Miss Lava is a band from Lisbon that has produced three albums of groove-laden heavy rock. Doom Machine is the band’s fourth studio album and it gives you plenty of what you would expect from a band on Small Stone Records. Namely, it gives you heavy doses of loud guitar and beats that are sure to get you pumping your fist.
During the recording of the album, guitarist K Raffah’s infant son died. Raffah said, “Doom Machine is a very emotional experience for us.” Vocalist Johnny Lee added “This album reflects on how each of us can breed and unleash our own self-destructive force, assembled to be part of a giant doom machine.”
You can hear some similarity to Black Sabbath throughout the album. That similarity comes largely from the fact that these songs are loud and generally uptempo, but the overall mood is is somewhat dark. That’s fitting considering the title of the album. The dark mood is only enhanced by the vocals, which have a grungy feel.
The band also brings some psychedelic sounds to the mix. The guitar riff throughout the song is hypnotic. Then you hear the reverb in the vocals, and you can’t help but think of some of the psychedelic bands of the 60s. Granted this is louder than a lot of 60s psychedelia, but the connection to the past is definitely there. You also hear quite a bit of psychedelia in the spacey guitar and vocals of the title track.
One of the good things about this album is that it would be just as good a soundtrack whether you’re taking a road trip or just having some beverages and playing cards with friends. It’s loud enough to get your fist pumping, but subdued enough that you don’t feel like you’re being blown through a wall.
