The Last Voyage Archives

Review & Track Premiere: Duskwood, The Last Voyage

Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on March 27th, 2023 by JJ Koczan

UK-based desert-style heavy rockers Duskwood are releasing their new album, The Last Voyage, on May 12 as their first outing through Ripple Music. Billed as their second full-length, it follows the 2016’s Desert Queen and the 2019/2020 EPs The Long Dark and The Lost Tales, so is well on-theme in its ‘The L-word Something’ construction, and indeed pushes further to conclude a lyrical narrative set up across those short offerings. A traditional label-debut, then, and fair enough for the vitality the Somerset four-piece of guitarist Greg Watts, bassist Aaron Tinsley, drummer Hugh Landon and can-sing vocalist Liam Tinsley bring to the eight songs and 45 minutes that comprise it, shifting from the initial misdirect of synth at the outset of opener “Vagrant” into a wall-o’-fuzz presentation distinguished in no small part by the fullness of its rear-back-and-put-some-shoulder-into-it shove and poised, melodic communion with its forebears.

From then on, it’s just about all ‘go’ on The Last Voyage, though “Gammon Lord” hints at atmospheric ranging in a break in its second half building to its final surge, and the later “Skyriders” peppers dual-channel noodly lead notes into its stomp-drum verses, reminding a bit of latter day Truckfighters for the effort, and certainly there’s room in the nine-minute finale “Legacy” for breadth and Duskwood take suitable advantage of it, while also reaffirming their penchant for crescendo that’s been on display all the while.

But if one is considering first impressions in The Last Voyage as a release that will find the band new to many listeners (myself included), then Duskwood leave little question that they are a rock band, and yes, that’s a compliment. Atop the tumbling nod and coursing density of “She Calls” and the sleek groove of side B kickoff “Iliad,” they remind not only that the heart of heavy is in the low end, but speak to the growth of a desert rock beyond the desert that’s taken shape over the last quarter-century or more, whether that’s realized in contemporary outfits across England’s ultra-packed heavy underground — Psychlona come to mind as an especially desert-hued example, earlier Steak, among others — or bands like the aforementioned Truckfighters in Sweden, Valley of the Sun from the US Midwest, Deadly Vipers in France, and so on.

That is to say, first person who goes “duh but they’re not from the desert” gets punched in the arm. Geography isn’t the point; riffs are. And with Liam marking himself as a frontman in the John Garcia circa Hermano style as regards approach — crooning in the build-up of the later highlight “Deathproof” en route to conjuring the storm that ensues at 1:06, soon enough later layering gutted-out melodies like very much with the confidence of someone who’s been doing so for the last decade at minimum, thoughtfully layered and not anymore overblown than is warranted by the surrounding largesse — the band as a whole feels aware of who they are aesthetically and, in the volume trades of “Blackhand,” like they’re working as a solidified unit toward realizing their identity in the material.

They’re not all the way there yet, or at least they’re not as far as they’ll go, but the way in which they foster immediacy in “She Calls” while giving up none of the impact of “Gammon Lord” or “Vagrant” before it represents their craft well and offers hints toward what might be after they put this particular narrative thread behind them and inevitably move forward from The Last Voyage. And by the way, potential being what it is, if they never do anything else, they still made a kickass heavy rock record, which is a thing to be appreciated.

Pro-shop in sound — Neil Kennedy and Kurt Fagan recorded at The Ranch Production House in Southampton — and no less engaging in its songwriting than in the performances captured, The Last Voyage finds its place amid the conventions of genre with exceptional skill and grace, and Duskwood remain surefooted where others might stumble, whether that’s Watts‘ shreddy solo in “Skyriders” or the consuming roll at the apex of “Legacy” before they bring it down to a quiet finish of looped amp noise, maybe-bookending synth, and vocal let-go. One way or the other, they sound like a band who want to be heard, whether that’s hooking a crowd at a show or capturing fickle attentions through whatever streaming service algorithm it might be, and The Last Voyage accordingly delivers a stretch of songs worth hearing. Without pretense but not at all without flourish, Duskwood thrive.

So, if you want to dwell for a bit, there’s space in The Last Voyage to do so, and if you’re looking for a frontal blast of fuzz, you can hear “She Calls” from the album on the player below, followed by more info courtesy of the PR wire.

Go ahead, you’ve earned it:

Duskwood is a heavy rock band hailing from Somerset, England. Having formed in 2016, and already released a pair of well-loved EPs, Duskwood have now signed to respected heavy rock label Ripple Music for the release of their sophomore album. Entitled “The Last Voyage”, it will pose as the final piece in the epic saga of a time-traveling space cowboy the band started telling on their debut. Duskwood is a potent English heavy rock force, get ready for their hard riffing magic to take you away!

About “The Last Voyage”: “We wanted to create something that would immerse you. Writing songs about our small-town lives, or the next new trend just doesn’t interest us anymore. Hopefully what we’ve created will allow you to kick back with a glass of liquor, close your eyes and get swept away to another dimension!”

“The Last Voyage” was recorded at The Ranch Production House in Southampton, UK by Neil Kennedy & Kurt Fagan. It will be issued in various vinyl editions, CD digipack and digital on May 12th, with preorder available now from Ripple Music.

TRACKLIST:
1. Vagrant
2. Gammon Lord
3. She Calls
4. Blackhand
5. Iliad
6. Skyriders
7. Deathproof
8. Legacy