Grave Bathers – Rock N’ Roll Fetish
Release Date: 5th August 2022
Label: Seeing Red Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Sludge, Rock n Roll, Stoner.
FFO: King Crimson, High Reeper, Lowrider.
Review By: Jason James
Philly filth merchants Grave Bathers continue their unstoppable rise with the release of their debut album, Rock ‘N’ Roll Fetish. The hype that these guys are generating is impressive considering they only have a couple of singles and a double A-side/EP to their names so far.
Jaret Salvat-Rivera’s joins from Heavy Temple on lead guitar, while Sean Lafferty of Yatra keeps the wagon rolling on Drums. Steve Capitanio elicits more squeals of delight from his guitar, strongly backed up by Davis M. Shubs on the Bass. Riding this sludgy wave is Drew Robinson on Vocals.
The main thing that struck me listening to this album is just how much fun these guys seem to be having. The music is low-down and dirty, but definitely gives off a celebratory and joyous air. The quintet’s whole aura exudes confidence and effortlessness. They almost seem to have a NEED to entertain, and do not sound like a band that only formed in 2018. The result is a potent mixture, an elixir to awaken the senses, get the blood pumping and your head nodding.
The album clocks in at 81 minutes. Not one minute is wasted, though, their seemingly boundless enthusiasm coming through loud and clear in every fuzzy note from the guitars, every full-blooded kick and muscular snare hit, and every guttural roar from the vocal. My personal favourite track on the album is Vampire of the Rock Operator, but that will probably change the more I listen because all the tracks are high quality. This is definitely an album with replay value.
As is probably pretty evident from my review, I immensely enjoyed this album. If Grave Bathers are as fun onstage as this album suggests or from what I’ve seen in their music videos, then I can’t wait until they land on these shores, so I can find out first-hand.
(4.5 / 5)
