My how time flies. Three years have passed since Spiritual Beggars released their excellent Return To Zero album, yet Earth Blues still finds this stoner/classic rock band joyously celebrating the seventies through the likes of Sabbath, Purple and especially Uriah Heep. Boy, do they do it well!
With a now stable line-up consisting of bandleader and guitarist Michael Amott (also of Arch Enemy and once of Carcass), drummer Ludwig Witt (Grand Magus), bassist Shalree D'Angelo (Arch Enemy, Witchery), keyboard maestro Per Wilburg (ex-Opeth) and singer Apollo Papathanasio (ex-Firewind), not only have Spiritual Beggars really hit their stride with Earth Blues, but they've done so in a style which reeks of confidence and assuredness. Yes the basis for this album's outlook is still the huge Hammond swirl that made Uriah Heep such a force all those years ago (and still does up to this very day), but when you add in the ever present stonerness of Monster Magnet, the SB lads have a great mix of power and passion on their side. However this time round there's a little something more brought to the seventies induced party in the shape of the odd hint of the more commercially successful aspect of King Crimson, bringing a maturity to the sound and scope of what is on offer here.
However let's not pretend that Earth Blues isn't all about humungous riffs, howling keyboard and throat bursting vocals - it is - and thank goodness for that! Sample the groove-tabular "Too Old To Die Young" to discover the sound of the seventies brought bang up to date, or the stomping Dio era Sabbath meets Heep of "Kingmaker" for a power packed punch of riffola. Papathanasio absolutely revels in this setting, using his expressive delivery to hammer these songs home. However if there is a star on show it is a straight fight between the riff-monster Amott and the Hammond demon Wilburg. Although what really wins you over on the likes of the pulsating "Road To Madness", schizophrenic power one minute introspective the next "Sweet Magic Pie", or rabble rousing honker-stomper of "Wise As A Serpent" is the manner in which the two expertly combine.
Unashamedly retro, yet slap bang in the here and now in terms of execution and sound, Earth Blues is a thunderous release that demands your attention. Imagine what these guys could do if this wasn't merely a side-project!
CD1 - Earth Blues:
01. Wise As A Serpent -- 02:34
02. Turn The Tide -- 03:25
03. Sweet Magic Pain -- 04:42
04. Hello Sorrow -- 04:28
05. One Man's Curse -- 04:33
06. Dreamer -- 05:08
07. Too Old To Die Young -- 06:15
08. Kingmaker -- 03:54
09. Road To Madness -- 03:05
10. Dead End Town -- 02:30
11. Freedom Song -- 03:36
12. Legends Collapse -- 05:50
Total time: 50:06
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010:
01. Left Brain Ambassadors -- 04:46
02. Beneath The Skin -- 04:04
03. One Man Army -- 03:43
04. Wonderful World -- 03:39
05. Fools Gold -- 03:51
06. Star Born -- 02:56
07. Concrete Horizon -- 05:20
08. Euphoria -- 07:08
Total time: 35:30
Discography:
1994 -- Spiritual Beggars (Full-length)
1996 -- Another Way to Shine (Full-length)
1998 -- Mantra III (Full-length)
1998 -- Violet Karma (Single)
2000 -- Ad Astra (Full-length)
2001 -- It's Over (Split)
2002 -- On Fire (Full-length)
2005 -- Demons (Full-length)
2005 -- Live Fire! (DVD)
2010 -- Return To Zero (Full-length)
2011 -- Return To Live: Loud Park 2010 (Live Album)
2013 -- Earth Blues (Full-length)
Current Line-up:
Michael Amott -- Guitars (1992-present)
Ludwig Witt -- Drums (1993-present)
Per Wiberg -- Keyboards (1998-present)
Sharlee D'Angelo -- Bass (2005-present)
Apollo Papathanasio -- Vocals (2010-present)
Former Members:
Spice -- Vocals, Bass (1992-2001)
Roger Nilsson -- Bass (2002-2004)
JB Christoffersson -- Vocals (2002-2010)
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FILE LIST
Filename
Size
CD1 - Earth Blues/01 - Wise As a Serpent.mp3
5.9 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/02 - Turn the Tide.mp3
7.8 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/03 - Sweet Magic Pain.mp3
10.8 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/04 - Hello Sorrow.mp3
10.3 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/05 - One Man's Curs.mp3
10.5 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/06 - Dreamer.mp3
11.8 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/07 - Too Old to Die Young.mp3
14.3 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/08 - Kingmaker.mp3
8.9 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/09 - Road to Madness.mp3
7.1 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/10 - Ead End Town.mp3
5.8 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/11 - Freedom Song.mp3
8.3 MB
CD1 - Earth Blues/12 - Legends Collapse.mp3
13.4 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/01 - Left Brain Ambassador.mp3
10.9 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/02 - Beneath The Skin.mp3
9.3 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/03 - One Man Army.mp3
8.5 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/04 - Wonderful World.mp3
8.4 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/05 - Fools Gold.mp3
8.8 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/06 - Star Born.mp3
6.7 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/07 - Concrete Horizon.mp3
12.2 MB
CD2 - Return To Live - Loud Park 2010/08 - Euphoria.mp3