Shawn "Lunchbox" Nichols Reviews White Light Cemetery

    White Light Cemetery hail from Lafayette, Louisiana and on their first full length self titled album they perfectly blend southern stoner rock with a little Black Sabbath, Corrosion Of Conformity, and a touch of Lynyrd Skynard.

     What comes out of the speakers is a sonic assault that will batter the senses. Formed in 2008 they released the EP entitled The Crow Sessions and most of those songs appear here. Shea Beardens(Vocs,Guitar) reminds me a lot of COC's Pepper Keenan with the right amount of punch where needed while Ryan Robin's guitar smokes and sizzles in just the right places. Not to be forgotten are Tara Miller(bass) and Thomas Colley(drums), hold up the low end to round out this southern powerhouse.

    The album open's with The Temptress and hits you like a semi loaded with concrete doing ninety down the freeway. This is just a taste of what's to come. The album is laid out so that it never gets old. Tracks such as The Weiser and Little Women makes me think of a smokey back alley biker bar while the slower track such as Rain Song take me back to the first time I heard Sabbath and latter COC. You also can't go wrong including a good ole cover on the album and they have picked one of my favorites KISS songs. From the first crunchy riff of Cold Gin you know you are in for a good time and this doesn't disappoint. Guest vocals are done by the man himself, Kirk Windstein, and they absolutely kill it(in a good way). When I saw them open for Crowbar this was the song that got everyone's attention. The best is saved for closer to the end of the album with the songs Dead And Bleeding and Farewell Letter. These were the two songs that stood out to me. Dead and Bleeding has that chunky, doomy vibe and if you don't find yourself banging your head toward the middle of this song then check yourself for a pulse because you just might be dead. Closing out the album is Farewell Letter. This is one of those songs that starts off strong and then takes a left turn to a bluesy, heartfelt solo and then drives you right back again. I look forward to hearing and seeing more from these cats in the future.

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