Orange Goblin The Big Black

Orange Goblin: Ben Ward (vocals); Joe Hoare, Pete O'Malley (guitar); Martyn Millard (bass); Chris Turner (drums). Additional personnel: Harry Armstrong (vocals); Royston Vasey Choir (background vocals). Recorded at Markangelo Studios, London, England between November 22 & December 1999. Because the band had been immediately signed to highly regarded Rise Above Records (perhaps the ultimate stoner rock/doom metal label) and had sounded so mature and "together" straight out of the box, Orange Goblin was put under more scrutiny than most young groups. And after weathering a noticeable sophomore slump with 1998's often lackluster Time Travelling Blues, the quintet members probably knew they needed to come up with a strong showing the third time around in order to prove their worth. Early believers already knew that here was a supremely competent set of musicians, who managed to borrow most of the basic elements laid down by their stoner metal forefathers (Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Acrimon