An explosion of a concept album
Volcano is a new band that has made its way into the rock scene from complete obscurity. The group came from the San Diego underground psychedelic scene, and their music is full of different sounds and styles from various genres. Their debut album The Island is a concept album of sorts, with each of the six songs containing African-influenced music styles and titles that indicate the eruption of a volcano. It’s a unique album, and it may not appeal to all listeners, but it’s a fun, loud ride that definitely makes a statement about who Volcano is and what they plan to do.
The album begins with “Naked Prey,” a song that starts with bongo beats and a catchy guitar riff. There are limited vocals, minus a speaking portion that sets a frightening scene. “There is nowhere to run and hide / And under the moonlight / You’re mine.” It’s definitely not the strongest song on the album, but it sets the tone for the rest of it. The second song is the title track “The Island.” It’s got a great beat that can be danced to, showing how well the group is able to combine different musical styles. It’s another song that tells a story, setting up the scene of an island. The “ooh ah” repeated in the middle of the song is a good thematic touch.
The third song on the album is “No Evil Know Demon,” which begins with the spoken lyric “leave and take your demon.” This could potentially be referring to the being that seems to be attacking in the first song. The guitar throughout is very impressive, showing the psychedelic roots of the band. There’s a repetition towards the middle of the song of “no evil, no demon now,” indicating an attempt to defeat the demon. The next song is “Eruption.” It’s only 1:07 long and is purely instrumental, full of distorted guitar, maraca shakes and the implication that the volcano on the island erupted.
The penultimate song is “Skewered,” which is the aftermath of the eruption. The guitar throughout this song practically sings, and the background instruments like the cowbell are a nice touch. About 3:30 into the song the group begins singing what sounds like a chant of some sort. It’s a long song, coming in at 8:53, with no vocals minus the chant. It’s a strange song, but it does show the group’s various talents well. The final song on the album is “10,000 Screaming Souls.” One of the lyrics is “will we live in harmony with the beast,” indicating that there is still a threat to the island. There are also various moments where the group sings “oh” in unison, and it’s honestly beautiful.
The Island isn’t for everyone, but it does tell an interesting story and features a great blend of instruments and musical styles. Volcano has a bright future ahead of them if they keep up the experimental storytelling featured on this album. The Island is available for purchase on Bandcamp now.
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