Jess and the Ancient Ones are back with a new album! This Finnish occult rock band have released their third album, and with The Horse and Other Weird Tales (Svart) they have taken a nosedive further into the psychedelic genre. Spanning only 34 minutes, the album isn’t terribly long, but it manages to cram a lot of goodness in that half an hour.

Some songs could perhaps have done with an extra minute, such as the wonderfully eccentric ‘Minotaure’. Starting with beastly breathing, it unfolds into Jess’s powerful vocals, some trippy synths and a driving bassline. These three elements pervade the album and, along with rather peppy drums and overdriven guitar, provide a modern psychedelic feel. Opening number ‘Death is the Doors’ has a zingy rock’n’roll vibe that really works, even if the rhythmic difference between the intro and the rest of the song is slightly odd. ‘You and Eyes’ also features tempo changes, from a trippy ballad to something more full-bodied, while the excellent ‘Shining’ is up-tempo and energetic from the get-go. An odd musical element is the occasional use of choral-sounding backing vocals, which manage to add a lot of character even despite that – or rather because – they sound slightly out of place. They are used to greatest effect in ‘Your Exploding Heads’.

More variation can be found in the song lengths, with ‘Radio Aquarius’ not even reaching two minutes, while ‘Anyway the Mind Flows’ almost reaches eight. The two longer pieces are more varied and challenging where the shorter are more straightforward and comfortable listening. ‘You and Eyes’ even contains a delightfully bluesy solo. On the whole, the album is solid and entertaining, varied while maintaining a recognisable sound; and while eschewing any real heaviness, it stays powerful throughout.

7.5/10

LORRAINE LYSEN