Tomorrow, March 21, marks the release of the debut album, Left for Dust, by Swedish heavy rockers Caboose. Issued through Majestic Mountain, it is a fervent argument in favor of the generational turnover happening in Scandinavia right now — bands like Slomosa and Gjenferd, arguably MaidaVale and others, offering a fresh take on classic heavy rock ideologies, not just of the 1970s, where the sound has much of its foundations, but of the turn of the century era as well. Obviously, this applies differently to different bands, and as Caboose — the four-piece of vocalist/guitarist Dante Lindström, guitarist/backing vocalist Olle Leppäniemi, bassist Herman Serning and drummer Oskar Bergman — emerge with a sharp batch of nine hooky, riffy, fuzzy, groovy, fun-as-hell rockers pulled off with youthful verve in 29 minutes, their songwriting comes through with a corresponding sincerity of purpose in the manner they’re speaking to their influences.

One help can’t be reminded of Lowrider‘s Ode to Io as the hooky shuffle of “High on You” at the outset gives over to “Shiner,” with its more distinctly Fu Manchu-ian desert stomp. The fact that they’re young is part of the appeal, and something of a standout in an underground of ’90s holdovers, but becomes a boon to the directness of the songwriting. They’re not necessarily punk, but even closer “Spacerod,” which dares to edge near the five-minute mark (everything else is between about two and a half and three and a half minutes long), is pointed in its inclusion of a hook, taking some unconscious cue perhaps from what Slomosa brought to a style derived from early Queens of the Stone Age and applying it to the fuzzier shove of the aforementioned Fu Manchu. Certainly “Cement Surfer” supports this, and the twisting structure of the riff and vocal cadence of “Crimson Haze” too. Not at all a thing to complain about. Caboose establish their own dynamic between Leppäniemi and Lindström‘s guitars and the grunge tinge of “Fuzzed Out Mind” gives some hint of stylistic elements that might work their way into the sound over the longer term, and Left for Dust at no point comes across like it’s trying to reinvent stoner rock so much as celebrate it, which in turn makes it feel more heartfelt.

By the time they’ve casually cruised through centerpiece “Sophie’s Sushi Wok” — two verses each with a semi-chorus, a quick boogie jam, done in 2:34 — and through the shove ‘n’ shred of “Cement Surfer,” the die is long since cast. Somebody send apology cards to Caboose‘s parents; your children have been claimed by heavy rock and roll and are thusly condemned to a lifetime of riffing out in square-shaped buildings of various size and locale. In all seriousness, given the level of craft throughout Left for Dust and the fullness of the production through which the album is presented — that is, that they sound way more like a young, hungry band ready to tour and make records than they do like a novelty act — it’s difficult to divorce the high quality of Caboose‘s first LP from the potential it heralds for their future growth in the genre.

There are a lot of young bands out there right now and it can take a lot to break through and grab listeners’ attention, whether it’s on social media or standing on stage. Caboose have the songs behind them here and especially for being their debut, that’s plenty. What their future might hold is anyone’s best guess and will ultimately be a part of the story of how they grow up as people. Lowrider could probably tell you about that, or Elder at this point. Caboose set themselves on a path here that likely will resonate with older heads, sure, and has the potential to bring new listeners on board in a way most new bands can’t, and no, that’s not just about their likely ability to effectively use TikTok to spread awareness of their existence. Though that might help too.

The point is that most of all, Caboose‘s potential is in the songs themselves and the effectiveness with which they convey their realization; the sense of purpose behind the aura of cool that pervades the desert-style spread of “For So Long” early on and the engaging nod of “Feedback City” later. Though straight-ahead, they are not lazy as songwriters — even as stripped down as “Sophie’s Sushi Wok” is, the verse progression makes a brief return at the end — and the malleability of the fuzz throughout speaks to a willingness to try new things in search of what best serves the material and an attention to detail that gives a different framing to the short, snappy vibes of “High on You,” “Shiner,” and so on. Part of the reason one can imagine Caboose doing this for the next 25 years so vividly is no doubt because they already sound so much like they know what they’re doing.

Left for Dust streams in its entirety below. PR wire info follows. Have at it and if the joy doesn’t come through, come back when you’re in a better mood, because trust me, it’s there.

Enjoy:

Formed during the frigid winter of 2022 by four high school friends, Caboose started as a school project aimed at crafting high-tempo stoner rock. What began in a makeshift garage studio quickly evolved into something much bigger, as the band honed their fuzz-driven sound, blending classic rock grit with the modern stoner rock spirit.

Now, nearly two years into their journey, Caboose has become a staple of Stockholm’s rock scene, delivering high-volume, riff-heavy performances from underground venues to festival stages. With fuzz-drenched riffs, thick grooves, and raw energy, Left For Dust cements Caboose as a band to watch in the Swedish rock underground.

Tracklisting:
1. High On You
2. Shiner
3. For So Long
4. Crimson Haze
5. Sophie’s Sushi Wok
6. Fuzzed Out Mind
7. Cement Surfer
8. Feedback City
9. Spacerod

Composer and lyrics: Dante Lindström.
Mixers and engineers:
Alexander Kelam, Martin Sweet and Oskar Bergman.

CABOOSE are:
Dante Lindström: Guitar & lead vocals
Olle Leppäniemi: Guitar & backup vocals
Herman Serning: Bass
Oskar Bergman: Drums

Caboose on Instagram

Caboose on Bandcamp

Majestic Mountain Records store

Majestic Mountain Records on Instagram

Majestic Mountain Records on Facebook

Tags: Caboose, Caboose Left for Dust, Left for Dust, Majestic Mountain Records, Sweden

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 20th, 2025 at 7:27 am and is filed under audiObelisk, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.