Skånska Mord

Paths to Charon (Small Stone Recordings)
release date: 9/25/2012
by Scott Hefflon

Doesn’t take but a few seconds into opener “Dark Caves of Our Mind” to know you’re onto something here. Dirty rock, Sweden-style, with guitar chunk and harmonica from the outset, and then the Soundgarden vocals kick in, swagger and might intact, and you’re hooked. Riffs to jam on, vocal range to envy, howl and hold, the wah pedal squawking in reply. Sniff out blues jams here, twin guitar soloing there, and powerhouse female vocals (provided by Spiders’ Ann-Sofie Hoyles) strut passed now and again (do you dare sneak a peak after she passes?). “A Black Day” is as good as any Temple of the Dog soulful sway, with howl and guitar riff-lobbing punctuating the bleary-eyed heartache. 6 of 9 songs here: Listen, love, buy, brag cuz yer friends are chumps and haven’t heard of this oddly-named band yet.
(www.smallstone.com)