Moab-Ab Ovo (Kemado)
At this point, it should come as no surprise to anyone that each new Kemado release seems to arrive built in with that unmistakable stench of trend and filthy hipster, and Moab’s Ab Ovo is no exception.
Destined to be a favorite amongst media darlings and know-nothings repping ‘classic rock power’ or ‘stoner groove weed wizard magic,’ Ab Ovo is characterized from frankly powerless and honestly annoying vocals which are clearly trying to mimic 1970s Ozzy, but end up sounding more like 1990s Geddy Lee. Yeah…it’s as bad as it sounds.
Riff-wise, Moab seem intent on riding that ever-rising tide of stoner/psych revival acts, yet there’s nothing legitimately enthralling about how the trio executes their riffs or composes their songs. It’s as if you were to strip away every ounce of passion from Black Sabbath’s early catalog, and replace it with a hefty, burdening sense of self-awareness. It’s only the music that suffers, with Ab Ovo meandering all over itself with no real direction or aim, other than to simply ‘exist’ as so much consumptive product.
Originality isn’t exactly a necessary component when it comes to riff-obsessed, proto-metal or heavy psych madness, but Moab can’t even get plagiarism right here on Ab Ovo.
Rating: D+
Written by MetalGeorge
Tags: Black Sabbath, Hawkwind, heavy psych, Hipster Metal, kemado records, metalgeorge, moab, Ozzy, Reviews
