Astroqueen- Into Submission

(Pavement) www.pavementmusic.com

There will come a day when the retro-pioneering work of the Swedish stoner rock mafia bleeds onto these shores, when dune buggies and muscle-cars crudely painted with rebel flags and Mexican lesbians rumble through the streets, manned by bell- bottomed, mirror shaded alcoholic spacemen desperate for b-movie thrills and perpetual sunshine. When that day comes, brothers and sisters, I can promise you all the free cocaine and sloppy, unsolicited oral sex you can handle. Until then, you'll have to be content to watch the cloud of purple smoke swirl, lazy and heavy lidded, from your tortured speakers as bands like Astroqueen show you how it's done. Of course, there's nothing here to distinguish Astroqueen from their Northern European bretheren. 'Into Submission' could easily be the new album from Dozer, Blind Dog, Generous Maria, or even the Faggot Kings. They all feature thick, low tuned Sabbath riffs sprawled out over arid desert sands, all sing in fake American accents about space goddesses and motorcycles of doom, all smoke the kind and say "Right on, man" a lot. And if that smacks of trend worship to you, then you nailed it. But you know, here in the good old USA, it's a rather Herculean task trying to distinguish Shuvel's rap-metal from Mudvayne's Metal-rap, so you tell me who's better off. For my copy cattin', I'll stick with the Swedes.