Wretch (2LP) [Vinyl]

Hindsight is always 20/20, but Kyuss' promising debut album, 1991's Wretch, was completely ignored by media and public. This is quite understandable, as a paltry production job fails to capture the band's earth-shaking guitar rumble, and only repeated listens allow full appreciation of the band's developing songwriting skills. The album's finest moments find the band in mid-pace, locking onto massive grooves on "I'm Not," "Big Bikes," and the awesome "Son of a Bitch." While less impressive, they still manage to inject memorable hooks and catchy riffs into full-tilt thrashers such as "Love Has Passed Me By," "Isolation," and the especially savage "Hwy 74." ~ Eduardo Rivadavia