Glasgow based psychedelic garage punk 3 piece Shredd have released their long awaited debut album The Place Unknown and longtime fans won’t be let down by this impressive long player, driven by heavy guitars and sonic melodies.
The band have built a solid following since forming back in 2017, winning best newcomer at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards in their first year as a band before releasing their first E.P. Everytime We Meet I Want to Die in 2018 and honing their craft playing venues around the UK, earning a reputation for their energetic sets.
Kicking things off with Run Away, They’re Here, a pounding call to attention that welcomes the listener with it’s driving riff and frantic beat that lets you know what the band are capable of from the beginning,
The band keep the momentum going on The Collector which sounds almost like the child of Black Sabbath and Arctic Monkeys that masterfully builds to a incredible guitar solo that feeds into an impactful instrumental section, it’s clear early into the album that this is a band who have mastered the craft of solid songwriting.
Feel It, released as a single earlier this year with its psychedelic intro leading into a massive riff displays the band at their strongest, with vocalist Chris Harvie really getting the chance to show of his voice here, the reverb coated guitar work being the icing on the cake.
Lights Out opens with trance inducing guitar work then opens to a high tempo tune that will surely be a live favourite in no time, the track is a nod to 60’s British rock with a modern approach, The halfway mark sees Parasite, the first single released from the album back in June fits nicely in the middle of the album to reenergise momentum with its relentless riff before I’m Your Nightmare with it’s haunting introduction as it slowly builds to a massive instrumental section that wouldn’t sound out of place coming from Muse.
Enigma is a more upbeat track that keeps that album full of fresh elements with it’s Middle Eastern inspired instrumentation while Leaving Me There to Drown continues the energy and pace of the former with potential as a live crowd pleaser, Falling Behind is a stand out due it’s excellent work on the kit by drummer Calum Wilson, Title track The Place Unknown is the perfect album closer with it’s slower tempo and anthemic chorus which build to two beautifully overdriven guitar solos that leave you a sense of satisfaction.
Overall this is a solid debut album that displays it’s influences with pride, it’s homage to 60’s & 70’s rock as well as from more modern bands like Queens of the Stone Age the band have crafted these elements into a sound focused on the present, it is a loud and assertive album that is worth checking out if you haven’t already.