Release Date: July 11th 2025. Record Label: Heavy Psych Sounds. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Atom Juice - Tracklisting
1.Hercules
2.Gooboo
3.Duo
4.Dead Hookers
5.Sexi Frogs
6.Honey
Members
Bartek Dobry – guitar, vocals, keyboards
Piotr Kuks – drums
Karol Melak – guitar, vocals
Patryk Tarajko – guitar, didgeridoo
Jan Rabiega – bass guitar
Guest musicians:
Mateusz Strzempa – keyboards on Hercules
Ćukasz Bareja – flute on Sexy Frogs
Review
Atom Juice is a Prog/Psych/Stoner Rock band from Warsaw, Poland who are made up of former members from bands such as Weedpecker, Makiwara and Clockmaid. Their self-titled debut album takes areas of music played by the likes of Pink Floyd, The Beatles and ELO with a trippy Stoner Rock vibe which reminds me of Weedpecker playing their most tranquil and laidback jams. The album has a self aware sense of mysticism, jazz and sixties pop-rock energy which translates into some hazy Blues Rock vibes.
The record is quite different to what Heavy Psych Sounds have been releasing lately but it’s good to change your perspective at times and Atom Juice should have no trouble gaining a considerable following with this highly energetic album. The songs are simply exquisite with some huge sounding Space Rock and Post-Rock landscapes that operate with a sense of real warmth, depth and genuine humanity appearing within the lyrics.
Atom Juice opens the album with two stunning opening tracks of Hercules and Gooboo where the mood is wholly melancholic with some outbursts of Heavy Stoner Rock being played at the right time. However, for the most part Atom Juice creates classic moments of Prog Rock interlaced with Floydian Psych Rock energy with the heavy guitars from Bartek Dobry, Karol Melak and Patryk Tarajko creating different strands of dynamic melodies. Atom Juice can be quite cinematic and flamboyant in their creative approach with the music perhaps being quite diverse with the different types of musical instruments that they play throughout the album.
Third track Duo is my favourite track on the album with Atom Juice playing a subtle style of Post-Stoner landscapes with a mind-expanding style of Prog Rock which once again sees the Pink Floyd influence kick into overdrive with flashes of Blues Rock and Jazz Rock combining for a song with a true chameleon like effect. The vocals from Bartek and Karol have some wonderful interplay between each other showing different styles which only adds to the COSMIC journey of the whole album. The final part of the track is an extended instrumental jam which becomes quite freaky and lucid with sudden screeching and distorted instruments coming out of nowhere before settling down for a Jazz Rock swagger.
Fourth track Dead Hookers is quite a subversive and cheeky little number which brings a killer Garage Rock and Proto-Rock flow that reminds me of early era Aerosmith at times. There’s also that classic modern day Stoner Rock approach that Weedpecker were known for bringing a sense of distorted heaviness to the mix. Though, the off-kilter Soft Rock drive allows Atom Juice to experiment with Ambient noises and Space Rock sounds for some epic OTT passages that is another of the highlights of the album.
The final two tracks of Sexi Frogs and Honey are the hippest tracks of the record with Atom Juice playing with a Funk Rock attitude especially within Sexi Frogs. The mood is subtle and once again sees the band explore a freakish Heavy Stoner Rock attitude that becomes quite original and brings a lot of musical depth to the party. Honey allows Atom Juice to finish the record in true Heavy Rock fashion once again employing a wealth of different musical styles which still retains that sense of Prog Rock urgency and different sound effects contributing to a truly magnificent finish.
Atom Juice’s debut album is a thrilling piece of Psych Rock entertainment which can be very theatrical at times but this also makes this quite an original voice within the Psych Stoner Rock underground scene. This is a refreshing and highly inspired record that will leave you with a warm glow after you’ve listened to the album.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.
Atom Juice is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Heavy Psych Sounds.
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