From the same fertile town – Örebro, Sweden – that has spawned Graveyard and Witchcraft, the latter with whom Troubled Horse share three members, you’ll probably have some idea of what they sound like. Fucking great, as it goes.
Though clearly inspired by the pioneering doom of Sabbath and Pentagram, Troubled Horse do much more than cower in the shadows of such giants. On Bring My Horses Home, they’re in possession of a soulful 60s R’n’B swing, while As You Sow is the type of clanging, high-octane technicolour blues that MC5 and 13th Floor Elevators used as sonic weaponry against all things peace and love. Album closer I’ve Been Losing manages to be simultaneously epic and baroque and could almost be a lost Scott Walker song. No bad thing at all.
Singer/guitarist Martin Heppich has the vocals to warrant such lofty comparisons and at the heart of Step Inside is something that so many heavy garage bands don’t possess: soul. Here’s further proof that the Swedish rock scene is in rude health.
