
Opener 'Gimme Skelter' pretty much immediately comes up with this awesome blend of heavy doom metal and groovy krautrock. It also already showcases these psychedelic jam solos. So I guess it's no wonder that a band like Jefferson Airplane comes to mind when I listen to these tunes. They are with good company too because gradually acts like Hawkwind, Black Sabbath, Captain Beefheart, Ash Ra Tempel, Cathedral and Jimi Hendrix also seem to join the jam. At one point I was even thinking about Ozric Tentacles and that doesn't often happen when I'm listening to a doom metal record.
Now, I must admit that I had one minor doubt at first. For me, many albums win or fail because of the vocals. Here, at first these seemed to be a little let-down. Yet, gradually I got used to them as they started adding that awesome occult element to the whole thing, a bit like Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats do. Halfway through 'Rites of Drug Magick' I'm beginning to realize that this album might become one of my recent favorites. My favorite track here is the jazz 'Meet The Dead' for some reason.
So yep, another doom metal album and another quite unique one. One that certainly comes highly recommended if you ask me. I mean, it is doom, it is psychedelic and it is kraut as hell. So what are you waiting for? Get your hands on this acid trip...
Serge