There’s a new psychedelic vibe bubbling up from the underground and here at Peacedogman we’re tuned in and turned on. My first taste of this new sound came when ye fearless editor, Marchman, dropped the latest DEAD MAN CD, “Euphoria,” into my lap. Admittedly, I didn’t quite know what to make of it at first, but after repeated listens, I was addicted, hooked, as if my brain synapses had just wrapped around the finest bud of Maui Wowie or Acapulco Gold. Now I got COLOUR HAZE’s new CD “All,” warping out of my speakers and I think I’ve died and gone to THC heaven.

Long Germany’s prime purveyors of stoned-out psychedelic rock, COLOUR HAZE dig deep into their resin-lined pockets on this, their ninth album and third for label Elektrohasch Records, brushing the stray leaves and twigs off their instruments, refilling the bong and diving head first into a fuzzed-out, swirling ride=2 0of psychedelic stoner bliss. Currently composed of Stephan Koglek on vocals and guitars, Philipp Rastohofer on bass and Manfred Merwald on drums, the band started way back in 1995 with more of a straight forward BLACK SABBATH inspired sound. But as the current lineup cyrstalized in 1999 they abandoned the heavy riffs for a more free form exploratory jam sound, bubbling bongs and mushrooms, and they’ve never looked back.

Nor should they. “All,” is a mini-masterpiece of fuzzy riffs, intermittent polyrhythmic drumming, droning bass and swirling, undulating, dancing guitar parts. And by the time the sitar pops in around track 6, “Stars,” you’ll be so heady from the acrid smoke you won’t even care what comes next. COLOUR HAZE’s sound is similar to DEAD MAN’s but with some heavier riffing and tighter compositions. Whereas on “Euphoria,” it was going to be anyone’s guess where each song would wander off to, even “All’s” most freeform jams maintain a balance of structure, a framework to lead the musicians through the smoke and back home again.

“Silent,” features an insidious riff that worms into the brain like psychoactive bubblegum, riding on the crest of a bubbling bass line. “Turns,” features some beautiful delicate guitar work tripping over the backward masking effects. “If,” brings in shades of the long lost SABBATH influence, actually pounding at you with enough ferocity to make you sit up and take notice. While clearly not the focus of the band, Koglek’s vocals are never lacking adding texture and an occasional falsetto to the spacey vibe.

While overall there is a certain sameness to the songs, an over-riding “don’t bother me, I’m lost in my beanbag chair and not getting up” tone to the album, this is about as urgent and groovy as the neo-psychedelic space bands get. COLOUR HAZE clearly know their hallucinogenics and their instruments, and fortunately for us, knowing one doesn’t preclude the use of the other.

- Severin

OFFICIAL SITE: www.colourhaze.de

RELATED ITEMS: No related articles at this time.