The oddly named Kairon: IRSE! are a four piece band from Finland who released their first collection of psychedelic, shoegaze, and pop splattered progressive rock back in 2014 titled Ujubasajuba, and they now find themselves on Svart Records for the follow-up, Ruination. To say that Ruination is an eclectic set of songs is an understatement, but then again, this is Svart Records we are talking about, and they never fail to surprise us with their roster diversity. Kairon: IRSE! can thunder along with the best of them, as they do frequently throughout the opening two part 25-minute "Sinister Waters", but it's the little folky bits, the pop vocals, and the intricate, Gentle Giant influenced prog passages that are woven in between the heavy guitar riffs that provide the spark and ingenuity of this band. Gentle Giant meets Dream Theater meets Hawkwind meets Pentangle? Probably not far from it actually. Booming bass riffs, jangly fuzz toned guitars, keyboards, and wispy vocals collide on "Llullaillaco", while the psychedelic, almost proto-metal riffs of "Starik" mix with screaming jazzy saxophone and plenty of '70s styled prog/space rock guitar & keyboards for a thrilling ride. The band totally makes an about face on the dreamy "Porphyrogennetos", as wonderful Chris Squire/Jon Camp/Michael Rutherford styled bass lines weave around lilting guitars and soothing keys, eventually giving way to a screaming wah-wah laced guitar solo courtesy of Niko Lehdontie. The closing title track shows their penchant for pop melodies and a love of psychedelia, with catchy lead vocals that float over effects laden lead guitar work and lush chords.
It's not hard to predict that Ruination might just be one of the more unique albums we'll hear in 2017, and in this day and age, 'unique' is definitely a good thing. Kairon: IRSE! are onto something, so make sure you don't miss this little gem so you can experience the cool & offbeat sounds they are creating.
Track Listing
01 Sinister Waters I
02 Sinister Waters II
03 Llullaillaco
04 Starik
05 Porphyrogennetos
06 Ruination
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