Plague Of The Planet

Retro-metal seems to be everywhere these days, from the new wave of thrashers to the tongue-in-cheek glam of Steel Panther. Ogre are yet another band who take their cues entirely from pre-1985, combining the doom of prime Black Sabbath with the esoteric hard rock of early (pre-Crystal Logic) Manilla Road, most notable in the wail of Ross Markonish's guitar. The band's influence can be further seen in Ed Cunningham's vocals, which switch from an Ozzy-aping wail to a Bon Scott-meets-Mark Shelton rasp when the music requires it. Even the cover art is a total retro-trip, looking like it's come straight off the pages of a comic book from 1975. Although Plague Of The Planet was released last year on Leaf Hound Records, the band were reportedly unhappy with the record's distribution, and so it's recently received the reissue treatment on retro-metal specialists Shadow Kingdom records. Plague Of The Planet consists of one 37-minute song dealing with the environmental catastrophe and subsequent regeneration of the planet, and due to that it's fair to say diversity is not the record's strong suit. Aside from the acoustic intro and outro, Ogre have about two speeds: a weighty, Sabbatherian groove, or a rollicking mid-paced rumble. But who cares, when the grooves are this good? The very first riff that hits you over the head is a stoner-rock behemoth Clutch would be proud of, the band managing to create a wonderfully thick sound despite being a three piece and no doubt recording in fairly lean circumstances. Markonish's guitar simply sears, his impassioned soloing being a joy whenever it occurs, his solo at the end of the piece being one of the most impressive climaxes I've heard all year. Elsewhere, Ed Cunningham manages to add flair to his bass playing while silmantaneously providing an anchor to the record. Playing alongside two excellent musicians, the merely competent drumming of Will Broadbent tends to be overshadowed. He's good, sure, but bar a few interesting beats here and there his performance is decidedly restrained. Matters aren't helped by an oddly small sounding drum sound, either. Music like this deserves an earth-shaking drum sound more in keeping with the band's moniker. Little niggles aside, Plague Of The Planet is a strong a heavy rock album as you're likely to hear in 2008. It takes work to make a 38-minute song fly by, and Ogre have managed to stuff the album with bags of hooks while still being as heavy as they can feasibly be. Where Plague Of The Planet should really shine, however, is in the live circuit. This is a sound tailored to the sheer volume of a live performance, and Markonish's guitar pyrotechnics deserve to be seen rather than just heard. If Ogre come to your neck of the woods, try your best to come out and see them, and support one of the most talented and worthy rock bands about today. In a world where everything retro seems to be catching the interest of the music press, Ogre deserve better than cramming themselves into a shitty fan and playing for a few people in some dive of a bar.