Short Reviews [Marulk - 2009 - "Marulk"]

The Swedish trio MARULK was formed in 2007 and is based in Gothenburg. Since the formation the band members have issued the "All the King's Men" EP and established themselves as a hard working live band. They made their full length debut in February 2010 on their native label Transubstans Records with "Marulk". The album showcases an act that seems to hold the ‘70s releases by Pentagram and AC/DC close to their heart, as the foundation of their sound first and foremost comes across as a blend of these two bands. The leaden, downtuned guitar sound owes just as much to the former as the distinct, talk-like lead vocals, while the riff passages, tempo and general positive groove and energy throughout bear a much stronger resemblance to the antics that made the electric Aussies popular. The album as such is a pretty straightforward affair, where the notable points of interest occur when the band decides to throw in more sophisticated features, mainly in the guise of psychedelic-inspired segments, with the track I See You in My Dreams as the foremost example of that. Most of the album consists of groove-oriented material in the ‘70s hard rock vein, though, and the band's main audience will consist of those who think that a blend of the aforementioned bands might be worthwhile checking out.

OMB: June 2, 2010