Aligning Unstable Forces...

Dreamgrave - Monuments I. - The Anxious (2017)

Dreamgrave made quite an impression on me with their debut album, Presentiment, released back in 2014 (good grief, time flies), so I was thrilled to hear that the band had put together some new music, even if it required some line-up changes to get to that point.  This EP, the lengthily titled Monuments I. - The Anxious, is the first in a promised series of EPs exploring thematically-linked focuses, and with the first three songs in that series, the group has set their new members into place in ways that bring their new talents to the fore without sacrificing the band's established character.

The prog roots are still in place, and shown off quite thoroughly, but Dreamgrave steadily play about with incorporating other styles, ranging in tone from death metal brandishes to symphonic expansions.  The fusion of the musical styles is matched by a wide spread of instrumental elements, with guitars (acoustic and electric), assorted other strings, flexible percussion, subtle atmospherics, and an impressive array of vocal approaches all coming together in service of the songs.   There's more, of course, but it would take quite a few sessions with the EP to pin them all down with certainty.  And while I wouldn't say that the band's emotional presentation has matured, since that would be undercutting the professionalism with which they conducted themselves on their first album, it does feel like they've widened the range of what they're sharing with their listeners, with more room for reflection.  It's an EP that feels much deeper than its three-song duration would suggest, and personally, I can't wait to hear what more they have in store for us.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Änglagård, Artension, Indonesia (Russia), Opeth, 3^rd Ear Experience

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Dreamgrave - Monuments (320 kbps)

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Stellar Strolls And Stompdowns...

Mother Mars - On Lunar Highlands (2017)

Like the rest of Pepper Shaker Records' line-up, we're big fans of Mother Mars here at The Burning Beard, even if their Australian location does preclude us from catching them live.  So it was a jolt and a thrill to hear that the heavy psych group has another album coming up, and we jumped at the chance to give it an early listen.  And while it's been a couple of years since their last full release, the very fine Black Coffee and Good Advice EP (and four years since their last album, Steam Machine Museum), there's no rust to be heard in the quartet's jammy performance as they launch right into a groovy roller with “Wrecker's Reunion Ball”, getting down and turning it out.

And as they ride on, Mother Mars show that they've been brewing up plenty of new tastes for their fans, while staying true to the fuzzy funkiness and bluesy bent (not to mention a strong shot of spaciness) that makes their heaviness so damn enjoyable. Whether cruising along on a steady riff or blowing it up into expanding madness, the band keeps a through-line of deep-toned rock going, balanced with enough exotic elements to help them stand out even more from similar acts. There's chill material, fiery stuff, goofy fun, and serious rock. Whether you're new to the band or a long-time listener, you're gonna have a good time with this album. Don't miss it, you hear?

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Crown Larks, Frozen Planet....1969, JPT Scare Band, Mondo Drag, Weedeater

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Mother Mars - Soap Bar Pick-Up Joint (320 kbps)

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Ruptures, Spires, And Sky...

Jupiterian - Terraforming (2017)

Jupiterian made quite an impression on us back in 2015 with their first LP, Aphotic, so it's with great delight that I dug into this, their latest album, and found their doom just as potent as before, but with an even more expansive scope to the music and production.   The songs sound big, and not just because most of them are about seven minutes long; resonance, timbre, and reverb combine to rattle your teeth while still coming out of your speakers with deceptive smoothness, while the riffs and roamings come down with all the force of mausoleum doors into rain-soaked earth.

Little touches here and there, like the ringing of distant bells or crashes of muffled thunder, help build a more powerful atmosphere, and give a sense of the band trying to make the album a full experience, something more than just a series of songs.  There's enough fury behind the vocals and lead shreddings to suggest black, death, or sludge influence, but doom pretty handily holds sway over all of it.  From the forceful rhythms to the seeping anguish, Terraforming shows the band with incredible command over their material, high skill at building moods, and a way with building understated melodies that can rear up and swallow you whole.  Goddamn good stuff, don't miss out on this if doom is a musical flavor you even slightly enjoy.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Bell Witch, Goya, Heavydeath, Ksyatriya, Nelly Olsen

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Jupiterian - Forefathers (320 kbps)

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Tracking Live Eruptions...

Acid Elephant - Solar Caravan (2017)

It's been a while since we've checked in on Acid Elephant, but in the years since their last studio album, Star Collider, they've continued outputting live material at a fairly steady rate. Solar Caravan is the latest recording to capture the group in their live setting, and over the course of its three tracks, they show that they've been hard at work growing their heavy psych power. Massive riffs, rumbling bass, crashing drums, tight grooves, and enough distortion to make your head swim; they've got them all, with the grit and grime to tar your speakers into suitable earthiness. While all the songs are great, the show-stealer is undoubtedly “Radien”, a ~22-minute burner that smokes its way through a few dozen turns in structure, developing a sinister but still psychedelic haze of resonance and tone. As one big EP, it's a fun trip, and Acid Elephant's continued workshopping of their material should keep fans eager for the next full studio effort to arrive.

~ Gabriel

For Fans Of; Bitchcraft, Merlin, Mondo Drag, Salem's Pot, Tons

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Acid Elephant - Hope (320 kbps)

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