### Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats: Mind control

#### 09/05/14 || sincan

Whereas these English bloke’s last album “Blood lust” really put them on the map, the follow up didn’t stir that much in the pot, in comparison. Well, that might not be something unexpected, especially when the hipsters gets tired of running in every direction their super mind master points at.

Whereas “Blood lust” was an orgy in psychedelic rock, partly like a less dark-some Black Sabbath with anally injected acid and lethal over consumption of horror movies, “Mind control” takes a stroll on the same path as the stoner doom legends Electric Wizard or other bands in the same vein but from the US. This while still having one leg left in the classic Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats-land, where no titties are left un-stabbed.

When I first heard this album, just after it was released, I was a bit disappointed since I love how catchy and straightforward the predecessor is. Well, when I now hear the album opener “Mt. Abraxas” (yeah, a live version from the best club in Gothenburg) I find it relatively hard to think about it as a letdown, one can thus say that this one needs a little bit more time to sink in.

The first single that was released was “Poison apple” which actually sounds more like we are used to, thus not as doomy. But again, I must have been in a weak phase during this period, since I thought it sounded like a b-side from “Blood lust”. Also seeing them perform live at the Garage in London demystified the cult a bit, especially if you read about the recording circumstances during the earlier sessions (which of course was just good stories). But seeing them perform more tracks from “Mind control” during other gigs some missing pieces fell into place.

The tracks on this album can be summed up relatively easy, start with a neat guitar riff (fast or slow), add effective rock’n‘roll drumming and then a base that will leave no one untouched. Last add some haunted absent-minded vocals on top of this. It’s a great fucking recipe for success, and it didn’t surprise me at all when they were called in as an opener for Black Sabbath’s European tour. At the same time the similarities between the tracks makes it hard for me to keep them apart, but since the ride is sweet throughout the entire time, I tend to see that as a minor problem and maybe it’s just my brain getting old and ruined.

Just fucking listen to the intro to “Valley of the dolls”, if that doesn’t make you want to take a swing at something ugly, well, goodbye!

- Information
- Released: 2013
- Label: Rise Above Records
- Website: www.acidcoven.com
- Band
- Yotam Rubinger: guitars, vocals
- K.R. Starrs: guitars, vocals
- Thomas Mowforth: drums
- Dean Millar: bass

- Tracklist
- 01. Mt. Abraxas
- 02. Mind crawler
- 03. Poison apple
- 04. Desert ceremony
- 05. Evil love
- 06. Death valley blues
- 07. Follow the leader
- 08. Valley of the dolls
- 09. Devil’s work