After an eight-year recording hiatus, San Francisco-based stoner metal band Acid King return with their fifth studio album, Beyond Vision.
Those who’ve made a habit of listening to Acid King since their formation in 1993 know exactly what to expect from each release. Heavy, fuzz-smothered riffs will provide a backdrop for dreamy melodies that seem to sprawl through time. Everything will feel as though it’s being carried through a cloud of haze. It’ll be smoky, as far as music can be, and it’ll take its sweet time. In many ways, Beyond Vision is exactly this. All the signature Acid King sounds are there, which will no doubt please fans. This time, the theme of the album takes the listener on a dark interplanetary journey, which is perhaps breaking new ground for the band. Though, sci-fi elements are nothing fresh in the stoner doom genre.
Beyond Vision is introduced with ‘One Light Second Away’, which begins in an almost cinematic fashion. A long, droning introduction gives a sense of eeriness—the sort you might feel upon first stepping out into a post-apocalyptic world. It has an industrial coldness about it, too. As the song hits the two-minute mark, the guitar kicks in and the album slowly begins to come alive.
‘Mind’s Eye’, the album’s second track, builds up nicely with layered guitars before erupting into heavy riffs. The song feels dynamic and has plenty of depth to it. ‘Mind’s Eye’ also introduces frontwoman Lori’s vocals on Beyond Vision. Here, they sound ghostly and contribute hugely to the same eerie feel that carries over from ‘One Light Second Away’. ‘Mind’s Eye’ leads straight into ‘90 Seconds’, which introduces a repetitive noise that sounds like a large piece of machinery, perhaps of alien origins, chanting out loud. As the guitars kick in, things start to sound unmistakably Acid King, full of hefty riffs and plenty of fuzz. The song takes its time, though perhaps a little much. ‘90 Seconds’ feels as though it’s trying to build atmosphere, which it does effectively. But because the two previous tracks essentially do the same thing, it feels a little overdone. At this point in the album, the tempo is begging to be picked up a little.
‘Electro Magnetic’ does essentially the same job as ‘90 Seconds’. It’s an eight-minute track that spends the first four minutes taking listeners on an atmospheric tour through the Beyond Vision landscape. The image it paints in the listener’s mind is a powerful one, evoking thoughts of a dystopian desert town scene. We, the listeners, stride cautiously through as the sounds of wind and church bells ring in our ears. At around the halfway mark things get heavier again. ‘Electro Magnetic’ is actually a great track by itself. But again, does it belong midway through an album? Though remaining in keeping with the post-apocalyptic feel, the theme seems less otherworldly and more Western than with Beyond Vision’s other tracks.
After the brief filler track ‘Destination Psych’, the album moves on to ‘Beyond Vision’. The title track features a catchy melody and more of Acid King’s classic fuzzy riffs. It’s a catchy song, too. In many ways, this track exemplifies what Beyond Vision should have more of. It’s quite possibly the album’s standout song.
Beyond Vision finishes with ‘Color Trails’. A slow-paced intro conjures a reflective mood before pounding drums lead into a nice set of powerful riffs and beautiful solo work. It’s a strong finish to what is almost a very good album.
Beyond Vision gives the impression that it has more of a story to tell than some of Acid King’s previous releases. It makes use of slow, lengthy instrumental sections to build atmosphere, which it does brilliantly. Yet, the frequency of these can be frustrating and makes the album seem somewhat unbalanced. It would have been nice to have seen more distinctive hooks and more of Lori’s powerful vocals. Beyond Vision offers plenty to enjoy, but it may well leave listeners wishing for just a bit more.
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