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Release Date: October 24th 2025. Record Label: Argonauta Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Brahman - Tracklisting
Monastery of the Seven Sages
Awen
Sanliurfa
Sages
Cedars of Lebanon
Hy-Brasil
Members
Steven O'Kelly - bass guitars & vocals Ian Caton - drums & auxiliary percussion Rob Wrong - guitars Lauren Hatch - keyboards
Review
Drone/Doom/Stoner Metallers Breath release their second musical opus with Brahman and it’s equally different and similar to their celebrated 2021 debut album Primeval Transmissions. The band live and breathe MEDITATIVE DOOM throughout this album but still allow themselves their music to form melodies, musical compositions with real SPACED OUT and PROGRESSIVE depth to their music. Brahman may operate on a different Psychedelic and Drone Metal plane to us mere mortals but the record is equally mysterious, comforting and deeply philosophical with Breath developing areas of music that reminds of bands such as SLEEP, YOB, SUNN 0))) and OM whilst also striving to be their own thing.
The opening track of Monastery Of The Seven Sages is perhaps the closest we’ll ever get to the likes of SUNN 0))) and SLEEP jamming for one mighty instrumental WEEDIAN session that transcends multiple dimensions. The vocals from Stephen O’Kelly retain their shamanic quality to them. The swirling psychedelics and slow-paced riff-centric mechanics all combine for a Drone Rock exercise of the highest order.
Second track Awen sees Breath tap into their Space Rock psyche once more with a Sludge Rock riff-fuelled dynamic transforming into hazy amounts of modern day Heavy Psych with flashes of Jimi Hendrix style theatrics courtesy of Rob Wrong’s supremely intelligent guitars. Al Cisernos is most definitely a huge influence with the band’s lyrics and bass playing for main frontman Steven O’Kelly to weave his magical sounds upon the listener. The music becomes quite intense and fast-paced with Breath blending different styles of Cosmic Rock imagery that’s trapped between Drone Rock and Sludge Rock melodies.
Third track Sanliurf allows keyboardist Lauren Hutch to play a mighty fine style of hallucinogenic keyboards to open the SPACE ROCK and EASTERN portal for the rest of the band to build their music around upon. The song is quite slow-paced and highly mysterious though the Art-Rock guitars that Rob Wrong injects into the mix. The first rate progressive drumming from Ian Caton provides the “engine” for this track which joins the heaviest melodies and psychedelic sections altogether. When Breath decide to play a standard “riff-centric” style of music you can’t help being reminded of The Velvet Underground with jagged guitars, experimental cosmic noises and other flashes of sludgy weirdness currently going on in the background.
Fourth track Sages is the track that could have easily been released from their last record as it has similar themes, textures and heavy rock structures but Breath add that frenzied Space Rock movement that showcases a classic style of Nineties Spaced Out Stoner Rock that the likes of Monster Magnet made infamous back in the day. Breath offers a contemporary and glitchy spin with overlapping grooves all vying for musical superiority. This is one of the strangest and standout tracks on the whole album especially if you took certain “herbal” substances to make your journey ever so more pleasant.
The final two tracks of Cedars Of Lebanon and Hy-Brasil shows Breath in a more subdued direction with a loving Post-Doom melody forming within Cedars Of Lebanon which is fully moved over to the epic twelve minute final track of Hy-Brasil. Echoes of The Velvet Underground and Ravi Shankar form within one final sonic journey into surreal levels of distorted heaviness.
Brahman is one of the most perfect “MEDITATIVE DOOM” records I’ve heard in a very long time that will leave your mind, body, soul and spirit wholly cleansed and refreshed within this dimension, multiverse and beyond.
Incredible. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion and BREATH for the promo.
Brahman is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Argonauta Records.
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