Obese - Anamnesis album review

Given that the central point of stoner rock is to repeat and redefine revered clichés with as much power and spirit as possible, albums like Anamnesis always come as a big surprise. These Utrecht, Netherlandsbased riff-builders have long been a cut above the rumbling rabble, but Anamnesis is such a triumphant splurge of great songwriting that it almost seems an injustice to lump the band in with their perfunctory peers. The short, fiery and laudably titled Dunderhead is a fine case in point; bands are churning out similar ideas all over the world, but there are few bands expressing that with more verve and celebratory oomph this side of Orange Goblin. There’s adventure here too, amid the sprawling weirdness of Mother Nurture and the dark, dirty Behexed, but the true essence of Anamnesis lies in its creators’ mastery of their chosen form. This is stoner rock in excelsis.