Artist: Galactic Tyrannosaur
Album: Songs To Sing In The Graveyard
Label: Independent
Release Date: 18/10/2020
Country: United States
Let’s take a look at Galactic Tyrannosaur’s latest release, an EP titled Songs to Sing in the Graveyard, which was self-released on October 18th.
For anyone who isn’t aware, Galactic Tyrannosaur is a one-man project from Kentucky, from the mind of Erick Evans. Describing the project’s sound is no easy feat, as Erick combines doom metal, sludge, metalcore, groove and heavy metal elements. It’s not every day that you heard a band that simultaneously sounds like Bathory, Lamb of God, Crypt Sermon and Ereb Altor.
The EP contains 6 tracks which were released as singles or didn’t make it onto previously released albums. The release opens with Insomia, an instrumental track that builds up to what comes next. And, what comes next is Prisoners in Pretty Cages. The song opens with some killer guitar work, very much in the vein of groove metal. The guitar work here is actually where I get my Lamb of God vibes from, it’s very reminiscent of something from Ashes of the Wake, but with a little more fuzz and some doomier overtones. Around the 2 minute mark the vocals kick in and the whole vibe of the track changes. We shift to a much more Ereb Altor type vibe for a little while until the harsh vocals kick in. These complicate the sound a little more, I can’t decide if they’re on the sludgier side or the more hardcore/metalcore side of things. Either way they kick ass and suit the music perfectly. This is probably the harshest track on the album and the grooviest overall, a great way to kick the album off.
Next up we have Blood of the Fallen, which kicks off with the sound of horses running. This is where things start to shift to a Crypt Sermon type sound, with hints of Bathory and again Ereb Altor too. I know the sound is a little different, but I can definitely hear similarities. Anyway, enough comparisons, the track has a truly epic feel to it and holy shit is it catchy. I’ve had this playing over and over again in my head since listening to it. This and track 5 are probably my favourite songs on the EP.
Track 4 Space Cowboy is an instrumental track featuring some fantastic guitar work. We get a good mix of stoner, doom and psychedelic here, in total the song runs for 2:17 and is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish.
Track 5 Christ Compels you is another killer track very much in the vein of track 2. We get another epic track with a sort of mystical feel to it, as if it has some sort of connection to a dark past involving sorcery and black magic. The guitar work on this one gets a little more technical in parts, with some impressive riffs being presented.
Track 6 We Came from Nibiru is doomy as hell and drenched in downtuned, reverby goodness. The vocals are slow and deliberate and seeped in distortion. There is some great layering used here, and the effects and vocal style make the song trippy as all hell. The vocals glide over a constant stream of reverb adding additional effect. The song is mesmerising and highly psychedelic in nature. A solid track that sounds quite different to the rest of the EP and a great way to close out a killer EP.
Overall, this is a fantastic EP and a perfect introduction for me to Galactic Tyrannosaur. The artist has really demonstrated his full range of influences and the extent of his reach as an artist. It makes me want to dive through his entire catalogue (which I plan to do as soon as I have a chance) and very excited for what comes next. I actually came across this one as part of a Bandcamp code giveaway and decided to roll the dice on it and I’m so glad that I did because this music is simply awesome. So, take some time out of your day and give this bad boy a spin or 2 (personally I’ve given it 4).
Listen to the full album below:
Bandcamp:
