I always look forward to new Queens of the Stone Age albums with great anticipation. They never fail to impress, and ‘Era Vulgaris’ has been no exception to the rule. In the follow up to 2005’s ‘Lullabies to Paralyze’, the band once again prove their worth and have pulled through with one of the best albums of the year so far. Now on album number 5, it is good to see that Josh Homme is still not short on ideas. Showing eerie flair throughout, ”Era Vulgaris’ I feel shows the band in an extremely positive light proving them to be an ever progressing, always entertaining juggernaut of a band.
The album is 13 tracks strong, taking you on a dark journey via Homme’s distinctive vocal styling, the eerie flow of the guitars, and the slick yet strangely unnerving production work. There are many standout tracks on display here, most notably the albums storming debut single ‘3’s and 7’s’ – but this is far from being a one track strong album. Each track here is powerful in it’s own individual way and all 13 songs here make for a great listening experience. ‘Battery Acid’ for one sticks in the memory for me with its buzz saw guitars, fast and frantic pace, and brilliant vocal work. This one would make a great single with its psychedelic aura and fantastic charm. ‘Sick, Sick, Sick’ is another champion track that springs to mind. Released as a download only single, the track has everything you could possibly ask for in a Queens of the Stone Age release and for me at least was a definite high point. ‘Make It Wit Chu’ on the other hand is so unlike the band it’s perfect, it’s just so refreshing to hear the band doing something different and definitely went down a treat with me.
Queens of the Stone Age will never be the biggest band in the world given the vain of their music, however they will always have a dedicated legion of fans, and as time goes by this can only get bigger. They don’t seem to be able to put a foot wrong in anything that they do, and although many will (fairly) argue that the band were at their best some years ago now, there is no denying the fact that they are still releasing some great music even if it is not their finest work to date. I do believe that Oliveri is sorely missed in the band as they were in my opinion making better music when he was in the band, however his exit from the band was understandable and the band should no doubt stand by that decision to have parted ways with him.
Label: Interscope
Release Date: 11th June 2007
Rating:
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
