Mana [IMPORT]

Gas Giant

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 20, 2005)
• Format: Import
• Label: Electrohash Records
• ASIN: B000CQKZL6
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,093,473 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gas Giant - 'Mana' (Electrohash Records) 4 1/2 stars, January 5, 2007

By	Mike Reed (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Good old-fashioned 'heavy stoner rock' here, to be fully and thoroughly take in. Eleven well produced and played tracks here that provides the listener(s) with a most memorable experience. Might be tagged as stoner rock,but Gas Giant seems to also have much of a psych edge too. When I first got this CD, I played it like every other day for maybe a month. Tunes I found myself looking forward to were the soaring "There's One", "Moonshake", the somewhat-ripping "Not A Man", "Back On The Headless"(love that stunning synth work), "Dragon's Cave" (couldn't help but to notice the H-E-A-V-Y guitar)and the fourteen-minute way-out there spaced-out psychedelic freak out, with plenty of fluid guitar "Safe Haven". This cut is worth the admission price alone. Line-up:Jesper-vocals, Stefan-guitar, Thomas-bass, Scott-synthesizer and Tommy-drums. Might appeal to fans of Monster Magnet, Kyuss and Electric Wizard. Simply, a must-have.

5.0 out of 5 stars Overlooked Psychedelic Rock, March 1, 2008

By	Tom Chase (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mana (Audio CD)

Current day stoner rock is becoming an increasingly hit and miss genre. Far too many bands are re-hashing the retro fuzzy riff-rock sound with no new edge or progression. Thankfully there are a handful of bands out there, Norway's Gas Giant being one of them, that are pushing the genre into new territories. "Mana" is the band's second release through Elektrohasch records, and like label mates Colour Haze, Hypnos 69 and Los Natas, the band tend to veer more towards heavy psychedelic rock rather than staple stoner. Also akin to these bands, Gas Giant put great emphasis on melody, especially in the vocal department with an enigmatic Dave Wyndorf esque singer, and also strong elements of jazz and jam band styling.

From start to finish the album is very consistent. Opener "There's One" gives an immediate impression of the Gas Giant sound - fuzzy riffs, a strong sense of groove, catchy melodic chorus and an intricate breakdown. Other songs such as "Not A Man" and "Orange Fender" continue this style through the album. But where I feel "Mana" really shines and stands out from the stoner field is in the slower more psychedelic songs. Songs such as "Greeny Valley", the title track, "Dragon's Cave" and my personal favourite "Back On The Headless Track" all showcase a very trippy vibe, with huge psychedelic melodies, distant wailing guitars and a deal of acoustic strumming. At times this sound moves into more space rock territory, akin to early Monster Magnet in the combination of psychedelic and melodic rock.

If you are a fan of the stoner/psychedelic rock movement and the bands I have mentioned then Gas Giant's "Mana" will go down a treat. It has become one of my favourite albums in this genre in recent years. Highly recommended.