Chrome Hoof - Beyond Zade EP [Rise above - 2006]With a name like Chrome Hoof you know this is going to be a little tongue-in-cheek, when you see the bands picture, their song titles and of course their music- the humour seeps out. Their costumes seem to be a mix of sunn0)) via Sun Ra with a little 70’s campness thrown in. Musically I guess it’s a mix metal with doom edge, 70’s metal cheese, a sprinkling of jazz rock spacey vibe and 70’s schlock horror soundtrack . I have to say the soundtrack side of their sound are the more interesting elements here- embellished with cello saxophone various wind instruments and of course great 70’ organ vibe. All giving the fairly standard doom metal elements more colour and depth. On offer are 3 tracks in all, two shorter, one twenty minute job. My favourite moments come in the form of; track two Year Ram, with it’s nice low down & dirt mid pace doom chug with almost an evil Egyptian vibe. Mid way it moves into more bass led atmospherics ,with chilling cello work and ritual like percussive hits. Elements of Mad Air Punch(see what I mean about the song titles!) when it again drops into more atmospheric waters with the harpsichord like tinkling, over which very English dialogue is added to overblown and comic effect, twisted with a jazz rock come medieval air. They have a different and vaired sound, but more often than not, it comes off sounding like a riff or tune taken from somewhere else. Or worse still just lacklustre mess.They seem to focus to much on the comic elements of their make up and too little on the musically side. I think as a project they have a really great album in them, but this isn’t it.    Roger Batty
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