ALBUM REVIEW: Paleolithic War Crimes – Saint Karloff
Hailing from the stunning city of Oslo, nestled in the picturesque Oslofjord, SAINT KARLOFF are a shining, kaleidoscopic light within the rich Norwegian psychedelic and stoner scene. Having erupted onto the international scene with mammoth-waking, glacier-shifting riffs and trippy psychedelics that would send the calmest mind into a frenzy, their debut album All Heed The Black God would cement the band’s status as a Norwegian psychedelic stoner juggernaut.
Influenced by the 1970s heavy blues, cabinet-shaking sound and luscious progressive psychedelia, the band are returning with their third album Paleolithic War Crimes. The album comes after the sad, untimely passing of their founding bassist Ole Sletner in 2019, whose presence is very much felt throughout this record. The band have since recruited JOINTHUGGER’s multi-instrumentalist Nico Munkvold to handle live performance duties.
Despite the short amount of time that SAINT KARLOFF have been together, they have grown significantly into their sound which has been made possible by an incredible musical chemistry. As a result, the Norwegian trio play with a maturity, proficiency and prowess of a band that have been around for double the length of time that they have. Alongside this is the expansion of their progressive and psychedelic sides, which all come to a climax on Paleolithic War Crimes. Mixing mammoth-sized riffs alongside vintage psych and delicate 1970s influenced prog, which is best displayed on Nothing To Come, SAINT KARLOFF’s third album is a feast for the senses.
With that in mind, Paleolithic War Crimes is a wonderfully eclectic album that is masterfully put together. The seemingly effortless transitioning between intricate psychedelic prog and anthemic stoner rock is something to be admired. SAINT KARLOFF let the music do the talking with a cohesive and succinct performance. Every part of this album feels perfectly timed and expertly delivered, demonstrating a band that is fully focused on finishing what they started, no matter what. Sletner was an enthusiastic part of this album’s writing process; while his passing was devastating for Adam Suleiman (drums) and Mads Melvold (guitar/vocals), you can hear their incredible determination and motivation to bring this album into fruition reflected in the heavier sections of the record. Alongside the involvement of Eivind Sletner (Ole’s brother) as a lyricist, there is an almost spiritual catharsis to this album that can’t be summed up in words.
As a result, there is a tangible emotional charge that transcends the album, and without a doubt this is partly Sletner’s posthumous influence whilst simultaneously demonstrating a band in transition with the excitement that comes with exploring new horizons. While Paleolithic War Crimes is more strongly rooted in the band’s fuzzier sound, they have built on the more experimental psych elements that they established on Interstellar Voodoo. Alongside the blisteringly fast and heavy stoner riffs, it creates a trippy, spacey vibe that conjures up scenes of hurtling through the galaxy watching stars and planets blur into one bright, celestial body. In the brief moments of calm, you feel like you’re floating peacefully for a while before fuelling your rockets and launching yourself into the cosmos once again.
Opening up with Psychedelic Man, the album gets off to a ball-busting start; it’s a hard-hitting, headbang-inducing song that is aptly reflective of the strange times that we have all found ourselves in. Brooding, bluesy and heavy, you can’t help but move your head to it. Blood Meridian follows suit in similar fashion but with significantly ramped up energy. Bouncing grooves and catchy leads lead the song throughout. They eventually come to a climactic, screeching rock organ solo that uplifts your soul. The surprising, instrumental interlude track Among Stone Columns gives off Planet Caravan vibes. The song’s beautifully sombre melody and minimal drums are accompanied by a wonderfully deep bass part, offering a brief moment to reflect.
This means your skull gets quite a kicking when the band launch into Bone Cave Escape, a frantic and chaotic track that is equal parts anthemic and pure caveman stoner grooves. Nothing To Come is the first of three blistering tracks that finish off the album in spectacular style. It’s a sonic adventure through the various realms of 1970s blues rock, with folky undertones fused with the heaviness of modern stoner. Death Don’t Have No Mercy is a juggernaut of a stoner song, driven by crushing half time drums and scorching solos. The album closes on the eight-and-a-half-minute epic Supralux Voyager. With layers of luscious psychedelia, spacey blues riffs and hypnotic bass lines which all culminate in a triumphant, 1970s sounding climax that leaves you breathless, it’s the best way to close an album.
Paleolithic War Crimes marks a triumphant return for SAINT KARLOFF despite the adversity they have faced. It symbolises the beginning of a new chapter whilst honouring a dear friend. Exciting and energetic, this album is a tour de force of vintage 1970s vibes and crushing modern stoner.
Rating: 8/10
Paleolithic War Crimes is set for release on June 2nd via Majestic Mountain Records.
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