Exclusive Song Premiere of Post-Rock/Post-Metal Duo CITIZEND New Song ETERNAL MACHINE

Citizend is made up of Emil Gustavsson and multi-instrumentalist and producer Otto Nilsson. The duo shares a vision of breaking down traditional genre borders and creating music where storytelling takes the lead. Their work blends sound, themes and atmosphere into something that moves between the cinematic and the intimate.

After the critically acclaimed release of The Spiral EP in 2024 with Majestic Mountain Records, which marked Citizend’s breakthrough and defined their dark, conceptual sound, the group has started working on the follow-up album DoomsVille.

The Spiral took listeners on an existential journey through the stages of life. Each song explored the human experience, the moments that shape us and society’s struggle to break destructive patterns. The result was a cohesive and emotionally gripping story.

With DoomsVille, Citizend continues to expand its artistic vision. This time the music unfolds in a dystopian city, where every song represents a character or a force within its collapsing world. The project brings together music, literature, sound and visual art into one immersive experience that challenges both form and genre.

Citizend’s sound draws on a wide range of influences where post rock meets Americana and the heavier side of rock, creating what they call their own form of Noirmericana.

Artists that have inspired the band include Mark Lanegan, Wovenhand, Ossler, Nine Inch Nails, Neurosis, Steve Von Till, Christian Kjellvander and The Afghan Whigs.

Thanks to the awesome folks over at Majestic Mountain Records, we're excited to premiere the brilliantly atmospheric song Eternal Machine from Citizend.

Citizend · Eternal Machine

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Thanks to Majestic Mountain Records for the details.

Polymoon - Mariposa Magic! (Album Review)

Release Date: September 04th 2026. Record Label: Vesperian. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

Mariposa Magic! - Tracklist

1.Ultra Bloom

2.I End, You Begin 04:23

3.Velvet Rain

4.Lost In Sound, Found In Color

5.Welcome To Another Dimension

6.Glass House, Mortal Rooms 07:15

7.Harvest Of Stars

Members

Kalle-Erik Kosonen - Vocal

Jesse Jaksola - Guitar, synthesizers

Otto Kontio - Guitar

Marco Menestrina - Bass

Tuomas Heikura - Drums

Review

Mariposa Magic! is the third album from Psychedelic/Prog/Space/Shoegazers Polymoon who bring a grounded approach to their style of Cosmic Rock that branches out into areas of Post-Doom and Sludge Rock heaviness along the way. The record is dominated by a healthy obsession with psychedelic melodies and complex shoegaze sounds that’s powered by an epic style of emotionally charged vocals and sublime synths that open the musical gateway to a classic way of storytelling.

Polymoon takes sounds influenced by the likes of Pink Floyd, ELDER, HUM, TORCHE and The Mars Volta for a wild and engaging record of different musical landscapes that’s beautifully ethereal and superbly destructive when the challenge arises to the band. This is first laid out within the excellent opening tracks of Ultra Bloom and “I End, You Begin”. 

You begin to hear Polymoon’s deep fascination with warped sonic textures that break out into other areas of spaced out experimentation. The sludgy guitars add a cool touch of intense heaviness with Kalle-Erik Kosonen’s vocals transforming throughout the whole album but holding that excellent Post-Punk and Eighties Synth dynamic.

The music becomes more progressive with that Space Rock vibe battling against the tide of heavy synths, doomed out guitars and an impressive rhythm section that allows an almost Garage Rock aspect to enter the fray. This allows Polymoon to add another layer of heaviness to their music which injects a fresh cinematic perspective into the whole feel of the album. Shades of HUM can be heard in the background but Polymoon are still creating their own great style of music thanks to the heartfelt lyrics and first rate vocals just moving this album further onto greatness.

The album really finds it’s “HEAVY ROCK” footing within the standout tracks of Mariposa Magic! and “Lost In Sound, Found In Color”. As the music becomes quite progressive with movements from the Post-Rock, Electronica and Sludge Rock scenes with Polymoon applying a great Art-Rock and Alt-Rock makeover into the mix. I was quite surprised by the level of FUZZ and DISTORTION that Polymoon added to these parts of the album which gives it a more aggressive sound whilst holding onto that warm-hearted “DOOM-POP” atmosphere which really makes their music truly stand out.

The final three tracks of Welcome To Another Dimension, ‘Glass House, Mortal Rooms’ and Harvest Of Stars sees Polymoon apply that dominant Cosmic Rock and Spaced Out attitude to the maximum with the music constantly shifting into different areas of Doom, Shoegaze and Sludge Rock passages with great lyrics helping to sell the whole story of the record. You become more aware at how brilliantly heavy Polymoon actually are with this part of the album having the most aggressive and heaviest grooves on the whole album.

Mariposa Magic! is a wonderfully delightful record with plenty of offbeat sounds that offer different levels of blissful HEAVY ROCK music that is an absolute joy to listen to. This is my first time being exposed to Polymoon’s weird and wonderful world but it won’t be the last as Mariposa Magic! is going to end up becoming one of my favourite albums of the year. The record can be quite brash to listen to at times but that’s part of the charm with Polymoon carving up their own great style of Cosmic Rock and Heavy Psychedelic based music the whole world can fall in love with.

Outstanding!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Hold Tight PR for the promo.

Mariposa Magic! is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl via Vesparian.

Links

Website: https://polymoonofficial.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2lQxgCe12tX0YDtoKzFpz5
Bandcamp: https://polymoon.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymooooon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polymooooon
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@polymooooon
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@polymoonofficial

Louse - Buyer's Remorse (Album Review)

Release Date: August 14th 2026. Record Label: Riot Season Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl

Buyer’s Remorse - Tracklist

1.Best Laid Plans 03:44

2.Buyer's Remorse 02:39

3.Rags And Tatters 03:38

4.The Wastepipe Ripper 02:29

5.Comfort 03:43

6.Legal Loophole 03:01

7.Wheel 02:32

8.Meatslide 03:48

9.The Deer Caller 04:24

10.Potato Diet 03:20

Members

The Captain - Vocals

Septic Pete - Guitar

The King of Sting - Guitar

Uncle Brutus - Guitar

Mister P. - Drums

Dieta Di Patate - Slide Bass

Review

Buyer’s Remorse is the sophomore album from Noise/Sludge/Doom/Stoner Rockers LOUSE who call their music SCUM ROCK and they’re a band I haven’t come across before which is quite surprising since they are from my hometown of Newcastle Upon Tyne. The record itself is a Noise Rock offering with LOUSE adding filthy and highly mean strands of Sludge, Doom, Alt Rock, Psych and Stoner Rock melodies.

Louse do remind me of their fellow Geordie Noisemakers - PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS - though this record has a more warped and abstract Punk Rock energy which feels inspired by the likes of The Melvins and The Hives in the early stages of the record. There’s a gloomy Garage Rock sound that emerges from the seedy catacombs that have echoes of The Stooges, MC5 and even At The Drive-In being felt on tracks such as Best Laid Plans, Buyer’s Remorse and Rags And Tatters.

The sludgy and stripped back sounds have a grim “Kitchen Sink” effect especially with The Captain’s vocals battling against the epic rhythm section from Mister P on Drums and Dieta Di Patate on Slide Bass. Mister P and Dieta Di Patate have a great understanding amongst each other by building up the filthy rhythms from the ground up with the excellent guitar work played by Septic Pete, The King Of Sting and Uncle Brutus. 

As you can tell by their band names, LOUSE don’t take themselves too seriously and have a ton of fun especially with the bleakly charged lyrics which have some extra bite between them. Sometimes the record can go leftfield with disjointed grooves, fractured vocal passages and gloomy experimental noise effects allowing that subtle Noise Rock and Sludge Rock energy to have a killer Punk Rock swagger. 

Other great tracks to check out are: The Wastepipe Ripper, Legal Loophole, Meatslide and The Deer Caller which allows LOUSE to spread their filth ridden and downbeat message to even greater heights with that lo-fi energy allowing screeching guitars to reach massive levels of distorted volume. Buyer’s Remorse is seriously fucked up but you can’t help be swayed and mightly impressed by the sheer filth ridden danger that Louse will put you through. There is some great riffs to fully lose yourself in with that MELVINS influence being put to great use towards the end of the album.

Buyer’s Remorse is perhaps described as a “CULT ODDITY” which manages to fit alongside some of the more impressive Sludge/Noise/Doom Rock bands currently making a name for themselves. I seriously enjoyed this album and it becomes better with each repeated listen. Louse are a great band to discover for yourselves if you like something way more grimy and experimental with that dominant NOISE ROCK theme that will drive you absolutely insane at the same time.

Yeah, Buyer’s Remorse is an absolute slice of RIOTOUS FUN!!!

Superb. End Of.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Riot Season Records for the promo.

Buyer’s Remorse is available to buy now on DD/Vinyl via Riot Season Records.

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

Vordermann - Feeding On Fireworks (EP Review)

Release Date: August 27th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Feeding On Fireworks - Tracklist

Ego Gland

The Salem Shake

Something Sacred Something Terrible

Members

Alex Bennett - Synths

Peter Hill - Guitars

Matthew Jones - Percussion & Vocals

Philip Malpass - Guitar & Vocals

Joe Palmer - Guitar & Vocals

Review

Feeding On Fireworks is the next exciting chapter from Alt-Rock/Post-Rock/Sludge Rockers Vordermann who released their acclaimed debut EP Feeding On Flowers back in March 2025. Vordermann continue with a similar musical and creative scope outlined on that great release with uplifting Doom-Pop surroundings that once again demonstrates a wealth of musical influences ranging from TORCHE, HUM, MASTODON and THE MELVINS.

The record opens with gloriously uplifting and easy going track Ego Gland which has a soulful Psychedelic Post-Rock energy where the sludgy guitars form a sweet natured drive with superb vocals to match. This is a song that has different areas of HEAVY ROCK forming with Vordermann moving into slightly Ambient based waters with a sudden influx of PELICAN based melodies being played on fthe later stages of the track before returning to the Post-Stoner Rock grooves that are being used for the first time.

Second song The Salem Shake is a slightly different vibe with Vordermann adding a Post-Doom vibe with little traces of Gothic imagery especially with the vocals and eerie synths. You can even detect some classic ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) and King Crimson melodies forming and even the vocals aligning themselves to the arena of Seventies Prog Rock. Though, Vordermann like to tease with audience expectations before laying down their usual blend of fast-paced Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs that have a certain Space Rock momentum to them.

The final track "Something Sacred Something Terrible" opens up with the legendary “Can You See Texas On Your High Horse” speech from the classic TV series - True Detective which sets up the gloomy scene of this track. The song has a stripped back presence with sludgy semi acoustic guitars that offer a despairing style of Americana, Country and Doom-Pop soundscapes which is some of the best music I’ve heard from Vordermann yet. The track is unapologetically solitary before the band explore the finer details of the Sludge, Doom and Stoner Metal landscape that also offer the heaviest, finest and most intense sounds on the whole EP.

Feeding On Fireworks is an excellent and even better follow-up to their stunning debut EP which sees Vordermann mature into better songwriters and storytellers which bodes well for their future releases. I’m hoping their next release is their debut album as this EP is too damn short and I wanted to hear more music from this hugely talented outfit. 

If Vordermann continues with this musical journey and keeps creating superb records as Feeding On Flowers and Feeding On Fireworks then these guys are on the right path for a very distinguished and highly rewarding career within the underground scene and beyond.

Words by Steve Howe

Feeding On Fireworks will be available to buy on digital download from all good digital stockists from August 27th 2026.

Links

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram | Beacons

Hostile Tides - Dead Man Talking (EP Review)

Release Date: August 10th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Dead Man Talking - Tracklist

1.Sands 02:34

2.Rumour 03:06

3.Adrift 03:08

4.Pyramids 03:51

5.Peaks 05:06

 

Members

Marf - Guitars

Mafro - Guitars

Luke - Bass

Matt - Drums

Review

Dead Man Talking is the debut EP from Post-Rock/Stoner Rock instrumentalists Hostile Tides where the band are influenced by the likes of QOTSA, Long Distance Calling and Russian Circles which gives this band a whole lot of different attitude throughout their debut EP. The music is action packed and superbly played throughout with Hostile Tides developing a classic bouncy Stoner Rock sound that’s levelled out by a solid Progressive Post-Rock theme.

There’s even shades of KYUSS developing within the heavier and fast-paced surroundings of the superb opening track of Sands. This is a very short little number but it moves along at a great speed with the band laying down their creative building blocks very early on with the music having the right amount of Post-Rock aggression with even subtle moments of jazzy movements.

Second song Rumour feels like a stripped back Post-Rock track with little shades of Desert/Stoner Rock melodies bursting from the seams. There’s some Punk-ish sounds that develop within the later stages of the track and off-beat chants appearing along the way. This is quite an experimental song in many ways but it contains an intriguing way of playing a solid Instrumental sound that moves quietly and confidently throughout the Stoner Rock and Post-Rock passages that appear here.

Third track Adrift allows Hostile Tides to drift further into the Alt-Rock persona with dreamy passages of intricate Psychedelic Rock emerging with the song having a sludgy bassline courtesy of Luke’s great bass playing. The ambient delivery is razor sharp without being heavy but the band once again wander into different shades of Heavy Stoner Rock with that heavy jazzy sound appearing once more. The song is perhaps the most daring that’s contained on the EP.

The final two tracks of Pyramids and Peaks offer the most experimental and progressive moments on the record with Hostile Tides showcasing a great way of playing through the “QUIET vs HEAVY” and “SLOW vs FAST” dynamics of their music. The song is actually quite fun despite the gloomy Post-Rock pretence that holds things together.

Peaks is the longest track which allows Hostile Tides to let out all their freaky aggression for the standout track on the EP which taps right into the QOTSA influence right from the very start where you can feel a soundtrack quality emerging from the catacombs which I would like to hear more of in future releases from the band.

Dead Man Talking is a great introduction from Hostile Tides to introduce themselves to the underground heavy rock scene with. There’s some great sonic creativity at play here and the stripped back production values are handled expertly well with some heavy outbursts of Stoner Rock/Metal developing when you least expect it.

Excellent and Highly Recommended.

Words by Steve Howe

Links

BandCamp | Instagram

POLYMOON push psychedelic post-gaze to new horizons with Mariposa Magic!

Photo credit: Paulie Moore

Finnish psychedelic rock visionaries Polymoon return with Mariposa Magic!, their third album and most immersive work to date. Set for release on 4th September via Vesperian, the album starts an exciting new chapter for the band, accompanied by the release of a powerful new single.

'Glass House, Mortal Rooms' is the second glimpse of Mariposa Magic! and a true showcase of Polymoon pushing their creative boundaries. Spanning more than seven minutes, the track surges through waves of intensity, radiant textures and constantly shifting movements, balancing fearless experimentation with overwhelming melodic pull. Expansive yet emotionally direct, it demonstrates just how far the band can push their sound without sacrificing the accessibility at its heart. Accompanying the single is a striking new video created in collaboration with acclaimed filmaker Ilona Lehtonen.

Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/GVN4dFbOqPA

Pre-order Mariposa Magic! here: https://linktr.ee/vesperian

The Finnish quartet inhabit a realm they’ve helped define: psychedelic post-gaze that shimmers, swells and dissolves at the edges. It may sound like an impossible genre to define until the first notes of Mariposa Magic! make everything click into place. Expanding on the foundations laid by Caterpillars of Creation (2020) and Chrysalis (2023), the new album ventures deeper into uncharted territory, where luminous guitar work, fluid rhythms and slowly unfurling melodies merge into vast, iridescent soundscapes. It's music that rewards surrender as much as attention, drawing listeners deeper with every return.

Produced by Juho Vanhanen, best known as the frontman of Oranssi Pazuzu, Mariposa Magic! was recorded and mixed by Valtteri Väänänen at Lammaskallion Audio before being mastered by Jaakko Viitalähde. To preserve the richness and dynamic range of the performances, the record was cut directly to lacquer and sent straight to the pressing plant, ensuring the vinyl master retains the warmth and depth of the original recordings.

The album's striking cover photography comes courtesy of Elizaveta Porodina, the Munich-based visual artist celebrated for her dreamlike, painterly aesthetic. Her work has featured in campaigns for Dior, Louis Vuitton and Chanel, while her portraits of Zendaya, Brad Pitt and Bella Hadid have appeared in multiple international editions of Vogue.

POLYMOON - Glass House, Mortal Rooms

On Mariposa Magic!, songs dissolve into shifting states of consciousness. Melodies emerge from swirling textures, rhythms pulse like living organisms and each composition seems to transform in real time, pulling the listener through an ever-changing landscape where atmosphere and emotion become inseparable. Every passage feels alive, as though the music is quietly evolving beneath your feet.

Beneath its dreamlike exterior lies extraordinary craftsmanship. Every transition, every swell and every fleeting detail has been meticulously shaped, yet nothing ever feels constrained. Instead, the album moves with effortless momentum, balancing technical precision with an intoxicating sense of curiosity, freedom and wonder. It drifts, blooms and erupts in equal measure, dissolving the boundaries between structure and spontaneity.

Mariposa Magic! is more than an album, it's a place to inhabit. Psychedelic, cinematic and endlessly absorbing, it reveals fresh colours, hidden textures and unexpected emotional depths with every listen, lingering long after the final note fades like the memory of an extraordinary dream.

Watch previous single 'I End, You Begin' here. 

Polymoon are:

Kalle-Erik Kosonen - Vocals
Jesse Jaksola - Guitar, synthesizers
Otto Kontio - Guitar
Marco Menestrina - Bass
Tuomas Heikura – Drums

Polymoon online:

Website: https://polymoonofficial.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2lQxgCe12tX0YDtoKzFpz5
Bandcamp: https://polymoon.bandcamp.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polymooooon/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polymooooon
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@polymooooon
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@polymoonofficial

Vesperian online:

www.vesperian.world
www.instagram.com/vesperian.world/

Thanks to Hold Tight PR for all of the details.

Luna and the Aether - Metanoia (Album Review)

Release Date: July 31st 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Metanoia - Tracklist

1.Mirage 04:48

2.Back To Bliss 06:42

3.Magnolia 05:51

4.Haven 03:52

5.Sojourn 05:32

6.Fermenting 05:46

7.Godsend 06:50

Lineup

Vocals and Guitar - Martina Steffert-Cubillana
Bass - Evan Oijordsbakken
Drums - David van Eerden

Review

Metanoia is the debut album from Alternative/Gothic/Doom Rockers Luna and the Aether who show a whole style of cinematic world-building with this record. As this album has really strong characterizations throughout the whole thing with the band creating their own great style of DOOM & GLOOM music with a great use of Shoegaze, Stoner Rock and Post-Rock sounds being played from the very start. The band have a similar style of musical delivery by the likes of HUM, Slow Crush, Windhand and Faetooth but with a haunting Nineties based Alt Rock presence that comes mostly through the exquisite vocals of vocalist Martina Steffert-Cubillana.

Martina’s vocals have an emotionally charged aspect to them but also one full of innocence at the same time which fully sells the whole Shoegaze or Doomgaze aspect that the band ultimately achieve. The Gothic sound is quite grounded and allows Luna and the Aether to develop into heavier areas of dense music with a level of poetic imagery behind everything. The music is cautiously slow to deliver the heavy grooves but knows when to do this for maximum effect and the levels can be beautifully deafening as well. 

There is great use of classic Grunge sensibility within the deepest and heaviest themes on Metanoia which comes across quite powerful on tracks such as Mirage, Back To Bliss, Magnolia, Fermenting and Godsend though the whole record is exquisite to listen to. Luna and the Aether also deliver some great work in expanding their distorted environment on other parts of the record that gives everything so much destructive volume and when this is paired up against Martina’s soulful vocals then be prepared for this album to tug at your heart strings. 

I’m not ashamed to admit that this record really got to me which made me think of long lost family and friends that even became quite therapeutic for me which I can only thank Luna and the Aether for.  It’s perhaps the second half of the record where Luna and the Aether really come into their own by combining slightly operatic themes with a grounded Doom Rock and Post-Rock approach that should appeal to fans of Windhand and Chelsea Wolfe. The instrumental delivery can be quite “Sludge Rock” obsessive which gives another whole musical delivery for Luna and the Aether to impress listeners with.

Luna and The Aether hail from New Zealand and I’m a huge fan of their Hard Rock/Heavy Metal scene especially with the mighty BEASTWARS coming from that great country. This band offer a different style of music from the non-stop great Sludge/Stoner Metal bands that have arrived from New Zealand, though Luna and the Aether have delivered a record that has huge potential to launch them onto greater things within the global Heavy Rock scene. 

Metanoia is an absolute must have record and this may perhaps introduce you to your new favourite band.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram

EYE - the new band from MWWB's Jessica Ball share new single "Open Sea”

EYE, the band formed by Jessica Ball (Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard) return with a reworked heavy-psych bliss-out of a unreleased track and taster of new things to come from the Welsh heavy dark-wavers who gave us "Dark Light', an acclaimed debut album in 2024 on New Heavy Sounds (Cwfen, Shooting Daggers, Death Pill).

An ethereal dark-folk intro of clean finger-picking and Carpenter synth lulls us into a sense of false calm before Ball unleashes one of her most crushing MWWB-esque fuzz riffs. By revisiting the track Ball has now delivered one of her most memorable melodies with a huge chorus recalling Mammoth Weed in full flow - Blackwater Holylight, Faetooth eat-your-heart-out.

A stand-alone track for the time being but Jessica explains where things are going...

"The release of 'Open Sea' was quite unexpected in a way! We had initially recorded it in Foel Studios with the intention of it being on our first album 'Dark Light'. For whatever reason, it didn't make it on the album. It's a song I had written a very long time ago, and it's funny how you can favour your new material over the old stuff. I also wasn't keen on the vocal melody anymore.

Well we recently came across it again, and I decided to have a go at some new vocals with fresh ears as enough time had passed. I liked what I did, so we sent it to Chris Fielding to work his magic... What came back was a fierce track that we absolutely loved. So I'm glad it is seeing the light of day.

Since the release of Dark Light, we've been playing a few select shows and working on our live sound a lot more. I've also been writing and working towards our second album. This single (Open Sea) has inspired me to make next album a lot heavier, and bring back the riffs!”

Listen to “Open Sea” - https://cargo-independent.ffm.to/v8f0rnmxhk

EYE are also set to support label mates Crumbling Ghost, who launch their album with a show at London’s Black Heart on 7th August.

Tickets are on sale now - https://dice.fm/partner/tickets/event/bb2b9x-crumbling-ghost-four-album-release-show-7th-aug-the-black-heart-london-tickets

Follow EYE online:

https://www.facebook.com/eyeeyeeyemusic
https://eye-uk.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/_e_y_e_b_a_n_d

Thanks to For The Lost PR for the details.

If These Trees Could Talk - The Hidden Hand (Album Review)

Release Date: July 10th 2026. Record Label: Metal Blade Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl

The Hidden Hand - Tracklist

1 Archons

2 Moon Machine

3 Sea Of Glass

4 Blurry Creatures

5 Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 1

6 Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2

7 Metanoia

8 Flim

9 Endlessly Connected

Lineup

Tom Fihe – bass guitar

Jeff Kalal – guitar

Cody Kelly – guitar

Mike Socrates – guitar

Zack Kelly – drums

Review

If These Trees Could Talk from Akron, OH, were on frequent rotation in my home with 'Red Forest' back in 2016 but then they fell off the radar. Don't know the reason why but with the exception of the single 'Trail of Whispering Giants' in 2024 the band released nothing in 10 years. Thankfully the long wait is over with the arrival of 'The Hidden Hand', and what an album it is! 

'Archons' is a short mystical yet mesmerizing opener which sets the tone perfectly for the entire album. It blends elegantly into 'Moon Machine' where the intense guitars soars above the slowish but crushing rhythm section. Drops back as vivid transcendent images are created...only to pick up again. After a beautiful delicate start 'Sea Of Glass' leads into some intense shredding only to fall back again. Eventually the band goes wide open taking it away. 'Blurry Creatures' builds up gradually turning screws tighter until a beautiful mid-section appears. Mellow and trippy it moves the song to amazing heights.

'Silence Between Mountains, Pt 1' is sparse, elegant and dreamy as it leads into 'Silence Between Mountains, Pt 2'. It follows along with Part 1 but with a hint of darker undertones. This helps to project the majestic traits of mountains. If These Trees Could Talk comes on strong with the guitars initially on 'Metanoia'. Drops back only to build up in that captivating way this band does it. 'Flim' is light, airy, positive and almost sacral in its approach and it's a highly uplifting composition at that. 'Endlessly Connected' picks up where 'Flim' left off but is even more elaborate.

Few bands can handle instrumental music the way If These Trees Could Talk do. It requires a high level of musicianship as well as compositional skills to create that style of music which reels you in and holds you captivated throughout. And this Akron quintet are masters at it as 'The Hidden Hand' is evidence of. Very good, indeed!

Words by Håkan Nyman

Links 

Facebook | BandCamp

Teiger - Bloodwork (Single Review)

Release Date: June 26th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD

Bloodwork - Tracklist

Bloodwork

Members

Talie Rose Eigeland: vocals, guitar, piano, percussion

Phillip Eldridge-Smith: bass, acoustic guitar, percussion, backing vocals, Moog

Jon Steele: drums, percussion

Review

Bloodwork is the latest single from Atmospheric Heavy Rock collective Teiger who released their widely acclaimed debut album back in 2023. Teiger traverses within the heavier and darker side of Desert Rock with the band touching upon areas of Prog Rock, Psych, Post-Rock, Shoegaze, Grunge and Alt-Rock themes. The band have quite a dreamy melodic sound for the most part but don't let that side of their music fool you. As they know when to transform into a heavier creative unit where their heavy volumes know no bounds.

Bloodwork sees the band explore a more emotionally charged sound with a subtle sideline in Nineties Alt Rock influences shining through such as Portishead. However, there’s more to Teiger's sound which is brilliantly centered on Talie Rose England’s spellbinding vocals which have influences ranging from Beth Gibbons, Dorthia Cottrell and I even get where the Grace Slick comparisons come from. This lady has amazing vocal range and it allows Teiger to have a deeper aggressive sound when the need calls for it.

Teiger's members are excellent musicians with the members playing multiple different instruments on this track alone. The band have also called upon the amazing talents of Jo Quall on cello which adds a subtle Post-Doom and Shoegaze sound towards the later stages of the track. There is a hidden seductive energy that instantly draws the listener in with dreamy psychedelics that shows a darker style of Desert Rock that you don’t experience much these days. 

If you dig the likes of Portishead, Yawning Man, SOM, Slow Crush and Windhand then Teiger will blow you away with this stunning track that makes me quite excited to hear their upcoming second album.

Words by Steve Howe

Links 

Official | Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram