By Monk
From the opening combination of a deep, fuzzed-out, almost impenetrable wall of bass sound counterpointed by a Ravi Shanker-esque interlocution of eastern mysticism, you know that this, the second full length album from Leeds psych-infused, spaced-out doomsters Amon Acid is no generic scene follower, but rather an eclectic mix of aural treats. And that is exactly what it turns out to be as it ducks and swerves through an epic 64 minutes of vibrant soundscapes that evoke a myriad of emotions and responses.
As its title suggest, ‘Cosmogony’ visits a veritable Überverse of aural inspirations and experiences, while all the while remaining within the basic remit of the doom genre, and that is keeping things heavier than a convoy of cement trucks, especially at the bottom end of proceedings, as the swirling soundscapes are built from the bass up.
Musically, the nearest comparators are perhaps primetime Hawkwind or virtual namesakes Amon Duul II and other progenitors of the Seventies Euro space/prog scene. But that is not to say that this is a band living in the past. In fact, far from it: while giving due cognizance to their forebearers, AA seem keen to drive things forward, introducing new sonic elements and embracing modern progressions in the genre into a wonderfully harmonic, cohesive and captivating listening experience.
At more than an hour in length, ‘Cosmogony’ is a challenging listen for a single sitting, and it is tempting to break it down into more palatable bite-size chunks, suggesting along the way that perhaps the band might have considered releasing it as three 20-minute EPs. But that perhaps would have detracted, and distracted, from the overall flow and contrasting continuity of the overall experience.
If you like your doom delivered in a way which switches from ball-crushing heaviness to rapture-inducing ethereality to enervating catharsis, and back again, without you noticing the change in mood, then this most definitely is the album for you. The reward is in the detail.
- ‘Cosmogony’ is released on Friday 18 November. You can get your copy HERE.
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