Chingalera

Since they released their debut, In the Shadow of the Black Palm Tree, earlier this year, L.A.’s Melvins-esque experi-metallists Chingalera weren’t necessarily due for another album so soon. But producer Sylvia Massy (Tool, System of a Down, Johnny Cash) flawlessly captures the band’s in-studio synergy, pinning down the mercurial nature of their sludge on their second release, Dose. After ten-minute opener "The Endless Bummer,” "You Were Happy When You Came in Here” drifts slowly for 16 minutes amid broken piano plinks and Hendrix-esque psych washes, erupting intermittently with tom-tom thumps, cymbal crashes and random shouts like Pink Floyd’s The Wall. "Eveler” straps on the band’s Melvins mojo, à la Stoner Witch, and singer/guitarist Dave Gibney’s able tenor wavers between Josh Homme and Beats the Hell Out of Me’s Mike Pistrui. "Fake Maria” counters with a Houdini-era groove, with Gibney settling into his best King Buzzo vocals. Sporting drummer Tom Holt’s taut snare, "Twenty Three” resembles Helmet covering Sabbath, but with Goatsnake’s Pete Stahl adding his signature vocals. Chingalera administer quite the Dose of their riveting doom rock for Melvins fans of yore.