Review Summary: World class stoner rock from Greece!
The more we learn, the less we know” sang Tim McIlrath in “How Many Walls” (“Wolves”, 2017) and this guy is damn right. In the immense ocean of the Internet we float from one famed name to another, drifting in an ocean of recommendations of streaming services, afraid to look deeper into the uncharted void of unknown artists. And moreover, worldwide known bands rarely come from modest countries of south and east Europe.
What's your association with the word “Greece”? Anthracite olives, porcelain sand and terracotta pots. Greek music? Definitely national. But for your reference - in Greece there have been more than 20 well-known rock groups since the 1960s like Aphrodite's Child (with incredibly talented Demis Roussos as a vocalist) and Axis - classic 60s rock bands. Or Oi Episkeptes - an unique combination of rock, jazz and reggae. Although not many Greek rock-bands exist and still less could be found in your playlist - this one definitely will find a place in your heart and Spotify.
Kohana is a 4-piece power house from Thessaloniki - a cozy riparian city with a centennial story in the north of Greece. On its narrow antique streets in 2019 they had gathered to play their unique mix of punk-rock and blues. For almost three-years old band they are quite productive - they released their first mini-album “Blaze” in 2020 and this year finally appeared their first full-size CD “Jab”
“Jab” starts with heart-warming guitar riffs that remind you of blues string busting from “Blues Rock Band”, 1981 by Krzak. Then your heart bursts with an energetic chorus and enveloping voice and drowns in somnolent tones of “See the World”. But the real diamond of this album, to my humble opinion, is “Water is Desert”. I bet that you could hear in its velvet tunes echoes of The Doors “Morrison Hotel”, 1970. “City” will remind you of a noisy grunge from the 90s and “Be Me” as a rock ballad in the best traditions of Silly Season.
Whole album is surprisingly varied and could be taken for an OST to a movie like “Dazed and Confused” or “Trainspotting”. Each song is dissimilar and at the same time so akin and they sound in unique imperfect harmony. But this seems so perfect and so right!
To sum up I would like to say that the whole album is a plexus of blues, stoner and tenderly added punk-rock. It has songs to make you move and songs to calm you down. A great choice for a morning traffic-jam on your way to work, walk with dog in the foggy park or as the perfect soundtrack to your “broken-heart-drama
