Cortez Cast Out “Thieves and Charlatans” Through Pure Rock Fury
Riding their own underground current, Cortez has consistently made a case for their own unmistakable identity. Born from the New England heavy music scene in the mid-2000s, the Boston five-piece plays rock with undeniable stoner and doom influences, yet each successive album has veered farther from conventions toward what I can only describe as the ideal form of rock’n’roll. The opening track of their new album Thieves and Charlatans, “Gimme Danger,” lays out what that sounds like — tight grooves crafted from warm, blustery guitars that fill up all the sonic space they can, with commanding vocals that can stop listeners in their tracks. It’s a sonic treat throughout — carefully cultivated drum tones keep in all the kit’s sharp edges while providing a punch, and the rest of the rhythm section drives each song toward their powerful conclusions.
Each track on Thieves and Charlatans is melodically compelling, with heavy riffs that seem to tell a new story every time even as they get heads nodding. There’s points on the record where the doom and stoner metal influences come into focus — the grooves get somber, and melancholy creeps in — but interestingly, they’re more of narrative downturns than arbitrary musical diversions. Cortez are out to tell stories on Thieves and Charlatans, and their dynamic, high-volume approach is a hell of a medium.
It doesn’t even take the full album for Cortez to lay out their case for hard rock sovereignty — but take the time to listen to the full album, which we’re premiering a day early here, and get your fill of full-throated American volume.
-Ted Nubel
