Just a couple weeks ago, Kansas City doom rockers Merlin oversaw a Poisoned Mind Records vinyl release of their 2014 sophomore full-length, Christkiller (review here), and already they’re announcing the next chapter of their story in the form of Electric Children, a third album set to come out in March. To mark the occasion, the four-piece — who’ll play their final show with bassist Joey Hamm on Nov. 27 at Records with Merritt in KC — today unveil the new song “Bad Trip” in a YouTube stream as the first audio made public from the new outing.

While somewhat over the top aesthetically — did I mention the last LP was called Christ Killer? — Merlin have proved to-date to be entirely clearheaded in their songwriting and overall purpose. Like its predecessor, “Bad Trip” shows the band have a crisp approach to sonic heft, less prone to building walls of fuzz than to plodding out with Caleb Wyles‘ big, echoing drums. Vocalist Jordan Knorr remains a commanding presence up front, working in layers to set up the propulsive riffing of Carter Lewis (also synth and backing vocals), made even thicker by Hamm‘s rumbling bass. Even as it throws itself into a wash of noise and deconstructs at the end, Merlin seem to be in control of the swirl enough to finish with a couple clean hits, as if to acknowledge that, indeed, nothing prior was happenstance.

We’ve got a while to go before Electric Children arrives, but though it’s just under three minutes “Bad Trip” gives an intro to the album — figuratively and literally; it’s the opener — and puts it on the list of ones to look forward to in the New Year.

Basic info and cover art by Harley and J follow the track on the player below. Enjoy:

Merlin, “Bad Trip”

Merlin was forged with one purpose: To obliterate your mind with a witche’s brew of epic towering riffs, and 70’s era doom jams far too spacey to be of this planet. After being formed in the beer soaked, incense littered basement they call The Wizard’s Lair, Merlin vowed, no genre is safe from their Psychedelic Wall of Fuzzy Doom. Prepare yer minds, for your soul is already theirs…

Merlin – Electric Children
Release Date – 03/09/16
Recorded from October 2014 through July 2015 at Red Roof Productions
Mixed/Mastered – Bret Liber/ Merlin

Tracklisting:
1. Bad Trip
2. Electric Children
3. Will ‘o’ the Wisp
4. Interlude
5. Night Creep
6. War Bringer
7. A Reprisal for Julia
8. Tales of the Wasteland I-IV

Merlin is:
Jordan Knorr – Vocals
Carter Lewis – Guitar, Synth, Backing vocals
Caleb Wyels – Percussion
Joey Hamm – Bass

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Merlin on Bandcamp

Poisoned Mind Records BigCartel store

Tags: Kansas City, Merlin, Merlin Electric Children, Missouri, Poisoned Mind Records

This entry was posted on Monday, November 2nd, 2015 at 12:50 pm and is filed under Bootleg Theater. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.