SPIDERS FROM SAIGON aren't from the Far East, but rather the north east of England. Taking pride in writing, recording, producing, and releasing everything themselves, the core trio is musically focused on playing hard rock, complete with big the riffs and catchy hooks. Citing LED ZEPPELIN, BLACK SABBATH, IRON MAIDEN, and JUDAS PRIEST among their influences, the band unleashes a large metal sound on their eponymous debut.

Throughout the album, SPIDERS FROM SAIGON demonstrate that writing and playing riff-laden songs is their forte. Many of the tracks evidence a blend of sludge and stoner metal, melodic and fuzzy around the edges. Groovy, even funky, the songs are often mesmerizing, the product of the tight rhythms that anchor and drive the band's sound. And as is true of both sludge and stoner metal, the tempos are never overly fast, but rather played at a comfortable pace, allowing one to appreciate and settle into the grooves which emerge. Similar to the classic rock SPIDERS FROM SAIGON draw upon, expansive guitar solos abound, frequently serving as each number's centerpiece.

"Voyage To Decay," the first song on the album, is a perfect example of what SPIDERS OF SAIGON will be serving up. The guitar comes at you right out of the box, soon settling into a funky, almost spacey, groove with the bass and drums. The cohesive instrumentation is evident as the band repeats the track's essential groove throughout the song, using it as a base for the vocals and, ultimately, ample guitar solo. Drums lead the way for the guitar on "Holy Temptress." Faster and more driving than the first track, brief tempo changes serve as interludes between verses. "Beyond Lock & Key" is another of many songs I described in my notes as "funky," offering this term up as praise for how well the band collectively plays memorable, jauntily-paced melodies that convey a bit of attitude. The drum breaks are spare and the solo is racing, the guitar allowed to do its thing as the rhythm section cements itself in place, forming a rock solid foundation.

A spare guitar line starts "Centrifuge," a ponderous song that has a sludgy tonality. It's somewhat clearer than other numbers, freer of the distortion which at least lightly coats many. "Triptych" is a riff-heavy rocker, the band barreling along in an unadulterated display of melodic power. An almost orchestral sound opens and then underscores "Shattered Hearts," another headbanger. Matt Adamson's deeper voice and his female partner's higher pitch contrast nicely, their harmonizing on the duets a highlight. "Static Coulour," is a throwback, conjuring the classic rock I've come to associate with the 1970s.

"Roadkill Memoirs" has a heavy, methodical guitar line broken by unhurried, sludgier interludes. The track meanders at points, but does so in a structured manner. Slower parts alternate with more uptempo breaks to make "Dopers Odyssey" memorable, a bit of a wake-up call. The bass is given its due on "Right Side of the Dirt. "Filth (In The Same Degree)" begins with an almost disco-like beat, the bass soon yielding to a folkish guitar line. The song is a lot cleaner than others, almost completely devoid of SPIDERS FROM SAIGON's trademark distortion.

"SPIDERS FROM SAIGON" is the musical equivalent of a warm, fuzzy heavy metal blanket. It's immersive and transfixing, at times almost hypnotic. The guitar goes to the edge, but is always supported by the grooves laid down by the tight rhythm section. SPIDERS FROM SAIGON has a big, welcoming sound that can be readily appreciated by those into any number of hard rock's and/or heavy metal's subgenres.