Creature With The Atom Brain-Transylvania Review
Posted by Dan Marsicano on 02.07.2010
The Belgium stoner/psychedelic rockers return with their sophomore album Transylvania. With a hazy vibe and a smooth sound that hearkens back to the days of old, can the foursome attract the attention of today's fickle music listeners?
The Band
Aldo Struyf- Vocals, Guitar
Michiel Van Cleuvenbergen- Guitar
Jan Wygers- Bass
Dave Schroyen- Drums
The Track Listing
1. I Rise The Moon (3:20)
2. The Color Of Sundown (4:32)
3. Something Is Wrong (4:21)
4. Transylvania (6:01)
5. Lonely Light (5:25)
6. Spinnin’ The Black Hole (3:37)
7. Darker Than A Dungeon (7:15)
8. Sound Of Confusion (3:06)
9. Make Noise (3:01)
10. The Lonesome Whistle (6:12)
The Review
When listening to Creature With The Atom Brain’s sophomore album Transylvania, one can envision themselves driving down an empty highway somewhere in the desert, with the fading sunlight shining its dying light on the endless horizon. Transylvania is stoner rock with elements of psychedelic and tribal percussion, sounding like something that would have been concocted by the inebriated minds of Kyuss and Screaming Trees. It isn’t an immediate high, but the buzz from repeated plays grows over time and results in a mellow album that has periods of audient outbursts that rattle the soul.
Don’t confuse mellow for soft melodies or acoustic drivel, though. This is a rocking album through and through, even though it isn’t aggressive in the slightest bit. A calm aura hovers above the music, a welcome presence that sinks into the listener’s skin like a hypodermic needle. It isn’t necessarily happy-go-lucky music; a foreboding undertone is prevalent, almost akin to an uneasy feeling of dread when walking into a dark room.
The album is strong from top to bottom, with little filler to be found. Each song has something different to offer; some are driven by acoustic guitars and spacey keyboard work, while others are built around sharp dissonance of lead guitar work splashing against the hazy sonic sky. The vocals are distorted and hollow, retaining an underwater effect at key points. Tribal percussion accentuates a hypnotic effect on a few tracks, most notably the title track and closer “The Lonesome Whistle.” It isn’t as prevalent as it should be, as the percussion helps to create a worldly atmosphere that contrasts nicely with the stoner/psychedelic sound.
The highlight of Transylvania is the middle portion, from the title track to the epic “Darker Than A Dungeon.” While the tracks that bookend the front and back of this section are competent, the band really steps into another gear in the center of the album. “Lonely Light” features Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age) and Chris Goss (who also mixed the album), which help to create a majestic vocal harmony near the end. “Spinnin’ The Black Hole” has single written all over it, an infectious acoustic stomper with a chorus that will be super-glued to the mind for weeks.
All of these songs are bolstered by a solid core group of musicians, including the steady rhythm team of bassist Jan Wygers and drummer Dave Schroyen. These two in particular play off each other to augment a groove-infused vibe to the album that only adds more layers to an album that is already the equivalent of a seven-layer chocolate mousse cake. The guitar work is strong, with the occasional harmonies and leads for variety, but the riffs and melodies themselves are more important in maintaining the airy feel than sophisticated solos.
Like it was mentioned earlier in the review, this is not a disposable album to turn on at one’s convenience. Transylvania is a much deeper album than it appears to be on the surface. The songs don’t immediately catch on, save for “Spinnin’ The Black Hole” and opener “I Rise The Moon.” It’s not like the album has to be studied in a way that Porcupine Tree or The Decemberists has to be; Transylvania is fine as background music, but a little bit is lost along the way.
Stoner rock is a fickle genre; it doesn’t exactly scream mainstream appeal. In essence, that makes Transylvania an unknown album by an underground Belgium band. Most likely, people reading this have never heard of Creature With The Atom Brain, especially in the states. That could change, though, if this album can gain some steam. Stoner rock may not exactly be in the “in” thing right now, but Creature With The Atom Brain didn’t seem to get the memo with the satisfying Transylvania.
The 411: Transylvania is catchy stoner rock with a hint of psychedelic that should appeal to those that hold Queens Of The Stone Age and Kyuss in high regard. It isn't an immediate attention-grabber, but grows on a listener over time. There are layers upon layers to their sound that can be analyzed to the finest point, making for a sophomore album with a boatload of creativity and smokey anesthetics.
