When you think of the leaders in the field of stoner rock, you would probably name the usual suspects like FU MANCHU and KYUSS. Pressed to name a number 3? Well you gotta go with NEBULA. Once an offshoot of the FU camp, guitarist Eddie Glass and the boys took the roots of riff madness and blended it with 60’s space rock and psychedelia. Soon, the folks that couldn't get enough of ACE FREHLEY's 1978 solo album had a new band to worship. Eddie’s brand of stoned vocal rasp and incredible guitar jams have produced a string of consistently groovy releases, often underappreciated and overlooked.

With their 5th full-length, NEBULA shows us why they continue to hang around like a bum after a ball game. Hard hitting as ever in the power chord department, this release is peppered with a new batch of spacy golden nuggets. "Future Days" utilizes sitar and guitar distortion to create a mood and atmosphere of, well…future days. The record is laced with Zep-type arrangements, mixing the heavy, chuggin' downstrokes with plenty of experimental, eastern-sounding departures. “Decadent Garden”, a tune that moves smoothly from the subtle to forceful, seemingly belongs in a Quentin Tarantino flick. The sounds conjure up a 60’s-era strip club. Picture a front for 'hip crime' and brutal killings and you're on the right track. “Fever Frey” gives us a look at the punkier side of NEBULA with a Rollins-era BLACK FLAG vocal approach along with some killer drums from Ruben Romano.

As usual, Glass’s guitar work is superb, floating effortlessly between riffs and leads just like all the classic power trios of the 70s. New bassist Tom Davies, does an excellent job laying down a groove and changing directions to compliment Glass' twists and turns. The production job of Daniel Rey (MISFITS, RAMONES), is the only weak link. "Apollo" a bit muddier than past NEBULA releases, as occasionally the free-form wizardry between Glass and Davies is obscured. But it's a minor flaw. Song-wise "Apollo" is their best release to date. With KYUSS dead, and FU MANCHU’s greatest days behind them, NEBULA seems poised to soldier on like the cockroach of the riff-rock world. Any fans of QOTSA, LOWRIDER, FU MANCHU's "Eatin' Dust" or that "New York Groove" song should find a way to grab this one. See you at the launch.

- Murtaugh

OFFICIAL SITE: www.nebulamusic.com

MP3 SOUND SCRAP: Lightbringer

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