Release Date: May 12th 2023. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Endless Skies: Tracklisting
The Casualty
Slugs
Lost
Ascending I: The Departure
Ascending II: The Journey
Ascending III: Endless Skies
Icarus Down
Gelmir's Palm
Earthbound
Members
Kevin Albertini - Bass
Antoine-Joseph Marini - Drums
Georges Agostini - Guitars/Vocals
Review
Psych Stoner Metallers Alconaut return with their second full length album Endless Skies which sees the band bringing a more Spaced Out and Blues Rock sound compared to their 2019 debut album. Throw in some epic sounding Sludgy Progressive grooves and you have a band who have a diverse range of influences from the Stoner Rock/Metal scene but still allowing themselves the opportunity to make heavy and hypnotic music of their own creation.
If you're a fan of bands such as Mars Red Sky, KYUSS, Sleep, The Sword and Monster Magnet then Alconaut will have you covered even when the album becomes a lot more DOOM based. The album has a great mix of Nineties Stoner Metal and Modern day Psychedelic rhythms which is heard within the opening few tracks of The Causality, Slugs and Lost.
Opening song The Causality only lasts twenty seconds but it gives Alconaut the perfect entrance to play a heavy stylish Blues Rock driven sound. The guitars are mostly of the Stoner variety but with a thumping FUZZ based rhythm section which comes into play on second track Slugs with heavy distorted guitar reverb allowing Alconaut to become even more threatening than you would initially expect. Throw in Psychedelic and Spaced Out soundscapes that is perhaps becoming one of the main themes for modern day Stoner Metal bands to give their music a much grander scale.
Third song Lost brings in harsh vocals and interesting soundbytes which work superbly well with the Progressive based Psychedelic elements of the track. Alconaut exchanges Blues Rock sounds with extended trippy instrumental jams which has a certain Electric Wizard, SLEEP and Black Sabbath creative flow appearing especially on the later stages of the track. The legendary "LOW & SLOW" approach is used quite regularly here and it's hard not to lose yourself within this part of the album.
Fourth song Ascending I: The Departure is more of a moody instrumental piece with Alconaut exchanging Blues Rock atmospherics before changing into a Sludge/Stoner Metal combo that feels like a heavier and distorted version of Yawning Man in places. The FUZZY attitude of the track is quite thought provoking in places but it's the quieter moments of the track that impressed me the most. As Alconaut brings a Seventies Classic Prog Rock attitude to this song.
Fifth track Ascending II: Journey continues with the laidback and post-chilled out vibes of the first track before Alconaut quickly finds their heavy WEEDIAN rhythm for another round of sludge based distortion. The band wisely introduces vocals to this track and the swirling psychedelic guitars gives this track a more exciting vision. This is one of the heaviest tracks on the album with Alconaut changing from "Post-Whatever" movements to a more essential style of Sludge/Stoner Metal with flashes of Blues Rock energy.
The sixth track is the final part of the Ascending story with Ascending III: Endless Skies continuing their impressive style of AMPLIFIER DISTORTED grooves with an eerie Psychedelic Metal sound becoming more Progressive and leaning further into Post-Stoner territory especially with the vocals. The guitars evolve into a subtle style of warped Fuzz Rock which can be quite deafening in places and I mean that as a compliment.
The Ascending trilogy collection of tracks is the best part of the album and makes this album an instant addition to anyone's record collection and we still have three tracks to go.
The final three tracks of Icarus Down, Gelmir's Palm and Earthbound perhaps are the most direct and straight forward sounding songs on the album. However, Alconaut still manages to conjure up some exciting heavy sounds of their own design which focuses primarily on VOLUME and TECHNICAL ABILITY. The songs allow Alconaut to inject Classic Hard Rock attitude into the mix especially on Icarus Down and Gelmir's Palm.
Endless Skies has stunning production values throughout which allow Alconaut to play to their creative and technical strengths. There's a violent FUZZ based attitude to this album and when Alconaut merges that with Sludge/Stoner Metal grooves then ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE.
Alconaut are another great band from the French Stoner Metal Scene and I can see these guys building a fearsome reputation within the underground scene. Another AOTY contender has made it to my own list. Check out Endless Skies when you can. Awesome stuff...
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Alconaut for the promo.
Endless Skies will be available to buy on digital download from Friday 12th May 2023.
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