Laguna - Of Men and Myths

    Laguna is a stoner/doom metal band from Barcelona who are launching their latest release, 'Of Men and Myths.'

    I haven't heard of this band before I was sent this promo but goddamn does it rock.  The guitar tone is absolutely perfect---it has a heavy, thick sound that is even a little dark but it isn't overly abrasive---definitely lives up to their self professed style of "stoner rock with doom vibes."  This album has riffs for days----very groovy riffs but still captures that stoner atmosphere without fail.  The bass guitar stands out, as it should with anything within the stoner/doom umbrella; it acts as a rhythm powerhouse, along with the tight, crisp drumming, but is also incredibly heavy in its own right and ensures the songs always have that extra bit of bite.

    One of the things I appreciate the most about the album is how rough the vocals are.  A lot of stoner bands go exclusively a clean, hazy sound or one that is drenched in reverb.  Not Laguna----their vocals aren't extreme but they definitely have a lot of power and grit to them.

    Another element of the album that is refreshing is that despite the music fitting firmly in the family of stoner rock/doom/sludge, the album isn't hazy, downtrodden or psychedelic. It just flat out rocks, gets in and out by doing what it does with a tight focus on songwriting.

     With eight tracks and a runtime of just 27 minutes, the album is a half hour of power that makes it easy for many repeated listens.

       The album begins with the clean instrumentation and clean vocals of 'Dogma, Part 1' ---this opener is more of an intro but even though it sounds different than the rest of the album, it sets it up well. 

        The next song is part one of the title track and from here the album never lets up. It is interesting because the album begins with lighter elements but ends with an absolute bang. This gives the whole album a sense of building up to something greater by using a constant rise of action. 

         The songs also feel connected so it can be enjoyed straight through or enjoyed on a piece meal basis.

          The highlight of the album is the second part of Dogma, which picks up where the first part left out. The bass and drums provide a hard foundation for the guitars and vocals to build upon, and they do just that.

           'Of Men and Myth, Part II' continues then lighter tones of the first half but by the time the album is over, the rage has boiled over into pummeling end. 

           All in all, I found this album to be very good in its arrangements and fitting all it did in under thirty minutes. The way the parts continue each other while serving up other slices of songs in between is a clever approach. I'll definitely have Laguna on my radar from here on out.