review: Volcanova -- the 1970s in 2020 from Iceland

Volcanova

Radical Waves

The Sign Records

21 August 2020

The year 1980 rolled around and the 1970s were deader than Elvis. Led Zeppelin was no more, there was no Deep Purple, Dio Sabbath jumped on the new polished heavy metal sound, Uriah Heep abandoned the old sound, Blue Oyster Cult was now slick and shiny, as was Rush, while Mountain and Sir Lord Baltimore had been long gone for years and years. Spandex, leg warmers, and puffy hair were going to take over. Nobody wanted the old sound. Almost! Witchfinder General walked into the 1980s oblivious that a new decade had begun. Saint Vitus was having none of it. The 80s sucks, Saint Vitus said. Trouble agreed, as did Pentagram, Pagan Altar, The Obsessed, and Nemesis/Candlemass. These bands (and others surely forgotten here) somehow managed to string together enough of a thread (from the late 1970s and early/mid 1980s) to keep the blues-based heavy rock alive to make it to 1990.

After 1990, things have been much, much better in many ways, if you like the 1970s heavy rock. Nowadays the hippies arise from anywhere in the world. The tropical weather of Iceland’s eternal summer inspires the island nation’s rockers to celebrate good times. There’s a hippy rock party going on with Volcanova. Get your necessary dose of cow bell, some hand clapping, and probably a bunch of Iceland-specific jokes, and it’s like Woodstock never stopped with these fun lovers and their stoner-rock-meets-comedy-sound.

VOLCANOVA - SUSHI SAM (Official Video)

VOLCANOVA - SUPER DUPER VAN (Official Video)

Radical Waves by Volcanova