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Merryweather Stark: Carved In Rock
Merryweather Stark - Carved In Rock CD Album Review

Merryweather Stark: Carved In Rock

Heavy Rock
3.5/5.0

Merryweather Stark is the band moniker for Canadian bass player and vocalist Neil Merryweather and Swedish guitarist Janne Stark. Both musicians have prolific and impressive careers with various bands, individual appearances, and and personal projects across nearly five decades. Merryweather and Stark met when the former did vocals for several songs on Volume Three for Stark's Mountain Of Power band. The collaboration continued into Merryweather Stark and their first recording Carved In Rock.

Merryweather Stark Band Photo

Neil Merryweather & Janne Stark

The album title is apropos. Merryweather Stark basically plays heavy rock, with a touch of blues and psychedelic rock. Stark's riffs could be called both thick and brisk, but at times fuzzed out. Perhaps another way to describe his guitar style is raw and aggressive. His riffs and leads are definitely the centerpeice of the Merryweather Stark sound. On the vocals, Merryweather sings melodic and clean yet has a tone that tunes to Stark's guitar lines. Then there's the rhythm section which is also heavy and aggressive. as well, laying down a thick groove. Actually, of all these parts, I was quite impressed with the drumming. Though uncredited in the press release, this fellow lays down some great flourish and groove within Lay Your Body Down, Rockers Lament, and Love And War. After these things, the songs that captured the most interest were the ones where the psychedelic blues groove were stronger. Good examples come with We Got To Own This Thing, Give 'Em Hell, Boy, and What's It Gonna Be. Fundamentally, if you enjoy guitar-forward heavy rock spiced with a psychedelic blues feeling, you will appreciate Merryweather Stark's Carved In Rock.



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The Bottom Line

If you enjoy guitar-forward heavy rock spiced with a psychedelic blues feeling, you will appreciate Merryweather Stark's Carved In Rock.

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