Release Date: April 28th 2023. Record Label: MRS Red Sound / Vicious Circle. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Mars Red Sky & Queen Of The Meadow: Tracklisting
1.Maps Of Inferno
2.Out At Large
3.Maps Of Inferno (shortcut)
Mars Red Sky
Julien Pras: guitars, back-up vocals
Jimmy Kinast: bass
Matgaz: drums
Queen Of The Meadow
Helen Ferguson: lead vocals and melodies
Review
French Stoner Rock Pioneers Mars Red Sky team up with Dark Folk Artist Queen Of The Meadow for the stunning new EP - Mars Red Sky & Queen Of The Meadow. The end result is a release that explores the well known Psych/Stoner Rock sounds Mars Red Sky are known for but this time with a majestic Dark Folk Rock aspect courtesy of Helen Ferguson AKA Queen Of The Meadow.
The EP is quite experimental from Mars Red Sky but their trademark Psyched Out jams are here but merged with Helen’s sultry and gothic vocals. The sounds are constantly heavy and offer brief glimpses of Doom Rock that will appeal to fans of Chelsea Wolfe and Windhand when everything becomes louder on certain stages of the EP.
The opening track Maps Of Inferno is the standout track as it features warped psychedelics and gloomy theatrics with Helen’s vocals being the main focus at times. Instrumental work is primarily handled by Mars Red Sky and their Doomed Out and Fuzz based grooves are impressive as ever. The lyrics have a contemporary flow to them which delves both into Occult and Gothic based themes. There’s an eerie level of distortion towards the later stages of the track that left me wanting to hear more.
Second song Out At Large feels inspired by the extended jams from Mars Red Sky classic 2014 album Stranded In Arcadia and primarily Hovering Satellites. The vocals from both Helen and Julien have a sense of warmth and respect for each other. The psychedelic and instrumental parts of the first half of the track are quite low-key but do have a sense of heaviness and progressive to them. The song is quite slow-paced but there’s a fine amount of different styles of music that becomes quite uplifting even when the Space Rock moments appear within the final moments.
Third song Maps Of Inferno (shortcut) is a shorter version of the opening track that has a more Eastern flavour with more focus given to Helen’s vocals.
Mars Red Sky & Queen Of The Meadow is a very diverse release featuring a wide array of different Psych, Stoner and Folk sounds. The EP is bound to keep long-time fans of Mars Red Sky extremely happy and perhaps allow Queen Of The Meadow to gain some new fans along the way.
If you want a more daring style of Psych Stoner Rock then Mars Red Sky & Queen Of The Meadow is the release for you. This is a first rate release from start to finish.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Shake Promotion for the promo.
Mars Red Sky & Queen Of The Meadow is available to buy on DD/Vinyl via MRS Red Sound and Vicious Circle from April 28th 2023.
Links
Bandcamp: https://marsredsky.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marsredskyband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marsredsky
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarsRedSky1
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgxmlXUs0y1vzLJMH2_HHjQ
