ALBUM REVIEW: Hope Is Heavy – Acid Magus
Straddling the Apies River and extending eastward into the foothills of the Magaliesberg Mountains, lies Pretoria, South Africa. Surrounded by the wild and untamed African nature, this picturesque city is home to the spaced-out river dwellers ACID MAGUS. The South African quartet stormed onto the scene in 2020 with their mesmeric riffs, thought-provoking lyrics and soul stirring melodies. This newly found position in the pubic consciousness was cemented in 2021 with the emphatic release of the band’s debut album Wyrd Syster.
Now ACID MAGUS emerge from the depths of Pretoria once again, lyrically leaping headlong into the frays of existentialism, introspection and the human condition, whilst reinforcing their thunderous riffing with even more anthemic vocal melodies. As a result, the band’s sophomore album Hope Is Heavy packs a sizeable and powerful punch.
Conceptually, ACID MAGUS have delved deep into something that a lot of us know all too well. With the recent years of strife and struggle, we would all be lying if a certain cynicism hasn’t built up in all of us. Hope Is Heavy looks to change this by trying to find the elusive yet hopeful light at the end of the tunnel. This is reflected in the music as ACID MAGUS tussle between anthemic hopefulness and crushingly heavy realism. It is clear that Hope Is Heavy has learnt from the lessons provided by the creative process that resulted in Wyrd Syster.
Taking pride in their DIY approach, there is a punky attitude that permeates ACID MAGUS’ songwriting, placing them in their own unique space. There’s no conforming to genre tropes here. Everything feels as if it has been created with sound intentions and an immovable sense of purpose. As a result, ACID MAGUS have an instinctive sound that sees each song developed organically on the strength of the emotions that have triggered its creation. That in itself makes Hope Is Heavy’s deeply profound introspection even more hard-hitting, penetrating the depths of your thoughts with relative ease.
Musically, there is a brilliantly blended selection of doomy riffs, swirling heavy psychedelia and mind-bending space rock. In the psychedelic sections, luscious and rich melodic layers are built over smooth bass lines and hypnotic rhythms. When ACID MAGUS kick it up a gear they show their mastery of the fuzz-laden doom wall of sound. Earthy, gritty and powerful, ACID MAGUS build them up brick by brick before launching a bulldozer through this newly built wall.
Most importantly however, Hope Is Heavy is a cohesive musical journey that actively seeks to make you think and find that elusive sense of hope in a chaotic, unforgiving world. Whilst it is imbued with a sense of realism, there is something very motivating about the album’s hunt for hope. It certainly has a potent concept of complex emotions that is supported by equally dynamic and emotionally charged riffs.
The album opens with Demon Behemoth, a suitably catchy title for a song which has incredibly anthemic vocal melodies that raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Its here you can also appreciate the more technical improvements in the guitar leads and riffs, as both effortlessly intertwine to create a rich atmospheres and catchy melodies. Progeneration is an earthy, rumbling and spacious song that blends shimmering space rock with gritty fuzz, with Anrico Jeske (lead vocals) and Brendon Bezuidenhout (backing vocals)’s harmonies really shining through. Caligulater is a stand out track right at the heart of the album; simultaneously thunderous and hypnotic, it’s a song that makes you feel alive and spaced out. There is an electrifying buzz that penetrates down to your bones, especially when Jeske hits a long note with emphatic power.
A Planet, A Deathstar dials it down ever so slightly, with the mellow tones of an acoustic guitar leading the majority of the song, it slowly builds into a groove-laden stoner riff. At this point the album begins to feel heavier, and the intro riff to Dead Weight (featuring Johni Holiday of RUFF MAJIK) supports that. Dizzying and circular, this song feels like an embodiment of confusing thought cycles filled with contradictions that plague you from time to time. Closing the album is the ten-minute epic Trillion Tonne Sun, a triumphant musical journey that ebbs and flows graciously whilst still containing all the raw power that was shown on the previous songs. Trillion Tonne Sun also has a more soulful approach with some progressive elements worked in for good measure. It is a brilliant way to finish off the album with a flourish.
ACID MAGUS are an exciting prospect in the global doom, heavy psych and stoner scenes and Hope Is Heavy is a tremendous sophomore effort that is sure to pull in a host of new fans. Poignant, powerful and captivating, it is an excellent album to get lost in and ponder your own existence.
Rating: 9/10
Hope Is Heavy is set for release on August 4th via Mongrel Records.
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