RIFFLORD

7 Cremation Ground/ Meditation

STB US vintage-style rockers power past adversity

This South Dakota bunch have weathered many storms in recent years. However, multiple line-up changes, relocations and more have never swayed them from their adoration of the riff, and their longawaited second album is a love letter to Tony Iommi and Ritchie Blackmore.

The product of mushroominduced bust-ups, a dogged determination to return stronger than before and a hefty amount of blood, sweat, tears and vintage tube amps, this 13-track effort could help Rifflord become stoner rock royalty. Powerful, sometimes playful and littered with copious time changes, all five members are excellent musicians and the likes of Dead Flower Child and The Riffman Cometh are diabolically good blasts of boogie woogie. Organist Tory Jean Stoddard’s performance on Poison Mother would have Jon Lord himself proud.

FOR FANS OF: Monster Magnet, corrosion Of conformity, Nebula

EDWIN McFEE