ALBUM REVIEW: Warped Vision – Psychlona
Returning with their fourth full-length effort, PSYCHLONA have taken their previous sound and tweaked it yet again, adding in heavily psychedelic sounds maybe more akin to early PINK FLOYD and their brethren. While this tweak is not a massive shift in sound, given their earlier work is absolute HAWKWIND worship, it adds some further depth to their sound, expanding into the areas adjacent. There is still a good, solid core of their original approach, but each subsequent release has shown that they are not afraid to tweak and experiment as they go.
Even despite losing half of the band a year ago and having to replace them, Phil Hey and Co have come up with another very good body of work. There is a lot of rhythmic bass driving it on with the drums, whilst the guitars take turns to wail, to harmonise and to enhance the melodies. It’s a very positive note, too, that the new members seem to have fitted so well into the nucleus of the band’s musical approach that it doesn’t feel like there have been any personnel changes, a strong indication of some excellent additions to any already very solid act.
Magic Carpet is probably one of the prime examples of the more PINK FLOYD centric approach that pops up in this release, certainly during the verses and refrains, at least. While it does veer off into slightly better-known modern stoner rock paths for the chorus and end, it means that the ideas are well presented and expanded upon, rather than ground to death, emphasising further just how good their songwriting ability is.
While it’s a very good body of work, the tracks are fairly equal. There is a difference between the songs, which means the full release feels fresh, never rushed nor plodding. While there is a strong vibe right through, this could be a slight deterrent for any newcomers who are fans of the more progressive approaches that the bands mentioned above take at times, instead of the love of desert and space rock that encapsulates the core of PSYCHLONA‘s sound.
Overall, Warped Vision is another very strong release from the Bradford kebab rock specialists, further enhancing an already burgeoning reputation that is already taking them on tours across Europe and into such specialist festivals as Desertfest and their ilk. The blurring of their musical edges into something a little different from their previous was not entirely unexpected, given their form for doing so, but it’s a good indication that despite the issues that have obviously cropped up internally, the unit is as strong as ever.
Rating: 8/10
Warped Vision is out now via Magnetic Eye Records.
Like PSYCHLONA on Facebook.