Ancestors - Of Sound Mind

Show

Morning Magazine,

Author

Joey K

Published

Friday 6th August

Tee Pee Records

This band delivered one of my favourites albums of 2008 in their debut LP ‘Neptune With Fire’, a colossal stoner prog jam comprised of just 2 monster tracks. I immediately noted that new album ‘Of Sound Mind’ has 8 tracks and that obviously the band must have reigned themselves in quite a lot – but this is only partly true because 4 of the tracks are key based interludes that serve more as breathers between the epics. So it’s still definitely a case of strapping yourself in for some long rides.

Ancestors are more focussed here though. They still draw from the same well of 70’s prog twisted to their own dark ends with a heavier doom metal bent, but the immense aural landscapes feel more crafted and less haphazard. On each of the main tracks an evolving story rolls out, like an ominous black cloud in the distance that slowly but surely gets closer, swallowing all in its wake and eventually blacking out the sun.

The progressive side to the band is more evident this time around – imagine a heavier version of late ‘60’s / early ‘70’s Pink Floyd – but there are still some rollicking heavy riff passages to be enjoyed also, most notably in the second half of the album’s pinnacle ‘The Trial’, which begins life as an out-take from ‘Live at Pompeii’ before descending into crushingly heavy Sleep territory toward the end of its amazing 17 minute journey.

Ancestors continue to be one of the most interesting and challenging bands of the sludgier sub-genres that their label Tee Pee specialises in, and are highly recommended to stoner rock fans who like their sonic joints long, deep and strong.