The Soda Shop reviews “Crowe Valley Blues”

This review is a long time in the coming. After sitting on this for a few months, and enjoying the hell out of it, here is the long awaited review for Venomin James’ Crowe Valley Blues. Crowe Valley Blues is the second album from the Cleveland doom metal band.

Doom metal is sort of a generic label for this album. While it does have many doom elements, there’s a few (minor) rock moments. One constant that this album does have is it’s heavy as all fuck!

It opens with the track “Desert Rider” which is about as perfect an opening track that you’ll find anywhere. “Cosmonaut” is next. This track you should be familiar with as it was on The Soda Shop Comp vol 1. This was the first song that the band released from the album and even made a video of it. It’s fast, heavy and ready to hurt you. The chorus about 2:50 in is worth it alone. “Death’s Wings” is next with a mellow paced verse and melodic chorus. “Dire Days” is a bit slower and certainly a doomier track. Singer Jim Meador’s voice is haunting. The song speeds up about 4 1/2 minutes into it and before you know it, it’s back to the doomy sound that started the track. This track is going to be a classic. “Make No Mistake” is a bit more of a punk metal number. It’s faster paced throughout and less doomier then other tracks. “Under The Gun” and “Tierra Muerta” are both more melodic numbers. “Penitentiary Glen” is the last song on the album. It’s slow and doomy. Read more…