Good vibes on deck with Early Moods, The Buzzards of Fuzz, and Moonlust
Written by Scott Belzer | November 16th, 2023
There’s a vibrancy in Early Moods’ brand of doom/heavy metal. Despite dealing riffs that are heavier than 1,000 suns and penning lyrics about being buried alive, the band’s overall message is simple: Scream with life until the wheels fall off—and don’t you ever forget they will indeed fall off.
It’s a somber thought considering how young the band seems. Keyboardist and vocalist Alvaro Alcaraz’s melodic howls are too absent of the whiskey-and-nails grit found in Bobby Liebling, too on-key and purposeful to be compared to a groggy Ozzy Osbourne. There’s too much groove and playful fuzz in Eddie Andrade’s and Oscar Hernandez’s heavy-ass riffage, too much of a statement of intent from drummer Chris Flores and bassist Elix Feliciano.
But maybe that’s the point. Early Moods isn’t here to merely stand on the shoulders of giants. They’re here to push them the hell out of the way or die trying (with all due respect, of course).
The Los Angeles quintet stopped by Boggs Social & Supply earlier this year to show Atlanta how alive and well doom-inspired heavy metal is in the modern day. The influences of Black Sabbath, Pentagram, and Candlemas were most definitely on display during Early Moods’ set, but again, that fuel-injected-surge-of-life was much more obvious by how much they blew the doors off the place. Listening to Early Moods’ debut LP, Early Moods, you’ll notice how much the tracks “Early Moods,” “Return to Salem’s Gate” and “Damnation” will mostly make you want to headbang, throw your fist in the air and howl along rather than lament. The doomy vibes are there, for sure, but good doomy vibes, man. Goomy vibes.
Early Moods will be thundering into Atlanta once again on Sunday, December 3 at Boggs Social & Supply. They’ll be joined by Atlanta’s own The Buzzards of Fuzz and Moonlust, so you better be sure to stretch that neck and wear your dancin’ shoes.
Since 2014, Atlanta’s The Buzzards of Fuzz have brought bass-driven psychedelic sounds to the masses, checking every box in the Reverb/Stoner/Desert Rock checklist. Do you want meditative but haunting vocals? They got’em. A stoner anthem that transcends space and time? They have that, too. Fun, party-worthy melodies that make you want to grab a partner and do-si-do? Oh yeah.
The Buzzards of Fuzz (Fuzzards?) effortlessly recreate the Desert Rock sound that took over the southwest in the early ‘90s but add a southern flair. It’s just as much Greg Allman as it is Josh Homme or Brant Bjork. The swampy riffs take listeners on a trip to the moon (and beyond!) but spend some quality time in the hot, humid forests that never stop trying to reclaim Atlanta. It’s here where the Buzzards thrive, letting that humidity distort and layer their orchestration. But they’re just as quick to take those melodies soarin’ as they are to scavenge among the weeds (420 blaze it).
And if it’s more wailin’ and howlin’ that you crave, Atlanta’s Moonlust will be there to kick things off. There’s a punky, psychedelic grunge in the band’s distorted blend of Western hard rock. There’s a gritty edge to Major Leigh’s passionate vocals that’s straight to the point, overwhelmingly rockin’, and just as sure to make you scoot your boots as it is to make you bang your head.
-Scott Belzer