the Dirty Earth

Check out the awesome review for Aurora from MARKUS GANZHERRLICH at Rock Metal bands.

- Rock Metal Bands

There are already a self-released album released in 2014, an EP in 2013 and another album in 2016 available from this Stoner Hard Rock band from Sydney, Australia. This brand-new record features new vocalist Tenille Rogers and displays the four members' love for retro Blues Rock with an occasional sultry twist as well as a few Hard Rock and Metal elements. It is self-released again on CD, but the vinyl version comes from the printing factory of Oak Island records. The Dirty Earth are strongly bonded with 70s Rock but this is not immediately evident from the opener "Black Hole", a Stoner Hard Rock song with smoky riffage, a catchy refrain, powerful drums, pushful vocals and a bass solo. With "Cheating Heart" this affection to those years' music can't be contained any longer: blends of 70s Hard Rock with Stoner Metal (partially in the vein of Tettomani's 1997 demo) are matched by a central acceleration with a tapping guitar solo that goes on dirtily as the vintage tradition of 4-5 decades back requests. The burning hot and pachydermatous beginning of "Shout" reminds me of something off the early Black Sabbath and in its heaviness it moves forward presenting the best well-made vocals of the album, later reinforced by male additional vocals. Moreover, you can't but pay attention to the contrast between an old-fashioned guitar and a modern-sounding bass, which on the whole makes this composition a sheer gem. The lyrics about the growing gap between the rich and the poor are the best ones together with the ones of the suffering ones in the following track and the ones included in the nostalgic closing track. The first song accompanied by a video is "Coming Home", characterized by a melodic opening and a later change that fires people up; a mid tempo remains whereas the snare drum beats are faster than the rest. Afterwards the song returns calm and then it electrifies itself delivering a guitar solo that definitely feels like coming from guitar player Raff's soul. Worthy of mention are the diversified vocal layers in the backdrop, too. Metal in the path of Metallica's "Kill'em All" that conquers from the first notes is what you get during the early fragment of "She", the second track chosen to be paired with a video. Tenille's beautiful voice is particularly noticeable here, as well as the right attitude to sing it, while the guitar screeches in an unequalled way. Guess Alannah Myles's and Great White's fans will find more than one reference here to appreciate this piece. Those of you looking for a mercyless example of Stoner HR going forward by fits and starts and delivering an irresistible strophe and refrain had better listen to "Mother Asteroid" before anything else from the Aussie quartet. This composition contains a classic break which grows in intensity until the climax given by the nth guitar solo. Slinking along like a girl in a sexy dress, "Take Your Time" starts and we don't have to wait long for the new singer's voice to appear. Once again there's 70s feeling galore, unrestrainable drumming which the dreamy or material and robust vocals are added onto. A duel between guitar and bass ensues, completed by an acid guitar solo, Red Hot Chili Peppers-like brief intrusions and The Who-like licks before the song recurs to the initial pattern another time. "Get out" awakens memories of Status Quo initially, placing frenzied guitar riffs and combative, raspy vocals a few seconds later, just before the song throws one more 70s lick. It is actually a really vigorous number, mainly based on contemporary sounds and structures, and it shows the most elaborate guitar work of the entire album. My personal second highlight hands down. While "Itch" seems a bit less involving than the other tracks upon first listen, it turns out to be lively and puts several double kick drums on the map that sound 100% Metal. A Punk Rock impression runs all over the song bringing back Runaways' memories on many occasions, and where the guitar is the protagonist in different ways and always in good taste, as for instance when it plays using an effect suggesting 70s recollections. Finally, "One Last Kiss" is a ballad where the vocals sometimes make me think of a modern and cleaner version of Janis Joplin; the metallic bass lines steps in along with the guitar to leave a deep mark, both in the slow solo and the following riffs, both when it is strong and when slightly distorted. Also, a great number of Blues Rock lovers reported this as their favourite track of the ten here included and I am fully aware of the reason why. This is the most memorable manner to conclude and Tenille gives thrills down my spine even after the twentieth time I've played is; although this very song is the one where her style is closest to her predecessor's behind the mic, she shows that she possesses a vocal range that unfortunately mother nature decided not to give The Dirty Earth's ex-singer. What composed "Aurora" is a four-piece that haven't spared themselves in composing and recording these 46 minutes of honest, well-crafted Hard Rock with polished, energetic recording and long instrumental frames inside the same song. No auto-tune, no intros, no outros, no spoken words, just the real thing; besides the big obvious names of Black Sabbath, Kyuss, Queens Of The Stone Age they take as a model, the four musicians also like to dive into the old music that their parents used to listen to with just a handful of new elements in this third full-length they confirm having achieved a higher level of songwriting that deserves more exposure than the one gained so far.

MARKUS GANZHERRLICH - October 10th, 2017