Band:	Concrete Sun
Album:	Sky Is High
Style:	Sludge metal
Release date:	October 2011

01. Just A Beginning
02. Euphoria
03. Last Man Under The Sun
04. D.A.N.U.B.E
05. Junkyard Dog
06. God Forsaken Prostitute
07. Ruff Song
08. Sky Is High
09. Hide Behind

Damn, it's always difficult dealing a blow to bands like this, it's like kicking a damn-cute puppy. Ok, this band isn't exactly what you'd call "cute", unless, you know, that's your thing, this band just has a lot of great sludgy grooving riffs. Problem is, the only feeling Concrete Sun and their debut album Sky Is High evoke is that "why don't I just listen to Down?" feeling.

These guys are decent musicians, and definitely have good taste; some smoky sounding early mid career Black Label Society & Down are obviously the main influences here. Just a little too obvious, in fact. Taken at face value, I'd say this band play some good, heavy stoner metal. Played through the ears of a person who has heard their fair share of stoner metal however, it just sounds a little overdone.

There's nothing wrong with a band out-classing their idols at their own game; young bands are doing it all the time, and this band actually shows potential to do so. Unfortunately, the sad story is Concrete Sun just don't have the production chops to have their music come anywhere close to what they are so blatantly trying to sound like. The riffs are good enough, but without the bass capable of ripping up asphalt it just comes across as flat-out amateurish and worshipping.

There's no shame in this album. It's enjoyable. It's not gimmicky or over indulgent like so much metal these days, it's just a little "been there, done that"...like so much metal these days.