Search - Nebula :: Atomic Ritual

Excellent if unoriginal

Wheelchair Assassin | The Great Concavity | 02/26/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"While originality is all well and good, there will always be a place for bands like Nebula. These guys are hardly reinventing the wheel with their music, but they've obviously found a niche in the modern hard/stoner rock genre, and they're doing a mighty fine job with it if I do say so myself. Although it's easy to hear the echoes of such stoner-rock icons as Kyuss, Monster Magnet, and Fu Manchu in Nebula's sound, these guys bring an energy and enthusiasm to the table that elevates their work well above the level of a mere ripoff. Fueled by metronomic drum beats, aggressive wailing, and probably lots of alcohol, Atomic Ritual is the kind of heavy, spacey album that's perfect for blasting with the windows open while you're stuck in traffic on the way to another hellish day at the office.



Nebula are greatly aided in their endeavors by the work of Eddie Glass, who's easily among the most unfairly neglected rock guitarists working today. On virtually every song here, the joyous grind of his instrument assumes center stage, and he doesn't disappoint. Although Eddie obviously takes the work of Josh Homme (Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age, although you knew that already) as a starting point, it's equally clear that he's comfortable borrowing from other styles as well, as his playing often gets rather grungy, and it's even a bit bluesy at times. From the pummelling sludge of the title track, to the uproarious speed metal of So It Goes, to the woozy fuzz of The Beast, Eddie's intricate riffs and searing leads are a testament to the sheer power of the axe at its most unpretentious. There are a lot of guys out there who could learn a few things from him.



As I've already noted, Nebula aren't as original as many of their brethren (think Clutch), but that's no reason not to give them a shot. Atomic Ritual doens't break any new ground, but it's still a varied, confident, and undeniably fun listen. There's little to no irony to be found here, just straightforward, perfectly-played rock that puts all the radio posers to shame. Even the shouts of "Yeah!" and "Alright!" sprinkled throughout the album sound completely necessary because there's some real conviction behind them. When Eddie shouts "Gimme Some More!" at one point it's hard not to sympathize with his sentiment, however simplistic it may sound."