Spiritual Beggars
Another Way To Shine

When we talk about stoner rock, the first band that comes to mind is the one that most influenced and made it famous, particularly in the United States. I'm talking about Kyuss, who, in the opinion of the writer, represent the greatest stoner expression in the history of music, albeit limited by their sparse discography. It's a genre that draws from the scorching climes of the American deserts, those of California and Texas: from the sandy and boundless expanses rose the wind of music that generated a way of doing rock that is particularly raw and indeed "sandy," where guitars reign supreme with their unrefined and aggressive sound. It is therefore reasonable to wonder how it came to mind for three Swedes to venture into the canyons of stoner rock. Because the Spiritual Beggars with Californian heat and the San Andreas Fault have nothing to do with it. This project (which would later generate other realities of this kind both in Sweden and throughout Scandinavia, among which the Dozer stand out), began in the early '90s, when Michael Amott, after having vomited "Heartwork" with his Carcass, decided to create Spiritual Beggars: to do so, he enlisted the singer and bassist "Spice" and drummer Ludwig Witt.

The first album that emerged from the collaboration between these three musicians was the self-titled debut of 1994: a genuine work so unexpected that it shook Sweden's underground music scene. Two years later and with the same lineup, the band returned with "Another way to shine," another stoner rock gem amid the ice and legends of Sweden with bands like Bathory, Entombed, and Dark Funeral. Their sound was light years away from nearby realities, and "Another way to shine" contributed to making them a true explosion of curiosity.

Yet, when approaching the trio's music, originality does not seem to be their strong point: the sound mimics that of the aforementioned Kyuss while adapting in approach to the European world. But despite all the criticism that can be directed at the originality of the Beggars, they demonstrate in this CD that they have tastes worthy of the genre's best representatives. The dense and absolutely compact sound of songs like "Magic Spell" and "Blind Mountain" is surprising, as is the semi-psych swamp of "Misty Valley" which does not go unnoticed. Additionally, Amott and company also show a good dose of musical openness with "Picking from the box", which is more closely tied to a canonical heavy metal. Just a moment to catch your breath, and they return to excellent levels with "Entering into peace" and "Sour stains", perhaps the best track on the entire CD.

What strikes the most about "Another way to shine" is its absolute compactness: never a note out of place or a missed passage. Furthermore, Amott's guitar always seems precise in unleashing riffs in full stoner style, perfectly complemented by Spice's voice, rough enough to support the platter's climate. The final ensemble is very respectable, and "Another way to shine" remains to this day one of the most positive works of the combo. The journey from Palm Desert to Halmstad is shorter than one might have imagined...

1. "Magic Spell" (5:03)
2. "Blind Mountain" (4:41)
3. "Misty Valley" (6:46)
4. "Picking From The Box" (4:20)
5. "Nowhere To Go" (5:59)
6. "Entering Into Peace" (6:07)
7. "Sour Stains" (5:01)
8. "Another Way To Shine" (4:53)
9. "Past The Sound Of Whispers" (5:57)