The Chronicles Of Gnar-Gnar. Residual Echoes 'Phoenician Flu & Ancient Ocean' lp

I'd be the first to admit that a few of the people in my immediate stratosphere-when it comes to music-wouldn't know their ass from their elbow. For instance, the few times I have played this lp in the company of others all I hear is how it's "just like" Comets On Fire. But not as good. Wha? Excuse me for payin attention, but I doth protest to such a myopic comparison. Okay, so their both outta Santa Cruz & coated w/some desert smoke, but that's about as far as it goes. To me Comets On Fire seems tailor made, like one of those yellow, marshmellow hen's "hatched" around Easter. It's trad. Residual Echoes by comparison are like one of those LSD spiked caramels you always hear about around Halloween. It's trad too. But it's also mythic. It's like comparin Scientology & The Process Church. One claims Tom Cruise as a member. The other, Son Of Sam. Which one would you investigate first? Thanks, I knew you'd see it my way.
Movin on, this is the 2nd release for RE (both on Holy Mountain) & arguably posesses a second chin full've art damaged, prog & ur metal rock flesh since the debut outing. Not that they're any easier to grasp. Go ahead, give'em a yank, but try holdin on. No can do chief. The heaviness that exudes outta this lp is at once ahead of the pack & simultaneously harkens back to some squall of yore. Sure there's a lot've big hooks that bely their desert aesthetic, but there's also a lot of grubby burrowin around that sounds like it could be a Chrome record released on the Pass label, or Gunjogacrayon w/Damon & Helios at the helm. Imagine a record w/the lumbering, prog metal lurch of the latter hardwired w/the stuttering punk short circuitry of the former. You got yourself an honest to goodness monster on your hands! The kind that is gonna seriously fuck some shit up, be it in a desert or a downtown.
So far the live carnage has only been on the West Coast, but I suspect it's only a matter time 'fore they make their way to these parts to mangle some synapses. Who could we put up against'em? How about Major Stars? Talk about epic! Now that's the sorta sonic bloodbath I wouldn't mind splashin around in. Until then I gotta hold tight w/this here record. And plan some escape routes. These guys don't seem the sort that give any quarter. You can find their releases here; www.holymountain.com