Sperm Whale + White Rabbit

Thrones | Format: MP3 Download

Product Details

• Original Release Date: September 19, 2000
• Label: Kill Rock Stars
• Copyright: kill rock stars
• Genres: Alternative Rock/Hardcore & Punk, Alternative Rock/Indie & Lo-Fi, Pop/Pop Rock
• ASIN: B000UR7YCA
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #155,691 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars JOE PRESTON: Guardian of our planet, dispenser of Justice, September 26, 2000

By 

D. K. Malone (earth) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sperm Whale (Audio CD)

Bassist Joe Preston came from Earth, one of the only bands that ever gave the Melvins a run for their money to take the "heaviest band ever" trophy back in the early 1990s. In 1991, the Melvins invited Joe to leave Earth and join them. Personally, I believe the Joe Era was the best period of the Melvins' existence. But the Joe Era didn't last long. (barely two years, three records, maybe? Lysol, solo EPs, Night Goat 7") The Melvins kicked Joe out, and then proceeded to go downhill at about 3000 mph. Joe disappeared for a couple of years. Then he began his Thrones project. He's released several singles and one previous album, Alraune.

The Sperm Whale CD is actually the combination of two four-song 12" EPs- White Rabbit from a year or two ago, and the brand new Sperm Whale EP. (Ironically, all of the songs on Sperm Whale seem to be about bears. Joe is a self-proclaimed "friend to animals".) But it isn't formatted as Sperm Whale with the tracks from the previous EP tacked on to the end. All eight songs from both EPs are completely intermixed (not remixed, I'm talking about the track order/sequence) in a new order to more or less form a full album.

Thrones in general basically picks up where the Melvins left off back before they started to suck. Granted, most of this stuff doesn't actually sound like the Melvins... but some of it really does. Some of the vocals sound EXACTLY like Buzz. Man Mountain is a good example. There are a couple of more or less "ambient" tracks that didn't set my pants on fire. But when Thrones are on, they're ON, and they sound nothing like anyone but Thrones. Bass, drum machines, samples, vocoders, and a big hairy guy bellowing his ass off. The opening song, Oso Malo (Spanish for "Bad Bear") ROCKS as hard as a song can rock, and the last track, Obolus, is absolutely beautiful. Vocoders and ultra-overdriven electric bass never sounded so dreamlike and nightmarish. And thankfully Joe recorded his live-favorite, Django, a Spaghetti Western theme song. As a whole I find this to be leaps and bounds better than the already great Alraune, and I can't wait to see what Joe does next.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars holy crap is this a great album, June 3, 2005

By 

lilaholland "lila" (san francisco) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sperm Whale (Audio CD)

i love it when music that seems like it should be scary becomes total bliss.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Play "Nuts and Berries" for grandma and watch her die., May 12, 2004

By 

A. Cordray "m00rst" (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sperm Whale (Audio CD)

It's seriously that heavy and scary, folks. This album is so balls out massive at points that you can't help but wonder what could have been had Joe gotten along better with the Melvins... or you might agree with me that getting kicked out of that band might have been the best thing for Preston, and for us.

I can't put this album down. It snakes its way back into heavy rotation no matter what else I get into. Joe's drum programming is not just adequate, it carries it's own irreplacable aesthetic. And what he does on top of those drums is mind blowing. These are the heaviest riffs I've ever heard. Preston doesn't let them drone on excessively like Earth and Sunn))), he keeps them immediate and powerful, taking thick chunks of flesh and bone with every deliberate stroke. His use of vocoders really enhance the experience, taking this album to the left of being a sludge-fest towards some dreamlike uncharted territory.

In a lot of ways, Thrones owes much to the Melvins. But as this album testifies, Joe has taken that influence and improved upon it... and also broken some new ground, which is exactly what chanelling influence is all about. I really, really hope he pushes the envelope and puts out another album.