Belgian band Psychonaut are a new name to me, their latest album entitled World Maker is brought to you by Pelagic Records. Fatherhood changed the impetus of guitarist/vocalist Stefan De Graef to write differently, with a more optimistic world view. However, two band members lives would be rocked by cancer diagnosis for their fathers. Along with bassist/vocalist Thomas Michiels and drummer Harm Peters, this three-piece have a massive sound and a serious intent to fuse as many different styles as they can muster. If the likes of Gojira, Mastodon and Tool are your thing, then you will find Psychonaut offering much in the way of pleasing sounds.
Opening song ‘World Maker’ eases you in with floaty Rhodes organ and a soothing melody before ratcheting up the tension and volume for a teasing ending. ‘Endless Currents’ is next and the dexterous musicianship and melodies remind me of King’s X. The chorus is a winner with a memorable hook and finally the band cut loose with some black metal elements before hopping into a math rock passage of intricate percussion and jittery guitars. ‘You Are the Sky’ cuts no slack with getting straight to the black metal sounds. There’s no doubting the musicianship of Psychonaut as the ease with which they switch tempo and tone is seamless. ‘Everything Else is just the Weather’ has some flashy guitar work snaking about as the tempo drops to a slow pace. There’s an elegance with how this tender ballad flows, before it erupts with waves of heavy guitars enticing drummer Harm to flex.
The portentously named ‘And You came with Searing Light’ seeps with moodiness before hopping onto a groove metal train that brings them to black metal station. From there they switch between prog rock and black metal with free will, though I find my mind wanders as the song feels much longer than its six-minute runtime. ‘Origins’ pulls in some middle eastern percussion, ethereal voices and droning keyboards. It’s like the soundtrack for an imminent explosion in a thriller. Ever intent on traversing multiple genres the track ends up as a math rock extravaganza, with more notes than some people manage across an entire album. ‘All in Time’ opens with a swinging groove and psychedelic guitar tones. Even the airy songs have a weight bearing down on them and the eruption duly comes with some black metal might.
The album’s “hit” comes in the form of the melodic ‘Stargazer’. Swirling guitars and drones underpin a particularly icy black metal howl by way of introduction. You don’t expect an almost indie style section (with jangly guitars) to drop but it adds some light before the impending shade returns. ‘All was Quiet’ has some Spiritualized-esque drones and shimmering atmospherics over its brief two-minute duration. Lovely textured guitars make for a pleasing opening to ‘Endless Erosion’ before lurching between black metal and prog rock, the extremities clash in a most satisfying way.
There’s so much going on with this album, it’s a lot to digest in one sitting. Every song has some stretch of dynamics throwing in a plethora of genres, which may not be for everyone. If I’m going to offer any negative feedback, it’s to mention that the shifting dynamics can cause the mind to wander. Songs feel longer than they actually are. My initial feelings of marvel towards the album somehow dissipated the more I listened to it. Having said that, the musicianship here is incredible and every song is a journey traversing a multitude of styles, there is much to enjoy.
