image courtesy of Kristian Montgomery & the Winterkill Band

Album Review of Kristian Montgomery & the Winterkill Band: A Heaven for Heretics

How this album didn’t rake in a bucketload of local and regional music awards – or even some major nominations – I’ll never know. Granted, Kristian Montgomery & the Winterkill Band release new albums so quickly it’s hard to keep up, but still, this is another gem from one of the most dependably consistent, best recording artists in New England. And Kristian and band are prolific artists, at that, constantly cranking out incredible new sounds.

Kristian’s musical style is bluesy roots rock with sneakily nuanced songwriting, hooks (both conventional and unconventional), a subtly country-rock flavor, and a punk rock attitude. If I had to categorize A Heaven for Heretics in just a few words, I’d call it rockin’ swamp-blues boogie. There’s this eerie, otherworldly production value that makes me picture a rock band on an outcropping of land in the middle of a bayou, with moss hanging creepily over the twisted limbs of the surrounding trees. And if you listen to this disc, don’t you dare tell me you can’t picture that image, too.

“I’ll Break Your Heart Again” opens the album with an off-kilter twang, with a heavy beat, a seemingly storytelling dancing guitar line, and well-placed pauses that raise the tension as the song embodies the emotion of slow-paced, inevitable frustration. It’s followed by “Come Carry Weight With Me,” a song with a slightly melancholy but mostly resigned rhythmic to-and-fro that’s nearly as hypnotic as its oft-repeated earworm guitar riff.

The mood picks up quickly with the energetic rockabilly beat of “Times Like These” that, before you know it, will result in an unavoidable fit of air drumming. “Here’s to the Men Who Have It All and Still Want More” is a swampy dirge with surprisingly subtle guitar elements that are almost progressive in nature, though they’re easy to miss if you’re not listening with headphones on. With or without that extra-cool detail, though, the song is deep and blue.

“Ain’t Got Nobody But Me” continues the album’s mood but with more playful vocal and guitar stylings and some deep, sometimes clever lyrics.

“The Year the Bottom Fell Out” is a rawly heartfelt, wailing, slow blues-rock number that’s delivered as a first-person autobiography, one of those songs in which the lyrics speak volumes yet still the sadly expressive guitar sings as impactfully as the voice.

“Family Owned” is a raucously hillbilly mid-tempo roots-rocker that’ll beat you into submission with the incessant momentum of its rhythmic beat. It’s followed by “Secret Watering Hole,” a mellower, jangly-rockin’ song that doubles down on that whole swampy blues sound.

“If I Live to See Virginia” opens with a bit of jazzy blues flavor, sporting a more playfully non-linear drumline, bluesy rock vocals, and buzzy guitar. It’s a cool, moderately different sound than the rest of the disc, though it’s still a cohesive part of the same musical collection. With some syncopation and experimentation, this song is a reminder of the breadth of musical talent Kristian and band have, a hint that their musical repertoire could expand significantly, if necessary, just to keep things interesting.

The disc closes with what’s recently been my favorite song on this disc, the energetic, blues-rockin’, playful “Peach.” No, it’s not a song about a fruit, and yeah, it’s a lot of fun!

Honestly, I am never disappointed by Kristian Montgomery & the Winterkill Band. If Kristian and his band aren’t on your radar, you need new radar.

Since This Release

A Heaven for Heretics, which dropped in January 2022, isn’t the most recent album from Kristian Montgomery & the Winterkill Band. The band’s new album is Lower County Outlaw. Watch for that album to be reviewed in the blog, too – probably by Blog contributor Eric Harabadian. But there’s no way the Geoff Wilbur’s Music Blog virtual, metaphorical writer’s room was going to skip forward to a Lower County Outlaw review before first voicing a “must-hear” declaration for A Heaven for Heretics.

Looking Ahead

I see no upcoming shows listed on the “Events” tab of the band’s Facebook page, but keep an eye out there for future live performances.