Los Angeles – While there is no question that psychedelic music is making a huge comeback in both the underground as well as the mainstream, it has mostly skewed too heavily in the pop-oriented direction, losing the roughness that gave it an edge over traditional rock. On the other hand, there are bands like Ancient Sky who understand the importance Black Sabbath had in formulating the future of psych; they are not afraid to dial up the intensity, shout many of their lyrics, or layer thick slabs of distortion over their hypnotic, droning riffage.
Released this week on Wharf Cat Records, Mosaic sees Ancient Sky continuing down the dissonant and captivating Southern stoner metal sound they have been perfecting. Brian Markham and Pat Broderick founded the band in New York City; they wrote the album over the course of a winter and then brought on several friends to assist in production and recording. Like so many groups spawned from within a vibrant hardcore scene, the band’s lineup is not just ever-fluid, but also incestuous, with members of several local bands taking their turns playing alongside Markham and Broderick.
Joining the two founders are Brandon Evans and Kevin Lamiell, a pair of scene veterans who cut their teeth in the ultra-abrasive Virginia hardcore scene, performing in bands such as City of Caterpillar and Pg. 99. Adam Bulgasem was called upon to serve as Ancient Sky’s fifth member; he happens to perform alongside Markham in Holy Sons and Dommengang. While the material may have been written by just Markham and Broderick, the influences and expertise of each additional member shines through in each track on this elaborate and cohesive psych-metal release.
Though these seven cuts ebb and flow together, each song has individual sonic elements that provide a distinct sound. “Two Lights” gallops along, perfectly straddling the line between psych pop and stoner metal; it wraps up with the vocalists emitting a chilling howl that resembles recently unearthed footage of Confederate veterans performing they’re terrifying Rebel Yell. Every moment on the song drips with Southernism, as if Drive by Truckers got their hands on some really great acid.
The next song, “Garbage Brain”, kicks off with a thrashy, phased-out two-note riff before heading into a gentle verse that features calculatingly picked guitars. Despite the pop leanings of the previous track, “Garbage Brain” represents the most overtly mainstream-minded moment on Mosaic. It comes as no surprise that the song serves as the first single from an album that lacks any song obvious for mass-consumption.
One of the biggest issues with psych-metal bands is their completely lack of content control. There is something to be said for a song than can hold the listener’s attention for 15 straight minutes, but those tracks are very few and far between. Ancient Sky smartly never attempt to drive their songs to such epic lengths, with every one wrapping up around the six-minute mark.
Ancient Sky smartly closes out Mosaic with one of its biggest highlights, the meandering, haunting “Ancient Sky Tape”. At 6:25, it is the album’s longest track, though between its careening guitars, passionate vocals, and pummeling mid-song instrumental break-down, it feels like a much shorter song.
Ancient Sky will be playing the Northside Festival at Shea Stadium, check out the event website for more information.
Ancient Sky by Jamie Boddorff
Matt Matasci
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