Live Report: Dozer, Half Gramme of Soma, Honeybadger

On a night of pure dynamite, the Swedish legends of European stoner rock Dozer set fire to the stage of Arch Club (Facebook, Instagram). Joining them were Half Gramme of Soma and Honeybadger. The Hound was there in the crowd on Saturday, October 18 to soak it all in and bring you the vibe. And all this while the pioneers of European desert rock, Dozer, are in the middle of the tour for their new album “Drifting in the Endless Void“.

Kicking off with old friends and ... a new record!

Knowing the work of Honeybadger, I knew exactly how our night was going to start! Punchy riffs and a mix of old and new tracks. All of it on the eve of the official release of their second album (which came out on Sunday, October 19), titled ‘Let there be light‘. The band was exactly what we needed to get us ready for what followed. They treated us to some of the hits off the first record, while making sure to throw in a few tracks from the new album too.

I'll admit this was the first time I'd seen them with their new line-up. Previously I'd caught them either with their first guitarist or as a trio. As a result, their sound came across fuller and more complete, with nothing lost from the compositions. What will definitely be interesting is hearing his role and his playing alongside the band on this second album, a record where I suspect he'll have had a big hand in the songwriting. We're definitely looking forward to the next time we catch them on stage!

First encounter with Half Gramme of Soma!

We were heading into uncharted waters with the second band on the lineup. Half Gramme of Soma were an outfit we came across for the very first time last Saturday. And after that night, the band left us with the best possible impressions. Music and songs that are superbly structured and carry serious punch. Half Gramme of Soma know how to combine gorgeous riffs with rhythmic variety. And if you factor into the equation the shifts between atmospheric, gentle, melodic passages and powerful heavy sections, then you understand that every single track is a pleasant surprise!

Setting the instruments aside, the five-piece from Athens has two outstanding lead voices (frontman and drummer) that trade off constantly. Both have very distinctive timbres and lend the songs an exceptional character. This vocal variety is even more impressive and makes the tracks all the more compelling! All in all, Half Gramme of Soma managed to catch our eye! And that's why we'll be keeping tabs on them going forward. 

On the matter of sound...

Arch is a really beautiful venue. The feeling is pretty dark, the kind that gives you that all-important sense of immersion to really enjoy the music. That said, the sound out front, especially where the vocals were concerned, was murky and 'muddy' (more so than is usual for the genre), to the point where the vocals just didn't come through well. Trying to gather a few other opinions on the matter, the result was much the same at multiple spots around the room. On the flip side, from what we heard from the band members, the sound on stage was excellent. 

Dozer, nearly two decades on!

The peak of the night saw Dozer take the stage with the whole place in raptures! The band from Sweden stood in front of a Greek crowd after nearly twenty years. And yet they managed not only to shake us to our core, but to give us fresh thrills too! With a setlist packed with fresh material as well as tracks from the past, Dozer showed us exactly why they're considered the trailblazers of the European stoner rock scene.

Playing for a little over an hour, they showed the crowd they've still got it. In that time we got a hefty dose of the new album, which had us itching to get home, crank up the volume and enjoy it properly. The band remains high on our list of musical picks. For all of us who caught this night up close, we're happy, and we're waiting to see them again — sooner this time!