Novadriver
Void

August 2001
Released: 2001, Small Stone Records
Rating: 3.0/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Second Small Stone Records band this month, and thankfully, with a sound completely different than their labelmates. You might have heard of these guys before from their appearance on the RIGHT IN THE NUTS tribute to Aeroshit...err...Smith doing a cover of “Seasons of Wither”. Anyhoo, for those that don’t know (probably most of you considering the crap nature of that tribute) Novadriver definitely falls into the stoner rock genre of metaldom, what with those spaced out vibes and fuzzed out guitars on the album. No, it’s nothing entirely original but then again, every stoner rock band is guilty of ripping off Sabbath anyway so who gives a shit anymore?



After yet another in what seems like an endless train of useless instrumental intros, “Rocket Superstar” opens the proceedings in convincing fashion. This is actually a pretty rockin’ tune, one of the better stoner songs I’ve heard in awhile. From here on out you basically know what you’re in for: full-on bashers like “Spinning into the Future” all the way through fuzzy mellow yellow songs like “Particle Explosion”. It’s all pretty good, if a little same-y. Of special note is the incredibly rousing “Shoot the Sky” where the band just lets loose and bashes it out while letting Billy Reedy choke the shit out of his guitar. Cool.



And the cover of “Seasons of Wither”? It’s O.K., a fairly good rendition of a classic song. Nothing special though. I dunno, stoner completists will probably want to search this one out as it will fit quite snugly on the racks amidst your Orange Goblins and Fu Manchus, but everyone else will probably want to get familiar with the more well-known stoner bands before entering the VOID.



Email: novadriver69@aol.com

Web: novadriver.com