The energy and recklessness of youth goes a long way in the world of rock, but there's something to be said about age and experience. For those who've been around the block a good number of times, the trick is to tap the former while drawing on the latter.

And that's pretty much what Scott “Wino” Weinrich (I'm not gonna name his past bands – if you're a frequent visitor to this site and still don't know who he is, then there's no hope for you) does on his first solo album. Wino's without a doubt one of the founding fathers of doom, so it's easy to assume that Punctuated Equilibrium would continue that thread. Instead, he starts things off with “Release Me,” which sounds as far removed from Wino's legacy as possible. In fact, parts of it are more reminiscent of Clutch. That bluesy rock approach drops in on “Smilin' Road,” a jaunty number that gives Wino ample time to solo while the rest of his band – drummer Jean Paul Gaster (Clutch, Bakerton Group) and bassist Jon Blank (Rezin) – lays down a solid groove.

But it's not all feel-good jams. The title track, “The Woman in the Orange Pants,” and “Gods, Frauds, Neo-Cons, and Demagogues” are fiercely heavy, with “Punctuated” exploding with a thrash-like intensity and the latter two drawing upon the progressive sound of his last group, the politically charged Hidden Hand. And for those wondering where the doom is, look no further than “Eyes of the Flesh” (and then jump to “Silver Lining”) These are as somber and downtrodden as any classic Vitus number.

While Punctuated Equilibrium does summarize Wino's musical legacy, it's still more than a culmination of “greatest hits.” He's pushing himself in new directions and to his credit, succeeds on all counts. It's been 25 years since The Obsessed's Sodden Jackal 7” was released, but Wino truly shows no sign of slowing down with Punctuated Equilibrium. Recommended, obviously.

Wino - Punctuated Equilibrium

Review by John Pegoraro (StonerRock.com)

Southern Lord Records

Release date: January 2009