Release Date: October 24th 2025. Record Label: Majestic Mountain Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Transcend - Tracklisting
1. Archaic Oscillations
2. We Go Here
3. Listen Close
4. Over & Out
5. Nothing's Sacred
6. Transcending
7. Deviate From The Plan
8. Weird Scenes
9. Cerulean Sky
10. The Sun Is The Key
Members
Matt Fry – Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Lucas Zalunski – Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Michael Young-Temple – Electric Guitar, Djembe
Ed Hughes – Bass
Carl Richards – Drums
Review
LACERTILIA return with their mammoth new album Transcend which fits superbly well into their heavy style of Cosmic Stoner Rock with a subtle Heavy Psychedelic charge. The record opens with a Post-Doom and Folk Rock opening of Archaic Oscillations which allows the Space Rock energy that Transcends fully contains to be laid out from the very beginning. However, that direction changes for the better with the excellent second track of We Go Here which sees LACERTILIA operate within the same Space Rock dimension of acts such as MONSTER MAGNET, NEBULA and VOLUME.
There’s also a gritty determination within their music and that’s mostly down to lead vocalist Matt Fry’s bombastic and highly unapologetic vocals which has a streetwise DOOM METAL attitude close to the likes of THE OBSESSED and ORANGLE GOBLIN, The grooves are heavy and plentiful with LACERTILIA showing different styles of Heavy Psychedelic passages which can be rooted in Classic Rock and Blues Rock energy but with the philosophy and influence of a certain Dave Wyndorf shining through from time to time.
Transcend becomes heavier and more intense with each passing moment that allows LACERTILIA to try new things with their music such as a PUNK ROCK attitude developing from tracks such as Listen Close, Over & Out and Nothing’s Sacred. The music does feel SONIC WARFARE or STONER WARFARE at times as the band play a furious style of Doom/Stoner Metal with stripped back production values allowing LACERTILIA to sound quite different from the Welsh and UK heavy rock underground scene.
The album has a few creative curve balls along the way which surprised me with LACERTILIA switching to areas of Prog Rock, Post-Doom, Punk Rock and Classic Hard Rock whilst keeping that classic STONER based vibe that does result in some ferocious instrumental passages throughout.
LACERTILIA are always thinking outside of the box with each passing track and this allows Transcend to have such an unpredictable and aggressive nature that makes this album such an exhilarating experience on other tracks such as Transcending, Deviate From The Plan, Weird Scenes and The Sun Is The Key. I will admit the stunning and epic fifth track Nothing Sacred is my favourite track with LACERTILIA employing a Post-Rock and Prog Rock philosophy into their music and allowing the intense STONER based melodies to fully take control at the perfect opportunity.
Transcend is perhaps allowing LACERTILIA moving onto bigger and better opportunities within the wider Stoner Rock/Metal movement and underground scene. With Orange Goblin sadly calling it quits, LACERTILIA could easily take their place as one of the premier UK Stoner Metal bands in the years to come.
This is a masterful and sonic musical odyssey from a band who are absolutely ON FIRE. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Purple Sage PR for the promo.
Transcend is available to buy on DD/Vinyl via Majestic Mountain Records.
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