Acid Magus - Hope Is Heavy

 

 

Acid Magus - Hope Is Heavy
Mongrel Records – 2023
Rock, Stoner, Prog, Metal, Doom
Rated: *****

I hope the band won’t freak out about me focusing on one little aspect of one song. And I hope it won’t freak anyone out too much, for me once again going into some personal history. Again. But yes, I know, Hope Is Heavy. And the new Acid Magus album is damn heavy and incredibly interesting. Focused and intense, for almost one whole hour. But I wanted to mention the fact that the third track Caligulater took me back to somewhere around 1995. The peak of the drum ‘n bass era, for me at least, (which has been making a comeback recently) and seeing in one cool night all the top DJ’s pull their weight on a bill. Aphrodite, DJ Krush, Ganja Kru, Roni Size, and all doing so splendidly, and turning the venue into one sweaty pool of buzzing energy. But outside of the main halls, in a hallway, near the fire exits, there was this little Belgian or French band, (unfortunately can’t remember the name or anything), playing the hits of the great DJ’s which were throwing down in the main hall, but… with guitar, drums, bass and rocking hard. The way they made Super Sharp Shooter from Ganga Kru sound, was insanely good and still stands tall as one of the amazing musical moments in my life. And here it comes, Caligulater has the same vibe. Not only took me back to that era but had me bouncing of the walls and buzzing with energy that needed to be danced out. That growling guitar tone, only momentarily and for mere seconds giving you a jolt of electricity, and then those drums kick in. The classic drum ‘n bass rhythm, which is only there for a minute, with a break in the middle before the soaring vocalized middle part start. But then returns for two more rounds of dance offs. It sets that one track so apart from everything else out there and the rest of the record, I could not help but single it out. Even though, those other six tracks demand every bit of your attention as well. The slower, doom opening of Demon Behemoth, grandiose in gestures and wide in arc, highly atmospheric and immediately offering up impressive vocals. Progeneration, equal in setting the scene and mood, offering up an entire universe of expansiveness and psychedelic swirls. Or what about the soon to be released single and video Dead Weight, featuring Johni Holiday from Ruff Majik. Turning all that expansiveness from earlier tracks, inwards, making it dense, grittier, and totally infectious, until of course they once again throw a curveball and open up the entire composition, heralding the coming of Angelic illumination that inevitably gets thwarted by a doom trod down the ever-darkening stairs, where a choir awaits to signal a return to the beginning. Two more tracks, the longest ones await all you heavy rock lovers. Cathedrals in their own right, Trillion Tonne Sun and the download bonus track Curse of the Wyrd Syster. The dirge, the progression, and the way they deepen both aspects, while giving way to structured pieces of melodic bodies of openness, simply stunning. With Hope Is Heavy, Acid Magus produced an album, meant for the ages. And I have high hopes it will end topside on many year-end-lists.

(Written by JK)

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