Supernot - Phlegmatic Sun Reviews



Supernot : "Phlegmatic Sun"


Please note that Supernot songs were made available twice: the French Hard N' Heavy magazine (issue 67 - free sampler) and the Portuguese Riff magazine (issue 20 - free sampler) Also note that a half page special on Yperano Records can be found on the Terrorizer magazine (issue 88))




Terrorizer (issue 87, March '01)
"The great thing about the myriad labels and bands that constitute the Metal underground has always been that even the smallest musical minnows could have some sort of ‘career’. What happens though when underground bands and labels have mainstream ambitions? Canada’s Supernot sound as accomplished and well-produced as any mainstream Metal/Rock band in the vein of Alice In Chains, Helmet or Creed. The band are clearly ambitious and their newly formed British label, Yperano, has high hopes for them. But there’s an essential incongruity in a stadium rock band being circulated to a magazine such as Terrorizer. It’s not that ‘Phlegmatic Sun’ isn’t a good album, it’s just that all I can hear is the sound of gnashing teeth as a band that know they should be on MTV are forced to scrabble for attention in the small, small world of the underground. Supernot certainly deserve something, whether they will get it is another matter".




Mindview magazine:
My first observation here is that the vocals are sounding very Hetfield -like. You also hear a little (nineties) Metallica. Here and there you hear a grungy riff, while sometimes a psychedelic accent is lighting up. A bit of seventies rock with Kyuss influence (including a rumbling Black Sabbath Riff) that becomes stronger during the album, are the elements that make you see that these Canadians have an original sound (save for the Hetfield touch). They close the album with a good interpretation of The Doors "Break On Through"
GOLD



METAL INVADER MAGAZINE:
"Phlegmatic Sun"! Who had this great idea for an album title? Super•Not hail from Canada, a country that has spawned many great bands in the music scene. Super•Not just like some other Canadian bands have in the past, offer quality and a "personal" sound. They are a new band that continues this very difficult music tradition and this in a period of time when there are so many Metal releases on offer. So, in order to survive in the current climate they had to find the right balance; and so they did by balancing "tradition" with a sound that is fresh and "innovative". I have to say that they have managed to do that very well indeed. Even though one can tell that they are influenced by Metallica (their latest phase), they show great ability in presenting interesting songs, but still make the listener realise that they are a band that has their own identity. They will have to thank their producer Harry Hess (leader and producer of the A.O.R kings Harem Scarem), for their successfully sounding recordings (in Phase One studios in Toronto). He has preserved their personal sound and aggressiveness, which really suits the band nicely. One could say that the Super•Not sound is pure Heavy Metal with some influences by Kyuss and basically Metallica ("Load"), but with a huge and really important difference: they have very good compositions and overall quality in their songs; something that Metallica have not managed to achieve with their latest offerings. In case that I have made you wonder if Super•Not are a better band, I would say "yes", without the slightest hesitation. They are more "progressive", aggressive, and they have the fury and the appetite, remaining 100% Metal at the same time! From their truly excellent album my favoured songs have to be: "Acid Machine", "Sorrow's Eve", "Tables Turn" and "Phlegmatic Sun". Those along with 7 other songs, (including a great cover version of "Break On Through"), create a very interesting album that will surely be a very worthy addition to your record collection. Your money will be well spent for sure. A candidate for one the best 10 albums of this year!



Kerrang!
"…Gritty metal band… Rich and layered mix…. "Hate" is full of the sharp riffs and serrated aggression you'd expect from a song of this name, and "Tables Turn" has a hint of Alice In Chains in its warped melody - making. Like Metallica, but on a calories controlled diet..."


VIBRATIONS OF DOOM
I really enjoyed this little gem of a CD from a band and record label I have never heard of before in my life. Super Not are said to be a cross between Soundgarden and a few other types of bands, what I hear in the music is a very heavy alternative style of music that is more metal oriented than anything, the thrashy and catchy sections of many songs reminds me of another U.K. outfit from days ago known as Dearly Beheaded. The melody is there, evidenced on slow groove type numbers like 'Phlegmatic Sun,' which is very stoneresque and quite, well, heavy! 'Cyanide And Concrete' is a faster number that really gets to you, in fact many of their songs are a bit faster than you might expect, and those guitar riffs are quite crunchy and heavy but with an alternative slant. The vocalist really rages on a tune like 'Cyanide And Concrete,' but he does have a tendency to sound a bit twangy, which makes the semi ballad 'Sorrow's Eve' come off a bit TOO alternative sounding especially in the vocal department. Maybe the guy can't help the way he sings on more slower numbers, but believe me it doesn't detract much from the overall heavy vibes flowing through the disc. They do an unbelievable ripping version of The Doors' 'Break On Through To The Other Side,' and the extended version of the title track I thought a tad unnecessary, but the opening riffs come straight out of the slowest doom metal and are interesting for the first few spins. 'Hate,' though over 6 minutes in length, showcases some of their fiercest material, and for a band that's a tad bit difficult to pigeonhole exactly, they have made a rather interesting CD

Contact: Yperano Records, P.O. Box 17222 W12 8ZG, London, U.K.

Web site: http://www.yperano.com


Concrete Web
This new Canadian band brings us a new kind of Stoner metal. Their music combines elements from bands like King’s X, Black Sabbath, and Alice in chains with the stoner rock from Kyuss. This brings out a combination that is well worth listening to. These guys are really masters of their instruments. Their musicianship can’t be denied. They keep on rocking from the very first song till the last one. Stoner fans will love this slab. If you want to know more about these guys, watch out for the upcoming interview with them on Concrete Web. This is their first release and they choose Harry Hess, singer of Harem Scarem to produce it. Don’t be afraid, it doesn’t sound like Harem Scarem at all. Mr. Hess did nevertheless a great job in producing this magnific piece of musicianship. It’s really worth listening to, check it out if you dare.


DAREDEVIL MAGAZINE
Sometimes there are albums that need some runs to get to you. One of them is the debut album from Canadian SUPER•NOT. The style is definitely stoner rock, but with some grunge/alternative pieces mixed into it. The more I played it, the more it got to me that those guys create an immense subcutaneous tension and can write some damn good songs. Examples of the latter are Acid Machine, Cyanide & Concrete and the ballad Sorrow's Eve (with grooving acoustic guitars!). And those songs are all topped with great clean singing, including harmonies. SUPER•NOT has supplied us with a good album, that can't really be compared with anything else I've heard before. Definitely a band to reckon with in the future.


Kicks Belgian Metal radio show
Although we're not into Kyuss, Alice in Chains or Metallica, Supernot is only slightly influenced by those bands and they combine doom, thrash, heavy metal and alternative rock to an interesting style.
We especially appreciate songs like The Lesser of 2 Evils (nice guitar and vocal lines), And Now I Want (we like bands to experiment with electronics) and Hate (it even reminds us in the faster parts to Slayer).