An album that isn’t likely to be a King Gizzard fan favourite nor a metal fan favourite but brings the two arenas together in a way only this band could.
King Gizzard albums come along so frequently it buys them the latitude to do whatever they wish. If they have a misfire, it will likely be less than 6 months until the next tome arrives. The remarkable thing about the band is that quantity is not traded off against quality. 2017 saw them release 5 albums in one year, each of them distinct and enjoyable within a small variance in the quality. After taking 2018 off (fair enough!) we have received 2 albums now in 2019. The first a folky prog record focussed on the environment. This second one considers the fate of the planet and whether there is a Plan[et] B with a very different musical aesthetic to any album before it by taking on thrash metal and heavy rock with an almost space rock and glam rock fringe at times.
A hell of a left turn for a psych, prog band but at the same time done in such a way it would simply add heavier moments to their live show without seeming out of place. The eccentricity or the idea wins out over any deficiency that either group of interested fans could have with the record.
I am not well enough versed in metal to give a full analysis but to my layman ear Planet B, Superbug, Venusian 1&2 and Self Immolate all scratch the itch for heavy and fast guitars perfectly well.
In a week of side projects and left turns, this fits the theme and will certainly tide us over until KGATLW return with their next edition hailing forth from their frankly disgustingly over-productive studio. (Keep up the good work lads!)
Highlights (see penultimate paragraph)
(Originally published on Instagram – 20 August 2019)
musikigai 