So I finally ordered this thing. It was on my radar for a while, I would say back to early-mid 2008ish when I first caught wind of it on the QOTSA message board. I was interested from the get-go, saw the trailer in late 2008, looked for it early, waited for a DVD. Then I just kind of forgot about it for months. I was reminded of it via twitter of all places so I didn't waste any time ordering it.
On with the review then...
It started off with some music from Blue Cheer & Black Sabbath. Perfect, especially good call on Blue Cheer, who basically played heavy bluesy music.
Desert rock. Stoner rock. Riff rock. Fuzz rock. Whatever you want to call it, it's a subculture of music adored by many. I like the way this documentary was able to trace the roots of Kyuss back to 'Across the River' & bands like 'Fatso Jetson', who were there on the scene but often times don't get their credit. Kyuss blew up as we all know if you're familiar with that scene. Unida was highlighted and there were some good interviews with various producers.
Another thing I liked about the movie was the interview about 'Man's Ruin' Records, which was a great record label that really put the genre on the map. It discussed the trends of music: metal/punk crossover, Metallica to DRI, Anthrax, Corrosion of Conformity, Black Flag, etc.
As I was watching, they interviewed a bearded typical metal dude...and well, he was J. Bennett (journalist). I immediately knew him from Decibel mag, so that was cool to see. He must write for other outlets cuz he usually does a humorous comic strip and random stuff from Decibel, haha. He does plenty of great HOF interviews as well, but I remember him for the funnies. That was cool to see cuz I had no idea they contacted him for an interview and no idea what he looked like. Though in a typical metal crowd, I doubt he would stand out much.
They spent time on High on Fire/OM and of course Matt Pike, Al Cisneros and Wino. It was good to hear all that history there. I also learned that for the Sleep album, 'Jersualem', the band spent around 75 grand on guitars and custom amps. Insanity! I mean, these type of bands were barely breaking even with limited touring and advertising. For them to put that much money into creating that sound is extraordinary. Oh and it shines through. That album will make your damn amp bleed black tar and smell like sweet pine. It sounds like amps stacked hundreds of feet high and ten Iommi guitars layered on top of each other. Riff rock indeed.
The documentary also covered influences like Lovecraft and stuff like that. There were interviews with Dead Meadow, Bardo Pond and Nebula. Those are all bands I like. There was also a reference to "scene record labels". I think the guy from Bardo Pond brought it up, saying how commercialized record label screenings have become. I thought that was a great way to put it, like they are screening for potential money and not really talent or any DIY ethics. Again, this is not something I was surprised at. One thing I was surprised with was the Sunn O))) interviews but I guess that O'Malley connection has a lot to do with it. I just don't view Sunn O))) in that realm. They are drone with psychedelic overtones.
Overall, this is a great introduction to stoner rock music or for people like me, who are used to it. Plus, it mentioned Saint Vitus a couple times. I guess the only nitpicky gripe I can come up with was a lack of an Aaron Turner interview. Maybe he just wasn't down for it, I don't know. It's not so much about ISIS music, but I would have liked him to discuss his artwork. That or John O'Baizley. That said, this was a fantastic documentary. The director let the music and interviews speak for themselves and didn't add any lame ass cheesy color-me-bad rainbow interludes in between. Basically, the director did his homework and presented a superb documentary. All in all, this made me wish I still toked up. But alas, it isn't just limited for those that do. It also got me excited for the upcoming 'High on Fire' record. 'Death Is This Communion' blew me away in 2007.
"The desert is for the newlywed or the nearly dead."
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