DEORBIT: Retrogradient (STONER): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Deorbit is an American quartet based in Milwaukee. The name immediately conjures up images of a space trip, an adventure through the solar system with a strong progressive flavour, which the cover of "Retrogradient", their first manned flight, seems to bear out. In truth, this interstellar voyage is more about big riffs than the expected space rock.

Another of Deorbit's peculiarities is that the music it delivers is entirely instrumental, which far from lightening it makes its texture even heavier, crushed throughout by a vitiated heaviness. With its abrupt, gruff lines and totally muted score, it's tempting to compare the band to Thumos, with whom they also share similar post-metal roots.

But its fuel is not the same, and while it inspires rough explorations ('Terrakinetic', 'Glaciovore'), its space theme dictates adventurous escapes that are not lacking in hypnotic beauty, such as 'Senescence' which is underpinned by guitars as thick as molten lava. The (discreet) use of surprising instruments (dulcimer, violin) or not (synthesizers), apart from being not the least of this album's curiosities, contribute to this cosmic ambience, particularly prominent on the last track.

The final characteristic of this evolving Stoner is the convoluted, if not unstructured, mesh that the drill-like guitars and leaden rhythm carve out of a rocky terrain rugged with powerful, vertiginous craters and heavy breaks. As a corollary to these complicated structures, "Retrogradient" may seem hermetic at first, as you can't retain much from the nine tracks that make it up. No real melodic lines or hooks emerge on the surface. Yet the opus is as impressive in its construction and execution as it is bewitching in its spacey effluvia.

The result is an interstellar journey whose qualities are well worth a listen, traversing the galaxy of instrumental and progressive stoner with a slightly rough edge but full of progression and full of great ideas. Worth checking out. - Official website

DEORBIT

RETROGRADIENT

AUTOPRODUCTION

STONER