Release Date: March 24th 2023. Record Label: Blues Funeral Recordings. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Beyond Vision:Tracklisting
1.One Light Second Away
2.Mind's Eye
3.90 Seconds
4.Electro Magnetic
5.Destination Psych
6.Beyond Vision
7.Color Trails
Members
Lori S. - guitars and vocals
Jason Landrian - guitars
Bryce Shelton - bass and synthesizers
Jason Willer - drums
Review
Beyond Vision will perhaps be the “comeback album” of 2023. As it sees Doom/Stoner Metal Legends Acid King return in spectacular fashion with their first album in eight years since 2015’s Middle Of Nowhere, Center of Everywhere. Lori S returns with a completely new line-up here and it’s changed the dynamic style of Acid King’s DNA and overall sound. This album is completely different from what has come before it but ultimately remains an Acid King record which contains their classic sound.
The album is powered by Spaced Out and Ambient Driven Psychedelic Sounds that have a modern Doom/Stoner Metal presence around them. This album feels like a real team effort with Lori S, Jason Landrian, Bryce Shelton and Jason Willer bringing their own unique creative talents to the album especially with the Trippy and Psychedelic moments heard throughout the album.
Opening song One Light Second Away is an Instrumental Song where Acid King fuses Psychedelic Soundscapes and classic Doom/Stoner Metal grooves that have a slight Progressive flair to them. The song is cautiously slow but once Acid King lays down the groundwork for their atmospheric vision, the whole album takes off in an unexpected way. You can hear traces of Post-Rock and Post-Doom vibes heard in the background. The haunting synth changes to a more confident rhythm when that classic ACID KING sound appears and fully takes over with bone-crunching guitars leading the charge.
Second song Mind’s Eye opens with another finely Ambient driven groove before a muscular DOOMED out guitar soon allows Lori S sublime vocals to make an appearance. The atmosphere can only be described as ELECTRIC when the classic Desert/Stoner Metal style of music appears but still being classed as SPACED OUT ROCK. The instrumental work is impressive with an array of heavy stylish guitars and adventurous Rhythm Section. The music can be quite FUZZY and even AMPLIFIER DISTORTION in places but everything builds up for an exciting SONIC based adventure.
Third song 90 Seconds opts for a more stripped back approach with a FUZZY and SEEDY sound that allows Acid King to play a more BASS HEAVY and multi-layered sound. The band added different levels of REVERB and GUITAR Feedback before Lori S vocals takes a more commanding role. The lyrics and message of the song are WEEDIAN throughout but perhaps injected with that new found PSYCHEDELIA outlook the band have brought on board for this album. The music is impressive as ever with punishing guitars and down-tuned sounds interacting with the Ambient parts of the album.
Fourth song Electro Magnetic is the most daunting and boldest track on the album. As Acid King added Droned Out Atmospherics to this track. The song moves cautiously slowly to the next realm of Doomed/Droned Out blissfully heavy musical passages. Echoes of Acid King past appear when the song fully moves into gear. However, it’s the journey and not the destination that’s the most important part of this song. The heavy guitars and wonderfully cosmic synths allow Acid King to play a heavy Doom Metal style we haven’t seen since their early days and it’s gloriously exciting to hear.
The final three songs of Destination Psych, Beyond Vision and Color Trails sees Acid King venture further down the Cosmic/Space/Psych Rock vortex with the legendary Doom/Stoner Metal sound they helped to define and pioneer. The band even found time to create some new and truly landmark grooves to influence even more bands on this part of the album.
The final stages of the album marries up the CLASSIC ACID KING sound with their newfound COSMIC style they have adopted here especially on tracks such as Destination Psych and Beyond Vision. Heavy, Bold and Atmospheric yet again with moments of LUSH sounding Psychedelics with mind-expanding lyrics enticing listeners to fully get on board until the last few exciting moments pass by within the final song of Color Trails.
This album was influenced by Science Fiction and Science Fact which Acid King used to great advantage with the heavier SONIC and SPACED OUT parts of the album. Acid King are still showing today’s legion of modern day Doom/Stoner Metal bands how to write and play music that will inspire future generations such as bands that SLEEP, KYUSS and BLACK SABBATH already have. Of course Acid King have done this for the best part of thirty years with their previous albums and they continue that streak that I think is their best and most exciting album to date.
Beyond Vision is going to be one of the landmark and most definitive Stoner Metal albums of the year and no doubt will be in my Top 5 albums of the year.
Words by Steve Howe.
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.
HEY is available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Blues Funeral Recordings from March 24th 2023.
Links
Official | Facebook | BandCamp
