From Bandcamp, “Swiss band GENTLE BEAST are back with their second album, “Vampire Witch Reptilian Super Soldier,” a fuzz-fueled odyssey that has something in store for every stoner rock fan. The nine tracks pay tribute to the genre's greatest elements, from driving riffs to doomy bass walls, psychedelic interludes and spherical vocals. Always with a wink, the lyrics about stoned witches, vengeful buffaloes, roaming mammoths and lost space travelers deliberately leave out no stoner rock clichés. Combined with an examination of serious topics such as meritocracy, climate change and conspiracy theories, the record also aims to strike a critical note.”

The album has nine songs, and “Planet Drifter” is first. It opens with heavy bass notes, fuzzy guitars, and a lot of low-end weight. The vocals are sort of a cross between clean and harsh…and they have a raspy edge to them. Remember FIREBALL MINISTRY? “Voodoo Hoodoo Space Machine” has that swampy, back-woods Louisiana sound to it. Can you picture what I am talking about? Taste the humid air, and suck in the scents…it smells like grease, mold, and swaps. “Mammoth Roams” conjures images of an extinct beast that wanders the frozen tundra millions of years ago. He moves slowly, but purposefully, and if you ever saw one, you probably didn’t live to tell the tale.

“Witch of the Mountain” is a slow moving sound, but the riff can turn powerful at moment’s notice, and the vocals go from smooth to gnarly. The keyboards and witchy voice seems to bring her to life. “Endless” has slow, low, and powerful bass notes with guitar riffs in tow, and the vocals are animated, even angry at times. “Riding Waves of Karma” has an almost sterile quality to it from the vocals and entering bass, but it roars to life as karma does finally catching up with someone. “The Last Smoke” closes the album, and it’s a little gentler and smooth at first, but the riff does the work of bringing the heat and power with it.

Yeah, this was a cliché album when it comes to the subject matter, and they make no bones about it. But let me clear that it was also a real banger, and something I enjoyed it quite a lot. They have a simple honesty with themselves and that’s how they approach their music. No bones, no fucks given, just good music.