Holden, Randy
Population Ii
First official reissue of 'Population II', the now legendary, extremely rare 1970 album by guitarist/vocalist Randy Holden and drummer/keyboardist Chris Lockheed, which is considered to be one of the earliest examples of doom metal. Though its original release was a very limited in number and distribution, like all great records, its impact over time has continued to grow. In 1969, Holden, fresh off his tenure with proto-metal pioneers Blue Cheer (appearing on one side of the 'New! Improved! Blue Cheer' album and touring for a solid year in the group), aimed for more control over his band. Thus, Randy Holden - Population II was born, the duo naming itself after the astronomical term for a particular star cluster with heavy metals present. The 6-song album delves into leaden sludge, lumbering doom and epic soaring riffs that sound free from all constraints of the era. It's incredibly heavy, but infused with a melodic, albeit mechanistic, sensibility.