Portland stoner rockers Ape Machine throw a bunch of heavy rock and stoner influences in a blender on Darker Seas, and the end result is a catchy collection of heavy rock tunes that has something for just about everybody. From the shimmering, acoustic picking and soft vocals of “Nocturne in D Flat” to the bluesy, almost doomy, heaviness of “All Hands To The Mast, We’re Going Down” to the emotive soloiong throughout Darker Seas, Ape Machine are comfortable darting around the spectrum without forcing it.
“Darker Seas is a culmination of life events and different musical influences all fused into love and rage,” guitarist Ian Watts muses. “I think all of us would be in dark places, if it weren’t for the music we make. So this album, for us, was born more of necessity than sport. Musically, it’s the ApeMachine blend of heavy, progressive, soulful and melodic music with the addition of new twists that we’ve learned along the paths of our journey.”
If you’re a fan of current acts like Freedom Hawk or even classics like Led Zeppelin, you’ll find plenty to enjoy about Darker Seas, out tomorrow on Ripple Music.
