Kadavar is a hard rock and psychedelic rock band from Germany that was formed in 2010. The group has a style that harkens back to the 1970s, and has drawn comparisons to Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. The group has released a total of six studio albums, with their most recent release being in 2020. This album, Kadavar (2012), is the band’s debut album, and is listed as hard rock, psychedelic rock, and stoner rock on the album’s Wikipedia page. This three piece group featured only one other musician on the album who played the theremin on one track. I’m pretty stoked to give this album a listen, so with that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
“All Our Thoughts” starts out with a big sounding beat on the right side of the soundscape, and is quickly followed by some groovy, fuzzed-out psychedelic riffing from the electric guitar. I’m really digging this track so far. The drums kind of remind me a bit of John Bonham, though admittedly I don’t listen to Led Zeppelin all that often. The vocals come in and have a sort of style that harkens back to hard rock from the 1970s with a psychedelic-inflection. I’m also vaguely reminded of The Yardbirds in this track. I’m reminded a bit of another retro-sounding hard rock band, Killer Boogie, in this track. Oh wow, the electric guitar and bass guitar both have a really interesting bouncy tone that I’m really digging. Oh wow, the electric guitar turns into a sort of face-melting metal-ish guitar solo that I’m really digging. Oh wow, this solo keeps on going in a really groovy way up to the very last moment in the track. Great tune, and I’m excited to hear more.
“Black Sun” starts out with some big, fuzzed-out riffing from the electric guitar, which is soon joined by the fat, low bass and strong beat on the other side of the soundscape. I really dig the cymbals in this track, which seem to continually crash during this intro. Holy smokes, the electric guitar and cymbals fall away, leaving a somewhat mellow (in comparison to the beginning of the track), really groovy movement with the drum beat and the bass guitar, which is soon joined by some groovy vocals that harken back to early 1970s hard rock and psychedelic rock. Oh wow, the guitar seems to continually get more psychedelic as the guitar gradually comes back in between verses. The crashing cymbals also come back between verses, making the soundscape sound pretty massive. Oh wow, the verses have such a mellow, but sturdy momentum carried forward by the strong beat and groovy bass line. I’m really digging this track. Holy smokes, the electric guitar gets into another face-melting solo as the track nears its end; the wah-effect combined with the shredding style seems to continually hook me further into the track. Great tune.
“Forgotten Past” gets grooving right away with some mellow, fuzzed-out guitar riffs that harmonize with the groovy bass line, while the drums drive the tune forward with a big beat, which all combine for a classic stoner rock soundscape that I’m really digging. So far this track reminds me a bit of Dead Meadow. Oh wow, the soundscape seems to alternate between movements that are either of a hard rock or a stoner rock style. Holy smokes, this next movement leans further into a blend of psychedelia and stoner rock with the melting flavors of the electric guitar that remind me a fair deal of Dead Shaman. Wow, great track.
“Goddess of Dawn” gets grooving right away with some fuzzed-out riffing from the electric guitar, which is soon joined by the big beat and the crashing of cymbals. Holy smokes, I’m really digging the muddy bass tone in this track as it gradually churns the song from the right side of the soundscape. This track almost has a sort of punk rock feel in the drums and bass reminiscent of groups like the Minutemen, while the electric guitar leans into an early 1970s hard rock sound. Holy smokes, there’s a bit of melting solo-esque lick from the electric guitar for moment that really brings out the psychedelia in the track a bit more. Even the vocals in this track remind me a bit of a punk rock sound, and I’m really digging it. Holy smokes, a full-on face-melting guitar solo has started that makes full use of a wah pedal. Wow, great track.
“Creature of the Demon” gets grooving right away with some really sweet guitar licks that harken back to 1970s hard rock and even earlier days of metal. I really dig the bass tone in this track, which brings a sort of muddied harmonization to the guitar riffs from the other side of the soundscape. The drums also have a really groovy dynamic feel that I’m really digging in this track. Oh wow, this track just jumped into a super groovy movement that gives me flashes of Tony McPhee and The Groundhogs, as the drums seemed to tighten and quicken up alongside the bass guitar, while the electric guitar gets into a super sweet wah-pedal’d and distorted guitar line that put me on the edge of my seat. Oh wow, the track seems to continually pick up momentum. Holy smokes, the outro movement of the song brings the soundscape back into a mellower stoner rock territory. Great track.
“Purple Sage” starts with a lot of different effects, as though the band is sort of checking the tunings of their instruments before the song starts, when suddenly some really spacey sounds from the theremin begin fading in while the beat begins gradually intensifying behind those spacey sounds. Oh wow, the bass guitar comes in with a super sweet, repetitive line, and soon after the distorted electric guitar comes in with a line similar to the bass line. The instrumentation sounds like the band is gradually shipping you off into outer space. Holy smokes, the vocals have a really groovy mixture of psychedelic rock and stoner rock feel, as though they are gradually leading you through the spacey territory that the instrumentation sends you to. Holy smokes, a really groovy, hectic guitar solo comes in that has tons of spacey flavors. It almost sounds like two different, but pretty similar solos layered on top of one another with all of the different effects present, which might actually be the case. Oh wow, the drums change up and bring in a sound that almost makes it seem like the band is going to bring this musical spaceship they’ve created in for a landing in some semblance of reality. I’m really digging these spacey effects and psychedelic sounds, which nearly bring the soundscape in a sort of cosmic shamanic territory that I’m really digging. Oh wow, the song ends with more of the spacey theremin, which almost sounds like a whale song if it were in space. Great track.
“Living in Your Head” gets grooving with some heavy riffs from the guitar right away. Holy smokes, the soundscape quickly seems to break through to a movement that reminds me of the psychedelic rock style of The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Oh wow, I’m absolutely digging the guitar work in this track. The grooves in this one sound like the band’s in a totally retro psychedelic rock and hard rock stride, which has gotten me even further onto the edge of my seat. Oh wow, the guitar falls away, while the deep bass drums are grooved along by the mellow bass line. Oh wow, the track gets into a really groovy movement for the outro as the electric guitar seems to melt back into itself while the drums and bass continually intensify, leading to a groovy crescendo of psychedelia and stoner rock to end the track. Great tune, and a great way to finish the album.
Wow, this album was a super groovy listening experience. Kadavar leans into their penchant for 1970s hard rock and psychedelia, with no signs of letting up as the songs take on a really sweet and sometimes mellow stoner rock sound at times. I’m looking forward to checking out more of the group’s discography soon. If you’re into hard rock and psychedelic rock from the early 1970s, then you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely do hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A