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Toner Low - II review



Reviewer:
6.0

4 users:
7.25
Band: Toner Low
Album: II
Release date: November 2008


01. One
02. Two
03. Five
04. Three

Toner Low is a Dutch threesome with a thing for Doom, Gloom and quite probably a lot of weed. Well, let's not generalize too much but fact is that with Toner Low's brand of Stoner, every normal-functioning body will immediately develop a mighty craving for some good ganja. Or is that just me? Anyway, fact is that these Dutch guys have their second album out now, "Toner Low II", and it's pretty much an hour long stoner droner fest.

An hour long stoner droner fest usually sounds like a pretty neat idea to me, but unfortunately, "Toner Low II" doesn't really deliver. Simply put, it's pretty boring. It just drones and drones and drones some more, but doesn't really go anywhere. It fails to grab me by the balls with a slow, brooding crescendo simply because there is no slow, brooding crescendo. Hell, there isn't even a decrescendo on this release. There's only the repeat repeat repeat of their heavy crunchy sound, without the hypnosis or atmosphere that separates the genius from the lame. Okay, every once in a while the band slightly drifts off into the territory of the highly underrated and overlooked Hyatari - and with that really spikes my interest - but the Dutch threesome never comes close to the greatness of said Hyatari on any of those occasions.

Perhaps I need the aforementioned ganja, but hey, I don't do that shit. Music should be good on its own and drugs should only be an enhancement, and sadly, that is not the case here. Although the band has it's moments, in the long run this release is pretty unconvincing.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 7
Songwriting: 5
Originality: 5
Production: 6





Written on 08.07.2009 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff.


Comments

Comments: 8   Visited by: 40 users
08.07.2009 - 22:58
Dane Train
Beers & Kilts
So this album gets a FAIL tag?
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(space for rent)
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08.07.2009 - 23:10
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
@Lucas, since when don't you do ganja anymore?
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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09.07.2009 - 12:16
Rating: 6
Lucas
Mr. Noise
Written by Dane Train on 08.07.2009 at 22:58

So this album gets a FAIL tag?


Well perhaps if you can handle more repetition than I can (though I like to think I'm pretty trained) than perhaps you can find enough good moments in this.
----
SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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10.07.2009 - 00:07
BitterCOld
The Ancient One
Thanks for the advice- had been vaguely considering looking into this, so i'll bump it down the priority list accordingly.
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get the fuck off my lawn.

Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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10.07.2009 - 00:16
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
I think I saw this band live some time ago and they didn't leave an impression on me at all.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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10.07.2009 - 00:30
Elio
Red Nightmare
Hey the review is so harsh on them I can barely believe this deserves a 6 (that means average).
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IntoPlighT said: "Slipknot is 15 years old how the fuck is that Nu metal?"

BEST. QUOTE. EVER.
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10.07.2009 - 01:52
Rating: 6
Lucas
Mr. Noise
Written by Elio on 10.07.2009 at 00:30

Hey the review is so harsh on them I can barely believe this deserves a 6 (that means average).


Well, it's always hard to match the right tone with the right rating. Anyway, let me try to explain my rating a little.

The actual album is, while overly repetitive, not really bad. It's just wayyy too long. And the odd Hyatari-reminiscent moment is quite cool. I really dig Hyatari. Musicianship and production aren't bad either. There's a lot worse and a lot better out there, you know?
----
SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?

"The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
Loading...
10.07.2009 - 02:01
Elio
Red Nightmare
Written by Lucas on 10.07.2009 at 01:52

Written by Elio on 10.07.2009 at 00:30

Hey the review is so harsh on them I can barely believe this deserves a 6 (that means average).


Well, it's always hard to match the right tone with the right rating. Anyway, let me try to explain my rating a little.

The actual album is, while overly repetitive, not really bad. It's just wayyy too long. And the odd Hyatari-reminiscent moment is quite cool. I really dig Hyatari. Musicianship and production aren't bad either. There's a lot worse and a lot better out there, you know?


Uh well, from the review I got almost only negative things. It's ok though
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IntoPlighT said: "Slipknot is 15 years old how the fuck is that Nu metal?"

BEST. QUOTE. EVER.
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