Translated from Norwegian:
Motorpsycho
Kingdom of OblivionThe beard is still growing
Jøssenam ... Here they are again! Just when you felt that you had got a grip on the recently completed trilogy of Motorpsycho, this happens. More music! Is it possible??
Well, the fact that Motorpsycho has a high production speed should not really come as a surprise anymore. Now, as I said, they have recently completed a reasonably hefty and extensive project in their "Gullvåg trilogy", but here comes the raisin in the sausage.
The surplus project Kingdom of Oblivion is composed of a number of songs which for various reasons did not fit on the three previous albums, but which admittedly bear clear similarities. We're talking about guitar hero riffing, rolling fuzz bass, acoustic adventures, fine vocal harmonies and a good portion of what must now be called typical motor psycho-singing (You know, the way they do. For example here in 'the united debased': "Dreaming of freedom but LIVING AFRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIDDD â€).
In short, one can conclude that even though the album cover is now adorned by another artist (Sverre Malling), they rock in the same way as on the previous albums.
Interludes and shorter acoustic tracks connect the longer songs in a roller coaster of music and adventure, and you basically get the feeling that you are following a kind of timeline through the album.
The biggest difference between the three previous albums and Kingdom of Oblivion is that this album is a little easier to digest. Here you will find no 20-minutes-plus-plus epic mammoth songs in the center of the album. However, they are now not radio-friendly. Half of the tracks extend upwards towards the 10-minute mark, and are consequently characterized by fiery riffs, up to several guitar solos, as well as longer jams with organ and mellotron and flutes and strings and whathaveyounot with acid effects - often anchored in a suggestive bass riff.
In other words, the Motorpsycho grinder goes smoothly on a setting that can be described as:
"70s hard rock + Gandalf".For there is one thing that strikes me when I listen to this summary raisin: Bent and Snah have over time gone from being young, exploratory psychonauts in astonishing search for new sonic adventures in a kaleidoscopic music world. They have moved here and there, done this and that, and have now gradually taken on / accepted the role as experienced veterans. They appear more and more like a bunch of wizards (hear me out) who stand there and tell fairy tales and cast magic and all that scheme there. Now it is they who control the trip. Away with naivety and uncertainty. Now they are the guides in this sonic universe. They are the ones who lead you into deep, mysterious forests, and they are the ones who pull you out of the thorn bush when the music nears its end.
The songs you hear on Kingdom of Oblivion are characterized by a very confident drive. We are talking about a confidence that radiates experience.
It's been a while since Bent and Snah really started to dive into the cookbooks from the 60's and 70's. After 10-12 years of experimenting with acidic psychedelic melodies and riffs, riffs, RIFF, Motorpsycho knows exactly where they stand. And there they stand wide-legged. With your hands firmly planted on your hips.
And beard down to the boots.8/10