Looking for melodic doom metal? Chiefs are something like that, so smoke 'em if ya got 'em...Things really took off for Arizona duo Chiefs when they relocated to San Diego and added a bass player to their ranks to fill out the low-end of their stoner rock sound. And their debut album, Tomorrow's Over, is all the better for this change.
Coming off a bit like a cross between the restless energy of old Soundgarden and the rumbling groove of Dopesmoker, I really dig the melodicism here that sets them apart from most stoner/doom metal outfits. Vocalist/Guitarist Paul Valle sounds a lot like Chris Volz of Five.Bolt.Main, which is to say he's got an earnest wail that smoothly rides atop the bottom-heavy groove this band is laying down. That's it. We're talking meat and potatoes groove-based heavy tunes here and I dig it mightily.
The Bottom Line: If you've been looking around for that 90s vibe of thick, melodic, Sabbathy grooves, you should check out Chiefs' debut. This fervent trio can rock a joint nicely.
- Genghis is pretty comfortable with denim...