Although it's pretty clear cut which leading "stoner metal" acts lead the '70s and '90s (
Black Sabbath and
Kyuss, respectively), it's not as easy to pinpoint a leader of the pack from the '80s. But for many,
Trouble would certainly be in consideration. Despite issuing some of the genre's most classic albums (namely 1984's
Psalm 9), the Chicago band has never truly received its "props," so to speak. Not having issued a new album since 1995, the former
Trouble men can be spotted elsewhere nowadays, including
Wet Animal, which includes both
Rick Wartell (guitar) and
Jeff "Oly" Olson (drums), as well as vocalist Shane Pasqualla and bassist Michael Diprima. Although there are some elements from
Trouble that have been passed on (guitar riffs galore),
Wet Animal's self-titled debut is a more straightforward rock act than its predecessor. "Left Behind" bears a slight resemblance to
the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider," but heavy rock abounds throughout, especially on such standouts as "Fade Away," "Outside a Hole," and the album-opening "Soul Alone," which puts all the modern-day
Alice in Chains clones to shame.
Wartell and
Olson can still riff and grind with the best of them, as evidenced by
Wet Animal's debut set. ~ Greg Prato