Sitting in The NewReview labs on a Saturday is pretty weird. It’s quiet except for the white noise from the mainframes and the screaming of the test monkeys. So instead of standard testing procedure, I skipped the genre chemical analysis on Downspirit’s debut, Point of Origin. I know, not following the scientific method can be catastrophic, but it can also lead to full-on-awesome, like the atomic bomb. Boom.

I’m thinking Downspirit founder, Cédric “Cede” Dupont, was going for the atomic bomb himself. The band definitely didn’t follow any genre procedures, which is okay by me. His dream of a blues and heavy metal fusion led to Point of Origin. Further testing must be done to figure out what we have here.

Downspirit is Steffen Lauth (vocals), Cédric “Cede” Dupont (lead guitar), Axel “Aki” Reissmann (rhythm guitar), Sven Rakowitz (bass), and Sebastian Dunkel (drums). Collectively, the band has a solid sound that kind of, sort of, maybe works. I’ll explain.

Downspirit’s sound isn’t much different from other bands’ sounds. The bands producing similar music to Downspirit have been shuffled into the hazy genre called “Stoner Rock”. Honestly, stoner rock is such a large hole, the entire 1970s qualifies. One of the more recent and well-known acts to trip into stoner rock is Monster Magnet. Downspirit’s Steffen Lauth is a vocal dead-ringer for Dave Wyndorf. Songs like “Lovesong” and “Highway Run” could nearly pass for Monster Magnet tracks–nearly.

Dupont’s guitar showcases his influences. For example, I hear early Soundgarden in “Point of Origin Pt. II”, Iron Maiden in “Lost”, and even Judas Priest in “Highway Run”. Dupont’s blues influences seem to stem from arena blues rock. It’s not a terrible place for blues inspiration as bands like Savoy Brown and Foghat have a fantastic back catalog. However, Downspirit’s blues-heavy tracks like “Life’s A Bitch” contrast so heavily with grungy tracks like “Point of Origin Pt. II”, I could mistake them as products of different bands.

The disparity in sounds is most apparent in the multiple-personality disorder track “Lovesong” with an opening harmonica and a bridge rapped by Lauth. This track could have been cut by Kid Rock. That’s not terrific. The track “Lost” is another wince-worthy track as it smacks of politics for dummies.

While Point of Origin is a patchwork quilt of styles, there are many good moments. Dupont is a capable guitarist and song writer. Downspirit haven’t split any atoms but they did produce some cool pyrotechnics. I hope future releases smooth the transitions among the various styles and produce a more consistent overall sound.

3.0/5