Finland's psych/stoner/prog trio Kaleidobolt are back with their third album, titled Bitter for Svart Records. This new one contains seven tracks, most with plenty of energy, trippy vibes, and complex arrangements, the band jumping back and forth between Hawkwind weirdness, Mastodon styled aggression, the vintage garage rock of early Grand Funk Railroad, and the proggy atmosphere of Peter Gabriel era Genesis. Sound like a lot to take in? At times yes, but the band really makes it all work here, the instances of pummeling (see "Big Sky Land") tempered with loads of Mellotron and spacey prog bits quite nicely. "I Am the Seer" is like a midnight meeting between The Melvins, Blue Cheer, and Black Sabbath (fuzz aplenty!), while "Coyote" blends frantic math metal with bluesy stoner rock for an unusual ride. The 9+ minute closer "Hydra" might just be the most intriguing of the lot, a violent excursion into psychedelia with scorching slide guitars, heavy riffs, and effects up the wazoo.
On the downside, the vocals aren't especially good, and there's a rough nature to the production that fits the music well, but might distract for some listeners. All in all though, a solid outing for anyone into their stoner music with a healthy dose of prog & psych.
Track Listing
01 Another Toothpick 6:17
02 Big Sky Land 7:10
03 I Am The Seer 6:38
04 Deadpan Blues 5:59
05 Interlude 2:20
06 Coyote 5:21
07 Hydra 9:32