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Viaje a 800

About:

Viaje a 800 was founded in the province of Cádiz. Like any local band from Andalusia the band struggled with the lack of a consistent indie scene and institutional aid. The band started out as trio making guitar orientated noise , playing versions of 713avo Amor, Vírgenes Adolescentes and Demonios tus Ojos. After a short break they regrouped as a quartet and a more serious intent. This time they adopted a repertoire inspired by Black Sabbath, Slo Burn and, above all, Kyuss. They recorded their first demo "Santa Águeda" (1998) and started touring the country frequently at a time when stoner rock was hardly known in Spain. During the shows they started to incorporate local musical elements like Flamenco melodies.

In 2000 recorded a spilt single with Argentine group Los Natas for the small label RecOrbital. It was followed by their first album "Diablo Roto dë…". Despite the poor demo-like production, it placed the band in a prominent position in the local rock landscape. Although the label did not have very good distribution network, the album was well received. But due to personal reasons the band was forced to pause their activities. It took four years to overcome the problems and to continue the work. They gave two concerts under the name of The Resin Shijates, playing versions of psychedelic rockband Monster Magnet's album "Spine of God" from 1992.

Viaje a 800 returned in 2006 with more versatile and intelligent sound lacing the doom rock of the first album with psychedelic atmospheres and a remake of the rock Andalusian, accompanied by surreal lyrics. On 'Estampida de Trombones' the band is reduced to a trio Andrés, from Brutal thin, on drums. The next period is a turbulent one. Various lineup changes, incompatibility with other work and few venues to play: the band goes on hiatus. Probably the critical point comes when the third album is completely rewritten and re-recorded after finishing the initial sessions. Against all odds of fans and critics, "Coñac Oxigenado" sees the light in 2011 and is announced as the swan song of Algeciras group. Throughout 2012 and 2013 they undertake a farewell tour that will put an end to the career of Viaje a 800, although its last members ( José Moreno -Poti-, José Ángel and Andrés) say they will stay involved in each others projects.

On the web:

- as to be expected the band has no website or facebook page

If you like this, you probably like... / european counterparts:

Opeth (Sweden)

What do we think:

DB: Majestic stoner rock from Spain. Whenever I play their albums to rockfans their reaction is always the same. At first the try to discard Viaje a 800 as just another stoner band doing Kyuss but then suddenly the registers of guitar violence erupt mixing flamenco, gypsy music, krautrock and more into a boiling and hot mix. Their songs always start off slow but build up like a volcano bursting out. Leaving the listener after 10 or 20 minutes in complete ahw of this much guitar craftmanship. Was Viaje a 800 a band from Palm Dessert scene around Josh Homme they would have been famous around the world. They're not and so they are one of Europe's best kept rock secrets.

Recommended albums:

♪♪♪ - Diablo Roto dë… - 2001

- Estampida de Trombones - 2007

♪♪♪♪♪ - Coñac Oxigenado - 2011

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♪♪♪♪♪= outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided