Release Date: February 06th 2026. Record Label: Magnetic Eye Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Inexorable Opposites - Tracklisting
1.Moss
2.Venomous
3.Mt. Macedon
4.Dave Is Done
5.Junior Fiction
6.Seer
7.On The Overwhelm
8.To Die
Members
Tim Coutts-Smith – vocals, guitar
Jordan Richardson – guitar
Brayden Becher – drums
Liam Barry – bass
Review
Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows with their fourth album Inexorable Excuses which sees the hugely talented foursome wander into the mist of Appalachian grooves or dare I call this “Mountain Rock”. As the main theme feels inspired by a slightly deep “Country” feel that this band gives a rather Sludge-tastic makeover with the multitude of different sounds that are contained within the record.
Lead vocalist Tim Coutts-Smith takes on a more “storyteller” role within this album and perhaps inspired vocally by the legendary Dave Wyndorf as there’s an epic resemblance on how TIm delivers his world-weary vocals and loud screams. The whole atmosphere is dominated by an aggressive Space Rock, Psych Rock and Cosmic Rock drive which comes across spectacularly well on the opening track Moss. The instrumental passages draw Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows closer to the likes of Monster Magnet, VOLUME and NEBULA than ever before.
There is a heavier and aggressive Sludge Rock aspect currently brewing in the background and fully takes over when the band let fly with some of the catchiest, freshest and heaviest melodies on the record. Though, the band never rely on any cheap progressive gimmicks as they just explore the Doomed Out and Cosmic surroundings of the entire WEEDIAN scene with distorted FUZZY passages dictating the action especially on tracks such as Venomous, Mt. Macedon and Dave Is Done.
With a cool reliance on Science Fiction at times, Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows sounds like they’ve never been this angry especially when compared to their previous albums. This feels like a band “reborn” and delivering their most mature and grown up sounds to date that actually dares to be different at times. The later stages of the album moved into different areas of Heavy Rock perhaps dominated by the likes of All Them Witches and King Buffalo.
I fell in love with this album from the very first listen with the band using dramatic soundscapes and certain ambient melodies that still retain that “MOUNTAIN ROCK” feel. Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows aren’t afraid to slow things right down and let a more soulful Blues Rock style of Cosmic Doom to lead the listener on a trippy hallucinogenic journey but with that thrilling rhythm section of Brayden Brecher (Drums) and Liam Barry (Bass) exploring different musical dimensions of the whole Cosmic Doom/Stoner Metal movement.
Tim Coutts-Smith and Jordan Richardson level the Space Rock playing field with their epic guitar playing which does remind me of classic era Monster Magnet but still having their own original and highly vintage sound. Other standout tracks include Junior Fiction, Seer and To Die which includes some real “world-building” within the lyrics and the main creative theme of Inexorable Opposites.
When you listen to this album multiple times you begin to notice the smaller things in the background that make this record work so well. The shift to Post-Rock, Grunge, Blues and Post-Doom landscapes is quite therapeutic and superbly hypnotic to listen to. Though, the main standout of the whole album is the lyrics. Damn. The lyrics are absolutely wonderful with Jack Harlon & The Dead Crows perhaps releasing their best story driven record to date. Everything has meaning here even when they go for an outlandish premise. This is cinematic storytelling of the highest order that left me on the edge of my seat. I maybe going slightly over the top with that observation but I’m sticking by that statement.
However, that doesn’t stop the potential for Inexorable Opposites for being one of the standout Doom/Stoner Metal releases of the year already.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to All Noir PR and Magnetic Eye Records for the promo.
Inexorable Opposites is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Magnetic Eye Records.
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