Ole English by Ole English

"Follow me children of the sonic cloth to the riff filled land of Ole English. A land where riffs are richly cultivated and expertly calibrated against a thunderous low-end for the ultimate pleasure of you the listener. Give but a moment to go and press play and "you will remember this day..." " - Jamey Morris (Fistful of DOOM)


"When it comes to subverting expectations, Ole English have got it down to a fine art. Even the very name – conjuring images of bards and paladins – clashes against the band’s hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana, and the jigsaw-type lore they build their songs on. It’s with affection that they term their fuzzy, whiskey-soaked brand as ‘Warlock rock’, and the five songs on this self-titled jaunt are as composed as they are well-composed.

Each song brings the medieval to the modern age: the journeyman vibes of opener “Paladin” fit right in with the ride-until-you-die ethos of Kyuss et al; “Old Man” showcases Nick Harvey’s belting vocals in a heartfelt number not unlike Soundgarden’s repertoire; “Holy Roller” is a nod to the 70s vintage rock plied by Uncle Acid, Graveyard and the like. Plenty more influences come to the fore, from The Sword to Kingston Wall, but the ultimate takeaway from Ole English is a damn good night of rocking fun with 40oz’s, a bit of herb and story-telling that delves into all kinds of strange matter.

Such a strong early release out the gate will cement Ole English’s place in their hometown’s playlist for 2019, and the band already have their sights set on the road after a set of successful runs through the US – there are plenty more places in need of an Ole English
Black Mass." - https://kickassforever.com/ole-english-to-release-self-titled-album-ole-english-on-august-23-2019-via-bandcamp/?fbclid=IwAR2nFrb3VnbSXcKuDmY4lQY_4jfj8JL8J7AbAQTPueB5ItXwU3lxb3q-rts


" "Hooks... write them and they will come" could well be the thinking behind the first track to be presented on "Ole English" for here is a song with more "hooks" than a high school cloakroom, curly little guitar licks tagged on to the end of crunching riffs that immediately grab your attention and pull you further into the songs raucous groove and when you ally those hooks with the strong throaty vocals and pulsating rhythms that they decorate well who could blame you for sticking around. "Old Man" is the next track to raise its head and what a wonderfully gnarly head it is full of chugging metallic swagger and bluesy bluster and blessed with a clean powerful voice. "Heel" follows and has a groove pitched at the punkier end of the stoner rock spectrum both vocally and musically, however its not long before Ole English's blues rock credentials begin to show and the band close the song with a high energy stonerized heavy blues jam. Those blues credentials surface again on "Visions of Ghana" a song built around a "Dazed and Confused" type bass line that, much like the Led Zeppelin song, builds and builds until it takes on a life all of its own and morphs into something completely different from what it started out as, in this case a heavily atmospheric doomic tome. "Holy Roller" closes out "Ole English" with a gritty rocker driven by booming bass and tight, solid percussion around which a mixture of crunching refrains and soaring off kilter solos are lavishly delivered, however that is not the whole story as things take an unexpected turn mid -song, the band taking things to a close on a plodding low slow doomic groove decorated in guitar textures that would not sound out of place gracing a 1960's spaghetti western.

"Ole English" is a great album but one that is slightly schizophrenic, an album where listeners are bombarded with grooves that run the whole gamut of underground rock, one minute you are nodding along to a Sasquatch type proto-metallic groove the next your being blitzed by some heavy blues with stoner doomic undertones, this however is not a criticism but a testimony to the diversity on display here, Ole English do not push boundaries they smash them to pieces." - https://stonerking1.blogspot.com/2019/09/ole-english-ole-english-review.html?fbclid=IwAR2r4Ov4Fvdv0rnT6NeSswAlEB8SzTwLv3R3CYiOsMx6Uz3iI4Mou27f-Kc


"26 minutes of throbbing, pulsating stoner rock from Lafayette, Louisiana. This is right up there with the usual balls out rock that you’d expect from a band that soaks up the best of the 70s vintage rock and desert rock. It powers from start to finish, kicks your ass and then heads off down the high street whistling. Ferocious riffage, thundering bass and drumming and the gravel-soaked vocals that all good stoner bands possess. Definitely one for summer driving and whiskey drinking." - https://musipediaofmetal.blogspot.com/2019/07/reviews-bokassa-black-sheep-lone-gunmen.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR3SjxahqWol6-LUnURfZ37khFyuN_eigSJLXxQRZLIKS6KTzMdh_0pIuXE


"The riff that introduces Ole English on Paladin is *chef kisses* and when the rest of the instruments kick in, it just gets better. An absolute ass-shaker of groove, this is a hell of a rocking start. Louisiana’s answer to the UK‘s Black Spiders, Ole English make a booze-soaked splash here.

Old Man follows that with an hell of a foot-tapping beat before getting really down and dirty with the guitars. Sleazier and sleazier, it’s exciting and sexy. Heel keeps the good times trucking along with even more upbeat groove and a wild guitar solo at the end. Then Visions of Ghana decides enough of that, have some dirty stoner/sludge instead.

It’s a little different from what we’ve heard before but might be the best track on the album as the riffs move like a glacier and the vocals are on top form. Amazing.

Holy Roller would have to be utter tripe for this EP to score anything below 9/10 and unsurprisingly, it’s not utter tripe. In fact it is, once again, an absolute belter." - https://www.gbhbl.com/ep-review-ole-english-ole-english-self-released/?fbclid=IwAR20Zo-lMWqSJ58zCw1x67PG49cr2w1iO5J8G8VQSarvQH0y5dBGSxJvVtk


"Hailing from Lafayette, Louisiana, the oncoming storm of OLE ENGLISH is about to hit big time. Their first release will be in stores and online starting on the 23rd of August and they have been having a string of shows to promote their new songs. This is only a 5 song EP but it packs a punch. Unfortunately, it’s like a girl that teases you but doesn’t show everything, it leaves you wanting more…and more.

This band dives into various styles of music, you have 70’s rock mixed in with Blues Rock but you also have those Stoner elements thrown in for good measure. This album definitely goes sideways, up and down and all around. They have an eclectic sound and some very good production. They can be down and dirty and slow and methodical while also having some toe-tapping beats.

This band reminds of the now-defunct GYPSYHAWK. Blues Rock with attitude and the Stoner Metal elements from bands like SLEEP amongst others. The song ‘’Visions of Ghana’’ is my favorite of the album nonetheless. This dives deep in the Sludge Metal and you really get this Stoner vibe throughout. A lot of the earlier Louisiana bands were the definite precursor of the genre like EYEHATEGOD and also CROWBAR. So it’s no coincidence that OLE ENGLISH got some influences form their compatriots.

Most of the instruments are heavily distorted and down-tuned, it goes back to the essence of the genre. Like I said beforehand, this reminds me also of the 70’s rock scene, unbridled energy and complicated riffs. They incorporate the different genres seamlessly and that shows a maturity beyond their years. You got some more slow-paced songs but some songs are groovy as hell. It’s a nice combination and these songs are quite original and it really spawned a great EP.
The band has a lot of promise!" - http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/o_2/ole-english-ole.htm?fbclid=IwAR0RDm95Hb8jZq-RMyVB4VfW2M_Xf3SRPAsdOsYVPpAV67LWPJIN6UjwN_I


"Ole. As in ‘olde’, not the battle cry of a matador. But you can forgive this four piece from Lafayette, Louisiana their possible spelling error because they have gifted us a quite fabulous debut release, chock full of riffs, groove (these words may reappear with some regularity) and attitude.

Ole English describe their sound as ‘Warlock Rock’. So, let’s pick this apart and see what that entails. Well, riffs mostly (see, there’s that word again already), and big guitars, a fair dash of distortion and a wild, woolly, freewheeling blast of rock ‘n roll spirit. Lead track ‘Paladin’ (see above) gets straight down to business – a nicely distorted metallic riff introduces singer Nick Harvey’s raw, greasy, whisky soaked bellow. There is rich interplay in this slab of biker rock, shot through with veins of Soundgarden. Before you know it, it’s time to head out on the highway and it’s gone, in a plume of dust.

And on it goes. ‘Old Man’ references Soundgarden again. But it’s less measured, more abandoned. Guitars twist and turn and push ever onwards like an advancing army. It’s bluesy metal, shifting into an even bluesier groove (there’s that other word). it melds into a very impressive (and heavy) jam. ‘Heel’, meanwhile, is a snarling stray dog of a thing – a full throttle punk barrage, weighted with an almost hardcore aggression.

And then we start to stretch out, open up, head into territories uncharted. ‘Visions Of Ghana’ starts with a bass intro so ambient that you can hear fingers moving slowly over the fretboard. It begins to get Sabbathy – languid, liquid, dripping with menace. It becomes increasingly Sabbathy – ‘black masses’ are mentioned, as is ‘bloody murder’. it drones along crushingly, eventually slowing to an arterial crawl, nodding out to an oozing jam.

Holy Roller jams too, but with more groove and urgency. The bands two-fisted, flare-wearing attack redolent of Chicago Doomsters Trouble (remember them?) – tres 70’s, but with added millennial heaviosity. It, again, drops out into an enveloping bass moment before the guitars ease back, in a spidery, Rob Kreiger style before heading out into the ether for a seriously trippy, sludgy jam (jam, another oft used word here) – everyone going hell for leather…but slowly.

And that’s it, 5 relatively short but very sweet tracks. On the basis of what’s on offer here, Ole English are definitely a name to look out for. This is an album that starts out pretty damn good and just keeps getting better. Recommended and then some." - https://www.themidlandsrocks.com/ole-english-ole-english/?fbclid=IwAR3gK6uqp-Or3bpAvFseT9EcvYUY6xzWe8t3fPRBnqsMuuvb4OYKJRf0mOA


"Names are just smoke and mirrors, thought a quartet from Lafayette, Louisiana, and called themselves Ole English . Expectations are thus reduced to absurdity right from the start, and that continues in the men's sound. They call it 'Warlock Rock' - actually Hard Rock with a 70s character, accompanied by the rampant stoner sounds of the brand The Sword . The gallop is also called "Ole English" and is self-distributed via Bandcamp.

26 entertaining minutes lead through this record. Occasionally, Ole English lapse into the sprint. Her "heel" turns out to be a real powerhouse with a tremendous grower factor. Mighty guitar walls and aggressive up-tempo production are suddenly interrupted by a decelerated jam middle section - sounds strange, but works just as well as the gallop “Paladin”. Here, too, the Americans rely on pure riff violence with somewhat clumsy undertones and repeated use of cruise control in between.

Those who liked these more leisurely passages will love the two mini epics at the end. “Visions Of Ghana” lives from unfiltered heavyness, stamps angrily and quickly falls into slow motion. Angry screams, tangible passion in the vocals and a lot of feeling in the finish grab hold of it. “Holy Roller” would even have what it takes to be a sprinter, before a sudden break completely slows down and flirts with psychedelic realms. "Old Man" suggests the same, only to be overwhelmed by thick riffs or subtle solos at the right moment.

“Ole English” thrives on dynamism and the pointed element of surprise. In fact, the US band of the same name feels right at home in the 70s, but also takes somewhat more modern desert elements with them on their journey. Between gripping riffs and sweeping jams, which even squint towards psychedelic and doom rock, the result is a highly entertaining debut. Whether or not Ole English remains - at least for the time being - a local giant, these five songs definitely deserve our full attention." - http://www.demonic-nights.at/2019/08/ole-english-dto/?fbclid=IwAR02lrJfOPy3kMHthsjFjnwq4b3_dAxK16IEPk0O-aSq2c7KPM9nmoN6LSo m


"From deep in their swampy humid home of Lafayette, Louisiana come OLE ENGLISH, a band looking to carve a niche in the well trodden ground of stoner rock. With this, their self titled debut, they’ve created a distinctive album with a lot of promise bubbling under the surface. Fuzz drenched riffs, bourbon soaked vocals and blistering guitar solos are the order of the day and there are hints in the more expansive tracks that suggest the band have true potential to expand beyond genre limitations.

Opener Paladin is an absolute stormer of a track. With thick, memorable riffs reminiscent of KYUSS and QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE at their grooviest and DOWN at their catchiest, it’s easy to see why this was chosen as the single. A track that demands a boogie as well as a head bang, this is a perfect introduction to the band and the album.

Old Man is slightly more subdued, the pace a little slower with the vocals, drenched in reverb, having an almost psychedelic feel. Indeed, in some parts vocalist Nicky Harvey almost recalls Down On The Upside era CHRIS CORNELL in the way his higher notes soar above the music. The guitar licks are glorious too – thick and treacly, laced with distortion and instantly commanding attention, they’re a call for fans to dust off their air guitars and join in. Heel, the shortest track here, is a balls to the wall rocker, in parts recalling MOTÖRHEAD in it’s driving, dirty rock n roll intensity. However, despite It’s fun approach it remains the weakest link here, a little too throwaway in nature and sadly quite forgettable..

On Visions Of Ghana, the band explore their free-flowing jamming abilities, as the track unfolds into a slow bluesy groove that could only have been born in the deep south. It’s impossible to not be drawn into the claustrophobic, sweaty atmosphere of the track as Harvey’s vocals once again reverberate all around, bolstered by dirty riffs and soaring guitar leads. Closer Holy Roller ends the album in style. Vocalist Harvey is back in psychedelic mode, recalling late 70’s metal as once again the listener is adorned with some wondrous solos. The track also takes a little detour half way through, slowing to a snail’s pace as a humming bass line is complemented with some Eastern flavoured guitar noodling. It’s this track, along with the aforementioned Visions of Ghana where the band truly excel, following a more progressive route in their sound and showcasing their musical talents.

On the evidence here OLE ENGLISH are certainly a band who can jam. Their playing sounds seamlessly interlocked throughout, indeed they sound like seasoned pros. However, it is unclear which musical direction they favour at present and it would serve them well on future releases to choose a clearer path and let their true potential shine." - https://distortedsoundmag.com/ep-review-ole-english-ole-english/?fbclid=IwAR007gMxMzHkzsNa9ZwgAlUX-6K2PX8Ebb_VFlYHEEWONPskLHOw-jK_y6w


"Louisiana is experiencing a renaissance of sorts in the heavy underground – especially as it concerns doom metal and stoner rock bands. Whether we’re talking sensational acts like Forming The Void, Space Metal, White Light Cemetery, or WOORMS, the Bayou State is busily birthing its next generation Crowbars, Eyehategods, Thous, and Acid Baths. Before us is another impressive newcomer to the scene: OLE ENGLISH, a rambunctious four-member crew nestled deep within Cajun country.

“Paladin” opens the album with gusto, as the knight trots on his horse for on some mission of conquest. It’s a spirited, up-tempo romp. “Old Man” follows and is more evenly paced, even bluesy. Whoever this elderly dude is, he’s got swagger. “Heel” is another stomper, with Nick Harvey’s vocals falling into the tradition of Sasquatch and Orange Goblin. “Visions of Ghana” is the proto-doom song of the album, if its length is any indication. Don’t let the pace fool you though; in its own way, it is one of the most urgent numbers of the EP.

The record spins to its end with “Holy Roller,” an off-kilter, slightly mad tune that touches on the desperation that leads people into extreme acts of religious devotion. I pick up a Roky Erickson and the Aliens vibe here and I couldn’t help thinking this would also make a good companion to Soundgarden’s “Holy Water.” " - https://doomedandstoned.com/post/187165856698/oleenglish?fbclid=IwAR3U67kA-5j6DCTGtqN3_6fLMDxvovXdagljwzSihp82t-nDCr-NMoXvCfM


"Ole English, the self titled debut from Louisiana based stoner metal band of the same name is a hark back to the classic 90s stoner rock we all know and love with clear and prominent influences from bands such as Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age and Corrosion of Conformity abundant throughout the album. The influences of their home state are also clear with sustained, distorted guitar solos and slow blues driven riffs similar to Down’s earlier albums.

Whilst there is a clear influence and inspiration from the bands mentioned above Ole English have successfully and elegantly separated themselves from the general noise that is the stoner metal revival. This is all due to the instrumentation, Nick Harvey’s unique vocal style and general aesthetic of the release along with its renaissance style album artwork that helps establish the album concept and the journey of the character throughout each track.

‘Paladin’ is a solid opener to the album with its panned rhythm guitar intro similar to Kyuss’ ‘Green Machine’ and tempo to match. Indeed, the whole track is a powerful and unforgiving monolith which sets the pace for the rest of the album. ‘Visions of Ghana’ is the stand out here, not only because of it’s vocal delivery but also it’s psychedelic nature bringing to mind how an Electric Wizard/Conan split would possibly sound, complete with it’s fuzzed out repetitive bass and sluggish drumming akin to a young Mark Greening.

Overall, Ole English present themselves as a unique but nostalgia filled band that have created a very strong and impressive debut album that is fully worth the time of any stoner rock fan and bodes well for their future releases." - https://astralnoizeuk.com/2019/08/23/review-ole-english-ole-english/?fbclid=IwAR3j79Q4fh0qy5hVEj6nX0zSBz5aCexckrDXT0217Fhn89ddYLwQncK8jDA

"If I were writing this review, uh, let’s say, forty years ago, I’d write that Ole English are a great heavy rock band with strong influences of Black Sabbath, Mountain, Ten Years After, a bit of Led Zeppelin and others that made the heavy blues turn into heavy rock and then Heavy Metal. But times change so do labels. Now the term is stoner rock or stoner Metal. Okay, let’s agree that Stoner Metal is a kind of heavy rock with modern influences most likely grunge and Old School Heavy Metal. Well, there are some slight traces of those in Ole English self-titled debut album. On the other hand, if one pays close attention to 1970s bands that played heavy rock, it’s possible to find some touches of what would be called Heavy Metal. In fact, shoegazed songs with lots of distortion and acid vocals are not that new.

Ok, then, let’s talk about Ole English self-titled album, shall we? There are five tracks in “Ole English” that catch flawlessly the spirit of the time they are inspired in. Technically, Ole English emulated perfectly the music it was done back then using guitar phrased riffing based on pentatonic scales. “Ole English” kicks off with “Paladin” which turns to be a great invitation card to the album due to its middle tempo cadence and interesting guitar phrasing and drum pounding with some inspired moments as the mood the guitar solo creates during the final second minute. “Ole English” has two peculiar and distinguished moments which are the middle tempo cadence songs as “Paladin,” “Old Man,” and “Heel” this one a bit faster, to slow down completely in songs as “Holy Roller,” which is instrumental, and “Visions of Ghana,” not coincidentally the ones with more than six minutes and a strong blues accent. Some may call them Doom if it is to use the modern term, but I’d rather stay with heavy blues due to the technique used which is strongly inspired on the blues.

I am very suspicious to say about Ole English since I like very much and miss this kind of music. I love the sound of fuzzy guitars and prominent basses following themes as Ole English do here. If you want my opinion, it is a great album. If you don’t, well, go listen to Rihana… hahahahaha" - https://metaladdicts.com/ole-english-ole-english/?fbclid=IwAR3S6z5ic3_pnP2qi62_SB-1svjgtfYjRgBsxi41VMeeFYeIvLt6QvcPIEg


"Despite the name that might suggest a British group, Ole English are instead a quartet from Louisiana. Their eponymous debut ep is composed of five tracks, for a total duration of about twenty-six minutes. In their music there is indeed a decidedly American sound, which welcomes different influences, mixed with sounds with a vintage flavor. In this sense, "Paladin" is really an excellent opener, where strong stoner elements are combined with typically seventies vibrations. More or less in the same vein is the following "Old Man", where however influences can also be seen from Soundgarden, while "Heel" is a very fast track, full of groove and with a beautiful solo that tastes a lot of psychedelic. Something psychedelic also emerges in ""-https://www.allaroundmetal.com/component/content/article/26-releases/6450-uno-stile-particolare-e-dal-sapore-vintage-in-questo-bell-ep-d-esordio-degli-americani-ole-english?fbclid=IwAR3pk8wz1-9U77IaapfA88J1HBAdnHXWLlSJ1K9TuWJpINVGydAOqWJNsdc

Bowing before an alter of lore, doom-laden riffs and malevolent presence, the Lafayette, Louisiana Warlock Rock outfit Ole English seeks to keep Black Masses a tradition. Preserving the lineage forged by dynasties such as Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Melvins, The Sword and YOB, the four-piece crusade in establishing themselves throughout the land of the riffian.

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