Aussie heavy psych continues to flourish as the Victoria-based trio O.R.B. prepare for the Oct. 6 release of their new album, Naturality, via Castle Face Records. Drifting, buzzing and rolling out dreamscape weirdness, the long-player seems to find them working in the influence of tourmates King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, but whatever avenue they want to take to get around to the garage-jangle and fuzzed-out lead work on “Rainbows End” is cool by me. What matters is they get there and dig into some killer vibes along the way. Not saying I’ve heard the album or anything, but it’s an effective fusion of psychedelic impulses new and old, and the vibe runs as thick as the leadoff riff in almost-centerpiece “Immortal Tortoise,” which is plenty, plenty thick.

The PR wire brings word of headtrips to come:

Announcing new album from Aussie heavy psych-rock trio ORB, ‘Naturality’, on Castle Face Records

An exciting development from under strange Australian lab-lights: O.R.B. have respawned from last year’s BIRTH with a further mutated slab of paranoid heavy shred, Naturality. They bring the dread with a kinetic muscularity and a pleasantly evolving synthetic strangeness, as if having eaten of the wrong part of the garden, familiar things start to seem less so. The effects of these spores on your modern brain, already clogged with a steady drip of zips and zooms, are freshly heard and confusing.

O.R.B. are young and fleet fingered, and certainly know their way around a riff, but they bring everything into an almost alien clarity both blunted and futuristic. O.R.B., you see, have ripened quite radically, one can only think at an accelerated pace upon their travels with King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, and Naturality finds them sprouting new appendages and clawing at their enclosures. This is potent stuff, be careful – it’s out on Castle Face October 6th.

Artist: ORB
Title: Naturality
Label: Castle Face
Format: LP/CD

Release date: 6th October 2017

Tracklist
1. Hazlewart
2. A Man In The Sand
3. You Are Right
4. O.R.B.
5. Immortal Tortoise
6. Motherbrain
7. Flying Sorcerer
8. Rainbows End

https://www.facebook.com/ORB-475112932588695/
https://soundcloud.com/orb-9
https://www.facebook.com/Castle-Face-Records-274495015919012/
https://www.castlefacerecords.com/

Aussie newcomers Smoke Witch released their self-titled debut EP on Jan. 1 digitally and on DIY, 100-copies-only CD and followed that with a vinyl issue on March 10. The instrumentalist heavy rock duo have been together not more than a year, but that seems to have been plenty of time for them to draw eyes and ears in their direction, and with the first release under their belt — you can see the video for opening track “Grave Diggers” below and the whole thing is streaming on their Bandcamp; I’d have posted it here but for its cartoon-titty artwork — gigs played and their very own Smoke Witch Ale, they would seem to be set to embark on the next stage, which brings us around to the news that they’ve hooked up with Desert Highways for the release and promotion of their next outing.

Hard to argue with a band who works quickly. The PR wire brings details and whatnot. I think my favorite part is “broke through with their first Instagram post.” Makes me feel old.

Dig:

SMOKE WITCH Joins Forces With DESERT HIGHWAYS!

We’re very proud to announce that Geelong’s Smoke Witch have joined forces with Desert Highways!

In the winter of 2016, Smoke Witch broke through with their first Instagram post and came into being; a twin-cylinder sonic jam from Geelong.

With the band not even together for one year, they’ve already released their debut, recorded another five tracks ready to go, and are making plans to head back into the studio on their first anniversary. They’ve also created their own Smoke Witch Ale through Casati Beer Co (Melbourne) and locked in some massive gigs including Brewtality Festival (August), and signing to Desert Highways!

Members Sammy Wright (strings) and Karl Stehn (skins) have played in various bands over the years and shared stages with the likes of Spiderbait, Cosmic Psychos, Airbourne, Hard-Ons, Peeping Tom, Fauves, Testeagles and more.

www.facebook.com/smokewitch
www.instagram.com/smokewitchband
www.smokewitch1.bandcamp.com
www.smokewitch.bigcartel.com
www.deserthighways.com
www.facebook.com/deserthighwaysmusic

Smoke Witch, “Grave Diggers” official video