Review & Full Album Premiere: King Potenaz, Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1
Tomorrow, June 27, is the release date of King Potenaz‘s second album, Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1, as their label-debut on Majestic Mountain Records. Picking up where 2023’s Argonauta-issued first full-length, Goat Rider (review here), left off, the three-piece of guitarist/vocalist Giuseppe Guarini, bassist Francesco Pensato and drummer Piero Schiavone pull from multiple sides of the underground-heavy genre sphere — from doom, crustier sludge, heavy rock and despondent doom, plus some black metal near the end — through four mostly-longer songs and 39 minutes of atmospheric, expressive weirdness. There’s just something off about it.
That’s a compliment, by the way. Part of what Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1 does as one makes their way through is glimpse a world of King Potenaz‘s making that’s all the more vivid for its seemingly willful individuality. The material is united by a thread of long intros, and it portrays the trio as both considerate of their sound and pushing toward a direction on purpose. The fun part is you’re not quite sure where the direction is going.
You’ve known bands before who just don’t quite fit, right? Either they’re between styles, or there’s just something a little on the weird side in their rhythm or songwriting. When King Potenaz put out Goat Rider, along with the silly title, they set forth a scope that Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1 doesn’t follow exactly, but seems to take as a blueprint nonetheless. That is to say, the listener might not be able to discern 
the plan, either in a given song or over the course of the next however many years, but that doesn’t mean the band don’t have one.
There’s something intriguing about that, and Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1 offers the listeners depth of mix in which to contemplate. Built up on a slow-stoner-minimalist intro, the almost-Electric–Wizard-leaning opener “River of Death,” begins the procession with hard lumber, while the mellower-but-still-way-heavy, semi-psychedelic flow of “The Empty Hand, Pt. 1,” fuzzed to the nines and shuffle-jamming on the drums near the end, immediately diverges to cap side A. The two pieces are about 10 minutes each and couldn’t quite be different bands, but you get the point.
The shorter “Sabbatum Sanctum,” with its welcoming bass and maybe-hi-hat intro and ensuing goth-doom crux, follows, Guarini‘s vocals echoing out between cavernous riffs, veering into screams and more insistent chug before it gets there, ahead of the the 13-minute finale “Ariadne, The Serpent Witch,” which both starts and stays theatrical from its initial five-minute movement of drone and minimalist ambience before kicking into a lumber somewhere between Goatsnake and Saint Vitus and bringing on guest vocalist Jana Maista to carry the melody of the middle-third, while the ending section makes a Sabbathian turnaround to faster chugging and (less Sabbathian) harsh screams before bringing Maista‘s voice back to round out.
At the finish, as throughout, King Potenaz are clearheaded (if not always clear-sounding) in their execution and seem pointedly aware of the places they’re bringing their audience. Even the jammiest moment of Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1 feels purposeful in its reasoning. They’re never overbearing in terms of delivery or cultistry, but there’s nowhere on the album where they fit cleanly into one stylistic slot or another. That can be dangerous ground for a band trying to catch ears to walk, but it’s likely to foster a deeper connection with those who can get to where it’s at. If that’s you, so much the better.
To say it quickly, this puts them on a different level in my mind. The first record wasn’t a fluke, and the second expands on the accomplishments of the first. I do not know where they’re ultimately headed, but I do know I’ll look forward expectantly to what they do next as well.
Enjoy the record on the player below, followed by more from the PR wire:
King Potenaz on Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1:
We’re finally back with the first cosmic phase of these “Arcane Desert Rituals” in four movements… so gather your souls around the eternal mystic flame and prepare for an occult journey into the depths of black magic, infinite space, death and rebirth!
Southern Italy’s King Potenaz return with a scorched-earth sermon of fuzzy, raw, and occult-fueled doom on their long-awaited second album, Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1, set to be released on June 27th via Majestic Mountain Records.
Formed as a power trio in the deep south of Italy, King Potenaz invoke the classic vibes of Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard, Monster Magnet, Kyuss, and Sleep, blending stoner riffs with cavernous doom and occult psychedelia. Their latest offering is a sonic ritual in six parts, plunging into heavy atmospheres, swirling desert haze, and hypnotic grooves.
“We’re back with a vengeance, unleashing our long-awaited second album, Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1!” Says the band. “This is our heaviest, most intense work yet—a sonic onslaught that’ll blow your mind. We can’t wait for you to crank it up and dive into the chaos!”
The trio also contributed a Ramones cover to Magnetic Eye Records’ Redux series and appear on several international compilations with standout tracks like “Monolithic” and “Dancing Plague.”
Credits:
Recorded at Sudestudio by Stefano Manca in February 2024
Mixed and mastered by Marc Urselli in May 2024
Cover artwork by Mirko Gastow
Special Guests:
Jana Maista (vocals on “Ariadne, The Serpent Witch”; backing vocals on “Sabbatum Sanctum”)
Lyrics for “Ariadne, The Serpent Witch” written by Marcella Loconte
Line-Up:
Vocals/guitars: Giuseppe Guarini
Bass: Francesco Pensato
Drums/synth: Piero Schiavone
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Tags: Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1, Fasano, Italy, King Potenaz, King Potenaz Arcane Desert Rituals Vol. 1, Majestic Mountain Records
