Electric Wizard was known as a doom metal band in times past, but the latest album has them going on more of a hard rock-cum-doom-cum-stoner adventure.

Gone are the little samples of interviews speaking about occultism and some of the more metal elements replaced by a rhythmic sludgy doom-laden guitar and drum track with long drawn out drones. The guitar solos are almost hidden behind the wall of noise and each track feels and sounds similar to the last.

Now, that’s not to say it’s a bad album. It’s different, it’s dark and psychedelic and is for a certain listener. It’s not mainstream, it’s just a change in direction for the band.

Lyrically its very repetitive, not so full of usual themes, sleazier like a drug-fuelled trip in a dangerous part of town.

The songs… I can’t honestly pull anything unique from this record aside from ‘The Reaper’ with an organ in the background making it sound more like a funeral dirge. Most of the tracks sound very similar and even feel like an extension of the previous song.

This is an album for stoners and doom enthusiasts with no apologies. Electric Wizard is flying high on the hard rock storm winds of darkness and despair.