Lords of the Opium Church - Lords of the Opium Church

As a Canadian, I always enjoy discovering a new Canadian band. Lords of the Opium Church (LOTOC) is a Canuck trio hailing from Edmonton, Alberta. Their self-titled debut album is a perfect blend of ‘70s Rock ‘n’ Roll, old school metal from the ‘80s sprinkled with a good dose of stoner rock. Let’s dive in, shall we?

The party kicks off with the bluesy, head-bobbing “Opium Church”, showcasing a Deep Purplesque organ, and serves as an accurate snapshot of what to expect from the rest of the album. Then it’s on to “Trial & Terror”, with its melodic vocals, followed by the extremely catchy “Left Behind”, which features a scorching guitar solo and is a strong contender for my fave song on the LP. Track number 4, “Thunderhead”, has a real radio-friendly quality to it and makes great use of piano and strings in its outro. The head-banging “Electric Temple” has the band letting loose for our aural pleasure; definitely one of the highlights of the album. The doomy “Superstitions”, the shortest song on the album, is full of cool riffs. “Caged” is a total blast with its big arena sound and once again displays the band’s tight playing. It brings us to the final cut, “Banshee”, with tolling bells to add to the sonic atmosphere.

LOTOC deliver a well-rounded, diverse eponymous album; a band of talented musicians with vocals that have a timeless quality to them. The expression “all killer no filler” certainly applies here. If I were to nitpick, it’d be about the album’s running time—at just under 30 minutes, it makes for an EP-sized listen. An extra two songs to bring the count to 10 would’ve easily fixed that issue. It’s really the only gripe I have with it: it’s too short! But, to quote Eldon Tyrell in Blade Runner: “The light that burns twice as bright burns for half as long.” In any case, I wholeheartedly recommend picking it up if you’re a fan of old school metal and/or classic rock; you won’t be disappointed!

Lords of the Opium Church’s Bandcamp page: https://lordsoftheopiumchurch.bandcamp.com/