WhiteNails
First Trip
(Magnetic Eye)
WhiteNails is that hazy aura making its way from the stage, around the bar, and into the pit. Their latest record First Trip rips with fuzzy rock and roll, kicking down the door, and reeking like a party. Like a fever dream where Black Sabbath, Kyuss, and Jimi Hendrix decide to form a band, WhiteNails proudly displays a sweaty good time in each distorted note.
First Trip’s most prominent presence is its looming stoner sound. Throughout the run time this aspect is manipulated to let loose with rock flare, or twist and turn into a psychedelic ride. Opening track “Shanghaied” lights up the night with a down tuned swingy intro. With a tinge of sweat and heat, the guitar and drum energy maintain an electric high, the former coming down a few notches during the chorus for some hefty fuzz. The following track “Done and Gone” continues this same vibe, while drumming has picked up some speed. The guitar keeps to its low stoner depths, keeping an exciting brightness. Towards the end, the drumming slows down and the guitar enters this anxiety high shrill and vibration. The sound drones, emitting a hypnotic wave that is backed by a wall of dense darkened noise.
These slower drone moments don’t take up the entire record, and when introduced, add an extra sense of excitement into the mix. Whereas the stoner fuzz is a big player in First Trip, what WhiteNails pull off effectively is their use of various rock sounds. After a few tracks that take their time in pace, “In My Blood” pushes a little more on the gas pedal. It isn’t flying off the handles sort of speed, but more playful, with a sunshine brightness that lingers with the tone. Like the backdrop to a thrilling cross country trip, the energy pulsates with liveliness and colors. “Damn Judas” is a banger that kicks things up even more in terms of aggression. The guitar comes off much sharper with each note, the drum work maintaining drive and adrenaline.
Towards the end of the record, the music shifts back to how things started. At this point, some of the songs have the ability to blend into one another, given the consistency in pace. What helps First Trip is that there’s a nice blend of different combinations of sound at play. This is primarily thanks to the given styles that come from the guitar. The balance of jamming grooves, dark haze, to ripping electricity, add flavor to a good chunk of the material.
First Trip is the sort of banger that one could imagine lingering around bars, or blaring out of a motorcycle. Pacing can cause some of the songs to blend into one another, and this does create some repetitive parts within the album. Overall though, WhiteNails have put out a really enjoyable record with energetic drum work, backed by ranging guitar elements, surely to become a rock and roll party soundtrack.
