Washington they have almost always been a (very loud) trio.

FDF Comments (aka “the songs) –  The band is listed as a doom metal/stoner rock band on many websites and “Skweetis” sure does fit the bill.  For a trio the bass is just thunderous and the drums are equally as pummeling.  King B is sort of all over the guitar with no real distinct guitar line but the bass and drums are just heavy heavy heavy.  “Queen” follows with a little more fluidity.  It has a bit more of the structure you are used to with songs, but it takes a little to get rolling.  Once the first verse is done the weight comes down.  “Sweet Willy Rollbar” is another short, yet explosive track (like the opener).  It’s easy to hear their impact to the grunge sound as continues to be evident with the opening of “Revolve”. The track locks in to a swampy, hot weather day jam.  This is the stuff you put on while tossing a Frisbee.  “Goose Freight Train” is a slower track that lets you come up for air after the first few tracks.  Good thing you caught your breath because “Roadbull” is right back in your face.  The bass sound on this track ranges from wondering chorus laden tones, to buzzed out riffs.  It takes almost 2:30 in to “At the Stake” before we hear vocals.  King just strikes notes as Dale and Mark set the pace, and they are in no hurry.  About a minute later the full band kicks in.  Its “heavy” but not a quick track.  “Magic Pig Detective” is a little more of a payoff song.  The listener has about 3 minutes of feedback/noodling before the track begins.  Once it gets going it is about as hard as the bulk of the record.  There are some bass harmonics opening “Shevil”.  It is a slow track that, for me, never really gets going.  Mark D sets the tone on “June Bug” a track that is really bass and drums until about the 40 second mark when King just plays some lighter notes, but then stomps his pedals and look out!  It’s quick and to the point, but so good you almost want the whole record to be like it.  The album concludes with “Lividity” a track that I personally find “skippable”.

Where are they Now? – King B and Crover have been members since the start (you can read the Wiki page on how Crover became involved).  Deutrom left the band in 1998.  The band are almost always on tour and releasing records.  In 2016 they had two releases and are slated for a new release (A Walk with Love and Death) in 2017.

FDF Overall Take/Was it Worth Dusting Off? – There are absolute killer moments on this record.  Anyone that is new to the band would probably be told, if they asked a fan, to start with this record.  There are some great riffs and the band is really solid.  A few throw away tracks aside this is a real gem.

Links, find out more, follow em, and buy

Official Site
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvins
Melvins on Facebook

Buy It!

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