Release Date: March 22nd 2024. Record Label: Subsound Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Beyond Borders Of Time - Tracklisting
1. The Medicine Man
2. Sunbeam
3. Fainting
4. Petrichor
5. Solar Flare
6. Krypta
7. Prototype
Members
Michael Kümpflein - Bass/Synths
Lukas Schomann - Drums
Shane Saban - Guitar
Review
Beyond Borders Of Time is the second album from Psych/Space/Stoner Rockers Pyramid and sees the band build upon the cosmic foundations of their 2019 debut album Mind Maze. This time round Pyramid returns with a slightly heavier and FUZZIER style of music that ventures into the deeper vortex of Spaced Out Stoner passages with echoes of Monkey3 and My Sleeping Karma being used as a direct influence.
Pyramid stands out within the Instrumental Stoner Rock scene with their blistering use of Prog Rock that are aligned to the classic style of Desert Rock with a Yawning Man cinematic style appearing within the epic opening tracks of The Medicine Man and Sunbeam. The record has a wonderfully deep use of emotionally charged synths that brings a warm Psychedelic energy that allows the classic Power Trio setup to play melodic Desert/Stoner Rock instrumental jams.
There’s also the great use of Post-Rock and even Post-Doom melodies which allows Pyramid to become heavier and more focused on how they deliver their music. The sound is constantly switching between LOUD vs QUIET dynamics which almost touch upon sludgy tones and aggressive environments on other tracks of the album such as Fainting, Solar Flare and Prototype.
The songs vary in lengths with some running between the six minutes and eight minutes mark. The longer songs allow Pyramid to conduct more abrasive and heavier compositions with the music becoming perhaps more Stoner Metal obsessed and that is no bad thing. This shows a different side to Pyramid who are not afraid to take creative risks with their music.
The whole journey is always superbly fascinating with the multiple levels of Ambient themes and sounds that Pyramid allow to interact with their classic style of Psychedelic Stoner Rock. You could consider Beyond Borders Of Time as one complete track broken down into individual chapters. As the delivery and message of the music does become quite similar at times, however, the mood is always one of Space Rock exploration which does lead the band into uncharted areas of aggressive slabs of music that leaves you wanting to hear more.
Beyond Borders Of Time is a brilliantly exciting, thoughtful and supremely intelligent release that has a true CINEMATIC quality to it all. The production is wonderfully grand allowing Pyramid to deliver an outstanding album that all fans of the Instrumental Stoner Rock/Metal scene should check out right now.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Pyramid and Purple Sage for the promo.
Beyond Borders Of Time will be available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Subsound Records from Friday 22nd March 2024.
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