Everyone gather ‘round. Uncle Pete has the new sick jams you need in your life. Who reading this would love a little bit of big, thick, fuzzy riffs played at excessively loud volumes? All of you? Hooray! Because that’s what I’ve brought with me today. Your new favorite band is Joensuu, Finland’s Second-Hand Apes. Imagine Electric Wizard but more aggressive and somehow bigger sounding. PUMP UP THE JAMS, Y’ALL.
I love this EP for several reasons. First and foremost, it’s introduced me to my new favorite band. But we’ve already discussed that. Second is because of just how big and overwhelming it feels. Even on lower volumes, Second-Hand Apes feels like it’s completely swallowing the room you’re in. “Geisserlied” feels less like a song and more like a room made out of fuzz riffs and the idea of psychedelia. It’s really awesome and great if you’re one of those music listeners who wants to feel like every part of a song needs to grab you. Which you all probably are since you’re all metal listeners in some fashion. So you’re welcome for that.
The third thing I like about this band is their mastery of all parts of the stoner doom sound. It has those giant fuzz riffs you absolutely need. They move around to keep you interested and have their own melodic parts, too. But they also engage in the more psychedelic approaches of the sound, frequently engaging in the style of groovy shoegazing involved in stoner doom. And it can get spacey as all come out like on the closing track “Hemlock Garden”. If you don’t have that spacey vibe where your riffs and melodies can breathe, then you don’t have a stoner doom record. Luckily, the Joensuu trio has it in spades. I can’t say enough how much I just love this band right now. I’m betting y’all agree.