Key Players – Pete Stahl – vocals, harmonica. Greg Anderson – guitar. Stuart Dahlquist – bass. Greg Rogers – drums.
Overview – This is the second album released from LA based metal band. They formed in 1996 after the previous band “The Obsessed” disbanded. They have released 3 albums total and have taken one hiatus since their inception.
FDF Comments (aka “the songs”) – The 8 song 44 minute album opens with the title track “Flower of Disease”. The intro is all reverse loops of guitar/bass and drums. It then fires off with its deep swampy riffs. The track is a slo-burn with the music heavy but no real push vocally from Stahl. He has sort of a deep growl that fits the track perfectly. The harmonica solo is an interesting touch that surfaces a few times on the record. “Prayer for a Dying” continues in much of the same vein. The heavy churning guitar with Stahl pushing himself a little more with vocal range. We get the rare mouth hard (Chad Essig) at “Easy Greasy” rumbles along. There is a slight vocal effect giving it a “warble” sound but once the chorus comes around it has a more full effect. The guitars on this track are so on point with the right blend of chorus and fuzziness. When Stahl sings “Eassssssssssssaaaaaaaayy” you want to put down your whiskey and sign with him (trust me, you’ve been drinking whiskey). We get another big harmonica, this time at the intro as “El Coyote” builds. The band falls in to place behind the harmonica, a little plodding at times it is just so heavy that come the 1 minute mark it then starts to rumble forward. Folks if you are looking for stoner rock, I give you this. To me this has all the elements of that genre, and is just a killer track. From the rumble of the bass, to the fuzzy guitar solo, you get it all. “The Dealer” is much of the same, but that is a good thing. A little slower, but no less as heavy, than the last few tracks. On top of having one of the coolest song titles “A Truckload of Mamma’s Muffins” has such a massive guitar intro you can’t but move. It is impossible. The vocals are a bit more “soaring” too, this is a stand out track. “Live to Die” brings the harmonica back. Even run through a wah-wah pedal it plays second fiddle as the band just explodes around it. This is a quick in and out track (for the band at least) just over 3 minutes it the shortest track, proving the band can get it done as they see fit. Closing out the album is “The River”. A bit more of a slo-burn for them, but you still get what you came for.
FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - Yeah. It scratches every single itch you have. Do it.
The band is pretty inactive it seems on line (especially social media) but here goes.