Riotgod Riotgod
by Trevor Portz
Staff Writer
With all of the turbulence rocking Monster Magnet for the last few years—most notably, Dave Wyndorf’s health scare—it’s no surprise that the other MM members have decided to find secondary outlets for their creativity. Riotgod, formed by bassist Jim Baglino and drummer Bob Pantella, is the most recent of these projects, and also the most exceptional. Sure, that may seem a bit of a strong superlative, but one play of their self-titled disc will illustrate why it’s been used here.
The 14 songs (or 16 for those purchasing the initial digipak pressing) that make up Riotgod tend to hang around in the uptempo, riff-heavy rock realm, with a few journeys to calmer, more psychedelic waters. There isn’t a huge amount of diversity (though each track certainly has its own unique feel), but that doesn’t matter much when every song is fantastic. To create this many great tracks on one album is a rare feat indeed. Additionally, while there are occasional Monster Magnet-esque tracks, such as on “Crusader,” or “Pinata” (though the latter resembles the MM cover of “The Right Stuff,” so it’s really more like Robert Calvet-esque), Riotgod have in no way created a clone, instead finding their own niche in the rock world.
What instantly jumps out about Riotgod—the band and album—is the discovery of “previously unknown” vocalist Mark Sunshine. How this man hasn’t had loads of success is an absolute mystery. Sunshine’s vocals are diverse and excellent—he embodies everyone from John Garcia to Robert Plant to Chris Cornell, but without sounding too close to any of them. He has great range and control, and, to put it plainly, a kick-ass rock voice. Granted, the music he’s singing over is top-notch to begin with, but the vocals give the album the spark it needs to go from good to great. As soon as Monster Magnet fires up again full time, any band seeking a vocalist should beg this guy to join.
While plenty of time could be spent recounting why each song is great—from the Beatles-like melodies juxtaposed with metal riffs in “Collapsing Stars” or the dark heaviness of “Drone Station”—it seems unnecessary to do so, as it’s a much better idea to just buy the album yourself and revel in its greatness. Is that too much praise, too much ass kissing? Perhaps, but when a record comes out that isn’t full of boring clichés and uninspired writing, and manages to make an instant impression, leaving listeners only craving more, why not give it the accolades it deserves?
Monster Magnet fans, stoner/riff rock fans, and those of you with any taste for quality rock and roll should waste no time and go purchase Riotgod right now. Then use the feedback form below to say “thank you.”
Genre: Hard/Stoner Rock
Band:
Mark Sunshine (v)
Bob Pantella (d)
Jim Baglino (b)
Garrett Sweeny (g)
Track Listing:
1. Light of the Sun
2. Crusader
3. The Time Is Now
4. Horizon
5. 9th Life
6. Omega
7. Collapsing Stars
8. Pinata
9. Drone Station
10. Love It Or Leave It
11. Rift
12. Sweet Kaos
13. High Time
14. Grand Design
Label: Metalville Records
Website: www.riotgod.com; www.myspace.com/riotgod
Hardrock Haven rating: 9.4/10