Wo Fat - The Conjuring review
| Band: | Wo Fat |
| Album: | The Conjuring |
| Style: | Psychedelic doom metal, Stoner rock |
| Release date: | June 17, 2014 |
| A review by: | Auntie Sahar |
01. The Conjuring
02. Read The Omens
03. Pale Rider From The Ice
04. Beggar's Bargain
05. Dreamwalker
So yeah man, there's like, this band called Wo Fat, and they've been playing some heavy grooves for a good time now dude.
The Americans in Wo Fat play psychedelic stoner metal at some of its absolute best. Their fifth album, The Conjuring, sees them utilizing more or less the same formula as before, but don't let that repetition fool you, because this is definitely an "if it aint broke, don't fix it" type of deal. With Wo Fat, crunchy, pulsing riffage flies around you in all directions: catchy, fun, and head bob-inducing (such as on "Read The Omens"). The vocals of Kent Stump, especially, bring to mind some thoughts of early Electric Wizard, and definitely have a "classic" stoner sound to them.
Of course, what really makes Wo Fat the potent trio they are though lies in their delicate attention to pouring some tasty psychedelia into their mix. Whether it's the Monster Magnet-like spacey effects or the minimalist style of the guitar leads that borrows heavily from classic acid rock (see the ones towards the end of "Dreamwalker" in particular), this side of Wo Fat's personality really helps to add another dimension to the music of The Conjuring, making it much more than just your typical stoner jam. The production during such moments is spot on as well, oozing with a ton of fuzz and other layering effects to help to nail that free-flowing, atmospheric sound.
Wo Fat have demonstrated time and again their ability to weave catchy grooves with some more dreamy undertones, and The Conjuring is certainly no exception. Hearing this album reminds me in some ways of the Domovoyd debut last year. That is, it's stoner metal, but laced with a good degree of some trippier elements, that call back to the early days of L.A., the Summer Of Love, and some of the very origins that inspired this sort of music in the first place, helping to give the album a very timeless feel. Being a huge fan of classic acid rock, it's great to know that more modern stoner bands are starting to incorporate some of its legacies into their sounds, and Wo Fat are an excellent example. Definitely has my vote thus far for stoner AOTY.
Turn it on, tune it in, drop it out.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 10 |
Written by Auntie Sahar | 07.08.2014
Comments
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Comments: 45
Visited by: 303 users
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| Karlabos Posts: 5736  |
Is the name of the band a reference to Wo Momma?
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989  |
Written by [user id=151475] on 07.08.2014 at 16:35 Hmm, any other planned releases you think will top it?
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Zap Posts: 3580  |
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| Ilham Giant robot Posts: 5161  |
Written by [user id=4365] on 07.08.2014 at 16:44 Yes I was looking for that one. I am sure a good number of metal covers are inspired by Beksinski.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Agreed with everything in the review even though I'd score it a full point lower. I think this is their weakest album since their debut, but it's still great.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 07.08.2014 at 17:44 Yeah, it's definitely 8 material, at the very least.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 07.08.2014 at 16:44 I am unfamiliar with this Beksinski guy 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Auntie Sahar on 07.08.2014 at 18:24 I can't tell if you're being serious or pulling me up on my lazy spelling of Beksiński. 
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| LiquidSmoke Account deleted |
LiquidSmoke
Account deleted Written by Auntie Sahar on 07.08.2014 at 16:41 These are the releases this year that I prefer so far (though I still jam the fuck out of the new Wo Fat too don't get me wrong): Jeremy Irons and the Ratgang Malibus: http://smallstone.bandcamp.com/album/spirit-knife The Vintage Caravan: http://thevintagecaravan.bandcamp.com/album/voyage Child: http://childtheband.bandcamp.com/ Moon Coven: http://mooncoven.bandcamp.com/ and finally this was released last year but I really think any stoner rock afficionado should listen to All Them Witches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC6O4OlHE8Q Hope you enjoy  Cheers!
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 07.08.2014 at 18:27 Honestly don't know him 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by [user id=151475] on 07.08.2014 at 18:27 Yeah, Vintage Caravan are definitely great. Saw em at Roadburn and they're even better live.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Auntie Sahar on 07.08.2014 at 18:36 Wow, really? I'm surprised. As someone for a penchant for the surreal, art included, I thought you would have picked up on the name. I thought he wasn't far off the popularity of Giger. In metal circles at least. He was a prolific Polish artist whose artwork is quite often nabbed for metal artwork. You'll probably recognise a few of these. He's got a thread on here too. Needless to say he was pretty amazing.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 07.08.2014 at 18:41 Yep, I recognize that one that Bong used for Stoner Rock, as well as this one, although I can't remember where I saw it before. Cool stuff man.
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Alex F Posts: 3519  |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 07.08.2014 at 18:47 He's the single best artist ever in my opinion
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Alex F on 07.08.2014 at 22:13 Uhhh, does the name Salvador Dali mean anything to you? 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Ilham Giant robot Posts: 5161 |
Written by Alex F on 07.08.2014 at 22:13 This is dragging it off-topic, but I'm reconsidering our friendship now. I only listened to their debut, which I like. With a rating this high, I might be inclined to listen to it soon. I can only picture the bad guy in that shitty show, Hawai Five O, every time I read about them. I wonder if there's a connection.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Ilham on 07.08.2014 at 22:57 That's what happens when Joe comments on something
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Michaelis Posts: 67  |
Written by [user id=151475] on 07.08.2014 at 18:27 Great stuff. Thanks. Btw - In my country, the whole thing about Beksiński family its still mysterious. Nobody is sure who killed that guy. Like my girlfriend says "Beksiński family? They're fucked up. All of them"  Beksiński wife? Cancer. Son of Beksiński? Fake his own death, later suicide. Beksiński himself? Murdered (stabbed: 17 thrusts). He had dramatic family life, but that make him a great artist.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by deadone on 08.08.2014 at 07:47 Maybe if they were called Dead Wo Fat... I mean no disrespect, Matty.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Ilham Giant robot Posts: 5161 |
Actually, I just looked it up. I was right. I was right. They did take their name after the bad guy in Hawaii Five O.
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| Erik M. Posts: 3104  |
Written by Ilham on 07.08.2014 at 22:57 No offence to Che, but sometimes he ends up disagreeing with his own review scores. Like in case of the most recent Summoning and The Ruins of Beverast. My point is that this 9.0 score might very well drop to an 8.0 at a certain point.  Anyway, since this is stoner metal, I probably won't like it a whole lot. Might still check it out though, since your review does get me a little bit interested in it. 
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| Ilham Giant robot Posts: 5161 |
Written by Erik M. on 08.08.2014 at 22:49 Well, even if a review is subjective, I'm sure he must have tried to be accurate with his rating, at least a little. I don't pay attention to people's voting habits, so I don't really know what a nine means to Che, so, for now, it's enough to get me excited about an album. Of course I pay attention to what's in the review more than the rating. All in all, what I want to say is, I'll still listen to this even if I know I won't give it a nine myself  .
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| Erik M. Posts: 3104 |
Written by Ilham on 08.08.2014 at 23:27 Oh don't get me wrong. I think Che definitely tries to be accurate, or is accurate, with his ratings. It's just that I've heard him mention a couple of times that he ended up disagreeing with his own ratings. Then again, more reviewers tend to do that, so it's not that strange. For me a 9 equals "excellent", btw. I'd say the review and rating are important. I tend to like reviews without ratings a bit less because I value ratings in general. The genre is also a huge factor for me when it comes to checking out new music.
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