With bags full of fuzz and an arsenal of relentlessly infectious stoner grooves, North Carolina doom unit Cosmic Reaper have arrived on the scene with their superb self-titled debut album in tow. The band had already established themselves as ones to watch following 2019 EP Demon Dance, but richer production and the added space allotted to the band over the course of a full album has done their sound wonders. Here, they absolutely nail the perfect balance of churning riffs that swirl sumptuously around a catchy rhythm, lackadaisical vocals straight out of the ‘70s, killer solos that cut right through the doomy grime and just a mere hint of something psychedelic earning the band their celestially-inclined name.
The four-piece’s sound is exemplified perfectly by new single ‘Wasteland II’, whilst follows lead-single ‘Hellion’ in setting out the album’s stall. The track wastes no time in submerging the listener amongst the warmth of a bewitching stoner groove, blending modern stoner rock with a doomy tone ripped straight from early Black Sabbath. It’s been on heavy rotation here since it arrived in our inbox, so we implore you to give it a listen below.
Cosmic Reaper’s self-titled album drops 19th March via Heavy Psych Sounds. Order here.
Words: George Parr
