In 2011 the band DESERTS OF MARS was created in Austin, Texas in 2011. This is a power trio that promises to deliver a Stoner based Metal and my ears are excited just to think about it as some bands of this genre can be quite good. All started from the same source BLACK SABBATH, that for me is the Stoner Metal fountain. However, newer bands like DOWN, KYUSS, BONGZILLA and even RED FANG took the genre to another level. Let's see what the Texans have to offer. The first track “Crashdown” confirms that the guys are deep into the genre with heavy guitars and powerful riffs that at some point reminded of a MASTODON track despite DESERTS OF MARS having only one guitar player. And things get even better on the second track “Temple Of Rain”. Great pulsing guitar riff ala Tony Iommi and a good singing melody.The guitar is heavy, is in the forefront of the mix and leads the way.

“Shilluminati” (Google does not know what it is) starts with a cool bass line from bass player and singer Tony Salvaggio that also has a good voice range that reminds me of Brann Dailor, Troy Sanders at the same time. Despite the somewhat simplicity of the Stoner Metal genre in regards to music structure, the band gets a little creative in the arrangements as you can hear in “Dead Planet” and “Darkness”. Unique riffs and heavy as fuck, the vocals remain good and clean like in every track with no frills or unnecessary screams. We pass half way through this good album with “Midnight Comes” and it is another banger. Guitar player Kotah Mack keeps pouring crazy heavy riffs and presents us even with a cool solo on this one. There are no bad tracks on this album so far. The singing melodies are also cool and the next track “Never” reminds me of early SABBATH with that galloping sound like in Hole In The Sky. The bass is also heavy as it should and is not hidden in the mix. The band also has a great touch of psychedelic in their soun as you can hear in “Temporal Vampires”. LSD lovers will enjoy it. Another good guitar solo on this one.

We get close to the end with “Crimson Mountain” , which is the track that sounds more like regular Heavy Metal in this album and has a faster cadence with another good melody and a cool tempo change in the middle bringing you a little deeper into the darkness. The band also has a competent drummer in Morgan Faber that reminds me of Bill Ward in the good days. We end our journey with “The Fallen” that goes again deep in the ethereal with an arrangement ala Planet Caravan with some heavy interludes and another good guitar solo. I liked this album and it's hard to pick up a favorite. Is one of these albums that requires a second listening, and this is always a good sign.