Release Date: February 24th 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Delirium - Track Listing:
1.The Hanged Man 05:18
2.Daze 04:36
3.Caldron 04:44
4.Green Tide 07:33
5.Raven Tree 06:14
6.Six 04:59
7.Queen 04:18
8.Dream Of The Lead Sun 06:55
9.WR Blues 04:05
Members
ZOE - ELECTRIC GUITAR/VOCAL
KEITA KAWABATA - BASS
TAKUMA MAEDA - DRUMS
Review
Delirium is the debut album from Japanese Psych/Doom/Stoner Rockers Lightning Swells Forever where the grooves are packed with electrifying sounds of DOOMED OUT FUZZ and a vintage Proto-Metal drive throughout. The music is powered by the classic energy of 1970’s Doom Metal and 1990’s Stoner Metal for a record that’s quite seedy and resonated by a powerful HEAVY METAL force. Inspired by the likes of Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, Saint Vitus and KYUSS with Lightning Swells Forever perhaps closely aligned to fellow Doomsters Hebi Katana and at times Electric Eel Shock.
The record works best when Lightning Swells Forever play their straightforward style of Fuzz Rock and allow their trippy Heavy Psychedelic grooves generate a ton of fearless Classic Hard Rock energy throughout the whole album. There’s epic use of classic guitar shredding along the way that’s straight from the old-school of 1980’s Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. So there’s a wide variety of different sounds being used to great effect here whilst keeping in with the boundaries of Doom/Stoner Metal.
Expect to hear some cool sounding moments of Desert Rock on this record which allows the band to be more closely aligned to the global Stoner Rock scene especially within the excellent standout tracks of Caldron and Green Tide. Zoe’s vocals have shades of OZZY OSBOURNE on this record but perhaps with a Proto-Doom and Garage Rock influence helping his vocals being more grounded.
Delirium is ultimately a collection of superbly written individual tracks with each having their own particular sound that allows Lightning Swells Forever to demonstrate what a great band they really are. The music is always aggressive, melodic and quite trippy with the non-stop levels of delicious FUZZ being played from all angles with the later stages of the album offering even more standout tracks such as Queen, Dream Of The Lead Sun and WR Blues.
Lightning Swells Forever debut album is a “must-have” album to own which showcases another great band to check out from the Japanese Doom/Stoner Rock scene. If you like your music HEAVY with a heavy sideline of PSYCHEDELIC FUZZ and AMPLIFIER DISTORTION then Delirium is the album for you.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
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