Yajaira - Epopeya
Self-released - 2024
Stoner, Doom, Psychedelic
Rated: ****
At the very end of last century I heard a song on the internet that sounded like the explosive result of a full speed, head-on collision between Dozer and Thumlock (two bands I discovered just a tad earlier). That song was Alcohol by Chilean band Yajaira - one of the heaviest stoner rock songs I had ever heard. Later on I found out their entire 1998 self-titled debut album was a brutal assault to the ears, filled to the brim with bottom-heavy stoner rock and a bit of fired-up doom thrown in for good measure. To this day I still go back to that album on a more or less regular basis, especially when I need to get my aggression out.
Since that debut they've released another four albums between 2000 and 2017, on which they were expanding their sound, shifting more towards doom and adding psychedelic elements to various degrees and with mixed success. Now, seven years after 'Post Tenebras Lux', they are back with a new album titled 'Epopeya', a Spanish word that can be translated as odyssey or epic (also epic poetry, long story, long film etcetera).
With original drummer Sebastián Arce back on board, the festivities begin with the title track that fittingly clocks in at way over nine minutes. A daring start, because not every band is able to keep you on the edge of your seat when going all out like this. But after the first bout of feedback, followed by a mesmerising doom groove, you know you're in for a treat. It's one hell of a song, shifting between doom, stoner and psychedelic passages, topped of by a mind-blowing guitar solo near the end that intertwines with meandering wah wah bass lines. It's a statement to show Yajaira is back and have found the perfect balance between all the influences they've dabbled in over the years.
And although it seems nearly impossible, the rest of the album maintains a similar high standard with perfect flow and placing of the songs, as well as the usage of some spoken samples that provide an extra layer to the overall experience. Whether it's the groove-driven 'Rayo Psíquico', the time travelling blues of 'Algo Se Está Quemando', the stoner punk shenanigans in 'Las Pestes', the doom ballad 'Vuelta Al Sol' or the hazy, slowly accelerating instrumental closer 'Odisea', it all works like a charm because of the songwriting skills and impeccable execution - with a special nod to the better than ever vocal delivery. Add to that a crisp production without losing any of the grit Yajaira is known for, and you've got one of the best stoner/doom releases so far this year. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for an epic trip you won't forget. Epopeya!
(Written by Ronny Dijksterhuis)
