OK, first things first: can we talk about that cover art? It’s so brilliant, I can’t quite contain myself. It gives off this incredible sci-fantasy vibe that reminds me of some Golden Age pulp space-opera a la Flash Gordon. It’s honestly the perfect setup for Bison Machine‘s sound; on Seas of Titan they channel this over-the-top early 70’s vibe both in their aesthetic and in their music. The words which comet to mind are “romp” or “escapade”; the entire album feels like a ride around an interstellar rollercoaster, hitting us with riff after riff. Alright, enough words; check out “Electric Eliminator” from the album, one of the better tracks on it. We’ll chat some more after the jump.
Fun, right? The guitars are just full of this uncontainable energy, letting loose riff after riff, not to mention the numerous bridges and solos scattered throughout. The galloping riff on the bass and the agile drumming is what ties everything together, grounding the guitars and lending the track its supple-yet-stable structure. I love how that structure is just a bit unpredictable, using a basic verse-chorus structure but varying up the iterations to keep you on your toes; the next beat might be a bridge of a return to the verse, who knows? You’re always grounded in what’s happening but what comes next might just catch you unawares and that lends the track an exciting edge.
The vocals are just the icing on the cake, channeling that kind of deep yet inherently evocative timbre that’s the staple of any good psychedelic release. And trust me, this is a great psychedelic release. Seas of Titan hits us in full on the 27th of September via the always excellent Small Stone Records. You can head on over to their Bandcamp to pre-order this beaut; I wouldn’t sleep on it if I were you.