VOLUME IV – Long in the Tooth(2014)

With a name adopted from arguably the best Stoner album ever recorded, one should expect nothing less than a record full of monstrous riffs and hooks. Atlanta’s VOLUME IV may not offer a full SABBATH experience in the vein of ORCHID, but they are definitelly inspired by Rock giants, SABBATH among others. Actually, “Long in the Tooth” touches so many different Rock styles that if you like heavy music, I find it hard not to appreciate something in this album. You have the aggressive, almost Sludge, “Utero/Long in the Truth” track, you have the classic Rocker “Wager”, a more Grunge oriented one “Save your Servant” and so on… Some people may love this flood of styles and ideas but I found that “Long in the Tooth” lacks consistency. Perhaps, a track that will act as bridge, or one that will combine all these different flavors. Having said that, “Long in the Tooth” is not even a half-bad record. Actually, with all the intensity the album builds it’s safe to say that this one was meant to be played live.