Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age - Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age (1997)^{Release ID: 29010}

It’s funny that I’d never bothered to give this little EP a go until now. I think much of the reason behind that stems from the idea of this release. I was a fan of Kyuss’ last three albums & the first few Queens Of The Age records but a short collection of odds & sods that didn’t make the cut doesn’t really sound all that appealing to me. However the extremely positive feedback I’ve read regarding its quality has enticed me to give it a shot at last. The six track EP (featuring three songs from each artist) was released in 1997 which was two years after Kyuss had split. Former Kyuss guitarist Josh Homme had formed a new band called Gamma Ray in 1996 but was later forced to change the name to Queens Of The Stone Age after threats of legal action from the German power metal band Gamma Ray. Some of that early Gamma Ray material has surfaced here.

The Kyuss material sounds very much like it was recorded during a single session. It features a similar bass-heavy production to their last album “...And The Circus Leaves Town” so it’s highly likely that these songs were recorded during those sessions. The EP opens with Kyuss’ version of Black Sabbath’s heavy metal classic “Into The Void” which Kyuss released as a single in 1996. The first three minutes are pretty faithful to the original but the major point of difference is that Kyuss have taken a completely different approach to the fast section in the middle. They’ve chosen to make it a more stripped back & casual affair with the drums being replaced by bongos. It develops into a cool little three minute jam session before things stop quite suddenly & return to the original format. The vocals are not as effective as Ozzy Osbourne’s or John Garcia’s usual style in my opinion. “Fatso Forgotso” was originally a B-side on the Into The Void” 7”. It’s a long, groovy stoner metal outing & Garcia’s vocals suit it much better than the cover version. The fuzzed out guitars are very appropriate for the style of the riffs. There’s again a changeup in the middle & another extended jam section which reminds me very much of 70’s fusion. The final Kyuss inclusion "Fatso Forgotso Phase II (Flip the Phase)" was originally included on the “One Inch Man” single from 1995 under the title of “Flip The Phase”. It’s a shorter, more up-tempo number that rocks fairly hard & again utilizes the fuzzed out guitars quite well.

The Queens Of The Stone Age material sounds very different to Kyuss. It’s in much more of an alternative rock style which is not surprising as the band have always leant further in that direction. The first two tracks were originally released as a Gamma Ray 7” single. “If Only Everything” & “Born To Hula” are both simple rock songs that lean heavily on Josh’s catchy vocal lines in contrast to the more riff-based medium that Kyuss prefer. Both songs are reasonably memorable. “If Only Everything” is in fact an early version of “If Only” which ended up on the debut QOTSA album. The final track on the EP is an instrumental piece entitled “Spiders & Vinegaroons”. The first four minutes feature some very atmospheric & trance-inducing psychedelic material which I consider to be the high point of the whole EP however things take a drastic turn after that with the introduction of some harsh electronic breakbeats that would sound more at home on an Aphex Twin record than a QOTSA one. It’s a weird way to finish the track & I can’t help but think that it was a bit of a waste after the first four minutes were so effective.

The EP was interesting as a whole however I find it hard to pick out any standout tracks. It’s very consistent & I genuinely get some enjoyment out of every song but it’s definitely lacking a couple of highlights. None of the six songs were good enough to make it onto their bands respective full-lengths (at least not in the format they appear here) & I think that says a little bit about their overall quality. I can’t say this is essential listening for fans of either band but there is definitely some merit for those willing to take the plunge. Both Kyuss & QOTSA are class acts & it seems that even the stray recordings they have lying around are of a very decent quality.