Photo by Gry Dahl
The newest single from Norway’s power trio Kanaan is a message. A message to all that enter be ready to have your mind blown and your face melted. Molten blues and doomed soul permeate the groove and swing of this slow-churning bruiser. El Paraiso Records newest addition to their roster keeps the tradition of forward-thinking artists propelling directly into the stratosphere. Guess what 2018, the record label from Odense, Denmark isn’t done with you yet, baby. Not by a long shot.
“The Groke” opens like a war cry of sound that’s part post-Grunge indifference and part doom metal blues. Imagine Black Sabbath and Procol Harum colliding in a super conductor and emerging in 1971 as the new dark prince of 70s metal. The guitar growls like Iommi in a fuzz tantrum, while the blues-y solos are reminiscent of Robin Trower’s best work, both with Procol Harum and his solo output. The drums and bass swing like a cross between Earth and Windhand looking to get Tony Williams’ Lifetime in on the action. Things work at a molten lava pace, which gives you time to get out of the way before you’re steamrolled by Kanaan into nothing but smoldering embers.
Kanaan’s Windborne is working itself into being one of the absolute highlights of 2018. With the first single “A. Hausenbecken” working up some serious 70s musical voodoo that felt like a progressive fusion of melancholy future blues and forward-thinking doom, and now the excellent “The Groke”, things are looking up.
Windborne is out December 7th via El Paraiso Records. Preorder the album here.
Complex Distractions 
This will come as no surprise to you, but I’m looking forward to this one. They’ve got that special thing going on… the grooves are infectious and a wee bit sinister. Digging.
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I am not surprised at all. Not at all.
They do have something special, that’s for sure.
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El Paraiso has owned this year. So much good stuff… their releases raised the bar.
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