Release
date: September 13th
2019. Label: Self
Released.
Format: DD
Al-Mahruqa
– Tracklisting
1.
Majoun
2.
Farewell
3.
The Coldest Night
4.
Dying Light
5.
Al-Mahruqa
Members
François
Roze - guitar, vocals
Jason
Recoing - bass
Antoine
Ebel - drums, percussions
Review
Al-Mahruqa
is not like most Psych Rock/Stoner Rock albums. As Pelegrin play an
almost avant-garde style of Stoner Rock that fuses Middle Eastern
noises with progressive and cinematic Space Rock sounds. The album
takes many creative risks that a lot of people won’t like and
that’s a bold thing to do especially with your debut album.
Pelegrin are always thinking outside of the box and are always 5
steps ahead of the listener planning and preparing where to take this
spooky as hell album next.
The
album has it’s fair share of heavy Doom based moments but its’
the more relaxed and chilled out Psych Rock aspect that gives
Al-Mahruqa it’s deeply philosophical and addictive edge. The album
contains 5 songs and clocks in at 41 minutes of deeply engaging
Progressive grooves from start to finish.
Opening
song Majoun is a complex combination of Psych Rock, Stoner Rock,
Space Rock and Cosmic Doomed Out moments that shows Pelegrin’s deep
love affair for Middle Eastern sounds and textures flirts between
Mars Red Sky heavy psychedelia and heavy complex Drone/Doom vibes. It shouldn’t really work but Pelegrin soon put those early
fears to bed with a highly confident performance with stunning vocals
and riffs to match.
Second
song – Farewell – opens rather quietly and confidently with a
soothing Ambient/Semi Acoustic Psychedelic riff that has a cool
sounding groove to it. The band start adding a “less” subtle
gloomy based Stoner groove to the song. The song is quite reflective
and the vocals feel quite emotional and reflective in places.
Pelegrin change direction when they add a heavier and thunderous Doom
Rock sound to the song and it changes for the better with the
Psychedelic atmosphere holding everything together.
Third
song – Home Again – is a more heavier affair with the band
adapting a Post-Rock/Post-Doom style of music though it does take
time for those moments to appear. The song starts rather quietly
again before building up many different levels of sonic wizardry. The
song be quite claustrophobic in places but it’s the emotionally
charged lyrics and music that gives this song and Pelegrin their
undeniable creative power and hold over the audience. The heavy Psych
Rock moments of the song are some of the best parts of the entire
album. As the song instantly draws you in as Pelegrin play some epic
spaced out jams to immerse yourself with.
The
final two songs – Dying Light and Al-Mahruqa – offer the final 16
minutes of this album and the band carry on playing their hybrid
Psychedelic Spaced Out Stoner Rock style of music with a cool
sounding Middle Eastern sensibility that leaves you wanting more.
I
was kinda sad that the album finished. As I wanted to hear more from
this hugely talented band. Pelegrin undeniably have their own sound
and it’s quite a refreshing thing to hear over and over again. As
no doubt you will miss something the first time you listen to this
album. Multiple listens of this album is a must to fully understand
it all.
The
album sounds excellent throughout and it’s good to see band member
François recording and mixing the album himself. Though getting Wo
Fat legend KENT STUMP to master the album helps as well.
Overall,
Al-Mahruqa is a rich and deeply satisfying album that shows a band
that everyone needs to know about. This is Psychedelic Stoner Rock of
the highest order and one that dares to be bold and different to
stand out from the crowd.
Words
by Steve Howe
You can hear the epic new song Farewell from the upcoming new album.
Thanks
to Claire at Purple Sage PR for the promo. Al-Mahruqa
will be available to buy on DD
from
September
13th
2019.
Links:
