Search - Colour Haze :: Colour Haze

Stunning Psychedelic Rock

Tom Chase | London | 01/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To my pleasant shock, this album completely floored me. It was a similar feeling to that of my first Kyuss listen, the experience that got me obsessed and addicted to the stoner/psychedelic genre. Those pounding riffs, fuzzy and deep tones, laced in swirling and hypnotic guitar licks - it was a real listening experience, and one that really spoilt me for a long time, as hardly any other bands can re-create such genius. Well, Colour Haze's self-titled album has taken me back to that experience, and I can honestly say that this is the best stoner/psychedelic album I have listened to for a long, long time.



For those unaware of the band, they hail from Germany, led by Stefan Koglek who handles vocals/lyrics, and most importantly the lead guitar. The band forms a power trio, with Manni Merwald handling drums and Phillip Rasthofer commanding the bass. Their style is a heavenly mixture of 70s rock and jazz fusion, especially recalling the hypnotic exuberance of the best Hendrix and fluid Floyd, combined with the fuzzy low-end riff rampaging of Kyuss, and the trippy, relaxing vibes of early Monster Magnet and Sleep. Balancing all of these influences would seem a tricky task, yet Colour Haze's execution is bordering on the perfect. This may be due to the fact that these guys can play, and I don't mean in the technical ecstasy/1,000 notes per second perfection of some self-indulgent prog acts - these guys have a terrific sense of chemistry and understanding of each other. The unison between the intricate guitar lines, the jazzy, splashy drumming and the deft subtlety of the bass lines is astounding. Even when the band reaches song climaxes they do not loose the sense of unison, they stick to the groove while simultaneously experimenting a little, changing riffs and fills a little. It is a joy to experience.



The balance of the album is another point of excellence, combining their trademark epic pieces that start slowly and patiently build to ethereal climaxes, the best example being the 22-minute opus "Peace, Brothers & Sisters!" which contains some sumptuous riffs and grooves, and also some of the most beautiful, calming psychedelic sections you could wish to hear. Other pieces in this style include the lovely opener, "Mountain", which combines some lavish vocal melodies with some real rocking fuzzy grooves, and "Love" which broods and builds its way into a thunderous climax, full of uplifting lyrics about searching for spiritual enlightenment, and closing with the album's heaviest riff. These songs are combined with more stripped-down, somewhat melancholy pieces, such as the all-acoustic "Solitude" and closer "Flowers". Both of these tracks act as breaks from the longer, drawn-out pieces, while retaining the band's signature fluid styling, and bent for melody.



If you like stoner/psychedelic rock and have not already listened to this band, I strongly recommend you to. It's a great shame they do not get the recognition as other acts such as Monster Magnet, Sleep, Orange Goblin etc, as their music is stunning, and an experience that should be pursued by more.

"

Music for the mental traveller

W. J. Page Jr. | Sterling, VA United States | 01/09/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have to confess that I think that Colour Haze is one of the coolest (if not THE coolest) bands in the Stoner scene, and much of this has to do with the fact that they add a lot of other elements to the traditional "stoner" formula. I've heard people cite elements of Pink Floyd or the Doors in their sound, but I also hear elements of jazz, eastern music, and classical, not to mention some of the minimalist/trance feel of 70's era Tangerine Dream. But what I really like is the way the mix these elements into something very much their own, a personal vision that just "makes sense", and gets clearer and clearer with each album.



This album has several key moments. The acoustic-electric "Flowers" is a haunting tune with a classical sense of balance. The 22 minute opus "Peace, Brothers and Sisters" is a carefully guided tour of the counter-culture consciousness, and the tune Love has one of the most gorgeous, spare guitar riffs you will ever hear."