Album Review, Pyramidal - Dawn in Space

Pyramidal are a four-piece Psychedelic and Space-rock band from Alicante Spain. While not absolutely instrumental, the music is certainly for those who prefer the long and full exploitation of melodies, and that's just what I'm in the mood for right now!

Check out their page on Prog Sphere for more info.

Instrumental intro track 'Intronauts' is an elegant piece of experimental music, the likes of which most bands wouldn't take the time to make. Think Mastodon's 'Creature Lives' mixed with Neurosis' 'Descent'. After a minute and a half, it glides seamlessly into 'Black Land'. Another rich mix of so many different elements, the quick and repetitive drum beat with a light but sinister and terribly simple riff over top gives creates an overall Neu! vibe, while the fuzzy and reverberated lead guitars are seated firmly in stoner rock territory.

'Kosmik Blizzard', opens with a slow, plodding riff from the files of Saint Vitus or Spirit Caravan. A progression of riffs is permeated by trad-doom lead breaks. A good old-fashioned Sabbath style arrangement of no defined verses and choruses, just changes. These guys aren't afraid to make the most of the parts they come up with; with the exception of 'Intronauts', no track on this record is shorter than six minutes! Title track, 'Dawn in Space' begins with wonderfully spacey synth wind effects before being overtaken by a Dave Gilmour style clean guitar riff, which paves the way for the passage of the song where it transforms into something from Sabbath's 'Sabotage' (a record I've been enjoying much more after reading the Tony Iommi biography). About four minutes in, it changes back into something from Floyd's 'Meddle'.

'Plastikleuten', a gigantic two-part track tipping the 10 minute mark. Revival of the Neu! sound with the dry bass and minimalist guitar at first before a gong hit cues the first changes. Fans of Sleep and OM will appreciate how Pyramidal take the attitude that every riff is something that can be meditated on and time needs to be allowed to see the music blossom. The same is true of the beautifully eastern sounding 'Tempel Iaru': the bright and shiny lead guitar sauntering through percussion panned all around the stereo mix makes a gripping intro when just short of four minutes, things suddenly turn towards a Shrinebuilder style, mid-tempo, riff heavy groove. Then something out of the blue, a very snappy drum solo to lead us towards the song's conclusion. Finally we wrap up this psychedelic affair with 'Mars Lagoon'. The name alone is evocative of colourful things. The groove here is particularly funky and it hints back at 'Black Land' subtly. The drums are certainly in control here, altering the atmosphere as they see fit. Perhaps this is a spoiler but a few minutes of silence reveal what might be a hidden track, a refreshingly poppy one at that. This lovely bit of music makes me wonder is there a gap in the market for stoner rock dance clubs where the dj's let rip with groovy instrumental music like this. It's certainly danceable and mood lifting stuff, so if anyone does it, just remember where you heard the idea first!

This is just the kind of music I love on a lazy morning, fresh, challenging and inspiring but yet pleasing to the ear and cheerful. Just as Fleet Foxes and Neurosis are my Winter music (an odd pairing I'll admit) and Alice in Chains' 'Facelift' is my beginning of Summer music, 'Dawn in Space' is going to become my Spring time music.

Pyramidal, Dawn in Space.

Rating: 8/10

For fans of: Neurosis, Pink Floyd, Shrinebuilder.

Listen here: http://pyramidalmusic.bandcamp.com/