This is the latest single from British stoner metal band Orange Goblin.
Since they first started putting out music, I had more or less lumped them in with the Kyuss/Fu Manchu/Electric Wizard sludgy-doomy metal that’s been cooking since the early 90′s. As such, I hadn’t really listened to them all that much.
Then the other day, I was listening to the radio and this came on. I didn’t recognize the vocalist, but the thumpy rhythm and great riff caught my ear. I was kinda shocked when the DJ said it was an Orange Goblin tune. The whole sequence got me a-thinking.
Lots of rock fans–especially hipster scene scabs–sneer at anything played on the radio. It doesn’t matter if it’s the blandest of bland Top 40 stations or the most free-form college radio. For those types of music fans, if a song or a band has managed to get on the airwaves there must be something wrong.
I used to think the same way. Then I turned 19.
The truth is, radio can be incredibly lame. Too many stations are too locked into their narrow formats. Too many places on the dial are too wedded to their constrictive playlists. But I probably wouldn’t have heard “Red Tide Rising” if it hadn’t been for that radio station deciding to play that song. The station benefited, Orange Goblin benefited and so did I. Win-Win-Win.
In any case, this Orange Goblin ditty is the jam. Big drums and big guitars are always a winner. Add to that a cool 21st century take on Sabbathy sludge and you’ve got yourself magic.
Enjoy.
