Green Desert Water - Black Harvest - Heavy Metal - CD

Bordering on a decade since their first EP, Green Desert Water present their most cohesive, classic and vibe-ready work yet in their third album, Black Harvest. With the introduction of new drummer Dani Barcena, guitarist/vocalist Kike Sanchís and bassist Juan Arias García unite in classic power trio fashion, the Oviedo, Spain-based unit building on the significant accomplishments of 2018's Solar Plexus with even more flash of heavy blues, psychedelia, and weighted riffery. Can you hang? Of course you can. Wo Fat's own Kent Stump sits in on the title-track, which is a fitting centerpiece rife with AC/DC-vs.-Sabbath vitality, following behind the opening salvo of "Sacred Tree" and "Dead Sacred Tree," which set a tone figuratively and literally for what follows with a focus on melody and songwriting - the catchy "Too Many Wizards" could easily be a state-of-the-union for the heavy rock underground - tempos no less comfortable careening than they are crashing, and a classic sensibility filtered through modern production that leaves the songs full and engaging for the most fickle of attention spans. Later, to be snared by "Shelter of Guru" is to take a ride in a traditionalist caravan, and both journey and destination satisfy ahead of the capper boogie in "Soul Blind." Rest assured, you're about to spend 38 minutes in the presence of masters. Roll with it and be glad you did.

• BLACK HARVEST
• Heavy Metal
• Small Stone Records