If Black Sabbath is “the
Godfather” of stoner rock, then Wino is Michael Corleone. Singer,
guitarist and songwriter Scott “Wino” Weinrich has been driving the
doom and stoner rock scenes since the 80’s with his bands Saint Vitus,
Obsessed, Spirit Caravan, and now The Hidden Hand. Even if you’ve never
heard of Wino, no doubt one of your favorite musicians worships him. Wino has
inspired everyone from hardcore legend Henry Rollins to grunge idol Dave Grohl;
who coincidentally has harnessed Wino’s skill and power for his new band,
Probot. Suffice it to say, for those devoted to the scene, the release of a new
Wino album is a special event.
Divine Propaganda isn’t a typical “stoner rock” album: you won’t find any of the “ass, grass or gas” clichés – no back of your cousin’s van day-glow Zoso poster flashbacks on this disc. Wino is more concerned with world politics, specifically: the iron grip that secret societies and financial organizations hold on the world – a.k.a. the “Hidden Hand” of control. You can vote for who ever you like, but these secret and not-so-secret societies really call the shots. Wino goes so far as to include a list of must read books, and a list of 13 “weapons to use in the face of tyranny” – you can rebel against MTV, your parents or the government, but the “Hidden Hand” is your true enemy. Although Wino’s lyrics can be poetic and cryptic, this album is as political as a Rage Against the Machine or Dead Kennedys recording.
Even if you could care less about world politics or political deception, Divine Propaganda is a still one sweet album. The Hidden Hand trio creates quintessential doom/stoner rock: guitar and bass lock in low-end harmony to form HUGE riffs of auroral proportions and drummer Dave drops beats that could crush mountains. Wino’s solos are awe-inspiring: flawless, tasty and never over-indulgent – Wino’s leads will impress any rock guitar fan. Whether they play avalanche fast or lava slow, The Hidden Hand delivers perfect heavy rock, which any serious fan of hard rock, grunge or metal should enjoy.
Personal favorite tracks include some of the faster paced tracks on the album: Screw the Naysayers is a short 72 seconds of aggro rage, lightning & thunder and the instrumental For All the Wrong Reasons rages like a runaway diesel, but takes time to hit the air breaks for a spacey jam.
Divine Propaganda is a crucial release for music lovers who like heavy riffs as well as heavy lyrics.
Contact
Information:
Post: Meteor City, PO Box 40322, Albuquerque, NM,
87196-0322, USA
Phone: (606) 246-0884
E-Mail:
info@meteorcity.com
Web:
www.meteorcity.com
