Just because Earthless’s cosmic tunes may not have a cosmic origin, but that doesn’t mean their newest LP, From The Ages (Tee Pee) is content to stay within the confines of our atmosphere. Guitarist Isaiah Mitchell, bassist Mike Eginton and drummer Mario Rubalcada drop four tracks spanning a staggering hour and five minutes on their first full length since 2007.
The first trip of fuzzed-out acid rock is ‘Violence Of The Red Sun’. The track gives off a very Sabbathian vibe interposed with enough late 60s/early 70s psych influence to make your bottoms grow bells. Synths intersect the orbit like a comet, leaving flashes of light in their wake. Mitchell’s guitar drifts of its own freewill between groovy riffs and crazed solos. Eginton turns the eternal wheel of stoner groove and Rubalcada rides the rails of boundless energy with snapping snare, thudding bass, and fills a plenty. The song’s latter half moves in a desert direction with a stopover in blues country. The amalgam of psych/stoner and blues is almost too much to bear.
‘Uluru Rock’ feels like the desert is waking. Slow and quiet until the sun breaks the horizon. Seemingly endless solos sing a sad, acidic song. Synths show their face before retreating to the shadows as the desert sun bakes the earth. The intensity builds to a peak before the sun slowly settles again behind ‘Uluru Rock’.
At 5:42, ‘Equus October’ seems like it’s over before it begins compared to the other three tracks. An OM influenced bass riff leads the way down a lazy cosmic river, emptying into a pool of colour. Drum hits and cymbal crashes break the surface like raindrops, mixing a rainbow of shades together with swirling grace before the whole scene is blown away by an explosion of noise.
Thirty minute closer ‘From the Ages’ takes “trippy” to the next level. Biker rock, 70s vibe and drug power coalesce into circular riffs, steady rhythm and the mind-bending solos Mitchell is basically made of. Eastern flavour takes the track on a magic carpet ride of incense scented astral travel. Synths, feedback and wonderful wah make the title track a triumphant barrage of cool that never feels like a half-hour song.
Earthless play instrumental rock full of drive and soul. It feels improvised to the point where you’d expect the tracks to be constantly evolving. The extreme jam nature gives off a very intimate aura. Like we’re not meant to see how exposed the band’s souls are. Earthless leave everything on the table with From the Ages. Blissful, edgy and bathed in illicit substances, this is a trippy voyage any self-respecting stoner must not miss. See you on the other side of the cosmos.
8.5/10
Matt Hinch