I’ve always liked stoner music from Australia
From the opening salvo of Heavy on the Hook, the crushing
drums, heavy bass lines and ear shattering guitars, you know you’re in for a
treat. The first four songs are your typical, yet as always awesome,
stoner rock tunes. Heavy hard and fast, including a nice instrumental
interlude. They set up the album up perfectly, leading to the epic
final three songs. This is where the band shines. All three songs
being 8minutes or longer. The musical talent that the band shows here is
top notch, including the singing, which is nice clean vocals. You get the
feeling that the band wants to take you on a journey, beginning with Spiral Altar.
Beautiful tempo changes, down toned basslines, this song breaks down into a
head nodding experience, reminiscent of a stoned high, that slowly fades away
into gentle ocean waves.
Wizard or the Skull is exactly as the title suggests.
Abrasive, in your face power. The energy created in this song is unreal,
like a storms rolling thunder, pounding your insides senseless. After the
onslaught of the first 4 mins, they again take you on a journey. Shut
your eyes and just imagine flying through space, touching the stars, you can’t
help but let yourself go, and just enjoy the ride. You feel yourself floating,
everything in slow motion, astonishing music , for astonishing minds. Its
breathtaking, you know it’s all out there for you, and then as your about to
fade away with the music, they pull you back in…For whatever goal they were
trying to reach with this song, they have done so. Epic indeed.
We come to the end now, the King in Yellow. Another
doom filled song with bone crunching riffs, vocals reminiscent of a king in his
castle, echoey, but clean and with a purpose. There’s no fucking around
in this song, it is just pure power. To describe this song, would do it
no justice. Just let it be known that it is easily the perfect end on the
journey that Looking Glass created. This release, by far, easily out does
anything they have released before hand.
This could easily fit into anyone’s top ten list for the
year. They have graduated from a good stoner rock band to an inspiring
doom/stoner act that more bands should follow. A perfect 10 from me.
~William Bissonette
