A lot of new or current stoner/doom/fuzz metal bands seem to have a sound that can be traced back in some small part to Seattle grunge legends Alice In Chains. Whether it is Jerry Cantrell’s guitar tones, the vocal stylings close to Layne Staley’s, or just the band’s dirge-like sound qualities, AiC’s influence is clearly in the mix. Green Dragon’s debut full length released earlier this year incorporates some of those qualities with the results being one of our favorite 2018 releases. The band hails from the basements of Maplewood, New Jersey and is made up of veterans of the local metal scene.
In addition to the aforementioned AiC touches, this album is loaded with plenty of fuzzed-out Sabbath riffs and distorted vocals that quickly engage you on the first listen. Songs such as Dark Rider show the band’s ability to switch gears between an eerie shuffle to an all out fuzz riff groove and back in a single song. Dead Space kicks down the door showcasing the band’s more up-tempo sound with a riff that could have been right at home on any Kyuss record. Hoping this is just the beginning for Green Dragon as we look forward to more excellent riffs and some touring if we are lucky.