Pyramid Premiere “Solar Flare”; Beyond Borders of Time Due March 23
Posted in audiObelisk, Reviews on January 15th, 2024 by JJ Koczan
German heavy psychedelic instrumentalists Pyramid will release their second full-length, Beyond Borders of Time, on March 23 through Subsound Records. With it, the Nuremberg-based three-piece answer the heady undertakings of 2019’s Mind Maze and the 2022 two-songer Ancient Vibes of a Sun God Cult through expansive, atmospheric and ultimately clearheaded psychedelic rock, the tension in Lukas Schomann‘s kick drum early on in opener “The Medicine Man” hinting at the proggy rhythms that underpin much of the record that follows, fuzzed to the gills though “The Medicine Man” and others here get by the time they’re done, the lead cut’s apex coming in a head-twist of guitar carried through a series of three stops and tempo shifts. As five of the seven inclusions of Beyond Borders of Time are over six minutes long, it fits in and is representative in that regard while serving as a point of immersion for what’s to come.
“Sunbeam” follows and begins quiet and exploratory, gradually resolving in a warm heavy psych progression, fluid n the execution but not a jam as it builds up near the halfway point and opens to a vital roll. They’ll make it noisier as they go, but “Sunbeam” locks into a groove and does not relinquish. More power to it. At 8:26, “Fainting” is the longest single track, making no secret of its cosmic intention with ringing, resonant standalone guitar from Shane Saban, hypnotic for two minutes in the spirit of mellower Earthless before taking off with more of a shove, hitting the slowdown, and riding that to the comedown that’s also the start of the next build. They’re back in the nod soon enough and no complaints for the tonal reach in the guitar and the solid underwriting of Michael Kümpflein‘s basslines.
It’s a raucous finish, and by no means the only one, from a band who cast their atmosphere as being pretty subdued at least in overall impression if not an actual languidness in their playing. The low end feels especially crucial in the reaches of “Solar Flare,” which follows the centerpiece interlude “Petrichor,” a quick meditative-psych viber that goes to silence before “Solar Flare” pushes back somewhat on the structured feel of the material, working in repetitions around a flourish of guitar melody, but complementing and contrasting that central movement in interesting ways. It doesn’t strike like improv, but it’s probably jam-based, and the sweet figure of guitar proves one of Beyond Borders of Time‘s stronger sans-vocal hooks, and the drone of synth from Kümpflein lends the entire affair an air of the ethereal.
They call into the void with bluesy soloing in the premiering-below “Solar Flare” — it would have to be a little flashy, right? — but are thoughtful in the finish and go to ground in the song’s second half, again relying on the bass to hold proceedings together while they rally for the last shove, which finds an immediate uptick in the smack-o’-fuzz wrought with “Krypta,” which isn’t so much an interlude as a quick parade of righteous desert-style cruncher riffs, less directly space-minded or psychedelic than some of what surrounds, but a vibrant palette cleanser before “Prototype” wraps and substantial enough in its big-groove-time-now swagger to call back to “Sunbeam” earlier on. Good to know there’s still a place for stoner rock in the age of hyper-specialization.
Some of the My Sleeping Karma-ishness of “Petrichor” shows up in “Prototype” as well in the line of synth that runs throughout, but Pyramid are deceptively quick finding their place in the groove, and they unfold the finale of their sophomore outing with patience and a mounting wall of distortion that still feels controlled thanks to the accompanying ambience. At 3:18, they bring it down to near silence and the guitar starts the quiet movement that will end the record, more threatening to get loud — at least in the sense of how they do in “Solar Flare” or “Sunbeam” — than doing so, but getting the point across that they could if they wanted anyhow. As it stands, the quiet capper comes through as classier than a blowout might be, so is only fitting for the rest of what surrounds.
If you go back to the first sentence of this post, you’ll see the album’s not out for over two months. And I just reviewed it. Poor form, too early. But you know, sometimes you listen to a record and you get excited and dig in and want to make the most of the opportunity you have to talk about it. If you’ve ever been there, maybe you can relate. And either way, two months from now when the hype is up and the Bandcamp’s being shared around and all this and that, at least you’ll be ready.
“Solar Flare” premieres here, followed by more from the PR wire. Please enjoy:
Pyramid is an instrumental progressive stoner/psychedelic rock band founded in Nuremberg Germany. The band consists of Lukas Schomann (drums) Michael Kümpflein (bass/synth) and Shane Saban (guitar). “Beyond Borders Of Time” will is the follow-up to their debut album “Mind Maze”. A mesmerizing journey through stoner psychedelia and progressive instrumental rock, it weaves a kaleidoscopic landscape that unfolds like a sonic travel through time and space. Pyramid’s musicianship and unique sound make them a must-hear for fans of instrumental psychedelic and progressive rock.
