Jeeb jeeb jeeb jeeb jeeb...oh sorry, I was asleep there for 53 minutes. This is a split release from two similar bands, the sludgy SPIRITU, and the not-as-sludgy, but still dull, VILLAGE OF DEAD ROADS. The first four songs are by Spiritu, and the opener, “The Ten of Seven Bell” has a BLACK SABBATH feel to it, but isn’t the least bit interesting. The vocals sound pretty low and uninspired, especially on “Latitude”. Their last song, “Throwback”, is the only one where they sound energized and a bit like CLUTCH. This track sounds like someone finally lit a firecracker under their ass, but it’s too little, too late.
Village of Dead Roads provide a more interesting experience, but only in the slightest way. The vocalist is more talented, and has some good melodic performances such as in “Skin Prison”, but the song tanks when it drags on for an unnecessary six and a half minutes. This band knows how to rock more than Spiritu also, but once they find a chord progression they like, they stick with it for way too long. “Woman of Ill Repute” is over seven minutes and closes with what seems like three or four minutes of repetitive jamming. The last song, “Divine Mistake”, is just over eleven minutes, but that’s only if you count the two minutes of feedback that caps it off. In some of the jam sessions they sound like Phil Anselmo’s side project, Down, but minus the daring experimentation and power. The production on this disc is lackluster, but even if it received a more professional spit shine, the songs still ramble.
