Population II

"Holden's first solo album ... was a strange bridge between psychedelia and heavy metal. At times these lurching, extended songs sound like sub-Jimi Hendrix noodling. But at the same time they sound genuinely more sinister and feverish than the by-the-numbers heavy metal soloing that would become so popular starting in the early 1970s. The slow, sometimes dirge-like tempos were a result of an adventurous two-man band situation in which Holden's only accompanist was Chris Lockheed, who played drums and keyboards simultaneously and couldn't be expected to effectively keep rapid rhythms. Holden is much more of a guitar player than a singer/songwriter, but these do have some smoking sustain passages, sometimes with a stratosphere-like wobbly bite, as on "Fruits and Icebergs"".

Læs anmeldelse

"Editor pick" - "In 1969 Randy Holden parted ways with Blue Cheer, and by 1970 had recorded and released his debut solo album, the magnum opus Population II. Sadly, the album received very poor distribution at the time, but those who did hear loved it, and it became a cult classic ... It is regarded by many to be the first 'doom metal' album and upon listening to it in 2020, that is a very deserving title ... The guitar work is outstanding and the star of the show, but a great deal of credit must go to drummer Christopher Lockheed who matches Holden for intensity. And for the record, it is just the dynamic duo on this album".

Læs anmeldelse