Swedish band THE BRIMSTONE DAYS was formed back in 2009, and have been an active recording and performing unit ever since, frequently traveling outside of Sweden to perform on stage. Three full length studio productions have seen the light of day sine the formation, and “The Healer” is the most recent of these, released through Swedish label Transubstans Records in November 2013.
The eleven tracks on this disc clocks in at a total of 35 minutes, the majority of the songs clocking in at around three minutes. Short, concise and to the point in other words, which suits their chosen style very well. The name of the game here isn’t music for the new intellectual after all, but a more retro-oriented brand of blues based rock and hard rock, with a certain emphasis on the blues part of that description.
Compact riff patterns and driving rhythms are trademark features of the band in their most energetic guise, and when they turn the intensity down a bit the songs are fairly often based around bass, drums and vocals for the verse parts, supplemented by bluesy melodic guitar details, with the guitar riffs coming to the front for the chorus sections. Energetic and often fairly dominant drum patterns is a key element, as are the in your face gruffy lead vocals. The compositions doesn’t cover any extensive ground as such, but as the songs stay short that doesn’t pose much of a problem as the songs end before the themes are repeated too often.
In terms of sound I’d place this band in the late 60’s to early 70’s somewhere, with trace elements of bands like The Who, Jimi Hendrix and early ZZ Top as possible references, although with what appears to be a marked US oriented sound to it all. Those more familiar with blues based rock and hard rock of that era will most likely pull out other references mind you, as I’m far from an expert on such matters.
It’s an enjoyable romp through this kind of music we’re presented on “The Healer”, and while it won’t go down in history books as a defining production it is an album that should appeal to those with an affection for blues based rock and hard rock as it was made around 1970, and especially music of that kind that has a certain emphasis to it’s blues foundation.
My rating: 73/100
