The parts may be unknown, but the same can't be said for the influences. THE VIBROLAS quite blatantly tread on the same well-worn path of stoner rock forerunners like FU MANCHU, NEBULA, NASVILLE PUSSY, and their ilk. "Yawn" you might be thinking, but this Kentucky trio is able to infuse enough decent hooks, solid performances and a genuine white trash vibe to make "From Parts Unknown" a party for fans of low down and dirty rock n' roll everywhere.

Guitarist/vocalist Chris Hosner lays the wah wah on heavy and thick. Leila A Coppala more than fills the required female bass playing prescience, contributing some sweet bottom end in more ways than one. Stealing the show, however, are the relaxed, solid rhythms of drummer Andy Johnson. The groove that he uses to kickstart "Beerache My Eye" brings to mind "Rock Candy" by MONTROSE way more than the Cheech and Chong anthem from which the track is named. Therein lies the only real problem with THE VIBROLAS, however small it might be. In terms of song titles, they try to be a little too clever for their own good. On paper, "Iomminizer" sounds like a potential ode to everyone's favorite finger-impaired fretman from BLACK SABBATH, but on wax, it's just another (albeit instrumental) up tempo rocker strictly adhering to the VIBROLAS formula. Why name drop a guy in a song that has nothing to do with him?

Minor quibbles aside, THE VIBROLAS are keeping it real for rock music, and that is always a task to be commended. They may have shown up a little bit too late to the FU MANCHU party, but that doesn't stop THE VIBROLAS from laying down enough high octane stoner rock that'll have you swilling PBR and looking though the mothballs for your trucker hat and wallet chain.

- Broadbent

OFFICIAL SITE: www.vibrolas.com

MP3 SOUND SCRAP: River

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