Review: “Sleepwalker” EP by Old Bones

Formed by a trio of friends from Long Island New York who have played together in various projects over the last 20 plus years, Old Bones (Anthony Dallolio – Guitar/Vocals, Dan Walsh – Bass/Vocals and Johnny Dadabo – Guitar/Vocals) pooled their influences in Mastodon, Opeth, Gojira, Eagles of Death Metal, Devin Townsend Project and Russian Circles to create their own sound. Sleepwalker was recorded at Vudu Studios, located in Port Jefferson Village, New York with Dallolio and Dadabo handling the production and Frank Mitaritonna handing the mixing and mattering. Letter of Marque drummer Griffin McCarthy was a collaborator on the project in both rehearsals and as a session musician on the recording.

Old Bones call themselves a ‘Powerslop Death Rock‘ act and when “Elegy” lights up the place it’s easy to see why. Both guitarists worship the riff like Stoner Sludge Masters while the combination of Death Metal uncleans and Hard Rock cleans cross over the verses with a neat trade off that doesn’t slow the music down. Griffin’s kit work offers a constant pummeling groove and the haunting and reflective lyrics are easy to connect to “What is the point of living, if all I get is nothing“. Single “Invaders” preceded the EP and was released back in January. A brighter lead flourish to bring the song in is reminiscent of Queens Of The Stoneage while before the galloping rhythms of the second verse get that unclean attack. Walsh delivers some thunderous bass moves the congregation forward before a solid solo as the song alternates between a heavier sound and some Alternative Rock vibes. Title track “Sleepwalker” has some excellent percussive sounds with some Metalcore riffs in the mix as they incorporate stylistic changes and expressions to suit the lyrical parts rather than pushing round pegs into square holes. It’s a refreshing approach and very much of the current scene with more and more bands crossing sub-genres to find their place. As it progresses, there is a bluesy feel to the melancholic chorus and a final solo brings that home. What’s great about the EP as a whole is that each song lyrically encapsulates something different with themes ranging from grief and loneliness to stories of life from other Worlds while the music holds everything together like a birds nest of Stoner Sludge beard hair. “Colossus” is an absolute ripper which the likes of Weed Eater would be proud and the likes of Alienator would look at with envious green eyes and there are no clean vocal parts. “Sights & Sounds/Electric Frankenstein” returns to the earlier vocal harmony as it rages through like a stampede of water buffalo with a good stomp and headbangability. Some electrifying solo work lights the blue touch paper for some elongated instrumental mayhem [7/10]

Track listing

1. Elegy
2. Invaders
3. Sleepwalker
4. Colossus
5. Sights & Sounds / Electric Frankenstein

“Sleepwalker” by Old Bones is out now via Rocketsauce Records and is available over at bandcamp