Heat From a Deadstar – Seven Rays of the Sun

The first thing I noticed about this British bands’ latest full length was that Rick Harte, owner of Ace of Hearts Records and Mission of Burma producer, was behind the scenes. I knew from here on in that I was going to get something special. I’m a long time fan of Mission of Burma and the raw layered production – thanks to Rick Harte – on their records always kept me coming back for more. Not only is this close to the second coming of the legendary Mission of Burma, but on Seven Rays of the Sun, the members of Heat From a Deadstar prove they can hold their own.

The scratchy “Messy Kid” opens up the record and right out the gate, one can feel the influence of Hartes production and obvious Mission influence. There are tons of layers at work here and you can tell Harte did a lot to bring out the big band in this little three piece. “Seahorse Seafish” may seem over extended, but the jam laden and repetitive number remains engaging thanks to its atmosphere and intensity. When the repeated vocals finally do kick in after about a minute, you really start to get the feeling you’re diving into something grand. “Ad Astra” is a soft guitar and bass only ballad. The moody quasi-harmonizing vocals really sell this one for me.

As strong as this record starts off with punk/garage laden tendencies, the rest of the album, minus “Psychotic Girl” and “Crown” is a comparatively slow and gloomy affair. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, though. “The Twilight” features an eerie baseline evocative of the groove’s in “Gimme Shelter”. Yeah, that’s right, I just compared these guys to The Rolling Stones. Call me crazy, but it feels like an appropriate comparison for this song. You really can’t help but feel the rock and blues influences amidst all the hints of prog-laden atmosphere. The rhythm  section really shines on songs like “Elusive Ways” and “The Gallows”, while the piano in “Summer of Dark” really enhances the mood.

By now I’m sure you can tell that this is an eclectic record. The production is raw which is not common for a record this complex and filled with so much atmosphere. Maybe it’s a perfect fit, cause even a song as simple as the more straightforward “Unharmed” has so many layers to it. If you’re a fan of Burma, look no further because this is the closest thing to the second coming. If not, check them out anyway cause they’re just too good to pass up.