The Eli Cook Band's Been Drinking That ElectricHolyFireWater

The Eli Cook Band
ElectricHolyFireWater
Cookin'

Review by Nightwatcher

Do you dig the blues but love metal too? Well here's an album that can satisfy both at the same time. On their third album, power trio The Eli Cook Band concoct a great mix of down and dirty blues mixed with Black Label Society heavy riff metal, resulting in not only a collection which is true to the roots but one you could mosh to also.

Not far removed from what bands like Corrosion Of Conformity, Clutch and the previously mentioned BLS are doing, the 13 tracks found here are melodic in a modern heavy rock sense, but over the top of the crushing riffs one can hear guitarist Cook's roots in Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Jimi Hendrix. From the opening heaviness of "Santeria Shakedown" you get an immediate sense that B.B. King this ain't. And you'd be right.

As Cook drawls about "BadMotorfingers" the chugging grind of rhythm section bassist Eric Yates and drummer Jordan Marchini take this to headbanging stage, the guitarist laying down searing, almost psychedelic licks, wrenching the notes out in a molten metal haze. "Bury Me" could easily be a radio hit, the thick as molasses guitar cutting through the mix while bass and drums swing with a passion normally not found in heavy music these days. Equally adept at slide guitar, Cook evokes the spirit of Elmore James in modern form on "Shotgun Blues". If James came back as a young white metal head that is.

You'd swear that you were listening to Zakk Wylde at his acoustic based best on "Light That Gasoline", which could easily be mistaken for an unreleased track from the former's 'Book Of Shadows' album. Throughout the rest of the songs, which include a more than credible takes of Jimi's "Spanish Castle Magic" and the Willie Dixon penned classic "Back Door Man", it's clear this isn't your father's blues.

Cook is certainly no Stevie Ray Vaughan clone, and the music found here would easily fit in any heavy radio format. In fact, out of all the young blues based rockers, I'd venture he'd be the closest to fooling the kids of today into listening to the blues without realizing it. In that sense, he's not that far removed to how Zeppelin did it back in the 70's, and if he isn't to that level yet, this is still one damn fine album which rockers and more open minded blues fanatics can both enjoy. 8.5/10 http://www.myspace.com/electricholyfirewater

Live video of "Firefly" featured on the album :