REVIEW: Viajando - Counting Days (2015)

Band: Viajando

Album: Counting Days
Genre: Stoner Metal/Rock

Date of Release: January 9, 2015

Tracklist:

1) Counting Days

2) Nothing is Sacred

3) Hell's Pit

4) Rogue

5) Dead Mask

6) Sleeper

Bandcamp

     North Carolinan natives Viajando (formerly known as Stone City) put out a collection of energetic songs worthy of headbanging with their second release 'Counting Days'.  This EP has everything a Metal and Hard Rock fan could ask for: Heaviness, aggressiveness, and it's just overall a kick-ass record.  The band considers themselves Stoner Metal, and with good reason because Counting City is definitely reminiscent of the Stoner Rock genre and the Palm Desert scene (Kyuss, anyone?).

     Taking that into account, there are other influences throughout the EP, even if they are not as noticeable.  Some of the passages (I'm thinking of the verses in the song 'Nothing is Sacred') are reminiscent of the woefulness found in the Grunge genre, Alice in Chains coming first to mind.  Additionally, there are definite Hardcore influences throughout the song 'Rogue'.  Asides from that, the EP encompasses all of the characteristics for the perfect archetype of Stoner Rock/Metal; the heavy pounding drums, the soaring yet aggressive vocals, the fuzzy bass recognizable within the genre, and the tasty riffs (please, go ahead and listen to the greatness of this EP's opener, 'Counting Days'!).  After hearing the opener, however, the rest of the EP kind of stays leveled after that huge slap in the face 'Counting Days' gave, which is not bad, but there is certainly a lack of that 'punch' that makes one be at the edge of their seat.

     Regardless, I would summarize 'Counting Days' as a very well-balanced EP, both music wise and production wise.  While there is nothing groundbreaking, if the band's goal was to release a good heavy Stoner album, then they did an astounding job at it.  So grab a blunt and journey through the distorted stone city that is Viajando.  There will be no regrets.

Stand-out tracks:
-Counting Days
-Rogue

Score: 7/10