When one speaks about Stoner Metal and/or Stoner Rock, one must explain that such form of music has deep roots on the organic and noisy forms of music of the turn of the 60s to 70s, when acts as BLUE CHEER, CREAM, HAWKWIND and others were about to explode their amps with a heavy and dense music filled with groove, Blues influences and tons of lysergic psychedelic touches. But one must pay attention: as Stoner Rock and Stoner Metal are full of new bands, it’s hard to have something that really deserves a careful listening, because it’s not every day that can be found a new MONSTER MAGNET, C.O.C. or SOUNDGARDEN. But the work of the trio CLEEN on “Excursion” shows some valuable contributions.

Recorded at Cellar Studio, and produced, mixed and mastered at Mix Cave Mastering, the main idea of the band was to have a defined sonority that could bear the abrasive and organic appeal of Stoner Metal, and they reach a very good level on things, for everything is on its due places, but with that gross organic feeling. And the artwork created by Samantha Newman and Raven Slater reinforces the Stoner Metal/Rock appeal of the band’s music (again: some lysergic deliriums are needed to such musical ways).

The band’s music lies on a crude mix between crude influences of Stoner Metal and Stoner Rock, being organic and rough to the ears, with things that brings to mind of what acts as ALICE IN CHAINS and SOUNDGARDEN unleashed in the 90s, but with a feeling that remembers what was done on the late 60s and early 70s. Of course (as said above) they still are sounding a bit ‘rawer’ (and it’s not a reference to their sonority), so the trio needs to sharp their efforts in the future (what experience of shows can correct to earn them more experience), but what is heard on the songs shows that they’re on the right way.

The 10 tracks of “Excursion” depicts a band that is still forming their musical core, but songs as “Planet 332b” (a ‘sabbathic’ blow of Stoner Metal/Rock influences based on strong and solid work on bass guitar and drums), “No One Remembers but You” (a more psychedelic song with an introspective appeal and good vocals), “These Signs” (the energy and weight of this one is about to explode the speakers), “Sultane of Sand” (very good and abrasive feeling with massive weight based on simple arrangements), “Aroya” (the ‘Iommic’ guitar riffs and lysergic experiments on the six strings arrangements are very good), and “A Means to An End” shows that this trio has potential to take higher flights in the future.

For now, “Excursion” is an album that will have a crush on Stoner Metal and Stoner Rock fans. But as CLEEN is just beginning, the tendency for its music is to mature and grow in the future.