Label: Independent
Band: Thirst Planet
Origin: Israel

For some reason, having a band from Israel playing stoner metal makes complete sense to me. Thirst Planet has been around for a few years and after an EP, they now dropped their first full length, titled ‘The Essence’.

There’s really not so much background for me to divulge here, but let’s suffice that these gents have found a sound of their own in a land that definitely lends itself for this style, with a grim little edge to it for the sake of things. Leaves you thirsty as well.

Opening with stiff, rugged riffs, ‘The Chain’ is a stoner classic with a feisty little nuance in the flow of the sound. Something is slightly off, creating a restlessness in the listener at times. Vocal efforts by Leonid Mickoliuk remind me a little bit of that top-of-throat squeeze you hear with bands like Conan and maybe even a little bit of Weedeater.

The music of Thirst Planet has an unmistakable groove to it, catchy and easy to dive into. Some samples are used, but overall you just surf on those excellent riffs and imagine sand between your teeth as a strong gale blows it up on tracks like ‘Into The Unknown’ and the bone-dry ‘Planet of Thirst’. One track that particularly stands out, is ‘The Arrival’, with its hooky riffs and build-up. The song seems simple, but really builds up some excellent tension, supported by the angst in the vocals.

Perhaps Thirst Planet never really pushes the envelope and brings in some new sound. I’d gladly take a second glass of this though.