Premonition 13 – 13

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Another year, another band formed by legendary doom/stoner metal vocalist and guitarist Scott “Wino” Weinrich, most famous for his work with The Obsessed and Saint Vitus, and most recently Shrinebuilder. But more than just another Wino project, this one relies just as much on guitarist Jim Karow (who also played bass in the studio) as it does the iconic front-man, with Maylene And The Sons of Disaster drummer Matthew Clark providing the perfect backdrop. Premonition 13′s style mixes Wino’s stoner metal history with classic bluesy rock, adding much more subtlty to the mix than fans of Wino will be used to, allowing space for the two guitar players to spar throughout most of the instrumental sections. It’s still packed with riffs and fuzzy solos, but it’s the complete lack of bluntness to the whole affair that will provide the scope for repeat listenings. There are some more obviously “Wino” moments, like pacey stoner romp Deranged Rock N’ Roller, and magnificent Sabbathian stompers La Hechicera de la Jeringa (Spanish for “The Sorceress of The Syringe” – preceded by its own prelude which strangely doesn’t segue into the main song) and Modern Man, which see Karow take lead vocals while Wino stands back and just fleshes out the chorus, but it’s in carefully constructed twin-guitar compositions like a slow, bluesy Senses, lyrically sparse closer Peyote Road and slow-building opener B.E.A.U.T.Y.. There’s a considered maturity to many of the songs here, interspersed expertly between the obligatory headbanging material, and while those more straight-forward tracks will likely become the concert favourites, it’s the intelligence of the other songs which makes this the best record Wino has been a part of since the Spirit Caravan days. But it’s not purely about Wino. Without Karow and Clark this wouldn’t be the record it is.

Written by Andy Lye
More: 2011, Albums, Quick.Play Reviews, Stoner, Premonition 13