Hypnopilot - Final EP Hypnopilot – Final EP (Self-Release) By Jay Snyder September 20, 2009 Calgary’s Hypnopilot are not a band to overanalyze. Sometimes my fingers go wacky, and the result is a sprawling, type-written diatribe that tries to go the distance and give you as much information as possible. Although, there are those times when keeping it simple is the best method. That’s what I’m going to try and do here. I was introduced to this formidable threesome with their second disc, Evergreen. It was just what the doctor ordered for the summer of 2008, as it found the band dialed in on driving, efficient grooves with just a touch of the wraparound riffing found on both Tool’s Undertow and the Kyuss landmark Welcome to Sky Valley. There was a noticeable psychedelic undercurrent fueling the whole affair, but the soulful crooning and sturdy, locked-on grooves were befitting of outfits such as Floodgate, Fu Manchu and Magnified Eye. Heavy stuff that gets a bit heady on occasion too, walking a fine line between the straightforward and the blissfully spaced out; to reduce that statement to lowest terms, Evergreen was just how I like my rocked-out, stoner friendly action. Unfortunately 2009 will signal the end of this quality trio. Matthew (vocals/guitar), Cory (bass/vocal) and Garwin (drums) have chosen to close up shop and ground Hypnopilot permanently. As a thank you for the interest and support, the band recorded three final tracks that are available as a free download on their site. Apparently these tracks might pop up on a split release at some point, but in the meantime you can download ‘em, burn ‘em and do whatever you want with ‘em. Well don’t go posting them on your own personal website, because that frankly wouldn’t be too hot unless you asked the band first…but you get the idea! “Rolling On” continues in the classic Hypnopilot tradition with a stellar, 70 inflected stoner riff. It’s the kind of catchy groove that bands like Kyuss and Fu Manchu made their bread n’ butter, with killer, accented singing standing front n’ center above a thick, rhythmic plow. This track is total smoothness all the way, with a gripping lead lick really catching the ear and sealing the deal right after the 4 minute mark. Driving is the most accurate description I can come up with, as I’ve cranked this one tearing ass to Pittsburgh more than a time or two since I’ve first heard it. The thundering, sonic groove and hammering drums (they’re much louder than on “Rolling On”) of “When the Sun is King” ups the ante in everyway from the previous tune, and is actually my favorite Hypnopilot number to date. This is the kind of shit that defined that classic 90’s, stoner rock movement and is easily on par with the mighty hymns from the Man’s Ruin, Smallstone and The Music Cartel juggernauts. The riffs are carved from pure iron and take on the darker side of Kyuss and Tool with a little bit of Sabbath thrown in for good measure. Fuzzy, emotional riffs hook you in right from the get go while the stew-y rhythmic shuffle makes this one heavier than a ten ton sack of bricks. Melodic guitar leads cast one eye to the open night sky, and shade this baby in with an expansive, psychedelic mood and make it a song that’ll certainly pop on more than a few mix discs, since you can burn these gems and arrange ‘em how you see fit. Gelling well with the former, “Winter’s Last Breath” is a heady, heavy instrumental that balances equally the brooding, fuzzy riffage with an eerie, atmospheric flourish. It’s always sad to see a good band go, but Hypnopilot at least left us one more monument to remember them by. This final EP is a culmination of two recorded albums and a series of live gigs, and it showcases the progression made by the band during each phase of their existence. I’m sure (at least I hope I’m sure!) that we’ll be seeing these boys again in other incarnations, but Hypnopilot will always be remembered for their earth-moving grooves and powerful, melodic inflections. A fine legacy indeed, so anyone who has been remotely interested in the band, but hasn’t had the scratch to make the pilgrimage, there is no reason as to why you shouldn’t check out this EP. It’s free, and if you continue to ignore the band at this point, it’s just plain laziness! Take a little time and check out a band that brought the vintage stoner sound from the 90’s into the modern age unscathed. Goodbye brothers and good luck! http://www.hellridemusic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20819 |
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 This is reviews for the album Evergreen available through the store page or http://www.cdbaby.com/hypnopilot2 Hypnopilot – Evergreen (Self-Release) By Jay Snyder for Hellride Music May 29, 2008 Man talk about the perfect summer album. Calgary based trio Hypnopilot are kicking out godly stoner grooves that are a desert baked recipe that knows how to pile on the key ingredient of hazy, nuanced riffs that remind me of the deep desert canyons created by the cosmic frequencies of Kyuss. The vocals of singer/guitarist Matthew Simmons are smooth and soulful croons that occupy a nice middle range that is pleasing to the ear on every listen. So, more low register than Garcia (not a Garcia knock folks, love the man) and more in the vein of Kyle Thomas during the Floodgate days (man do I miss those guys) but also smoothed out an extra layer and with less dirty grit. You see what I mean? I think even Magnified Eye who I recently go into are a good reference point to figure out where Hypnopilot are coming from. I’m all over this stuff as each tune is chockfull of top tier riffs that nary strike a boring moment with the rhythm section fleshing the material out into truly deep waters. You better have the bravado to kick off your debut full-length with a song titled “Mountain” as whether your referencing the geographic structure or the classic 70’s rockers, you’ve got quite a big pair of shoes to fill. Thankfully, Hypnopilot sucks you in with a vortex of trippy stoner riffs and big time boogie that holds a darker undercurrent in the vein of Kyuss or even a more stoner fueled Tool. Dazzling 70’s tinged riffs trade equal blows with the snazzy and somewhat jazzy rhythm section to create a mouth watering concoction that will be hard to resist even for the jaded fan. I also love the singing through and through as Matt belts out the verses and the choruses with melodic gusto that never sounds unsure of its footing. Tricky, shape-shifter riffs really do wonders with the mood on the immediately following, “Light”; one of those songs that manages to balance light and dark gracefully, in the same breath. Dreary, stoner shaded riffs play off tight bass arrangements that give the song a mother load of depth that contrasts nicely with the swinging boogie and soaring, vocal lines. I dare you to try and evict the Sabbath-y riff from your memory; the riff that pops up later in the track. Easily the equivalent of musical superglue as it had me stuck on the very first listen. Same goes true with, “The New” which takes that same groove foundation but settles for a more laidback pace and less full throttle rock n’ roll. Riffs spiral off into the sunset and then touch back down on Earth by the twilight. This song is totally spaced out with tight rhythmic turns that maintain a heart pounding groove from start to finish. You may have heard this stuff done before but I’ll be damned if Hypnopilot doesn’t deliver one high quality riff after another, never losing steam as the record progresses. The slower, heavier churn of “Into the Sun” stomps along at a more deliberate pace and sounds less spacious than the majority of this material. A bit more oppressive in the verses but interspersed with great, rockin’ riffs throughout in order to keeps thing from becoming one dimensional. Again imagine Tool further expanded with arid stoner rock. Something I can get into anytime when done right and without pretense. Hypnopilot saves some of their most infectious grooves for the road burning mid-tempo hipshaker, “From Hydrus to Phoenix”. Even the chorus, only consisting of single syllable utterances such as “La La La” and “Yeah, Yeah” somehow manages to stick out strong with the clenched fist groove that the band throws down on. Nothing too flashy in this one except better grooves than you could ever expect from an upstart, newer band. They close things off with “Let it go” and an instrumental boogie reprise in “Prescribed Burn”, both of which are busy, barnburners that throw loose the hitches and get caught up on a runaway train car ride full of red blooded stoner rock riffs that definitely dip into the up tempo swing of Fu Manchu on certain occasions. You aren’t going to hear me complain about this one. Sure, how many times have you heard the names Fu Manchu and Kyuss thrown helter skelter all over the place? But seriously, Hypnopilot are doing great things with their sound. By drawing from such contemporaries and adding a few darker yet strangely uplifting touches as well the band manages to rise far above traditional stoner fare. There’s a brooding underbelly to this beast with great song-writing, soaring grooves and powerful vocals helping to make them stand tall in the crowd. If stoner rock n’ roll is what butters your bread, you’d do well to get savvy to Hypnopilot. Surely, they can’t be without a record deal for long. Evergreen is an excellent disc, well worth your hard earned dollar. Also, just because I don’t flat out say “highly recommended” doesn’t mean it isn’t highly recommended…you dig? So check these guys out if you are the least bit interested in this stuff! -----------Hellride Music------------ http://www.hellridemusic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17637 Named after a Honcho-song, "hypnopilot", a Canadian band formed in 2002 now present their second full-length album called "Evergreen". According to their releases before, it's all self- financed again; but that's no reason to hide behind well-known stoner- labels like "buzzville" or early daredevil-stuff f.e.
Fans of Unida, Dozer, Zerocharisma will be pleased, for sure. I really like the singing of Matthew Simmons, hard to capture and hard to compare. Somewhere between Garcia and Pothead. Just the producing falls behind a little bit. I would prefer a more dominant guitar and less of the drums... Although it's a really cool tune for everybody who's into the (stoner-)scene. ((( Christian Peters ))) (Translated by Silvio Pusch)
Hypnopilot - evergreen (2008, Eigenrelease) Mit “Evergreen” präsentiert die nach einem Honcho-Song benannte, seit 2002 bestehende kanadische Band ihr nun zweites Album. Wie schon die letzten Releases haben sie alles selbst finanziert, brauchen sich aber weiterhin nicht hinter offiziellen Veröffentlichungen bekannter Stonerlabels, wie z.b. Buzzville oder früheren Daredevil-Sachen verstecken. Die Musik auf diesem Album wird mit Sicherheit alle Fans von Unida, Dozer, Zerocharisma und wie sie alle heissen, beglücken. Ziemlich cool find ich den Gesang, der sich recht schwer einordnen oder vergleichen lässt, irgendwo zwischen Garcia und Pothead. Allein die Produktion/Mix halte ich für ein wenig verbesserungswürdig, das Schlagzeug könnte weiter hinter und die Gitarren mehr in den Vordergrund rücken, ansonsten wie gesagt ne nette Scheibe, vorrausgesetzt man steht auf den gängigen Stoner-Sound. ((( Christian Peters ))) Hypnopilot - Evergreen
Review by John Pegoraro (RiffRock.com) Self Released Release date: 2008 It's been three years since Hypnopilot released their self-titled debut, but apart from a better grasp of recording, not much has changed for this Calgary three-piece. Given that Hypnopilot overall was pretty solid, that’s not really a complaint. The band shares allegiance with both Kyuss and Fu Manchu and manage a balancing act between open, sprawling desert rock and tight, simple riffs. Sometimes they stumble (“Too Much,” “From Hydrus to Phoenix”), but most of the time they pull it off (opener “Mountain,” “Light,” the not-a-Dixie-Witch-cover “Into the Sun,” “Let It Go”). If there’s any real complaint, it’s a sense of creeping familiarity as Evergreen progresses – haven’t I heard this before, on both this album and elsewhere? - but honestly, that was never so blatant as to be distracting. Ultimately, Hypnopilot is one of those groups that may not rise to the level of extraordinary, but they maintain a consistent quality all the same. Evergreen may be rough around the edges but there’s enough promise to keep you satisfied. “Evergreen” album review by Nick Kuhl
Fans of early Black Sabbath and groove-laden rock take notice: Calgary band Hypnopilot has released a new album. “Evergreen” marks the trio’s second full release and first since 2006’s eponymous debut. The eight songs found here build on the strong “hard-meets-stoner-meets-progressive rock” sounds from their previous work and start to take the band into new directions. “Mountain”, the longest song on the album at nearly six-and-a-half minutes, blissfully opens the album to a ferocious pace. Singer/guitarist Matthew Simmons’ powerful vocals and strong riffs on the opener make you take notice and rarely let up. “Light” features a ferocious groove by bassist Cory Pierce, while “Into The Sun” has a more laid-back riff, allowing drummer Garwin Poff to really showcase his abilities, especially toward the end of the song. “Too Much” has an incendiary riff by Simmons, followed by the best instrumental section on the album (arguable with “Let It Go”), making it the clear standout track on “Evergreen”. It’s the culmination of their sound and probably their most complete song to date. And it’s this sort of melting pot of rock sounds, coupled with the elevated production value found on “Evergreen” that is starting to elevate this band’s stature among their peers in the city. The closing song “Prescribed Burn” – the title is a reference to their former band name – is a solid cascading instrumental that provides the listener a possible insight into future work of the band. ~end~ |
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Below are reviews of the self titled album which is available at http://www.cdbaby.com/hypnopilot
Hypnopilot is a song from the Norwegian stoner band Honcho. There is no proof that this has something to do with the band name of this Canadian combo, but could very well be ... cause their sound is quite similar. HYPNOPILOT also play a kind of catchy, emotional heavy stoner blues with groove, melody and excellent hooks. Massive fuzz riffing is combined with a one-of-a-kind voice, which comes close to Brant Bjork's vocals regarding warmth and coolness. If you know a band called GREENWOOD, you know where this one goes. The nine songs in 35 minutes make it more an EP than a full-length. -Generated X Webzine, translated at Kozmik Artifactz |
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