We might be in the run-up to Christmas, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop rocking. Finland’s Craneium have dropped a new album that will warm the heart and dispel the winter blues.

New release The Narrow Line (Ripple Music) is the second album from this Finnish quartet. In a saturated scene, Craneium’s USP is the ability to meld fuzzy Stoner riffs with big Doomy choruses and a hint of spacy trippiness. On the whole, it is more sedate than previous effort, 2015’s Into The Void (self-released), and, overall, the vocals are more melodic and there’s more of a psychedelic tilt, though there are still moments where the riffs crush.

The opening salvo of lead singles ‘Manifest’ and ‘I’m Your Demon’ get things off to a strong start and show Craneium at their best. ‘Manifest’ is a beefy stomper, chock full of big, fuzzy riffs and catchy vocals, there’s a strong hint of Kyuss and Black Sabbath, and a nice solo to close things off.

‘I’m Your Demon’ is much more spacy, with its effects-laden aquatic vocals and quiet build up before kicking into a big doomy groove.

‘Beyond the Pale’ is another Kyuss-inspired jam, while ‘The Soothsayer’ is a straight up driving rocker. There’s little that’s mould-breaking or overly inspiring, but it’s fun and ticks all the right boxes for anyone who likes their music delivered in a green haze.  Unfortunately, the album starts to lose steam towards the end. ‘The Goat (Is in Commande)’ and ‘Man’s Ruin’ just feel like rehashes what you’ve already heard (and heard better versions on) on previous tracks.

The Narrow Line is a perfectly satisfying slab of fuzzy rock for those in need of some desert warmth in these cold winter months

7 / 10

DAN SWINHOE