3.5 - Eclectic Wizard - How to follow Dopethrone? An album widely regarded as a modern day classic in the stoner/doom genre. Electric Wizard s response, Let Us Prey, proved to a bit of a damp squid. It was the last release from the seminal line-up of Jus Oborn, Mark Greening and Tim Bagshaw, the trio that created the bands best albums, Come My Fanatics and Dopethrone. Divisions were reported during the making of this album, and unfortunately this came through on record. Let Us Prey is extremely hit and miss throughout, mostly due to some unexpected and out of place experimentation. We, The Undead sees the band surging into relatively lightning paced punk rock, and Night of the Shape surprises with some moody trip-hop dirge. I appreciate some artists need to re-invent their sound from time to time, but only if that sound is tired. Electric Wizard had just perfected their super-heavy, abrasive brand of 70s doom, and these experiments were not only unnecessary, but quite out of their field. The band sounds messy and confused playing punk, and as for trip-hop...well...just a weird choice.Frustratingly, amidst the unsuccessful experimentation is some bludgeoning classic EW. Opener A Chosen Few blasts in with a typically brutal lead riff, and you wouldn t be stupid to think another Dopethrone is on the way. One of my all-time favourite EW tracks comes after the muddled punk, the monumental Master of Alchemy piece. Purely instrumental, the song swaggers through two of Oborn s best ever riffs, psychedelic atmospherics and wailing solos. There s a sublime doom groove throughout both sections, making the clutter before it become even more frustrating. The Outsider and Priestess of Mars are both decent tracks, not brilliant but staple EW and enjoyable, and they keep a small level of consistency going.So with Let Us Prey you get two outstanding, classic Wizard tracks - two staple, slightly stock tracks and two dreadful, out of place experiments. A true mixed bag, and a frustrating release when compared to the mighty albums that preceded it. Those new to the band are best advised with Come My Fanatics or Dopethrone.
One of the greatest Electric Wizard albums - This is easily one of the best electric wizard albums available, and in fact this is the only version of it that is still currently in print on lp. On the 2002 Japanese release on JVC Victor records and the 2006 Rise Above release (both 2 lp sets, this one is just 1), there is a bonus track called mother of serpents, but nevertheless, this is an incredible album even without it, and its a fair price to pay for a record. This is a very space and drug oriented album, and they pull it off very sincerely. This is definitely a must have stoner metal album. Electric Wizard creates brilliant soundscapes and beautiful interweaving guitar and bass parts while all the same still remaining true to their claim at being the heaviest band in the universe. I can t strongly enough convey the sheer brilliance of this album, so just get it.
leaders not followers - reading earlier wizard interviews, they promised to get eavier with each new recording, and the lords have definately delivered with these fine masterworks. let us prey does not let down, this was the first wizard album i had heard and i didnt hesitate to go and buy the rest, and you can definately see the progression without them drifting far from what they do. it kicks off with u chosen few and carries on from there with riffs to blow the pavement from the path you walk. there is one slightly slower piece on here, night of the shape , which to say the least is a haunting number. i think their albums definately sound fantastic if youve a good bass system on your stereo, for the full effect, but i would recommend the wizard to anyone who likes heavy music of any sort.