Got This Feelin'...

Previously on this blog I have focused a bit on acts that are from the Great Plains or basically the Midwest. I realized the other day I never bothered to mention the band Riddle of Steel, who hail from St. Louis Missouri and actually released one of my favorite records from 2005. Last years album Got This Feelin’ was a gigantic surprise to me at the time as before that I had only heard snippets of their material from their previous album Python, which never stuck.

Although finding a place in my year-end list for 2005, I am not going to try and tell everyone that this record is absolutely amazing or some kind of masterpiece. The reason I loved the record so much was because it accomplishes what it sets out to do very effectively. It’s a rock record and damn fine one at that. The criticism that I read surrounding this release is that it doesn’t gain the interest of the listener or fails in some way to be “different”. Why should a bands sound necessarily be something new all the time? It seems like I can turn on the radio and hear plenty of crap that isn’t by any means different or for that matter interesting at all. However, people still shell out cash to buy records and go see concerts of these bands or artists. I just don’t see that side of the argument I guess. That’s not to say I don’t encourage a challenging listen, because trust me I do, but it just seems to me if a band can pull off something that’s been done and do it very well then it shouldn’t be a problem.

Riddle of Steel’s primary goal is to rock, and that’s exactly what they do on Got This Feelin’, aside from a small diversion on “Invisible Hands”. The band shifts back to the 70’s rock aesthetics much in the way of Queens of the Stone Age, but with some noticeable prog rock tendencies. The sounds itself is very bass driven that attaches itself to some very fine drumming from Traindodge’s very own Rob Smith, who helps brings to life the progressive feel of the album. Although very much a straightforward rock album, Andrew Elstner doesn’t refrain from showcasing a bit of nifty guitar work here there, like on tracks “This is a House of Lies” and “Deeper Still”. Overall, just a great power rock record that is laced with endless hooks.

Riddle of Steel – Lovers of Nothing [MP3]
Riddle of Steel – Baby Bird [MP3]

Give this a release a full listen for those that are interested by heading over to Ascetic Records and picking this up. Also check out their store for other fine releases from Traindodge and Roma 79.