The Shrine – Rare Breed   (Century Media)

Attention! The Shrine aren’t just another stoner band. No sir, they actually combine all the raging elements of skate punk and dirty rock ‘n’ roll as well as smearing them amongst the finest moments of Monster Magnet. Ruckus guitars and huge choruses swamp the album, and it’s the Black Flag intensities that give ‘Rare Breed’ an adrenaline shot. This Californian trio bust out an energy not heard amid the desert rock throngs and this is why they stand out from the whole pack. Oozing with retro feel yet crystal clarity in production values, the likes of ‘Acid Drop’ and ‘Coming Down Quick’ leave a huge cranium imprint. ‘Death To Invaders’ consumes all avenues of attention, as its super catchy chorus bellows confidently. Maybe it’s the energy level that keeps The Shrine’s tone so appealing, maybe it’s the bombastic rhythms… but whatever it is, ‘Rare Breed’ is an album that has a whole bunch of songs brimming with excellence. Mark Freebase