Matador

Album Review

Bands that favor "vintage metal sounds" have certainly become increasingly more prominent in the early 21st century. In other words, bands that rock vintage gear, have seriously studied the first six Black Sabbath albums, and — for the most part — look like something out of 1973 image-wise. And this description certainly fits Zoroaster. Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Zoroaster like to call their style "psych metal," and after taking in their sophomore full-length, 2010's Matador, there's no denying the unmistakable trippy elements they inject into their metallic crunch. And that's not to say that Matador is a retro-fest from beginning to end, as tunes such as "Trident" include some unmistakable modern touches, such as the distorted, Al Jourgensen-esque lead vocal effects. Musically, however, such hard and heavy standouts as "D.N.R." and "Ancient Ones" are obviously rooted in the era of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. And despite only featuring three bandmembers (singer/guitarist Will Fiore, bassist/singer Brent Anderson, and drummer/percussionist Dan Scanlan), it's pretty darn impressive how a trio can create such a mammoth sound, as the lads certainly make some serious air move out of your speakers throughout Matador. While there's no denying that this fast-rising outfit is similar in its approach and sonics to such respected acts as Mastodon and the Melvins (specifically the slow yet potent guitar riff sludge), the overall "hugeness" that Zoroaster create is impressive — especially when you consider how early they are into their career.