Planet of Zeus – Vigilante

I will admit I’m not au fait with Greece’s musical contributions aside from Firewind and that Iced Earth recorded a live album there many years ago. So a stoner groove laden rock band called Planet Of Zeus piqued my interested when it’s latest release “Vigilante” was up for review.

Opening track “The Great Dandolos” punches straight through with a Clutch-esque riff and Red Fang vocals and big piles of groove. The first thing to hit me about “Vigilante” is how alive it sounds. It opens with a count in from drummer Syke then the rest of the band kick in just like they’re in front of an audience. This feel fires straight in to ‘Second Coming” and a ‘A Girl Named Greed”. Babis’s vocals take a little too much from Neil Fallon to be honest, even down to phrasing and delivery. It does work though especially with the heavier pushed vocals on the choruses.

When it comes round to fifth track on offer “Tornado” the Clutch and Baroness worship is in full swing. I still haven’t stopped listening though. I can’t. And when ‘No Tomorrow’ comes on there is a shift in the mood and also more of the personality that I was hoping for has come out. Its a stop short of a ballad but still retains the riffs and feel.

Title track “Vigilante” is straight out of a dive bar that has the stage shielded with chicken wire this is where the bass of J.V. and guitar player Yog comes alive. A proper drinking song for those of such a persuasion. Its great to hear a bass player too! For so many years the guitars have taken up too much room in the sound and the bass has become a thin sounding click track. A full bass sound really can set the a record alight! “The Beast Within” nicely rounds off a truly superb album.

Full of riffs, power ,weight and definitely an album you can listen to again and again Planet of Zeus have something that a lot of other acts neglect when they sound so much like their influences. They have great songs. There isn’t one song out of the 10 on offer that my head hasn’t been bouncing in time with. Also, I love when I can write this, they sound like a band. Four guys being a rock band. A superb band with a superb album.

Tracklisting:
The Great Dandolos
Second Coming
A Girl Named Greed
Burn This City Down
Tornado
No Tomorrow
Vigilante
Sky High Heels
Disappointment Blues
The Beast Within

Links:
http://planetofzeus.gr/
https://www.facebook.com/planetofzeus