progdolphin
Medicine Horse honors their ancestry and chosen traditions the way that comes most naturally—heavy fuckin’ metal. Sure the plains-folk didn’t have double-kicks or amp stacks, but can you imagine if they did? Maybe we would have gotten sooner this curious doom/sludge amalgamation that lurks with folky narratives and loudness-pumped riffs alike. With the kind of passion on display, we’d be wise to watch Medicine Horse for whatever else may come.
Favorite track: Kuwa Detlukv (The Orchard).
Medicine Horse is the convergence of slow southern bluesy drawl with a storm of anger, joy, heart break and hope that can only come out of the Indian Territory that is Tulsa, Oklahoma. Formed in the autumn of the year the world fell apart, 2020, Medicine Horse began as a way to navigate uncertainty and mitigate existential panic within the Williams household, with the help of drummer Garrett Heck. A sound took shape, and players were assembled to bring it to life.
Nico Williams, a citizen of Cherokee Nation, moves between jazz-tinged vocal melodies and emotionally charged howls, weaving lyrical storytelling of historical account, folklore, and Indigenous futurism around the layers of sludgy-yet-energetic harmony formed in the clash of techniques between rhythm guitarist Kyle Williams (Otoe-Missouria, Ponca and Ioway Nations) and lead guitarist Travis Rowe. Rowe draws deeply from his country roots, transforming those immovable hooks into devastatingly heavy riffs before they ignite into towering solos. A rhythm section steeped in the slow waters of their respective homes of Monroe and New Orleans Louisiana, drummer Garrett Heck and bassist Chris West anchor the sound with elements of doom in one moment, and the frenetic energy of thrash in the next. Immediate influences of Southern doom and sludge like Crowbar, Acid Bath and Down are easy to discern, while hints of grunge, post-punk, and classic Southern blues rock simmer beneath the surface. Burn weed, cedar, and sage…plug in, turn up, and amplify your frontal lobe.
Recommended if you like: Crowbar, Acid Bath, Windhand, Down, Trouble
credits
released September 8, 2023
Nico Williams – vocals
Kyle Williams – guitar
Travis Rowe – lead guitar
Chris West – bass
Garrett Heck – drums
All songs / lyrics by Medicine Horse / ASCAP
Produced by Medicine Horse
Engineered and Mixed by Ryan Harvey
Mastered by Ryan Foster at Foster Mastering
Front Cover Art: Jacob Rachal
Rear Cover and Inside Panel Art: Travis Rowe
Layout: Travis Rowe with assistance from Steve Hammons
Photo Credits: Medicine Horse, Austin Wallace, Thomas Self, Tim Landes, Greg Bollinger
Horton Records is a non-profit, 501c-3 music organization based in Tulsa, OK that is dedicated to the cultivation and
development of Tulsa area artists and building on the great tradition of music from that region, while fostering and strengthening community through musical endeavors....more
supported by 15 fans who also own “Medicine Horse”
What an impressive piece of black metal. This one-man hurricane is pure art. Sgah‘gahsowáh creates an haunting atmosphere. He puts so much soul in his music. Sælzer Bub
A reinterpreted version of the Brighton doom band's 2022 album, featuring remixes from Skin Failure, Sugar Horse, God Alone., and others. Bandcamp New & Notable Apr 19, 2023
Brighton, UK band leaven surging hard rock with spaced-out stoner-doom on their second LP, recorded in an old chapel on the English coast. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 9, 2022
supported by 11 fans who also own “Medicine Horse”
What a beautiful, haunting experience all around, always melts me from start to finish. Incredible and deep sound, amazing atmosphere and cohesion, unexpected jazz elements unlike anything I've heard, and don't get me started on the vocals. Really hard to choose a favorite track. dan-rod