CoC : The Quill - Voodoo Caravan : Review

The Quill - _Voodoo Caravan_
(Steamhammer / SPV, 2002)
by: Aaron McKay (5 out of 10)

While this CD will see little playing time on my JVC stereo, I think this effort is at least a half-step above most '70s-esque stoner metal. While I note the band is in the vein of Kyuss and Spiritual Beggers (complete with a solo from Michael Amott), I hear a strong tie to Badlands more than anything else. Without the Jake E. Lee smooth style to make the comparison complete, The Quill have a _Voodoo Highway_ quality present, the similarity in titles not withstanding. "Shapes of Afterlife" has a nice heavy sludge feel to it that piques my interest, but does next to nothing to capture my long-term attraction. After two previous offerings, The Quill have wafted onto a nice updraft with _Voodoo Caravan_. Lowrider and Nebula influences are not as overwhelming as you might envision; these Swedes donate their all to the cause. Falling a bit short in this reviewer's opinion (see "The Earth Is Bitter Gone", for example), I see hope here and there on this CD. Other than the far-too-seldom oasis, the material on this desert parchment finds itself ultimately rooted in little more than sand where musical originality is concerned. Rhythm, for the most part, is consistant on _VC_, but The Quill's panache leaves me dying of thirst for more than the status quo.

(article published 5/4/2003)