One of the best things about being a music fan is discovering a new favorite band when we least expect it.  It's especially surprising when we've never even heard of the band before being blown away by its work.  I recently had this experience with Royal Thunder's self-titled EP. 

Royal Thunder, who hails from Atlanta, plays a relatively straight-forward form of rock that is not easily categorized.  The band blends elements of stoner/doom and dark bluesy rock to create a sound that is so simple and raw that it is immediately likeable, yet it's well-written enough that it never gets boring.  Frontwoman and bassist, Mlny Parsonz, demands immediate attention with her soulful vocals and fat, driving bass.  The emotion in her voice truly shines above all else.  Mlny's vocals can be powerful, menacing, foreboding, and even sensual all at once, especially in songs like "Low" and "Grave Dance."  These qualities at times remind me of a more restrained PJ Harvey, even though Mlny's voice itself doesn't really sound like Polly Jean's.  Mlny's singing also gets a serious boost when she layers harmonies like on "Mouth of Fire" and "Low."  These layers occasionally create a near Alice in Chains feel that adds real depth to the songs.  Guitarist Josh Weaver plays simple yet effective parts, usually using a clean or slightly dirty guitar tone.  His jangly minor chords give "Low" and "Grave Dance" a truly sinister feel, while the driving stoner riffs in "Mouth of Fire" will have listener's heads bobbing throughout the duration of the song.  Weaver manages to do a whole lot with very little throughout the album, and that takes true skill.  Jesse Stuber's drumming is the foundation of Royal Thunder.  His drums have a raw, energetic feel that gives the proceedings a shot of adrenaline.  The tone of the drums are especially impressive.  They sound like real rock drums being played in a room!  Imagine that!  The drums fit perfectly with the rest of the band and are very tasteful while being slightly flashy when necessary.    

All of the pieces of Royal Thunder lock together to form a hell of a band with a very impressive debut EP.  Due to the straight-forward nature of the music, there really aren't a whole lot of layers to peel away, yet I keep finding myself returning to Royal Thunder again and again.  I'm a little surprised that I could love something this simple so much.  It's just that good.  The songs are so well-arranged and so full of emotion that they conjure unique images of darkness in the listener's mind.  Fans of everything from stoner/doom, Blood Ceremony, and PJ Harvey to dark, minor-key classic rock owe it to themselves to check this out.  Go.  Now! 

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Intro
2.  Sleeping Witch
3.  Mouth of Fire
4.  Low
5.  Grave Dance
6.  Hotel Bend
7.  Deacon

Total playing time:  33:33

Release Date: December 21, 2010
Label: Relapse Records

Royal Thunder - Royal Thunder EP

Reviewer: Roswell47

May 7, 2011